If you live in the Netherlands, you will find that paying with a maestro card and cashless payment is very popular. Credit cards are rarely used and not accepted at Albert Heijn, the biggest supermarket in the Netherlands. In some places, paying cash is no longer possible, and you’ll need a bank account for most administration things (like getting a personalized public transport card). So you might want to think about opening a Dutch bank account.

The most popular banks in the Netherlands:

To open a bank account in the Netherlands, you’ll need a residential address, passport and BSN. No panic if you don’t have your BSN yet. ABN Amro allows you to open a Dutch bank account if you submit your BSN within a month. The all-online bank Bunq will enable you to open a Dutch bank account without a BSN. However, they are a little pricier than regular Dutch banks.

Tip: Most Dutch banks offer a student package, which is free of charge for students.