Moving to Netherlands from Indonesia

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Indonesia to Netherlands — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Indonesia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 3.7 times more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,400,000,000 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly €258,000 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Netherlands cheaper than Indonesia?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 8.3 times more

Groceries

pay 72.2% more

Transportation

pay 3.7 times more

Housing

pay 5.4 times more

Childcare

pay 5.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IDR = 0.0 EUR (October 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.

What salary do you need in Netherlands?

What does your salary buy?

IDR1,400,000,000 → €258,000

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 144% more than cities in Indonesia.

Indonesia

Ubud 35%
Bekasi 25%
Tangerang 24%
Malang 23%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 68%
Arnhem 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Indonesia to Netherlands, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
2,183 ↓ 3% vs 2022

people moved from Indonesia 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Indonesia to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

ID
0.3
NL
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
11.3
NL
3.4

Indonesia 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

ID
$417
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ID
5.2
NL
38.8

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ID
58.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
NL
6.6t

Indonesia generally does better on environment, though Netherlands leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ID
4.9
NL
43.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ID
29.7%
NL
16.7%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Indonesia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.2%
NL
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$5,060
NL
$73,684

Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ID
71.3 yrs
NL
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
15.2
NL
3.4

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direktorat Jenderal Pajak (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Netherlands vs Indonesia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta Amsterdam
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Indonesia to Netherlands?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia 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.

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Required
Indonesia passport holders need a visa to enter Netherlands.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa on Arrival
Netherlands passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Indonesia.

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 Indonesia?

No — Netherlands is on average about 273% more expensive than Indonesia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €64,500 in Netherlands on a IDR1,400,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Netherlands has 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Indonesia 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 0.3 in Indonesia.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Indonesia?

Indonesia 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 5.2 in Indonesia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID NL
Population 285,721,236 18,087,633
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Euro (€)
Languages Indonesian Dutch
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +62 +31
Time zones 3 1
Emergency number 112 112