Moving to Netherlands from Illinois

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Illinois to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 18.8% more expensive than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly €81,866 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?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €81,866

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 39.4% more

Groceries

pay 1.2% less

Transportation

pay 68.6% more

Housing

pay 4.7% more

Childcare

pay 11.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.876 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 13% more than cities in Illinois.

Illinois

Chicago 76%
Champaign 53%

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 Illinois to Netherlands.

Moved in 2023
5,729 ↑ 2% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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 Illinois.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

IL
34.6%
NL
20.4%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IL
89.6%
NL
92.0%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
4.8%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$70,691
NL
$69,300

Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
76.8 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs

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

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Springfield Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
63° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Springfield Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Springfield Amsterdam
Jan 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Netherlands without a visa.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Netherlands passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

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 Illinois?

On average Netherlands is around 25% pricier than Illinois, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €20,466 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

From major Netherlands cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Netherlands are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Illinois?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Illinois, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NL
Population 12,830,632 17,400,824
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +31
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112