Moving to Palau from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Palau, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Palauan.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.8
PW
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
PW
22.2

Netherlands performs better than Palau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
PW
$1,857
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
PW
17.8

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
PW
82.8t

Netherlands performs better than Palau 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
PW
6.9

Netherlands performs better than Palau 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%
PW
1.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
PW
$15,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NL
82.2 yrs
PW
74.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
PW
11.3

Netherlands generally does better on family life, though Palau leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Palau

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

Palau passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Palau 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 Palau?

With 6.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Palau 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 Palau.

Is Palau safe for expats?

Netherlands performs better than Palau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Palau is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Palau compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Palau, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Palau scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

What language do they speak in Palau?

The official languages in Palau are English and Palauan. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL PW
Population 17,400,824 21,695
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Dutch English, Palauan
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +680
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112