Moving to Netherlands from Turkey

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Turkey to Netherlands? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Turkey to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 2.6 times more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,535,688 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €107,235 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?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Turkey and Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,535,688 €107,235

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.6 times more

Groceries

pay 2.4 times more

Transportation

pay 2.4 times more

Housing

pay 3.5 times more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.0185 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 46% more than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Turkey to Netherlands.

Moved in 2023
11,250 ↓ 7% vs 2022

people moved from Turkey 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

The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
NL
39.1

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey 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

TR
39.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
NL
6.6t

Turkey 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

TR
22.3
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
NL
16.1%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
NL
$69,300

Turkey generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
NL
3.4

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

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Amsterdam
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

Netherlands passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Turkey 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 Turkey?

On average Netherlands is around 64% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €26,809 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a TRY3,535,688 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

Connectivity is usually fine (Netherlands: 44.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Netherlands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

Netherlands performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Turkey?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR NL
Population 83,047,706 17,400,824
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Euro (€)
Languages Turkish Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112