Moving to Netherlands from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Netherlands? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 6.7% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly €72,600 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Netherlands cheaper than Australia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 26.6% more
Groceries
pay 10.8% less
Transportation
pay 47.7% more
Housing
pay 11.1% more
Childcare
pay 27.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.5% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Netherlands?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → €72,600
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Netherlands cost about 10% more than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Netherlands
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Netherlands.
people moved from Australia to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than Australia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Netherlands leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia generally does better on family life, though Netherlands leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Netherlands vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Can you move from Australia to Netherlands?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.
Australia passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Netherlands than Australia?
On average Netherlands is around 7% pricier than Australia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
Budget about €18,150 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Netherlands?
Connectivity is usually fine (Netherlands: 43.0 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 Australia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Australia, the official language is English.
