Moving to Netherlands from Belgium
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Netherlands — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Belgium to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 22.1% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €64,304 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €73,984 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Netherlands.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → €73,984
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 8.4% more
Groceries
pay 5.4% more
Transportation
pay 33.1% more
Housing
pay 28.7% more
Childcare
pay 76.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Belgium to Netherlands, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Belgium to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Belgium and Netherlands stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than Belgium 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than Belgium across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in electricity per capita.
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
Netherlands performs significantly better than Belgium across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Belgium generally does better on family life, though Netherlands leads in life expectancy.
Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brussels | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brussels | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Institut Royal Météorologique,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium 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.
Belgium passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa FreeData: 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 Belgium?
Day-to-day costs in Netherlands run about 15% higher than Belgium on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €64,304 comparable salary, that's around €18,496 in Netherlands for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Netherlands?
With 44.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Netherlands can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Belgium and Netherlands.
Is Netherlands safe for expats?
Netherlands performs significantly better than Belgium across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Belgium?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in suicide rate. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to Belgium?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.
