Moving to South Korea from Netherlands
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Netherlands to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Netherlands to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 27.1% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,577 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly ₩71,890,826 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Netherlands to South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → ₩71,890,826
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 64.8% less
Groceries
pay 52.0% more
Transportation
pay 50.1% less
Housing
pay 56.9% less
Childcare
pay 19.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.2% 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 South Korea cost about 37% less than cities in Netherlands.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Netherlands to South Korea, based on official data.
people moved from Netherlands to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Netherlands to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate.
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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands 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 South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Netherlands leads in education spending.
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 | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Netherlands passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Free
South Korea 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 South Korea than Netherlands?
Yes — South Korea is on average about 36% cheaper than Netherlands. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₩17,972,706 in South Korea on a €65,577 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Korea has 45.4 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 South Korea safe for expats?
Netherlands generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Netherlands?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
