Moving to Netherlands from Senegal

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Senegal to Netherlands, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 82°F in Dakar, making it significantly cooler.

Get free moving quotes to Netherlands

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
45 ↓ 15% vs 2022

people moved from Senegal 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 Senegal and Netherlands stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SN
20.8
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SN
$206
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SN
1.3
NL
39.1

Senegal 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

SN
65.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SN
0.8t
NL
6.6t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SN
1.4
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SN
16.3%
NL
16.1%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Senegal across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SN
2.9%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SN
$4,400
NL
$69,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SN
70.0 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SN
32.4
NL
3.4

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

Data: Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dakar Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Dakar Amsterdam
Jan 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Senegal 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.

Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

Netherlands passport holder visiting Senegal

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Senegal 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 Netherlands?

With 44.4 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 Senegal and Netherlands.

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Senegal across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Senegal?

Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 1.3 in Senegal. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Senegal: 50).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 82°F in Dakar. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Dakar gets 14.9 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Senegal, the official language is French.

Share this

At a Glance

SN NL
Population 17,923,036 17,400,824
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Euro (€)
Languages French Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +221 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 17 112