Moving to Netherlands from Russia

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Netherlands — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Russia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 3.1 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,918,322 salary in Russia would need to be roughly €127,153 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Russia to Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

RUB5,918,322 €127,153

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.4 times more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 3.6 times more

Housing

pay 4.1 times more

Childcare

pay 3.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 RUB = 0.0111 EUR(June 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.

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 54% more than cities in Russia.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Russia to Netherlands, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
5,160 ↓ 16% vs 2022

people moved from Russia 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rateUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RU
6.8
NL
0.8
Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RU
10.6
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RU
$3,204
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RU
38.3
NL
39.1

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RU
39.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RU
14.0t
NL
6.6t

Netherlands performs significantly better than Russia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RU
24.8
NL
44.4
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RU
4.1%
NL
16.1%

Russia generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RU
3.3%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$39,800
NL
$69,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RU
72.4 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RU
6.4
NL
3.4

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

Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

MoscowRain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48°/34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsMoscowAmsterdam
Jan–Mar27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C)45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun62°/45°F (17°/7°C)61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep68°/52°F (20°/11°C)69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec36°/26°F (2°/-3°C)50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
MonthMoscowAmsterdam
Jan21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C)42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C)43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C)49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C)54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C)63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C)67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C)71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C)71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C)65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C)57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C)49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C)44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

Netherlands passport holder visiting Russia

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

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 Russia?

No — Netherlands is on average about 93% more expensive than Russia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €31,788 in Netherlands on a RUB5,918,322 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 44.4 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 Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Russia?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU NL
Population142,021,98117,400,824
CurrencyRussian Ruble (RUB)Euro (€)
LanguagesRussianDutch
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+7+31
Time zones91
Emergency number112112