The most expensive and cheapest car washes in the Netherlands

Average cost

The study shows that an average wash will cost you 14.05 euros in 2025. If you choose a deluxe treatment with “gloss guarantee” and soil cleaning, that amount rises to 17.33 euros. If you go for the cheapest basic program in a car wash, you will spend an average of 10.90 euros. But: average – because the differences between regions are great.

Utrecht most expensive

The highest car wash prices can be found in Utrecht, where an average car wash costs 15.60 euros. Prices are also on the high side in Zeeland and South Holland. In the north, on the other hand, it is more advantageous: in Friesland, for example, you pay an average of 12.61 euros per wash and in Drenthe 13.13 euros. Do you really want to save money? In Southwest Drenthe you will find the cheapest basic program in the Netherlands, with a rate of only 8.49 euros.

Forbidden

Getting started yourself with sponge and bucket is cheaper, but is it actually still allowed? That varies by municipality. In some places, such as Borger-Odoorn, car washing on the street is prohibited. There are separate washing areas designated. In more than 200 municipalities, the rule is: you may not cause slipperiness in frosty conditions – so do not wash your car yourself. In 1 out of 25 municipalities, you may not allow mud or harmful substances to flow into the sewers. In 80% of municipalities it is forbidden to open a manhole cover to flush away wastewater.

Bizarre car wash names

AutoTrack counted more than 320 creative names for wash programs for the study. They range widely: from “Silver” and “Gold” to “Premium,” “DeLuxe,” “Lightning Wash” or simply “Shiny.

Also read: Nearly 10% of Dutch households cannot afford a car