Utilities

Wind turbines generating electricity

Gas and Electricity:

In the Netherlands, residents can choose to have their gas and electricity provided by a single supplier or they can choose a separate supplier for each utility.
You can use a comparison site to find the best price for your household, such as energievergelijk.nl (in English), gaslicht.com, independer.nl, easyswitch.nl (in English) or overstappen.nl (in English).

Here are some prominent gas and electricity suppliers in the Netherlands:

"As an energy supplier, we help more than 2.5 million customers in the private and business markets with energy. We like to help you live and save more sustainably. Nowadays, that includes green power. Generated by windmills and solar panels, and increasingly from Dutch soil."

Take a look at the website for more information.

"Are you looking for a sustainable energy supplier? Due to the high and uncertain gas price, you can temporarily only take out a variable contract for electricity and gas. The rising energy prices are beyond anyone's control. What you can control, is your energy consumption. Read how you can save and what you can do if you need electricity, gas or district heating now."

Take a look at the website for more information.

"As an energy supplier, we help 2 million customers in the Netherlands with energy. You can also come to us for information, advice and help. For example, about sustainable energy, our energy label, saving energy, solar panels, insulation and electric driving. We are also happy to show you products for your home."

Take a look at the website for more information.

"Vandebron only offers energy that is genuinely sustainably generated on Dutch soil. Good energy, we call it! You choose your own wind, bio or solar energy source. So you know exactly where your energy comes from and where your money goes. Already 200,000 households have signed up with us."

Take a look at the website for more information.

"Green power and gas for a better climate is what we at Greenchoice are committed to, together with you. With more than 600,000 customers, we are working on the cheapest possible 100% green energy from our own country; sustainably generated nearby from sun and wind. Would you like to help make the Netherlands greener? Then choose Greenchoice green power and gas."

Take a look at the website for more information.

The Netherlands has gone through significant increases in energy prices and, for many, the thought of the upcoming costs may be met with some panic. However, there are some tips and tricks that you can use to help save on at least some of these costs, and using several of these simultaneously could make a noticeable difference in your energy bills.

Water:

The Leiden region’s water supply comes from Dunea, a private supplier. If your residence is not already registered, you can go to Dunea’s website and follow the steps in their “Apply for Water” page.

Internet:

There are a wide variety of internet providers across the Netherlands. Ziggo and KPN are the largest internet providers, but there are a range of options available. Some providers offer joint internet and TV packages. Dutch Review discusses internet options in more detail in one of their articles.

Note that there are many sites that can be used to compare utility prices in the Netherlands. Do research into the packages offered by each company and make sure to read the fine print before signing a contract.

Phone:

There are numerous benefits to swapping out your old SIM card for a Dutch one, with many delivery services, appointments, and other areas of daily life often requiring you to have a Dutch phone number. However, once you decide to make the change, there are several important choices still left to make - ranging from what kind of phone contract you would like to have to which provider you wish to use. Our partner, DutchReview, has written an in-depth guide to phone contracts and providers to answer the questions you may have about both.

Below, you can find an overview of several mobile phone providers in the Netherlands.

ExpatMobile is a mobile phone provider aimed specifically at expats. Although not as well-known as some of the other providers, one advantage of ExpatMobile is that you do not need a Dutch bank account or residence permit to start your contract with them. As such, they are useful especially for internationals who do not yet have a permanent address and are still settling into the Netherlands.

You can take a look at their website for more information.

Vodafone is one of the most well-known mobile phone providers, both in and outside of the Netherlands. They offer a variety of phones to choose from, as well as SIM-only plans. Although their website is in Dutch, they have many physical stores throughout the Netherlands and you can choose to make an appointment at one of these stores in English.

Take a look at their website for more information.

Television:

The Dutch television broadcasting system is split between commercial and public channels. There are three public channels, which are all in Dutch which are NPO1, NPO2 and NPO3.

Meanwhile, channels that are operated by national broadcasters are: RTL 4, 5, 7, and 8 by RTL group, furthermore, NET 5, SBS 6 and Veronica by SBS Broadcasting. Among these channels' programs you may find some with English subtitles.

The majority of Dutch households receive their television as part of a package deal from their internet provider. As a result, the Netherlands' primary providers of TV packages are:

Pricewise and other comparison websites can assist you in determining which TV package is best for you.

Lebara

Lebara is a telecommunication company, providing prepaid and postpaid services by using KPN's reliable 4G network.
Find out more about Lebara
Lebara
Utility Direct

Utility Direct is a relocation service company that arranges your insurance, furniture rental, bank account, international moving services, and sets up your household utilities.
Find out more about Utility Direct
Utility Direct

Housing
Housing
Trash
Trash
Sustainability
Sustainability