Moving to Macau from Netherlands

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Netherlands to Macau — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Netherlands to Macau, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Macao averages 77°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Netherlands and Macau stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.8
MO
0.6

Macau performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
MO
2.5t

Macau performs significantly better than Netherlands across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NL
44.4
MO
30.0

Netherlands performs better than Macau across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NL
3.6%
MO
2.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
MO
$102,000

Macau performs significantly better than Netherlands across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NL
82.2 yrs
MO
85.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
MO
4.6

Macau generally does better on family life, though Netherlands 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Macao Rain: 83.6 in/yr (2123 mm)
77° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Macao
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 66°/57°F (19°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 82°/73°F (28°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 74°/64°F (23°/18°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Macao
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 64°/54°F (17.7°/12.2°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 64°/56°F (17.7°/13.1°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 69°/61°F (20.7°/16.2°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 76°/68°F (24.5°/20.2°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 83°/74°F (28.1°/23.6°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 87°/78°F (30.3°/25.7°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 89°/79°F (31.5°/26.3°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 88°/79°F (31.2°/26.0°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/24.9°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 81°/72°F (27.4°/22.3°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 74°/64°F (23.4°/17.8°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 67°/57°F (19.6°/13.8°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands and Macau. To live, work, or study long-term in Macau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Macau's immigration authority.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Macau

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Macau without a visa.
Macau passport

Macau passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Macau passport holders can enter Netherlands without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Macau?

With 30.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Macau 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 Macau.

Is Macau safe for expats?

Macau performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macau is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.

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

The average high temperature in Macao is 77°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Macao receives around 83.6 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Macau?

The official languages in Macau are Chinese and Portuguese. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL MO
Population 17,400,824 635,293
Currency Euro (€) Macanese Pataca (MOP)
Languages Dutch Chinese, Portuguese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +31 +853
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112