cost of Living in Netherlands

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Alex

 

Holland is a fairly popular destination for foreigners, tourists, and vacationers. It is arguably one of the top choice holiday destinations in Europe for Nigerians, Americans, and citizens from other EU member states.

 

Expats in Holland can easily feel at home and are so welcome that even foreigners with residency status are permitted to vote in local elections. Many expats are residing in Amsterdam, and the whole place is gradually becoming an expat community. 

 

Are you interested in living in the Netherlands? Well, we have a fully functioning guide that is easy to understand and will educate expats like you on all you need to know before moving to Holland for a vacation or permanent stay.

 

 

Living With The Dutchman 

 

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy in Western Europe that shares her borders with both Germany and Belgium. Holland also has territories in the Caribbean, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, the islands of Aruba, Sint Maarten, and Saba.

 

Holland is rich in art, culture, tradition, and beauty right down to the architecture. The country is small but radiating infectious rays of life and beauty. The English language is the most spoken language in the world but here, Dutch is the official language.

 

Dutchmen have been known to be some of the most honest people worldwide. Living with them will surely give a fresh perspective on life. There is little presence class dichotomy. Your boss will gladly have a drink with you even if you were just employed. Dutchmen are more interested in wellness and family over status or wealth.

 

Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful cities and a top-choice location for most expats in Holland. But there is beautiful scenery all over the nation. Other prime residences for tourists in the Netherlands are Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Eindhoven.

 

There are a lot of expat villages in the country where you can easily make friends with people from your country or hometown. Holland doesn’t have too many mountains or hill. It is a relatively flat country. 

 

The highest point in the Netherlands is only 323m high, this is quite sad if you a mountain climber and great news if you are afraid of height. Riding your bike is also a good morning exercise since it is one of the most efficient means of transportation in the country.

 

Even though the Netherlands is a very compact country, it has quite a few state-of-the-art international airports. The major one is the Schiphol Airport located close to Amsterdam. There are other smaller airports in Eindhoven, Rotterdam, and Maastricht.

 

 

Expat Job & Career Opportunities In The Netherlands

 

There are a lot of job opportunities for expats in the Netherlands especially those who can speak and fluently understand multiple languages. But landing a job here as a Non-EU national is very very hard. There are even employment policies to manage job availability for Non-EU citizens.

 

Don’t be derailed. Holland is a great place to start a business especially if you are in the service industry. This way you control your income, vacation, and employees. If you don’t have money to start your own business, working in an organization is a great start.  Plus there’s a benefit: it’s nearly impossible to get fired here thanks to the system in place. Even if you were to be dismissed, you’ll receive an unemployment settlement for up to 90 days.

 

 

Cost Of Living In Holland

 

Traveling to Holland is a great idea. The cost of living here is high but slightly lower than in other European countries like France, Germany, or the UK. Amsterdam is the 58th most expensive city in the world but still a great place to live. Your accommodation alone can take more than 47% of your paycheck.

 

 

Benefits & Setbacks Of Living In The Netherlands

 

The biggest disadvantage of being an expat in Holland is bureaucracy. These red tapes and rules are everywhere in the nation. It applies to everyone regardless of nationality or beliefs. There is a waiting list for simple everyday jobs like renting an apartment or buying a car. That aside, here are some of the pros and cons of residing in Holland.

 

Pros	Cons
Small but lively country. Near zero criminal activities. High-quality education. A High number of English speaking residents. Excellence healthcare facilities.	High tax rates. Accommodation shortages.

 

This guide is specifically created for expats like you planning on relocating to the Netherlands from your home country. If you are an EU citizen, you can easily relocate to the country without a visa or permit because Holland is an EU member state.

 

Non-EU nationals on the other hand from Asia, Australia, Africa, North, and South America must possess both travel visas and residence permits before they can be allowed to travel to the Netherland. You can apply for a Dutch travel visa in any embassy or consulate in your home country.

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