Moving to Netherlands from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Netherlands — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 3.0 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly €199,000 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, 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 China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 82.8% more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 4.8 times more
Childcare
pay 41.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times 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.
What salary do you need in Netherlands?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → €199,000
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 119% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Netherlands, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How China 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
China generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 China 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
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in water stress level.
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
China 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
Netherlands performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Netherlands vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Can you move from China to Netherlands?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Required
Netherlands passport holder visiting China
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 China?
Day-to-day costs in Netherlands run about 200% higher than China 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 CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around €49,750 in Netherlands for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Netherlands?
With 43.0 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 China and Netherlands.
Is Netherlands safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 31.1 in China. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to China?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In China, the official language is Chinese.
