Moving to Netherlands from Afghanistan

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Afghanistan to Netherlands? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Netherlands, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Afghanistan to Netherlands.

Moved in 2023
1,500 ↓ 55% vs 2022

people moved from Afghanistan to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Netherlands?

Top countries of origin for Netherlands's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Afghanistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
NL
39.1

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
NL
6.6t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Netherlands leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
NL
16.1%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
NL
$69,300

Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Amsterdam
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Netherlands. To live, work, or study long-term in Netherlands, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Netherlands's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter Netherlands.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Netherlands passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

Connectivity is usually fine (Netherlands: 44.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Netherlands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF NL
Population 38,346,720 17,400,824
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Euro (€)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112