Because of sharply rising wages and previously introduced measures, all groups in society will have more to spend next year, according to the outgoing administration. On average, purchasing power will increase by 1.3 percent.

The Nibud (National Institute for Family Finance Information) charts purchasing power for different types of households. Since last year, it has also included students, precisely because the differences turned out to be so significant: while the average Dutch citizen gained purchasing power in 2025, students had to take a serious step back.

This year, Nibud is once again publishing a report. “We see that purchasing power is improving for most households,” says Jasja Bos of Nibud. “That’s because wages are expected to rise faster than prices.”

Part-time jobs

Students will see a one percent increase in purchasing power next year, which is lower than the national average. “For most students, only a small portion of their income comes from a part-time job or paid internship,” Bos explains. “That’s why their purchasing power rises less. They mainly depend on student grants, and those don’t increase as much.”

“This one percent increase is not enough to allow students to study without financial worries,” says Sarah Evink, president of the Dutch National Student Association (ISO). “Last year, students’ purchasing power dropped by 6.6 percent. That means the situation for students still hasn’t been restored.”

Parental support

Maaike Krom, president of the Dutch Student Union (LSVb), agrees: “Students are once again benefiting the least, even though this group is already struggling. They spend about half their income on rent, so this is really too little.”

“What’s more, these calculations assume that students will take on larger loans and also receive money from their parents,” Krom emphasizes. “But in reality, that only increases their debts. And not all students have parents who can step in.”

Housing allowance

There is one group of students, however, that will see a significant improvement in 2026: tenants under 21 living in independent units (such as studios). This is due to new rules on the housing allowance. At the moment, this group only qualifies for an allowance if their rent is below 477 euros, but starting in 2026 the threshold will be higher. As a result, their purchasing power will increase by 19 percent. Nibud cannot say exactly how large this group is.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.