Moving to Netherlands from Turkey

moving to

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 2.3 times more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €155,000 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Netherlands cheaper than Turkey?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.6 times more

Groceries

pay 2.2 times more

Transportation

pay 78.0% more

Housing

pay 3.3 times more

Childcare

pay 52.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 71.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.018 EUR (October 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.

What salary do you need in Netherlands?

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,700,000 → €155,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

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

Fethiye 59%
Istanbul 53%
Antalya 43%
Izmir 42%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 68%
Arnhem 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

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?

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 World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

TR
3.2
NL
0.7
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 World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TR
22.4
NL
38.8

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 World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
23.4
NL
43.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
47.9%
NL
16.7%

Netherlands performs significantly better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
8.5%
NL
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$18,599
NL
$73,684

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

TR
77.4 yrs
NL
82.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
8.0
NL
3.4

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Netherlands vs Turkey

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Istanbul Rain: 26.7 in/yr (678 mm)
65° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Istanbul Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Istanbul Amsterdam
Jan 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°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

Can you move from Turkey to Netherlands?

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 133% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €38,750 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a TRY3,700,000 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: 43.0 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 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 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 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 22.4 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 65°F in Istanbul. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

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

Share this

At a Glance

TR NL
Population 85,878,556 18,087,633
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Euro (€)
Languages Turkish Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112