Moving to Netherlands from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Netherlands — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 2.1 times more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly €99,819 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Netherlands.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → €99,819
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 9.4% less
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 2.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.0 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Korea to Netherlands, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Korea to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Netherlands stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Netherlands leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa FreeData: 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 South Korea?
Day-to-day costs in Netherlands run about 55% higher than South Korea 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 ₩113,056,500 comparable salary, that's around €24,955 in Netherlands for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
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 South Korea and Netherlands.
Is Netherlands safe for expats?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
