It’s never too early to begin researching potential places to live. Gaining an understanding of different areas will help you determine where you might want to settle. As a general guideline, it is best to start at least half a year in advance to start with orienting where you would like to live.
According to Raisin the most difficult cities to find housing in 2024 are amongst others Haarlem, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Amsterdam. These cities are also part of the “Randstad”. Other cities include Maastricht, Nijmegen, Groningen, Vlissingen and Alkmaar. See below the chart:
Alternatively, see the below map from Business Insider (from 2022, but the situation has not changed much compared to 2024):
“Housing accessibility for people with an income up to twice the median income*”
“Housing accessibility for people with an income higher than twice the median income*”
*The median income in 2022 was €78,000
There are plenty of amazing places outside Randstad. Consider these: