Moving to Leiden: costs process & districts

The historic Binnenstad, with its canals, the university and museums such as the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, is low-traffic; loading is only permitted in fixed time windows. Outside the centre lie neighbourhoods such as Merenwijk and Stevenshof with more recent buildings, plus areas such as De Kooi, Roomburg and Leiden-Zuidwest. Together with Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest, Katwijk, Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude, Leiden forms an urban area with more than 250,000 inhabitants. For the move, the areas differ mainly in loading time and stairwell: in the Binnenstad a furniture lift is often needed, while the outer neighbourhoods have more space in front of the building. Which area suits you depends on your commute, schools and budget.

The housing market in Leiden is considered tight, because the university – the oldest in the Netherlands – the university medical centre and the Bio Science Park attract many students, researchers and skilled workers. We do not quote specific rents, because they depend heavily on location and condition; people usually search via Dutch portals. If you search early and are flexible about location, your chances are better. Only sign the tenancy agreement once the moving date can be planned – you need a copy of it for registration. If the flat is not yet free, we store your furniture in Berlin in the meantime.

Our pricing model is simple and fair: small flats with 1 room cost from €359, medium-sized ones with 2 rooms from €584. For 3 rooms we start from €889, for 4 rooms from €1,324. For houses and villas, because each is different, there is always a tailor-made quote. Anyone moving over longer distances pays from €3.95 per kilometre driven for long-distance moves. It is best to clarify the details during a free survey.

The price depends primarily on the volume and the distance (from €3.95/km). But the floor and lift as well as a necessary parking restriction zone also have an effect. If you need additional furniture assembly or a part load, you should say so in advance.

Our services in detail – the right solution for every need.

• Home move – Home move: from the boxes to the kitchen, everything under control.
• Company relocation – Company relocation: efficient implementation for businesses.
• Furniture transport – Furniture transport: we reliably transport individual pieces too.
• Part load – Part load: combined trips for smaller budgets.
• Move with assembly – Move with assembly: an all-round service including assembly.
• Clearance – Clearance: creating space made easy.

We plan moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to the Netherlands; we have no branches at the destinations. You will find details on long routes under Long-distance moves, and places with their own pages in the locations overview.

Anyone moving to the centre of Leiden will encounter the “autoluwe binnenstad”, the low-traffic city core. According to the Gemeente Leiden, fixed time windows (“venstertijden”) apply there for loading and unloading: Monday to Saturday from 4.30 am to 11.00 am. Outside these times you need a traffic exemption. For a one-off move, this is the dagontheffing, an exemption for one calendar day.

The municipality issues it exclusively for a vehicle's number plate and charges €10.85 per application. Private individuals apply online at the e-loket with DigiD or at the counter (telephone 14 071); according to the municipality, you receive the exemption immediately. Important: it is not a parking permit. After loading or unloading, the vehicle must leave the Binnenstad straight away.

The city's 2025 policy rules (Beleidsregels) only provide for an exemption for moves in closed-off areas if the time windows demonstrably cannot be used. So plan the loading within the time window if possible. If the vehicle needs to stand for longer or you need a reserved parking space, the municipality names 14 071 as the contact point.

• Clarify the removal van's number plate before applying
• Schedule loading within the 4.30 am to 11.00 am time window
• In special cases, ask the municipality early

You can read how we plan access and stopping options on our parking restriction zone service page. During the survey we clarify access, carrying distances and floor before we state your price.

In the Netherlands you report your move (verhuizing) to the municipality. If, like you, you are moving to Leiden from Germany, i.e. from abroad, and will live there for longer than four months, according to the Gemeente Leiden you must register in person. An appointment should take place within five working days of the move; you receive the link for booking an appointment online by email after filling in the form. Registration is free of charge, and processing takes at least five working days.

According to the municipality, you should bring:

• a valid ID
• a copy of the purchase or tenancy agreement in your name
• if subletting, the “toestemming inwoning” form together with a copy of the main occupant's ID
• if this is your first residence in the Netherlands, birth or marriage certificates, which may need to be legalised

A different process applies within the Netherlands: anyone moving from a Dutch address to Leiden or within Leiden reports the move, according to the municipality, from four weeks before to five days after the move, most easily with DigiD. The municipality answers questions on 14 071, or from abroad on +31 71 51 65 165.

You will find everything about everyday life in the city in our guide for newcomers to Leiden. We describe how your household goods get there from Germany in the guide to a long-distance move to Leiden.