Moving to India from Netherlands
What to Expect
Considering a move from Netherlands to India? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Netherlands to India, you would find that India is 77.6% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,577 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly ₹1,566,721 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Netherlands and India.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → ₹1,566,721
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 86.4% less
Groceries
pay 67.3% less
Transportation
pay 73.2% less
Housing
pay 88.9% less
Childcare
pay 91.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.6% 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 India cost about 74% less than cities in Netherlands.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in India compared to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs better than India 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 India leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Netherlands generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
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 India leads in top income tax 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 performs better than India across all family life metrics.
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 | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Netherlands passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than Netherlands?
On average India is about 78% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Budget about ₹391,680 for 3 months in India (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Connectivity is usually fine (India: 2.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does India offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is India safe for expats?
Netherlands performs better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in India compared to Netherlands?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in India compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
