Moving to Germany from Netherlands
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Netherlands to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Netherlands to Germany, you would find that Germany is 10.4% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,700 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly €54,607 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Netherlands to Germany.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €54,607
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 11.2% less
Groceries
pay 1.5% less
Transportation
pay 21.3% less
Housing
pay 13.8% less
Childcare
pay 8.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.0% less
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 Germany cost about 14% less than cities in Netherlands.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Netherlands to Germany, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Netherlands and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths.
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 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
Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.
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: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, 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 | Amsterdam | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
Netherlands passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany passport holder visiting Netherlands
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 Germany than Netherlands?
Generally yes: Germany runs about 17% cheaper than Netherlands on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €13,652 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Netherlands and Germany.
Is Germany safe for expats?
Netherlands generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to Netherlands?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
