Moving to Netherlands from Colombia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Colombia to Netherlands — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Colombia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 3.1 times more expensive than Colombia overall. A COP247,099,766 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly €164,513 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Colombia to Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

COP247,099,766 €164,513

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.9 times more

Groceries

pay 2.0 times more

Transportation

pay 2.2 times more

Housing

pay 3.6 times more

Childcare

pay 5.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 COP = 0.0003 EUR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Netherlands

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Colombia to Netherlands, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,243 ↑ 31% vs 2022

people moved from Colombia 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

How Colombia and Netherlands stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CO
25.4
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CO
16.2
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CO
$1,758
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CO
24.5
NL
39.1

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CO
24.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CO
1.8t
NL
6.6t

Colombia 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

CO
17.0
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CO
4.4%
NL
16.1%

Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
9.6%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$18,800
NL
$69,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CO
74.9 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CO
11.7
NL
3.4

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

Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bogota Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Bogota Amsterdam
Jan 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia 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.

Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Colombia passport holders can enter Netherlands without a visa.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Colombia

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Colombia without a visa.

Data: 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 Colombia?

Day-to-day costs in Netherlands run about 150% higher than Colombia 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 COP247,099,766 comparable salary, that's around €41,128 in Netherlands for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, 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 Colombia and Netherlands.

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Colombia?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 24.5 in Colombia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.

Share this

At a Glance

CO NL
Population 49,059,221 17,400,824
Currency Colombian Peso (COP) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +57 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 123 112