Moving to Netherlands from Uruguay

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Uruguay to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 58.0% more expensive than Uruguay overall. A UYU3,011,305 salary in Uruguay would need to be roughly €85,261 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 71°F in Montevideo, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UYU3,011,305 €85,261

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 50.3% more

Groceries

pay 10.6% more

Transportation

pay 37.8% more

Housing

pay 94.3% more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 54.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UYU = 0.0214 EUR (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
58 ↓ 23% vs 2022

people moved from Uruguay 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 Uruguay.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UY
11.2
NL
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UY
13.0
NL
3.4

Netherlands performs significantly better than Uruguay across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

UY
$3,135
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UY
46.3
NL
39.1

Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

UY
16.0
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UY
2.6t
NL
6.6t

Uruguay 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

UY
33.2
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UY
9.8%
NL
16.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

UY
8.3%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UY
$30,700
NL
$69,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UY
78.4 yrs
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UY
8.3
NL
3.4

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

Data: Dirección General Impositiva, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Montevideo Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
71° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montevideo Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Montevideo Amsterdam
Jan 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.

Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

Netherlands passport holder visiting Uruguay

Visa Free
Netherlands passport holders can enter Uruguay 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 Uruguay?

On average Netherlands is around 33% pricier than Uruguay, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €21,315 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a UYU3,011,305 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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 Uruguay across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.2 in Uruguay.

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Uruguay?

Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in health coverage index. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 46.3 in Uruguay. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uruguay: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Uruguay, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

UY NL
Population 3,407,213 17,400,824
Currency Uruguayan Peso (UYU) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Dutch
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +598 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112