Moving to Netherlands from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Netherlands — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 16.3% more expensive than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €64,480 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to Netherlands.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €64,480
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 29.6% more
Groceries
pay 10.4% less
Transportation
pay 68.9% more
Housing
pay 5.5% less
Childcare
pay 8.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.7% 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.
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 21% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Netherlands, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index.
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 United States 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
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in unemployment rate.
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
Netherlands generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United States?
Costs in Netherlands and United States are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €16,120 in Netherlands on a $75,000 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 United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to United States?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 36.1 in United States. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In United States, the official language is English.
