Moving to Netherlands from Germany
What to Expect
Considering a move from Germany to Netherlands? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Germany to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 32.1% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,700 salary in Germany would need to be roughly €79,046 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Germany and Netherlands.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €79,046
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.0% more
Groceries
pay 5.9% more
Transportation
pay 30.4% more
Housing
pay 30.2% more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.1% 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.
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 17% more than cities in Germany.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Germany to Netherlands.
people moved from Germany to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Germany.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Germany performs better than Netherlands 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
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany 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 Germany 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
Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Germany 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
Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in infant mortality.
Data: Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), 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 | Berlin | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Deutscher Wetterdienst,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.
Germany passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting Germany
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 Germany?
On average Netherlands is around 20% pricier than Germany, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
Budget about €19,762 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a €65,700 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?
Germany performs better than Netherlands across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Germany.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Germany?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 45.2 in Germany. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Germany, the official language is German.
