Moving to Netherlands from Croatia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Croatia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 90.4% more expensive than Croatia overall. A HRK494,038 salary in Croatia would need to be roughly €94,332 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Croatia and Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

HRK494,038 €94,332

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 37.4% more

Groceries

pay 44.8% more

Transportation

pay 57.9% more

Housing

pay 83.6% more

Childcare

pay 4.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 67.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HRK = 0.1327 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.

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 34% more than cities in Croatia.

Croatia

Dubrovnik 56%
Zadar 51%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
1,457 ↓ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Croatia 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 Croatia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

HR
0.8
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HR
8.1
NL
3.4

Croatia generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

HR
$3,229
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

HR
36.1
NL
39.1

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia 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

HR
31.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HR
4.8t
NL
6.6t

Croatia 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

HR
27.0
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HR
1.5%
NL
16.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

HR
6.1%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

HR
$41,300
NL
$69,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

HR
77.2 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HR
8.7
NL
3.4

Netherlands generally does better on family life, though Croatia leads in education spending.

Data: Croatia Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Zagreb Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Zagreb Amsterdam
Jan 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Croatia 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.

Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

Netherlands passport holder visiting Croatia

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Croatia 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 Croatia?

On average Netherlands is around 44% pricier than Croatia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €23,583 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a HRK494,038 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: 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?

Croatia generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Croatia.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Croatia?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 36.1 in Croatia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Croatia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 60°F in Zagreb. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Zagreb gets 33.7 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Croatia, the official language is Croatian.

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At a Glance

HR NL
Population 4,188,853 17,400,824
Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK) Euro (€)
Languages Croatian Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +385 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112