Most people looking for a rental in North Holland start with Amsterdam. That makes sense, but the province is much larger than the capital city. Haarlem is the provincial capital, and the municipalities around Amsterdam each have their own supply of homes, neighbourhoods and connections.
This page brings together the thirteen North Holland cities that have their own Addressly page. For each city you can read where it lies and what to look out for in a listing, so you can decide which places belong in your search profile. The city page then shows today's listings and a more detailed neighbourhood guide.
Start with one question: where do you need to be every day? Your workplace, your university or a particular station decides which cities are realistic. A town that looks close on the map can still mean a change of trains or a long bike ride, while a town further away may have a direct connection.
The cities fall roughly into four groups. Amstelveen, Diemen, Zaandam and Purmerend lie around Amsterdam. Hoofddorp and Aalsmeer are in and next to Haarlemmermeer, south-west of the city. Haarlem and IJmuiden are on the coast. Further north are Alkmaar, Hoorn and Den Helder, and in the south-east lies Hilversum, in the Gooi area.
Grouping them this way helps you build a search area that fits one direction of travel, rather than a scattered set of cities that each point a different way.
Where most searches begin. Neighbourhoods such as Centrum, Oud-West and De Baarsjes are in demand; if you also look at Nieuw-West or Noord, you have more addresses to compare. Check the route to your regular destination for every home, because distances within the city vary a lot.
The provincial capital, west of Amsterdam, with a historic centre. Oude Stad and the Haarlemmerhoutkwartier are close to the centre; Oost is further out. Listings sometimes mention Overveen, Aerdenhout or Heemstede in the same breath as Haarlem, but those are different places.
Borders Amsterdam-Zuid and the Zuidas. Many international households live here, partly because of the international schools nearby. Elsrijk, Westwijk and Keizer Karelpark are good starting points. If you work at the Zuidas or in central Amsterdam, check the tram or bus connection from the address.
Borders the east side of Amsterdam. Alongside established areas such as Diemen Noord, Centrum and Zuid, Holland Park, a former office district, is becoming a residential area. Some buildings on its Campus are aimed at students and young professionals, so check which tenants a studio is intended for.
Lies north of the IJ and is part of the municipality of Zaanstad. On its southern side, the former industrial site of Hembrug is being developed for living and working, and Centrum Oost and the Russische Buurt are changing too. For a new build, ask which buildings and streets are already finished.
The main town of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, which also contains Schiphol. Toolenburg has its own covered shopping centre and the Toolenburgerplas lake; Haarlemmermeerse Bos lies north of Hoofddorp. If you work shifts, test the journey at your earliest departure and latest return.
Borders Amstelveen and Haarlemmermeer. Centrum, Stommeer and Hornmeer are part of Aalsmeer itself; Oosteinde and Kudelstaart are other parts of the municipality. Look at the address, not just the municipality name. Building is under way around Oosteindedriehoek, but a construction project is not a home you can rent today.
Lies north of Amsterdam. Since 2022, Purmerend and Beemster have formed one municipality, so a listing under ‘Purmerend’ may be in Middenbeemster or another Beemster village. Within the town itself, Centrum, Weidevenne, Wheermolen and Overwhere are useful names for organising your search.
IJmuiden is part of the municipality of Velsen and sits on the coast, by the locks and the fishing harbour. The municipality is transforming Oud-IJmuiden, so ask about nearby construction for any home there. The dunes of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park are close by; find the actual entrance, though.
Lies in the north of the province. Centrum, Oudorp, Overdie, Huiswaard, De Mare and Daalmeer/Koedijk take your search in different directions, and the area around the Alkmaars Kanaal is being developed. The municipality also includes Schermer and Graft-De Rijp, so check the town name and postcode of every listing.
Lies on the Markermeer, with a historic centre around the Binnenhaven. Grote Waal, Hoorn-Noord, Risdam and Kersenboogerd are other search areas; the central area of Kersenboogerd is being renewed. Compare a home in the historic centre with one in a newer district using the same checklist: space, storage, outdoor space and total monthly costs.
Sits at the northern tip of the province. Stad binnen de Linie, Nieuw Den Helder and De Schooten are urban search areas; Huisduinen and Julianadorp are separate settlements within the municipality. If you work at a specific site, such as near the harbour, check the route to that entrance rather than to ‘the centre’.
Lies in the Gooi area in the south-east of the province and is known as the Netherlands' media city. Woods and heathland are close to its villa districts. The Oost-Indische buurt is near the station and centre, Boomberg is a green villa district, and Kerkelanden in the south-west is more spacious.
If you are searching for work or study in Amsterdam, add two or three neighbouring towns to your search profile. Amstelveen and Diemen border the city directly, Zaandam and Purmerend lie to the north, and Hoofddorp to the south-west. Choose the places that lie in the same direction as your destination; a home in Purmerend and a home in Hoofddorp mean very different daily journeys.
In North Holland, the place name in a listing does not always match the place you have in mind. The municipality of Purmerend includes the Beemster villages, Aalsmeer includes Kudelstaart, and Alkmaar includes Schermer and Graft-De Rijp. IJmuiden belongs to Velsen and Zaandam to Zaanstad. Always look at the full address and postcode before comparing one home with another.
For each listing, check the journey with the NS journey planner or 9292 at the time you would actually travel. The distance between two stations tells you little if the home is far from the station, or if your destination is some way from its station. Cycle the route yourself when you go to a viewing, especially in towns you don't know yet.
Addressly monitors listings that match your search profile and can send viewing requests from your own inbox. Because you can select several cities in one profile, there is no need to search each town separately. Replies from landlords come to you, and you arrange the viewing and the rest of the conversation yourself.
Want to set up a search that covers more than one city? Our guide on responding faster to rental listings explains how to build your profile.
Of the cities on this page, Amstelveen and Diemen border Amsterdam directly. Zaandam lies on the north side of the IJ, and Purmerend and Hoofddorp are a little further away. Whether a place is close for you depends on your destination and the connection from the address.
No. Hoofddorp is the main town of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, which also contains Schiphol. It is a separate municipality with its own housing supply and neighbourhoods, such as Toolenburg.
Many municipalities include several villages or settlements. A listing under Purmerend may be in Middenbeemster, one under Aalsmeer in Kudelstaart, and one under Den Helder in Julianadorp. Always check the full address.
Yes. You can select several cities in your Addressly search profile. Addressly then monitors matching listings in all of them and can send viewing requests from your own inbox.
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Content last reviewed Sept. 13, 2026.