Moving to Netherlands from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Netherlands — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 33.2% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €87,200 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 66°F in Auckland, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Netherlands cheaper than New Zealand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 62.5% more
Groceries
pay 5.4% more
Transportation
pay 43.9% more
Housing
pay 47.8% more
Childcare
pay 25.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Netherlands?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → €87,200
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →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 Netherlands cost about 35% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Netherlands
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New Zealand to Netherlands, based on official data.
people moved from New Zealand to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Netherlands 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
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands 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
Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand 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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Netherlands leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Netherlands vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Can you move from New Zealand to Netherlands?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Netherlands. To live, work, or study long-term in Netherlands, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Netherlands's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Netherlands than New Zealand?
No — Netherlands is on average about 33% more expensive than New Zealand. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €21,800 in Netherlands on a NZ$130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Netherlands?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Netherlands has 43.0 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 Netherlands safe for expats?
Netherlands performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to New Zealand?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
