How EXPENSIVE is it to live in The Netherlands? - COST OF LIVING IN HOLLAND - Jovie's Home
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- Hi, welcome to Jovie's Home!
Today we are talking about the cost of living in The Netherlands. This video will give you an idea of what is an average salary, the general costs of rent/housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, food, education, childcare and a small overview of how taxes work. I hope you enjoy it!
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References
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My name is Jovie and I am an American Expat Mama living in and LOVING The Netherlands. On Tuesdays On Tuesdays, I make educational videos about aspects of Dutch life in English. On Thursdays, I post a random video - anything and everything from cleaning and organizing to cooking and talking about mom-related issues.
My goal is to help people who are new to The Netherlands navigate different aspects of the Dutch system. I also enjoy sharing my love of The Netherlands with Dutch viewers and chatting with you in the comments about this great little country.
Won't you come on over, kick off your shoes and stay awhile?
__
Hello! I forgot to ask in the video, but if you're comfortable sharing what you pay for things like rent, food, etc., on a monthly basis, please do so below! It's always helpful to have real numbers from real people and not just estimates. Thank you for your input!!
Love your idea! My PC is acting up right now, I'll put my numbers together and post a comment later. 😁
hi jovie really love your videos. here is my monthly these are my monthly expenses as accurate as possible. i'm sorry for any language errors. income monthly after tax €1563,44(38 hours a week) rent €536,86. energy,water,light €35,00. tv,internet €66,61. health insurance €99,63. liability insurance €29,86. road tax €27,00. gasoline €100,00. groceries €150,00. waste charges €15,00. water board levy €22,14. sewerage law €18,92. samsung galaxy s10 €61,33. save monthly €156,34(nibud directive 10% of income). pay off dad €50 until march 2020. fixed charges €1430,02. money left €133,42. hopefully this will help you. i wish you a pleasant evening
@@robertlodder4744 Cool, Robert! Did you apply for Huurtoeslag and for the other slag that helps with health care? That should help you if you qualify. 🙂
Social rent demarcation is about €720/month, about half a single minimal income.
@@rirtif Yes. I guess that's why they consider "usual" rent to be just above it, so it's out of the social rent queue and in the free market... You can't just go and get a social rent anywhere in the country. I tried and it was VERY hard, I was really lucky to get mine because I got it through the "direkt kaans" thing, which sets your position in line according to how fast you click on the property as soon as it's available, otherwise I'd have to pay 800 plus without any huurtoeslag to help me, but I don't make "that kind of money" (3 to 4 times the rent amount at minimum) so I was stuck with anti kraak or temporary contracts instead, sadly, since renters would not approve me with such low income (plus how can you pay your bills if you spend your entire early retirement pension on rent?). Maybe someday there will be enough housing to accommodate everybody. If the government makes the limit higher it will only push the private market upwards. I am thankful, no matter what, for the fact I am not homeless and I have housing, basic health care and enough money left over from my pension to pay my bills and food, even though I come from overseas. I think that people who are born here or get the Dutch citizenship are even better because they can get welfare if they don't make enough money to survive and are sick/disabled/unemployed. I feel I won't need to use the welfare system, but it surely makes me feel safer if I have any issue in the future due to currency conversion or anything else after I get the Dutch citizenship (having an EU Citizenship does not guarantee they won't kick you out during the first five years if you can't fund yourself somehow).
Hi Jovie, I loved that you did this video. I have been here in The Hague for a little over a year and I am still blown away at how much more affordable it is compared to Atlanta, GA (to live in a comparably nice neighborhood). My income is a little lower, but when I consider what I DON'T have to pay for (gas, wear and tear on a car, parking, other commuting expenses, etc.) as well as the fact that health insurance here is extremely less expensive than in the U.S., I cannot complain.
Also, I find groceries here to be significantly cheaper, as well as other household goods. If I were to compare where I live now in such a beautiful place like The Fred, with a beach nearby, and a beautiful city with all the things going on, to just as nice a place in Atlanta, I would be hard-pressed to find anything that compares for what I pay in rent (1010 EU). To live in such a nice place with all these things, one would easily pay $2000 to $3000 per month in a desirable neighborhood (and still not have a beach and as cool of a city closeby). Also, my utilities, Internet/cable, and mobile bills are a fraction of what I paid in Atlanta!
Lastly, I wanted to also let you know that I had to turn the volume on my TV up almost all the way. Once the ad came on and blasted the speakers, it confirmed for me that something is going on with the sound quality of the more recent videos. I just wanted to share that. I also had a hard time hearing you, as someone else commented.
Have a great day!
Imagine, the area around the Frederik Hendriklaan (Statenkwartier) is one of the more expensive areas in The Hague.
@@Dutch1961 that's the point I was making. There are several places in the U.S. that are extremely overrated.
@@rondalucy we both know that because we live in The Hague. I think a lot of Jovie's followers don't know that, especially if they're not from The Hague, and they can't make it up from the figures you're supplying them with.
I’m also in Atlanta and thinking it all sounds way cheaper than what I pay here …
@@mamabee2151 everything also went up here in the Netherlands.
You have the same relaxing voice as Bob Ross had Jovie! i love it! Zeer ontspannend! Groetjes en ga zo door :)
We are thinking of moving to the Netherlands (from the US) next year. Your videos have been sooo helpful. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
We're full.. please stay in the BEST country in the world!
@@coenschipper3321 are you serious!?
don't mind the other people: you are very welcome in the Netherlands!
Why are you moving
Hello Jovie! I enjoy your credible information every time whenever I get time to view your channel in RUclips. I am master student living in Wageningen, Netherlands and I feel living in Netherlands is quite expensive but the quality of life is awesome. Thanks for sharing :):)
Thank you so much Jovie!
Great video, a lot of extremely important information and everything is so concise!!
Jovie, I find the volume is a bit too low. After tuning up the volume to listen your video and youtube plays next recommended video on the list it broke my ear
I'm so sorry about your ears! We are having some IT issues with the sound but working very hard to fix it. Thank you for watching and understanding. We are trying to figure everything out ourselves and it's not always easy.
hungrybrah her voice is also very silent!
Ania Maria And sexy😅😅😅
She speaks like there's 5 people in the room sleeping
I learnt so much from this video!! I'm a medical student and the cost of things is very high but we are surviving. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the video, really informational, helpful. The costs are almost correct. I've been researching a lot for the living cost in NL. You covered them all. kudos.
Average household income is not 2000 net a month. Average income for a full-time working employee is indeed about 2100 net. OECD is talking about income per capita. So it’s actually more about double, on average (4000 net a month), I believe.
Sounds more plausible!
lol thank you... I was a bit annoyed with the lack of research she did
Thank you so much, I asked for more info and all your recent videos have been so informative. Thank you so much, I truly appreciate your help and informative videos.
💛We aim to please! Due to Daan's and my schedules, we pre-film a lot in advance. But when we get requests and suggestions, I write them down and begin researching. So it might take a while to see the end result video but we're always listening. Thank you for suggesting what you'd like to see!!
Thank you for sharing this helpful information Jovi.
Awesome explanation well done !
Clear general image thank u!
thanks for all your videos, you are a lovely person who is great to listen to.
The employer in fact is in part paying by law for your health insurance and social insurances, ( werkgeversdeel) but this doesn't show on your paysheet. So in fact our real income is higher because we don't have to pay that part.
the kids have the same insurance level as one of the parents, but the patents can chose their own level of insurance. I have basic insurance with high eigen risico (800, it gives discount on you insurance fee) and my wife has 3star insurance, with the minimal eigen risico). of course we choose my wife's insurance for the kids 😉
It's called "illusion that everything is free".
Your voice is so nice to listen to. Almost like asmr
Per month I am paying 900 Euro for a small family house, house taxes 200 Euro a month, tax reduction 400 Euro. Insurance 200 Euro a year.You forgot to mention that health Insurance is 110 Euro PER PERSON (excluding children under 18 as you said).
We move to Amsterdam in January 2020 and for my family 4 children and i with my husband it was very very difficult to find house for rent we found one in Hilversum 1 hour with intercity till Amsterdam for 1650 euro.
@@akimgul2208 Hilversum is nice. It's quite suburban, but with an excellent connection to both Amsterdam and Utrecht by train, good schools, etc. And most national tv and radio studios are based in Hilversum.
I'm about to move to Amsterdam in December and your videos are pure gold to me and my wife. Thanks for all your effort of putting all this info together for free. I really appreciate it 🍷
I'm so happy that the videos help your family! Let me know if there are any other topics you'd like me to cover!
Good luck with your move!
Be prepared to pay through the nose for housing in Amsterdam. Socialhousing is affordable but there are huge waitinglists. Do check now for housing on local Dutch sites..good luck!
You are so funny!! And thanks for the info!
€200 a week for your foodcosts???? Omg !
I’m Dutch, eat healthy and I spend €50 to €60 a week ! And I’m sure I cloud do less than that.
Nice....your point being??
do you have a family? probably not right. when i lived with my whole family together my parents spend 250 euros a week at least on food. wel gulden it was back in those days.
Ze zijn met 4....
Shenanigans los daarvan: wat wil i marco daar nu mee zeggen? Wij zijn met zn tweeen, gaan vaak uit eten en zijn dik 250 euro per week kwijt aan boodschappen en restaurants. So the f what? We werken er hard voor en zijn bereid het eraan uit te geven. Marco lijkt (ik houd een slag om de arm) een oordeel te geven over het bestedingsgedrag van een ander. En inderdaad, ze zijn met zn vieren. Gemiddeld gezien kan dat best eens kloppen. Het overgrote deel van het land heeft genoeg geld om dit te kunnen doen.
okey okey Gefeliciteerd!
I never cook my own food, and I spend about €300 per month on food. Sometimes I buy food from cheap restaurants, or otherwise buy pre-cooked meals from supermarkets. My monthly spending on food used to be around €400 in the beginning, but as I got familiar with the supermarkets it became less. People say that if you cook your own food expenses will be even less. If you buy drinks from restaurants, then they are way more expensive than in supermarkets.
I live very close to a city centre, and walking distance to a Jumbo. So I never had a bicycle (I can ride though). I don't need a car as well, because public transportation is close by. I pay €975 per month rent for a studio, including utilities.
Different from an average person I guess, but I survived 9 months so far.
Thank you for sharing!! Are you spending 300 for just yourself or for your whole family?
@@JoviesHome Just me alone.
Oh and this year for the first time i stopped my extra health insurance because I didnt use it for the last 10 years. And I am severly ill and need all kinds of medical help. So the extra insurance is really a waist of money. Unless you need a specific thing they cover. But then probably they wont accept you.
My weekly groceries are about 150 a week because I buy organic and lots of fish. I buy for 2 adults and every other weekend three adult kids. And we always eat at home and my husband takes lunch with him. So I think your costs are pretty acurate
So about 20 years ago I moved to Antwerpen (Antwerp for the anglo-americans) in Belgium. Taxes on income are much higher.. (I pay 55 - 60 % but I am in the Upper 10 % of income) for this higher taxes there are some benefits compared to The Netherlands: Medical insurance is way cheaper per month but we don't get full recovery of all medical costs. Childcare is WAYYYY cheaper. A company car is taxed also wayyy less! Houses are also cheaper to buy in Flanders. But these prices are rising every year. I bought my house ( luxury spacious 3-level 4 bedrooms house in a row) at 175.000 Euro 15 years ago. The same house would now sell for 350 - 400.000 EURO. That is located in 1 of the major cities of Belgium.
The taxes related to the size and weight of a car is the best I heard so far. We have big problems in Germany with those SUVs and Jeeps in our cities. It is limiting quality of life here like crazy...
We have the same (Dutch) system here in Denmark.
Can anyone please tell me what is a usually sallary for a doctor or a surgent amd how much do mcdonalc and starbuck cost?
We are retired and moved to NL (well east of the randstad) from UK 6 years ago for family reasons. From previous experience of visiting family here, we had imagined that life here would be considerably more expensive than in the UK. So we bought a cheap (but new) house (for cash, having sold our house in the UK) and a cheap car, and prepared to tighten our belts generally. However, we've since found that the cost of living here is about the same as in the UK, so we might have splashed out more on the house and car if we'd known that, and we've been pleasantly surprised to find that we can enjoy a good lifestyle here at quite a low cost.
Some things are more expensive here, notably motoring, but others are cheaper: council tax, groceries, gas & electricity etc., so they average out. Modern houses are very energy efficient, so we pay only €70 a month for our combined gas & electricity bill. We use the car very little. Journeys of 5 miles or less are done by bike unless we have large items to transport or the weather is atrocious. Public transport is also very good, so unless you have a family or need a car for a particular reason, consider not owning a car, and just renting one on those rare occasions when you really do need one.
One caveat: Being British, and our only income being our British pensions, I do fear that our income will go down and our expenses up in the event of any sort of Brexit. (Don't get me started on Brexit 😖😖😖!)
Thank you so much for sharing! What made you move here for your retirement?
@@JoviesHome My wife is Dutch, her family is bigger than mine, our kids are all over the world, so it made sense to move here after I retired. Having the train station right under the terminal at Schiphol was a big pull.
70 per month for utilities! Awesome! That's a steal. How is your provider?
@@ancaas7945 We've had a few different providers. It was Nuon, but we're in the process of switching to Budget Energie. We have a new tussenwoning - energy rating A - and there are just the two of us, so we don't use a lot. We also have solar panels. So even if you switch provider you may not do as well as we have. Prices have just gone up, so we're waiting to see how we do this year with our new provider. Finding the best deal is a bit complicated in NL. Stichting Eigen Huis helped us to switch. If you own your own home it may be worth joining them.
Hi Jovie, thank you so much for you videos! I have a question about moving from US for example, if that makes sense to move your stuff with you? Have you done it? Or is it better/cheaper to buy everything there? Also, does one enjoy access to healthcare and other things as a resident but not citizen? Thanks again!
Hi Donna, thanks so much!! I made a whole video about packing: ✈️ 🚢 What to BRING and what to LEAVE when MOVING ABROAD - Life as an EXPAT - Jovie's Home
As for healthcare, anyone residing in NL is obligated to carry Dutch health insurance. And the price doesn’t change if you’re a citizen or resident 😘
I'm living in a super small apartment in a semi-seedy part of a small city in Florida. My total rent is $660 (split that with my gf), water included in that, with a power bill of ~$90 (I sit in the dark a lot lol). Internet bill is like $65. Because I need to drive to school and work most days of the week, my transportation costs per month are ~$70. I spend like $140 for food between me and my gf per month. I tend to have roughly $90-140 leftover every month, depending on how many hours I get at my job and whether there are any unseen costs.
I think other parts of the world are cheaper.
What are the custom fees for internet shopping? My father is in TN at the moment and I wanted to make some purchaces from cult beauty/beauty bay. In my country, you pay taxes/customs for every package above 20€. Can someone help and share their experience?
So glad we found your channel, hoping to move to Delft.
Delft is great.
Please update this video to take into consideration the current housing crunch, inflation and the Affordable Housing Permit which is now in several cities including Den Haag when you get the chance. I know you're busy!
Thanks for sharing, love how you comment about A'dam, I'm living and working there ;-)
Hi Jovie,
There is a difference between average income and modal income. The latter is the income Average Joe (the income the largest part of the working population) earns. According to NIBUD, in 2019 the modal income for Average Joe in the Netherlands is € 35000 a year, before taxes. Also, there is a nice 30% ruling for expats (on certain conditions), which means 30% of your gross Dutch salary is tax free for 5 years.
Great video Jovie :) 1 thing I'd like to add is 30% rule for highly skilled migrants - those who have professional knowledge and experience that is not easily found in local job market. This is certainly to attract only specific kind of people, who would be making a lot anyway, but with 50% tax they might be considering different country. The tax discount is valid for 5 years.
You can also buy a bicycle from your pre tax salary once every three years. This way you pay way less. And yes this also counts for second hand bikes
That's so cool! I didn't know about this!! Thanks for sharing!
Jovie's Home it does depend on your employer, as of this year or maybe the last the specific “bike from gross pay” arrangement has been stopped, but there is a more general “buy stuff from gross pay” arrangement that includes bicycles. But your employer has to make arrangements for it (most do, especially larger employers).
www.werkkostenregeling-wkr.nl/nieuwsblog/fiets-werkkostenregeling-zeker/
Hello, I'm italian and I'm thinking to go to live in Netherlands for a while to improve my english, do you think i't a good idea?
I think it could be a better choice instead UK for different reasons (currency, brexit ecc.).
I was thinking to The Hague, it remember me my town which is a costal town, could it be a good choice? It's expensive or not?
Hi jovie your videos are very helpful.
Your videos are soooo helpful to me! I wonder if it's possible if you can record at a bit higher volume...I have to have my volume all the way up and you're still a bit quiet. :) Unless you are speaking quietly due to baby nap time? LOL
Hoi Jovie, unfortunately I was classed as 100% unfit by the UWV and my net income as I am now on a WIA is, I think, €1,485 per month. We bought our house but still have a small mortgage and my wife does a supreme job of juggling our finances, or, lack there of. We did have our whole roof covered in solar panels when we moved in so that was a good buy (I was still working then to). Going out anywhere is a luxury we don't get to do a lot of. We also only have basic health insurance but our own risk is used up very quickly with meds which is fine as have had a few surgeries and they were all paid for by insurance (have another one coming up soon, open rhinoplasty but this is also paid for). Shopping is just for my wife, myself and the feline fur baby but even though it isn't flash or fancy you can get very creative in the kitchen. I could go on and on and on....but I won't as you have covered everything quite nicely :-)
You are so well informed! OMG
Just a quick correction: in US, we don’t get health insurance from employer for free. The amount is deducted from your pay check.
And if you lose your job, you lose your health coverage!
Our food and household budget is around €100 per week for a 2 person household. We buy everything organic and ‘ duurzaam’’ . Our main splurge is the sauna with dinner for around €100 for the two of us. This is once a month. This is the only time we eat out.
We drive a minicampervan, based on the Opel Combo D, as a regular car. We travel around 25K km/yr. Our monthly cost with everything including taxes, maintenance and gas is around €340/month. We did not have to finance our car.
Thanks for sharing, Nico! Share your secrets to that food/household budget!! OMG that's so great!!
Hi Jovie, our secret is sourcing your food and household items from a few good suppliers and focus on healthy, organic and sustainability. So we buy most of our food and household items at Ekoplaza which averages out, on a weekly basis, to about €70. We buy fish, cheese and nuts at the local market. Some fruits we buy at a good local greengrocer. They are also the distributor for a local farm that grows produce based on biodynamic principles and free range eggs from another local farmer. This runs to about €30 - €35 per week. Incidentals that are bought elsewhere are mostly some herbs (Erica), coffee and loose leaf tea (shoutout to Simon Levelt, Yay!!). That probably is at max €5 / week. So all in all about €110 / week. Sometimes less, sometimes more.
Of course energy, internet, phone and TV are not included here. Our energy bill is around €140 / month and will be lowered to €130 next year. We run solarpanels so our main energy cost is gas. We have triple play at our Internet provider (Go XS4ALL!!!, XS4ALL moet blijven!!!) which runs to about €90 a month. We have a deluxe package because we have high speed fiber and I am a heavy user of Internet ;) . Just upgraded my infrastructure at home at no extra cost. So in all, add another €60/week on top of the previous mentioned €110 / week.
Again, this is for a two adults household who live, in our view, the simple live. Hope this helps.
Hi Jovi,
Please note that the "eigen risico" for medical treatment is 385 as you stated but it is per year
Which is peanuts, compared to the US ;)
Ad Lockhorst much like health insurance for phones, pet health insurance usually requires you start when they’re young and healthy - no taking out insurance only once Loesje hits 15 and has a kidney problem.
Just wanted to note that there is an upper limit (determined by the government) to how much compensation you can get for your work related travel expenses. For instance if you have to travel by train for a distance of over 25km and then per bus at your destination the compensation won't cover it all anymore but only around 80-85% of the costs.
You're talking money and I'm scoping out your open concept living and playroom behind you 😍gorgeous. But seriously this was a great video and so informative ❤️
Thank you so much!
Was very curious of the outcome of this video. Would love to hear comparison with the US. Ofcourse I know about the Netherlands but I just was in Hawaii and was astoned about the prices. A loaf of bread for 6 dollars !!!! And then I really searched for the cheapest But also i saw employers searched and they were offered 15 dollars an hour!!! For just a shop job. So I think just the difference is the income compared to the costs. ( ofcourse I know Hawaii is even more expensive because of the location but I want to go live there so I was researching. )
( glad I read your audio will be better soo. I really liked the original better. Better just had kept your money instaed of buying the mic 😂)
There are hummers here, though only a few, just saw a few days ago a Hummer limousine. It had a blue licence plate which are used for taxi's and taxi like vehicles (vans for transportation of people, some limousines) . Also road taxes differs per province. In Zeeland you pay more for the exact same car compared to Zuid-Holland.
Plus Diesel and LPG cars are way more in road tax, cheapest is gasoline cars, Belgium is the other way around.
Thank you for these helpful videos on Holland, I am moving there in January. Would love a video on the public transport system!
9292.nl :)
Thats our public transportation website, times and costs etc are there.
Angela Tebbertman thank you so much! That’s super helpful!
Hello, nice video. Do you have any insights on the energy label for housing? We often see it when looking for apartments. Is not related to the condition of the wiring in the house and energy loss, for example? And in this case which bottom line should we look for? From A to C? Thank you.
The energy label only give you an insight in the costs and losses found when you want to heat your home. It basically only tells you something about insulation of the home you're after, but it's not completely free of controversy, as some things that certainly should provide a better label, just don't do anything at all (so far).
It's also about what you want/need: if you want to heat your home without too much of a hassle, you probably want a high label (A or B). If you don't mind only having good heating in the living room while the rest of the house stays rather cold (as bad insulation means you will have to heat a lot to keep the rooms that way), you can also get a lower label. Do, however, realise that a home with a lower label could be harder to sell later on, especially when multiple homes in the same block did get renovations done to upgrade the insulation, but yours didn't.
Taxes can be different, depend in which city you live, also in some cities you also have to pay taxes for dogs... And that also depends, in some cities you pay a lot more then in other cities.
hi. what is the basic insurance are you using? please! I am trying to figure it out :)
Hi!! I am with ziveren kruis right now but from Jan 1, with CZ as they have a cheaper rate. I love the website independer.nl to compare everything, have you used it?
I also use it to buy car insurance and my energy provider. Its so good.
I'm not rich and I'm not poor, but I have plenty no matter WHAT I make. (it's one of my mantras), 🌹
Rent subsidies here are /Significant/ provided that you live in social housing. Our two bedroom apartment costs about 700 a month (including heating costs) but the subsidies grant us about 300 euros a month. Unfortunately Social housing isn't always easy to come by...
(Social housing is housing that costs less than 720 euros a month, and is owned by a housing corporation. There are lots of these but it can be tough to apply for them, housing is usually assigned based on registration time. In my city we found our place within 2 months of starting our search. BUT I had seven years of registration time tallied up. I saw another house go out to someone with just 4.5 years however in a somewhat shoddier part of town. For Utrecht or Amsterdam those numbers go Way Up unfortunately. Im not sure about Amsterdam but Utrecht might just demand 15 years of registration time from you- although occasionally they also do lotteries for social housing. Exceptions may also be taken into account for emergency cases.)
Nice video. Living in the Netherlands is rather expensive, but in my opinion there is a lot you can do to reduce the costs of living here. For instance the costs for food can be reduced if you go to the weekly market, don't shop at the high-end supermarkets etc.
Some online research for insurances, electricity, gas etc. also can also save you a lot of money.
Not true. If you compare this with other Western European countries.
well for me as a dutchman life here is really expensive nowadays. cant do anything anymore because of the high prices of everything. stuck to my house because of it. o well you get used to it
Ik weet dat het moeilijk is,maar probeer te kijken of er in uw buurt iets is wat gratis is. Wandelen kan altijd. Maar misschien clubjes? Ik ga zelf altijd naar een haakclubje toe dan kom je toch nog buiten.
University costs are indeed around €2000 a Year, you got that right. But this is the case for all universities as this is set by the governement.
very interesting, , the cost of living is high middle wages are also higher in consequence, but free education is very clever and helpfull.
Costs of taking the train are very high imho. It costs me around €300 a month to take a 50 minute train ride (each way) for 4 days a week. I only get partial coverage from my employer, which sucks! So not every employer covers this and train fare is very expensive!
I had enough of it. I can't pay all that. I work 3 days and have to feed 3 kids and my ex is on benefits. Costs me 100 a month extra since they changed it. I said to my boss: do you mind if I start at 10 and leave at 6.30? No problem. Now I pay 107 a month for the train. Normally it was 320. Cheap hours. You can also start early ( have the train before 6.30) and have the train back before 4.
www.ns.nl/abonnementen/dal-vrij.html
@@renskedj great workaround! did the same
Buying stuff in the Netherlands: groceries are relatively cheaper compared to the US, clothing is more expensive (even with bargain shops like Zeeman), electronics depends but generally more expensive, too. Eating out is also more expensive, except if you live in NYC, than it's cheaper in the Netherlands.
A typical 'lunch' can be a sandwich and a coffee, and you should find those for €7-10, but if you want a warm meal, it's going to be in the range of €12-25 without drinks.
All taxes are included, if you have a business, you can deduct them from your taxes under certain conditions. Sales taxes have 3 tiers, the standard is 21% for services and goods, but certain basic needs can apply a reduced rate of 9%, e.g. for food, medicine, (school)books... it's this. And certain services like doctor's appointments are taxed at 0%.
You can go to other countries, Germany is generally a bit cheaper, for instance, especially for electronics, Belgium can be cheaper, like for fuel for your car or tobacco or beer, but groceries are generally cheaper in the Netherlands, so in normal times you'll see both Dutch crossing into Belgium for shopping and vice versa.
The dutch tax office actually has a slogan "we can't make it more fun, but we can make it easier" . My boyfriend told me he always thought that they should be able to make it more fun as well. Then he went to live in the US for a couple years and he greatly appreciates that they at least make it easier here now.
About the rent situation: The numbers your provide are for houses that are in what we call "vrije sector". There is also social housing for people with low incomes. These have a rent below 720 euros. Depending on location and size some even start at 300 euro's (studio apartments). If you live in social housing and you have a low income you can apply for rent subsidy as well, which pays about half your rent. Side note: there are not enough of these houses, so you have to be on a waiting list for 5-10 years at least before you can get one (especially in cities).
I doubt that immigrants from the US will be able to apply for social housing. And even if they could they wouldn't qualify for a home for the first 6-15 years (depending on the area you want to live).
So that's why she mentions free market rent.
Regarding housing - lots of people who are on this income and lower as s family rent their houses from a woningstichten. - social housing which is lower rent
Yes and if you're really low income, you can also get subsidized for your housing if you rent through a housing corporation. I think it goes up to €300 a month or something.
Hello Jovey,
For an average household, you investigated pretty good. Lately however, it's almost impossible to find a home with a low rent. Starting price is mostly 850 euro's a month. That is without gas, water and electrics, kabel, or service-costs. Energiebills are really influenced by having gas + electrics or only electrics, and if you have solar-panels ore a windturbine. And the insulation of the house you live in, can make a huge difference on your bills.
What I did mis, is the real estate tax that your hometown is demanding. There can be huge differensis between towns. And home-owners pay not only the residents part, but also the house-owners part, both depending on the marketvalue (WOZ-value) of the home you live in. In most towns you can pay those costs monthly spread over 8 to 10 months a year. Often they are combined with other municipal taxes, like waste and sewage charges. I pay 87 euro per month during 8 months.
Further more; everybody has to pay water board tax. Not to be confused with payments for water distribution, water or payments for waste water tax.
The costs for food are really depending on number of persons in a household, the age of those members (teenage boys especially are bottomless pits) or if there are people with special diets. That can put extra pressure on the budget.
Prepackaged pizza, pasta's and other high carb food, can be a lot cheaper, than a well balanced meal, freshly made and with a sufficient amount of proteïne, fat and low sugar containing carbs (fresh vegetables and fruit). Fresh fruit and vegetables are really expensive.
If you buy meat of an organic butger or from a supermarket, makes a big difference in costs.
The "Basisschool" is free, but does cost money. That is due to the "vrijwillige bijdrage" (voluntary contribution). The spending of that contribution is to decide by the school.
The schools after the "Basisschool" are free, but again not without costs.
Books are free, but a pay deposit can be requisted. Furthermore are certain books, gymnastic clothes, calculators and other schoolmaterials self to be payed for.
Schooltrips and other extra's come out of your own pocket.
So schools do cost money, and with more children, the costs cumulate.
I hope this is helpfull.
Keep up the good work, Jovey.
Greetings, Yvonne
Oh my God, I wish the collection of taxes in Germany was that easy! I use my OV chipkaart for public transport when I visit the Netherlands. I had a job offer in Utrecht, but the rental costs even within a 30 km radius would have easily eaten up 60-70% of my salary and I would never have been able to pay the upkeep on my car. Some friends of mine bought a 3-storey row house from the 1970s in Winschoten (East Netherlands) 11 years ago (unrenovated) and paid "only" €290k for it and said they were "lucky" to get such a cheap house. 20 km away in Germany they would have paid about half for the same house or could have built a completely new house for the money.
Finally!!! No one will post how much apartments cost there. THANK YOU JOVIE!!!!!!
Thank you for doing this video. Now I know that we could afford to live there.
With regards to health insurance, although the amount is the same (it’s regulated by the government), some insurers will allow you to spread it over monthly payments and others require a single payment. So, check that out when choosing a health insurance as well.
Basisverzekering costs are not regulated at all - the government regulates exactly what it covers, and that insurers have to take in everyone, and everyone pays the same price. But the price is set purely by the insurer and that and only that is precisely what they compete on.
The reason that basically all health insurance costs the same is Independer.nl & similar sites, and the ten percent or so of the population that will migrate to whichever plan is cheapest this year. They typically make their money on selling the supplemental, where they are allowed to refuse to cover people for pre existing conditions etc. (although not once someone has started. Most smaller supplemental plans accept 100%, nevertheless. The very high end plans will not sell to you if you’re likely to use it a lot, though).
If you’re thinking “that sounds a lot like the ACA”, well, that’s because Mitt Romney looked very carefully at the Dutch system (and hired some of the architects of our system) when implementing Romneycare, and Obama basically copied that wholesale to the federal level.
Oh, I just realized you were almost certainly talking about the Eigen Risico specifically, right? Yeah, that’s set directly by the government.
Road tax is calculated by the car's weight + pollution level. Electric cars are taxed, but subsidised.
Medical insurance can be covered by some employers, but only if there's some agreement and you have a permanent contract.
Insurance companies offer modules separately (teeth, physiotherapy, etc), you can ask for a zorg-toeslag in case you earn less than €34K annually. Blood tests are also not covered by the eigen risico, unfortunately.
Some insurance companies offer special prices if you insure your house or car along with health insurance - worth checking.
Third party damage insurance is called Aansprakelijkheidsverzekering. Very recommended to do!
I currently live in the U.K. but I want to move to NL so badly. I’m a student atm so I can’t move just yet but I’m thinking of putting things in place for my future
Yes, but after Brexit there is not much of a future for British people in the EU.
@@henkoosterink8744 Yeah. It sucks.
I only get earned a bit more than €1000 a month and I'm completely fine. I can pay my rent. I can do groceries. And I can do fun things every now and then. What more do you need?
It's might be better to buy a house. But if you don't have a certain income you won't get a mortgage.
Also if you have low income or live on social security benefits and you own a house you do not qualify for a lot of financial support like property taxes being waved and of course no rent subsidy.
Umm living minimalistic isn’t cute sir you should always strive for a higher income
@@ultimatefirecracker1486 Because?
@@bike-tyson-oak because? Lol you even have to ask why lol I don’t think anyone wants to live dusty.. what’s the point of having a job with the same income if you can just get a free check in the Netherlands 🤷🏾♂️ but each its own maybe you like living with the bare minimum and all your taxes going to the kings house.
@@ultimatefirecracker1486 yep you clearly don't understand this country. Maybe do some research before barking ;)
I’ve seen a couple of hummers in NL - both were stretched limousine models the size of a house.
AFAIK a Hummer would be a special import that you literally have to have someone buy in the US and put on a boat. For a Limo, not typically a “large distances” transport thing, I suspect the ginormous engine and high roofline etc is probably useful.
You can sure buy Ford pickups and giant SUVs here, though - Porsche Cayenne, that sort of thing. It’s just very much the luxury option.
Coming home soon, moving to Arnhem Netherlands 🇳🇱 in the summer, moving permanently cannot wait! Got a job lined up and ready to start.
That sounds good :-) Where are you coming from?
@@Snowshowslow coming from California, I want to start over and do something new. I miss the old country and cannot wait to try something new!
@@BulldogBS2016 I hope you'll like it here :-) And that you'll get to enjoy the typical European summers of travel some time soon... Be advised that the tensions are rising due to the covid situation right now, so you might not start off seeing everyone at their kindest. But hopefully that too will pass!
I got an offer of €38,500 gross a year to work in The Hague. Any idea if this is good to live comfortably for a single person? I checked online and the apartments are around €1000 without bills for one bedroom unfurnished apartment.
Hello Jovie! I’m Dutch, but lived in South Africa most of my life and looking at finally getting back to the Netherlands 40 years later! I’ve watched a lot of your videos which have been very helpful! Thank you so much! Would it be at all possible to do a video on pets - insurance, vets costs, pets and living, general rental rules and pets, pet-friendly mindset in the Netherlands etc. I’d like to bring my little guy with, but would love more info. Also, can dentistry be part of your medical aid somehow? Or if you need things like implants, is that something you’d need to pay for yourself? What can one expect with dentists? Hope you’ll consider these ideas!
I'm so glad these videos have helped you, I hope your reentry will be smooth. Your ideas have been added to a list of potential video ideas, thank you for sharing them!
I have two teenage sons and a husband and I cook a lot. Mostly 6 days a week, sometimes on Saturdays we eat a ‘patatje’, just so I have a break from cooking. I spend about the same as you per week, and sometimes it’s a little more. You don’t have to go crazy to get to that point. I’m always very impressed with people who get by with a lot less.
Had a little trouble hearing you. Amazing that employers will pay for mileage to and from work! Generous.
Thank you so much for the feedback. I have a few more videos pre-filmed using this microphone *but* soon there will be another big improvement made with the sound quality. Thank you so much for watching!!
I even had one employer who paid my travel and my travel time.
Its not amazing, it is normal.
@@petermonnich7635 it's amazing to an American who has never encountered that in forty years of working in USA.
@@jbird4478 I wish American employers could be that generous.
Amsterdam is very expensive. You pay less the more north or south you live. I pay about €500,- for a 3 story house with 4 bedrooms, attic, basement, front- and backgarden, including a parkingspot in front of my house. I spend about €70,- on food for myself and two kids. So, the costs of living here depend on where you live. Amsterdam is not comparable to the rest of the Netherlands. Anyway, i love your videos! Thank you!
Hi tyno, whatcity_ town is that?
@@patglennon9671 It depends on the city, but of you choose a small town/village in the northern Province (Friesland) chances are that jou will pay the amount that i mentioned above. I lived in a city called Leeuwarden (big city in the north) where it was a bit more expensive. Now i live in a small village (Drachten) and it is like said prices. But i choose to pay this. It is possible to find something here for less money if you compromise. No garden, fewer bedrooms, etc. for example.
@@TallT1980 I appreciate the reply, this was helpful,pat
I been to Netherlands for a week. I stayed in Alkmar city in an Air BnB place because all Amsterdam places are expensive so I used to take the train almost everyday from Alkmar to Amsterdam for forty minutes and it cost me seventeen Euros for the round trip ticket. It is nine Euros for each trip so you save one Euro with the round trip ticket . The bus/train ticket inside Amsterdam costs like 3.75 Euros . I paid $35/night for the room I stayed in Alkmar and I paid five Euros more for the breakfast ( one egg ,bread, cheese, jam, a glass of apple or orange juice) plus free coffee and free tea . I was sharing the toilet not the shower with my landlord downstairs. That room got no lock and that landlord used to complain a lot so I gave him four stars instead of five so he got mad and told me that I am not welcome to his house next time .
dont you have a reigerspas in the hague or is it only for the people in u-b
I'm not sure what this is? Not saying that we don't have it -- I just might not know about it?
@@JoviesHome you get discounts at musea and concerts
@@JoviesHome oh sorry its ooivaarspas. www.ooievaarspas.nl/
You said that per region it can differ what a "koophuis" can kost. But 300.000 is realy high. I think those still are Randstad based prices. My parents have a 5 story home (incl: basement and "vliering" (a sort of attic just for putting your christmasdeco, and rearly used items away.) It could be sold for 150.000. This house is in Zuid-Limburg. If you spend 300.000 there you would have a villa. How furter you get away from the Randstad, how cheaper it is, so to speak. The same for rent. The most apartments i could find in the same aria for 600-700 euro had 3 or 4 rooms. Still, buying is cheaper, even in the south. I have bought and sold and bought again. First house was just before the gulden/euro switch. It was bought for 205.000 gulders and sold for 97.500 euro's in South Limburg. But this was in the worst selling period. Now i have bought for 203.000 euro's in Brabant. See the difference? Still not Randstad prices. Region can real realy realy be different. Even "gemeentelijke belastingen" differ per region.
How much deposit do you have to pay when buying a house?
Also, the 380 deductable is for the entire year. If you need special care multiple times a year the deductable you only pay it the first time.
hi almost every medical cost is a deductable, except visiting your GP. if he prescribes you medication, wants a lab test or x-ray: all deductabel (i.e. you have to pay it from your 'eigen risico')
Keep in mind, though, that’s it’s usually co-pays coming out of your deductible. If you get a 100 euros worth of pills, your copay on that will be 10-20 bucks and *that* is limited by the deductible.
Hey miss jovie,thanks for the video l have been waiting for such kind of educative program because am eager to learn about the Dutch community,oh my God the necessities you use weekly around 200£ is a bit lower on your side that means the monthly payments you use l almost get as my salary in around 3 months as my salary.but they are abit more taxs to pay monthly.... around 2000£ is good for starts in the Netherlands and that's good money.thanks for the time and research you put in and have agood day.
we dont use pounds bro ;-)
@@michielvdvlies3315 thanks bro l misread the signs l thought lt symbolises the Euro.
Is children's insurance is really free? I thought it goes with the discount but not "gratis"...
Wing Chun Children up to 18 years have free health insurance and no “own risk”/deductible.
I am WAY brlow average in net income because i'm around minimum level but then aga in my situation is that my cost of living is also below average
Rent subsidy is not only for students, but for everyone who qualifies. It can significantly lower your rent. For instance, it is not uncommon to get around €350 in rent subsidy on a €600 a month appartment. Meaning that on balance, you only pay €250 a month in rent.
how do you get to those numbers ??? avarage per person is around 1800 i get only a little over 1000 never that a average household gets 25000 euros a month
My sources are linked in the video
Hio Jovie's Home
hoop dat alles goed is met jou en de jouwe,,
I'd like to move to the Netherlands, I like south of Den Hague area, Maassluis, De Lier, Poeldijk, Honselesdijk, what would be the best way to go about this,
Dankjewel
Hi i can see you are already working on your dutch ! Love to have same Americans living here. The dutch people will welcome you with open arms ! And we speak english so no worries !
Just change the 'S" from your last name in a 'Z" and everyone think you're Dutch ;) I'm a kind of disappointed because the best part of the Netherlands is Groningen ;)
@@xXTheoLinuxXx Too bad there's a whole lot of shaking going on up there.
@@DutchDelinquent31010 I use to work from the Netherlands based in Poeldijk delivering fresh Fruit, vegetables and flowers but sadly the company came to a close, I've done International driving and was taught it's nice to learn a bit of the languages to help get by and polite also, I liked the way how people would work together in the job that i did, how clean the place was etc,
I have Wajong because of a condition I was born with. I can't work anymore (I did work) I now have about 1000 euros a month of Wajong. On top of that I get subsidy's from the government for the rent and health insurance and that is around 300 euros. I live in a 90 m2 meter apartment including a 9 m2 balcony and including the cost for central heating (blokverwarming) it costs 580 euros per month. The only extra costs I have are insurances and the electricity. I don't own a car. And my income is sufficient for me. I must say that I am really lucky with this apartment. Because when I lived in a house with cheaper rent, I payed a lot more for central heating and had less subsidy from the government for the rent. So I had less money left to spend.
Thank you so much for sharing, Ruchama. It seems that you have a great deal on your apartment! Thanks for watching!
@@JoviesHome You're welcome. I enjoy watching your vlogs. I sure am happy with this apartment. It's cheaper because it's build in 1969. More recent built apartments are often more expensive with lesser space. The insulation is also good in my apartment. The view is great and it's at a good location (park at the back of the apartment, shoppingmall at 100 meters away) I can see a few kilometers ahead. But 2 stories higher then my apartment you can see over 20 kilometers ahead. And that is what you can get for this rent, if you are not in the west and don't go for the new buildings.
I always like to see culture differences and even I notices Holland/The
Netherlands seem to moving towards "American" giving up our culture
(which is part of American foundation too, but another story). Funny
about the cats: Pssst is to get a foreign cat away, to our own cats we
talk (at least we do) like human beings. Dressing to supermarket: You
have "home clothes" (pyjamas, handyman etc), regular clothes (jeans,
dress, runnings etc) and "formal" for a party, wedding etc... Funny
thing I noticed living in Ireland: You can go to a supermarket in
Ireland with "like u just came out of bed", nobody cares here, while if
you go for a job interview: SUIT in Ireland: In Holland, you dress well
(according to the job/company standard) but "overdressed" can be work
against you!
Good info.
And for me €200,- per week is a little nuts.
But then again you hev 4 people eating.
I have only 2.
And you said it good about the bikes.
I never had a new bike nor would I want one.
Second hand is just as good and much less change of getting stolen.
Wij spenderen met 2 personen, 150 euro per week aan eten. Het is maar net waar je prioriteiten liggen. ;)
Das waar. Maar hier eten ook 4 chihuahua's, 2 katten en 3 hamsters mee. Dus dat moet ook allemaal mee geteld in het budget voor eten en drinken. Als ik per week €100 uitgeef is het veel. Messtal tussen de €50 en €70.
Great video. It covers a lot, and to go in all detail on each of the subjects you mentioned would make it a loooonnng video. Two things that caught my attention were the € 200 a week costs for groceries. That is quite a lot. Depending on what (brand or non-brand) and where (AH or ALDI) it can be cheaper, imo. I have a 3 adults household and I pay less than € 150,-. And the 25.000 k income a year for a family maybe enough to get by but to live comfortably you’ll need more a year. And the Dutch tax app is just a treat compared to the US one. I’ve done a few years of US taxes and I was suprised at the old fashioned way it had to be done and sent in: ON PAPER. Come on...we live in the 21st century. I did use a program that one has to pay for, but at the end I still had to print it and send it to the IRS by post! Another striking difference is the costs of universities. Here in the Netherlands one goes to public schools/universities in general. Private universities aren’t common here. My son used to be at a private university in the US and the tuition fee compared to a Dutch university.....astronomical. The price of the annual tuition to a Dutch uni is € 2.143 for the upcoming year. That is a tip compared to the 70.000, we had to pay for his US university. And though he loved his US alma mater, the level of education isn’t better than the Dutch uni. Some of the 1st yrsr stuff in uni my son already covered on his Dutch high school. I haven’t watched all of your vid’s yet but have you covered the difference level Dutch High Schools compared to the US Highs Schools in one of them? My son has visited both a Dutch and a US high school and there are some interesting differences people would be interested to hear about too. And another thing is the differente approach to credit cards. They are not as common in the Netherlands as in the US, but even if you have and use them, it will be used differently. In the US your card credibilty rate is important and this you build up by spending with your card a lot AND paying (ofcourse). Here the card is rather used as a back-up plan, during vacation to rent a car or for internet purchases only. So, the use of the card is very different. Here we don’t use them in supermarkets or drugstores (as you have found out the hard way).Here our debitcard is used like the creditcard is used in the US. With one big difference. If you spend it the amount spent is gone immediately from your account, so no suprises like with creditcard bills after a month.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting- we added your question to our list of potential topics. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Jovie's Home i added something on cc to my post. Maybe inspiration for another topic?
The cost of gas in Europe is very expensive. I remember. Something you may find interesting that many Dutch would not experience. Living in the country as I do in the states, I do not have public utilities. I pay no water fees and have my own septic system. The water well and septic system had to be inspected for environmental purposes, prior to use. These systems were put in place when building the house. I do not pay for any fees or taxes for this. My only utility expense is the trash and electric. I actually feel outside of health insurance that my cost of living in the United States is cheaper than when I lived in Europe. Once again… The difference is I hope in charge. My overall cost outside of that are less than Europe and you are correct the income is much more. Although I do not live in a big city. Therefore my prices are much less than what someone in a city would pay. You can buy an acre of land where I live for about $4000. Can you imagine the cost of 3 or 4 acres in the Netherlands would cost? If you were living in California, New York City, Denver, Seattle and other large cities? Yes ...you’re going to pay a lot more. Perhaps you could share at some point, how different living is in the United States depending on where you live. I recently drove through Iowa and was amazed at the vast openness. At one point I drove 84 miles and I swear… It was almost all corn. I must’ve passed 50 or 60 farms in that drive. I talked to a farmer out there and asked him how much land did he farm? He said I put in about 900 acres of corn this year.Can you imagine that much corn and having a farm that large? I was amazed. I know a dutch couple who visited their sister in the United States and drove from Arizona to Pennsylvania. They were shocked. He said I never realized how much country there is outside of the city and so many little towns and how very different can be from living in a city. I think many Europeans base their opinions from television. When they do visit they only see the cities, normally. My advice is if you ever come to the United States Rent-A-Car and drive from Arizona to the NAPA wine country. That’s just one example but you would see much more and have a different opinion from your television shows.
Wait for a household or per person? That’s seems very low
What job do you do? Would human service degree transfer to the Netherlands?
One year on and buying a house is getting further and further out of reach for a lot of people. On a single salary its pretty much impossible for me and I don't think I have a bad salery.
how much would you have to pay in the usa for the same medical coverage that your family has over here ?
and it would be better if you mentioned this in the salary part
greetz
Those are great suggestions, Erik! Next time I do a video like this, I'll keep your suggestion in mind. The costs depend on your employer - some pay fully for your insurance whereas other employers don't offer it and then you have to find your own. But my friend pays more than $2,000 per month for herself, husband and child. PER MONTH> OMG. Thanks for watching!
@@JoviesHome WTF !!!!!!!
this would mean that the average american needs to earn about 24000 dollars NETTO a year more than we do so he/she could take the same home as we do !!!!!
wauw ,,,,, unbelievable
erik je our basic insurance would come pretty close to the gold plated plans in the US, and they are suuuuuper expensive. The lowest “bronze” tier covers a lot less and has pretty high copays and deductibles, and will cost you like 400 plus per person (children included free since Obamacare, which was based on the Dutch system).
A way people save money there is getting plans that have insanely high deductibles and copays - think 5000-15000 a year of eigen risico (and those are not typoed with a zero too many) and paying either the full cost of everything up to that limit or at least most of it. And then you still pay hundreds a month per person. Google “catastrophic health insurance”. Those are really a “go it alone unless I get cancer” plan.
And then of course there’s the 8 percent of USAns that are simply uninsured at all, which is the “hope I don’t get cancer because I will literally die and my wife and children will literally be in a homeless shelter” plan.
@@JasperJanssen i just hope that the poor people feel a lot of comfort in the knowledge the usa has 11 aircraft carrier groups when they go bankrupt or die from a medical issue
this is really unbelievable
Is about 60 K USD/year enough to live in NL???
Sorry for my English. The biggest difference with the states i think is social-security, if you have dutch nationality and you for some reason can't work you will get a minimal income (Bijstand) it's not much but enough to keep a roof over you're head, medical and food, there are not many homeless people and even if you are homeless there are places you can go for help (if you desire) to get beck on you're feet . we pay a lot of taxes on just about everything but that's a good thing if no one is left on the curb.
Does any one have an opinion on the most inexpensive city or large town to live in for a retired single gent? Cheers in advance. Pat glennon
If you got some money to spend, definitely check out the outskirts/small places in the provinces of Friesland, Groningen, Drente, Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, Zeeland and Limburg. From personal experience I can tell that you can buy a very big house in Winterswijk (province of Gelderland) for a price I can only dream of in the city where I live (18 km/s above Amsterdam...)