(Amsterdam) Up keeping cost is more expensive than major Au cities

hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 06:26
Last edited 11/01/2018 - 09:47 by 1 other user

Im writing this while on the train in Amsterdam, love my travel so far, but those small cost that they charge is too damn much, 0.5-0.7€ to pee, even at macass and HJ after you buy their meal, and especially at the train station AFTER you bought the ticket.

In Au some store might lock their toilet but if you buy something, they will happily let you live in it(just an expression) and water, wow, we have free fountain every where in Melbourne and in here one bottle of 0.2l is like 3,4€, and water is not free in restaurants, even softdrink came in smaller size too compare to i would say standard 0.5l.

Dont get me start on public transport, amazingly expensive, i know im on holiday but the price is shocking.

My final word, i read a lot on internet that our living cost is too expensive and one of the highest in the world but wow, nothing compare to what im experience here in Amsterdam. What is your opinion on this subject as our basic water needs is kind of free and our public toilet is high tech automated

Travel

Comments

  • Donaldhump on 11/01/2018 - 07:58
    +4

    Quick solution

    Stop buying water and you won't need to piss. I just saved you a lot of money.

    And public transport is much cheaper, Beer is cheaper, Food is cheaper.

    Buy tickets from machines, not people if you have not already worked that out.

    You win some you lose some

  • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 08:17
    +2

    You must have smoked too much.
    Everything is Australia is a lot more expensive, in particular housing and all things medical and health (and of lower quality).
    Buy water in supermarkets like everyone else - you can buy bottles of water for $10 in Australia, too if you go to restaurants, late night joints etc. but then of course you will pay a premium.
    Do not buy at train stations, petrol stations etc. - supermarkets!

    • cloudy on 11/01/2018 - 09:32

      Do you work in the medical field? If not I’d guess you’re not in a position to comment on quality, nothing harder to compare than true quality of health care. And no, good food and pleasant service or less wait time in hospitals doesn’t define quality.

      • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 09:36

        My partner does and I have acted for clients suing for bad quality health care hence I do know "a little bit" about the quality, education etc. in that field.
        Of course, there are top notch excellent doctors in Australia but on the whole the quality here is lower than in many Western European countries and the US.
        Plus as far as I know and my own personal experience goes the costs for such care is lower in Western European countries than it is in Australia.

        • try2bhelpful on 11/01/2018 - 11:20

          Hmm, your job involves suing bad health care workers in Australia, do you do comparable work in Europe? Just saying your view might be skewed. I would like to see some independent studies that compare the quality between Australia and the Netherlands, not just the say so of someone who seems to have skin in the game for denigrating Australian medical personelle.

        • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 11:27

          @try2bhelpful:

          Not just in Australia. Anywhere where it is necessary and so far in UK, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, too quite often done pro bono. These days I also deal with other areas of law but still many times pro bono.
          What it means is that I often read and do a lot of research about medical standard and standard practices (for example, see one of landmark cases determining what counts as standard practice and/or reasonable treatment methods - Bolam v Friern Hopsital Management Committee case - English case but still relevant).

          But studies aside: based on my own personal experience there is definitely a discrepancy in standards and quality, generally speaking.

        • try2bhelpful on 11/01/2018 - 11:37

          @Lysander: I do bow to your experience but I would still like to know the criteria of comparison. I’ve had nothing but good experiences out here and, knock on wood, I’ve yet to experience overseas health care. I just think a blanket statement on quality might be a tad sweeping without parameters for comparison.

        • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 11:47

          @try2bhelpful:

          I give you an example before I go to bed (as I am overseas currently):

          Person has pain in the wrist area. Goes to GP in Australia. X-Rayed. Cyst found. Advice: stabilise with device for 4 weeks and then return if not gone. GP advices cyst could go away. After 4 weeks no improvement. Doctor gives pain killers and that is it.

          Overseas: Same as above but then continued with MRI, specialists etc. Also advice by two eminent radiologists that cysts in bone can never just disappear, only cysts in soft tissue can "disappear" by shrinking and reducing pressure (which means they are still there but the effect is less).

          I could tell you several of those examples, both from personal experience (friends and family) and my professional experience. of course, there are sub-par people everywhere but in general it appears to me that the average level is higher in say Germany than in Australia.

          The same definitely applies in higher education field and for that you can find many, many rankings/studies. Or other products.

          Anyway, I am happy you have had good treatment so far - I hope that continues for you.

          Have a great day.

        • try2bhelpful on 11/01/2018 - 11:49

          @Lysander: thanks for info. Have fun on your overseas trip. Let’s hope I never have to make the comparison first hand on my holidays.

        • cloudy on 11/01/2018 - 22:18

          Thanks for elaborating, often on online forums, including ozbargain, its hard to know if someone has merely an opinion or something more educated.

          like try2behelpful, only experiencing pretty good health care here, i couldn't have imagined it better else where. I guess it all depends sometimes. But, i certainly feel as though from the care i've received, many health professionals are good, compentent professionals.

          Thanks for sharing anyway :)

  • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 08:58

    I got it now, i did a lot of research too but did not expect i have to pay to pee, met some Aussie their and they were surprised too. Secondly as a tourist i didnt expect to have to research pubkic toilet as i felt like it is non existence in Amsterdam, With the bottle of water thing, cheaper in the supermarket but no refill is a bumper, a whole day with only one bottle,keep buying is not a solution but other services is spot on i admit

    • Slippery Fish on 11/01/2018 - 09:23

      So take 2-3 bottles and throw out the bottles when done, wtf.

      • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 09:26

        Expensive baby, against ozbargain tradition,

        • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 09:36

          Refill from tap. Quality is very high.

        • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 09:50

          @Lysander:
          Need 50€ to get to anything that pour out water, unless i wait for the rain to refill it

        • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 10:33
          +1

          @hunterhalo:

          I doubt you will need 50 Euros.
          If you mix things like this up, maybe that happens with other things too and that is why you have to pay sometimes?

        • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 10:36

          @Lysander: i mean 50 cent euro, cant see anything eight now lol

    • neil on 11/01/2018 - 09:55

      Had the same experience in Amsterdam and Belgium. Amsterdam did have these which were gross especially when it got crowded at night.

      I had some lovely beer at a festival in Brussels and then had the urge to go to a bathroom a little while after. No bathrooms in sight for blocks and ended up walking into some public gallery space with a bathroom after a bit of panic. On my way out I saw another desperate soul with panic I had and pointed him to the bathroom. Pretty ironic since their city's biggest tourist attraction and mascot is peeing boy. I guess they have good bladder control in Europe.

      • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 10:15

        I even gave 10 cent to some guy at macass because he did not have enough ugj money to do his business, man now i so value those high tech free toilet that we have in Melbourne

    • TheRealCher on 11/01/2018 - 20:26

      Yr in Amsterdam… There are clubs where you can pee on people for free….

  • Quantumcat on 11/01/2018 - 09:19

    If you're a guy you should just pee in the street (subject to making sure there's no big punishment if caught - eg if you peed in the street in Singapore they'd probably put you in jail). If they want to discourage people from doing this they should have free public toilets available everywhere.

    • Lysander on 11/01/2018 - 09:38

      You can insist to go to toilet, especially if you buy something there. In many countries this is in fact a right (e.g. Germany).
      Plus there are public toilets and failing that go to public buildings. We never had ANY issue with the things you are describing.

  • retiredfeline on 11/01/2018 - 09:42

    What others said, buy water and snacks in supermarkets just like you would here, use vending machines for tickets or get a chipkaart if you are there for a while.

    As for toilets, plan a bier, koffie, or gebak stop now and then and use the toilets afterwards. Or if desperate, locate a major hotel and walk in as if you were a guest or conference attendee and head for the toilets when no one is looking.

    • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 09:54

      I tried but probably not confidence enough lol

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 11/01/2018 - 09:54

    Why are you in Amsterdam drinking water? They have some of the best beer in the world combined with the close proximity of Belgium and Germany there are plenty of beverage options.

    Bars/Pubs have aforementioned beer and no doubt a bathroom.

    You're doing Amsterdam wrong.

    • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 10:14
      +2

      I did,they have the beat bear, but walking around at 2pm wiyh yoyr misus want to selfie at every corner is not ideal for bear

      • o53djz7qTPY4der on 11/01/2018 - 10:31
        +1

        It sounds like Amsterdam is not the problem. It sounds like the missus is. Fortunately, Amsterdam has a solution for this too: Rosse Buurt.

        • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 10:35
          +2

          Ahh rose buurt, da vallen, went there by myself, too much tourist, want to some german village with my cousins and i am da king, that is the place you jave to go, will ask them tmr for the address but really, you arw the king, im there right jow, enjoy the moment

        • o53djz7qTPY4der on 11/01/2018 - 10:38

          @hunterhalo: I take it back.

          You're doing Amsterdam right.

        • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 11:05
          +1

          @Xiongmao:
          Because i have cousin herw, otherwise i am just as a dumb tourist as any other. But yeah, small village next to eindhoven whoch is where my cousin live is the best

        • retiredfeline on 11/01/2018 - 11:07

          @Xiongmao: Sounds like OP had good beer. :)

  • Halo375 on 11/01/2018 - 09:58
    +3

    Use the bathrooms in 5 star hotels across Amsterdam. As long as you walk in, don’t look too shabby, wait in the lounge a bit and then head to the bathroom. You’ll never be questioned.

  • Diji1 on 11/01/2018 - 10:35
    +2

    You're a tourist I'm assuming. A whole industry called "tourism" exists to rip you off. Just like you at home the locals do not buy tourist things.

    • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 10:42
      +1

      Honestly im a migrants but did not feel like om being rip off when i walked around Melbourne 10 years ago, i felt like it is designed to ripped off tourists

  • Marty-69 on 11/01/2018 - 10:58
    +1

    Been there in 2016 and went to a theme park (Efteling) and was surprised how cheap drinks and snacks were in such a popular park, a lot cheaper then the Gold Coast rip offs. Amsterdam is touristy so expensive but they don't close restaurants on Sunday or have a ridiculous surcharges like Australia. With the amount of tourists in Amsterdam looking for a free piss, I understand they lock the toilets but most smaller cities and train stations have free public toilets. A piss in the street can cost 140 euro ($213 aud)

    For drinks and snacks, check the blue "AH To Go" stores, they are part of the supermarket chain Albert Heijn and everywhere.

    Public transport is a bit expensive but works very well. Make sure you get / buy second class, first class is more expensive and so are the faster express trains with less stops.

    • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 11:03

      Lock is one thing, we have that in melbourne too, but 0.7 cent to access it is another story

  • try2bhelpful on 11/01/2018 - 11:30

    Paris used to be similar. First time we went even finding a toilet outside a major gallery was a nightmare. I remember being charged by a restaurant to use their toilet then it was a sodding squat loo. Next time they had the silver loos, but they charged for them. Now you can use them for free. Amsterdam May learn as well that providing people with suitable toilet facilities is good for everyone in the long run.

  • GetOffMyUnicorn on 11/01/2018 - 11:58

    Just take a slash behind the bushes and buy water from the supermarket. wtf.

  • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 11:59

    Guys im sorry as it is 2 am in Amsterdam right now, and i cant really reply to you, i had a good time but those minor thing really set me back. Unless you have relatives hwre, trust me, you will not enjoy full eu experience. Cuz they a better systwm to rip off tourists than we do amd i cant find a suitable toilet right now, in my opinion they are like Asian country but more advanced as in you dont have to walk 10km for somethung. Everthing is opening late

  • GetOffMyUnicorn on 11/01/2018 - 12:16
    +2

    You are looking for a 'suitable' toilet at 2am? lol, this thread just gets better.

    • hunterhalo on 11/01/2018 - 18:03
      +1

      Mate, good beer needs good toilet and findimg 0.7€ in the morning is not easy, as far as i can tell, our cities is more convenience for tourism. Oh btw, i hate those fancy European eating style now, do it once in a while in Melbourne wirh my misus but gosh the waiting time here for food to be served is ridiculous. A set of lunch consist of 5 types of dishes took 3h10 minutes and it is not a fancy michellin star restaurant at all. Last but not least the portion is so little

  • TheRealCher on 11/01/2018 - 20:30

    Apparently you can kinda piss in the street… https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/www.eurocheapo.com/blog/goin…

  • esty on 12/01/2018 - 11:10

    it's expensive because you're converting from AUD. If you lived in Europe and earnt euros, the cost of living is about the same as in Sydney. Perhaps even cheaper.

    I have aussie friends living and working in London, for them it's so cheap to travel to anywhere that uses Euro currency.

    • lgacb08 on 12/01/2018 - 11:27

      No, in euro terms their average wage is no where around €75k per annum

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 14/01/2018 - 08:54

    The toilet situation in Amsterdam surprised me too. At first I thought McDonalds alone was being greedy. They charged customers for the filthiest paid toilets I've experienced (I think people poo and pee on the seats as revenge…). But it shocked me when small cafes outside the tourist centre had full time money collectors for their toilets.

    These days I often use the 5 star hotel trick like others here but I never tried it in Amsterdam. I prefer doing it in countries where the security guards barely speak English and smile politely as they direct you.

  • Kontiki on 28/02/2019 - 15:34

    Late to the party but I stumbled upon this topic. As a Dutch immigrant to Melbourne I might be able to offer some insight.

    First off, in Australia we are really lucky with the public toilet situation. It's honestly the best I've seen anywhere I traveled.
    Free, mostly clean, in abundance, and even fancy parent rooms in shopping malls. And ditto for the public barbecues in parks btw, amazing.

    The EUR 0.50 surcharge for toilet use is a cultural difference, not a tourist rip-off. It has been that way for decades.
    Yes, it's silly as they often employ a person to collect your coins - would they even break even? But honestly, I think the same of employees in Australian supermarkets whose sole job seems to be to greet you as you enter the store (and perhaps hand out a basket).

    Now as for the costs, I disagree on the 'Australia is cheaper' opinion of the OP. The only things I found cheaper here in Oz are fuel, water melons and train tickets.
    Homes are much better value in AU too - they are expensive but you get a lot more for your coin (freestanding homes are a rarity in NL).

    I travel often between both countries and would estimate the cost of living in NL is roughly 60% of the costs here in Melbourne (but salary is higher here too).
    A lot of this comes down to the economic power of the EU: most of the food you buy in Amsterdam will be subsidised and produced in another EU country. We don't have that luxury here in AU.

    Water bottles are expensive in AU too. I paid $4 at Target the other day, for a tiny bottle. Alcohol is ridiciously expensive, Australian wines are cheaper in Amsterdam.
    The train in NL is expensive but of high quality. You can get pretty much anywhere in the country. I see tourists in Melbourne struggle with Myki on a weekly basis.

    Also, the exchange rate is not favorable for Aussies right now.

    • Kontiki on 28/02/2019 - 15:40

      Oh some brownie points to Australia regarding healthcare: Medicare is pretty awesome. The Netherlands used to have Medicare as well, but the pollies killed it off about 15 years ago in favor of mandatory, pricey private cover.

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