Moving to Netherlands from Serbia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 2.4 times more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly €119,800 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 €119,800

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 93.7% more

Groceries

pay 84.8% more

Transportation

pay 2.3 times more

Housing

pay 2.8 times more

Childcare

pay 4.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0085 EUR (July 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 50% more than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
409 ↓ 10% vs 2022

people moved from Serbia 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 Serbia to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
NL
39.1

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RS
45.0
NL
13.0

Netherlands performs significantly better than Serbia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RS
29.3
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
NL
16.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
8.7%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
NL
$69,300

Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though Serbia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RS
74.2 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
NL
3.4

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Belgrade Rain: 26.9 in/yr (683 mm)
62° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Amsterdam
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia 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.

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Serbia passport holders can enter Netherlands without a visa.
Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Serbia without a visa.

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 Serbia?

No — Netherlands is on average about 83% more expensive than Serbia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €29,950 in Netherlands on a RSD7,694,475 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 Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Serbia?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS NL
Population 6,739,471 17,400,824
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Euro (€)
Languages Serbian Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112