Moving to Netherlands from Nigeria

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Nigeria to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 3.4 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN100,000,000 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly €229,000 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Nigeria to Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

NGN100,000,000 → €229,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 6.3 times more

Groceries

pay 85.3% more

Transportation

pay 3.4 times more

Housing

pay 3.8 times more

Childcare

pay 4.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NGN = 0.0007 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Nigeria to Netherlands, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,518 ↓ 42% vs 2022

people moved from Nigeria to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Netherlands?

Top countries of origin for Netherlands's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NG
15.8
NL
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NG
17.2
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NG
$260
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

NG
3.8
NL
38.8

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NG
77.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NG
0.6t
NL
6.6t

Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Netherlands leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NG
0.1
NL
43.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NG
9.7%
NL
16.7%

Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NG
3.1%
NL
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NG
$1,224
NL
$73,684

Nigeria generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

NG
54.6 yrs
NL
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NG
69.8
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abuja Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Abuja Amsterdam
Jan 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.

Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Required
Nigeria passport holders need a visa to enter Netherlands.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Netherlands passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nigeria.

Data: 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 Nigeria?

Day-to-day costs in Netherlands run about 241% higher than Nigeria on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NGN100,000,000 comparable salary, that's around €57,250 in Netherlands for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

With 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Netherlands can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Nigeria and Netherlands.

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.8 in Nigeria.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Nigeria?

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 3.8 in Nigeria. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Nigeria, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NG NL
Population 237,527,782 18,087,633
Currency Nigerian Naira (NGN) Euro (€)
Languages English Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +234 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112