Netherlands

Western Europe

EuropeEUSchengen

Highly English-fluent, business-friendly EU hub with excellent infrastructure and a startup visa, though naturalisation usually requires renouncing your old passport.

80
Overall score
Excellent · 100% data coverage
Language
Dutch
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
Up to 49.5%
Cost of living
€2,100 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
70
Access
17%
72Residence12%
64Citizenship and passport5%
79
Earning power
25%
77Salary and work12%
80Buying power13%
72
Business and wealth
20%
46Taxes7%
85Business8%
87Investment5%
88
Daily life
25%
87Quality of life18%
91Education7%
94
Rights and institutions
13%
92Freedom6%
96Rule of law7%

Pros

  • Very high English fluency
  • Startup & DAFT (US) visas
  • Strong salaries & quality of life

Cons

  • Dual citizenship usually not allowed
  • Housing shortage
  • Box 3 wealth taxation disputes

Best for

Tech workersFoundersEnglish-speaking professionals

Score profile

Access
Residence
72
Citizenship
54
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
77
Buying power
80
Cost of living
41
Economy
81
Business and wealth
Taxes
46
Personal tax
10
Corporate tax
46
Business
85
Investment
87
Wealth building
69
Daily life
Safety
84
Healthcare
87
Environment
95
Infrastructure
90
Education
91
HDI
96
Rights and institutions
Freedom
92
Rule of law
96
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Good
72
Migrant stock16.2% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.72 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Highly Skilled MigrantStartup visaDAFT (US nationals)EU Blue Card
StudentStudent residence; 16 hrs/week or full-time summer work.
WorkHighly Skilled Migrant via recognised sponsor + salary threshold.
Self-employedStartup visa (1 yr) → self-employment residence; DAFT for Americans.
PermanentPR after 5 years.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Moderate
54
Years required5
Dual allowedGenerally no: must renounce (some exceptions)
LanguageA2 Dutch civic integration exam
Residence5 years continuous legal residence
NotesMost naturalising adults must give up their original nationality, with limited exceptions.
Passport
Passport power
Excellent
96
190 / 198
Mobility
#5
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free143
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required8

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Good
77
Output per worker$127,705 PPP (2024)
Unemployment3.9% (2025)
Participation67.2% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$5,147 · $6,410 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$7,029 · $8,753 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceLarge ZZP contracting market; English-friendly
Job marketAmsterdam/Eindhoven tech hubs; 30% ruling boosts net pay.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Excellent
80
GNI / person$85,480 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$33,393 PPP (2023)
Price level87 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality25.7 Gini (2021)
Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Limited
41
Price level87 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€1,500–2,200 (1BR Amsterdam)
Monthly€2,100
CitiesAmsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Utrecht
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
81
Output & income
GDP$1.3T (2025)
GDP / person$73,684 (2025)
GNI / person$85,480 PPP (2025)
GDP growth1.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)
Unemployment3.9% (2025)
Output per worker$127,705 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture1.7% of GDP (2025)
Industry17.7% of GDP (2025)
Services70.4% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Logistics & tradeAgriculture & horticultureChemicalsTechnology & semiconductorsFinancial services
Top exports
Machinery & semiconductor equipmentRefined fuels & chemicalsAgricultural & horticultural products
TypeHigh-income, trade- and services-led
Key sectorsRotterdam port & logistics, High-tech (ASML ecosystem), Agri-food exports
SummaryA trading hub with Europe's largest port, world-class agri-exports and a high-tech semiconductor cluster.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Moderate
46
PersonalUp to 49.5%; 30%/27% ruling for qualifying expats
Corporate19% up to €200k, 25.8% above
Capital gainsNo classic CGT: Box 3 taxes a deemed return on net assets
DividendsBox 2: 24.5–31% for substantial shareholders
Exit taxYes: for substantial (5%+) shareholdings
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
10
PersonalUp to 49.5%; 30%/27% ruling for qualifying expats
FreelanceZZP self-employed; VAR/DBA rules on disguised employment
Capital gainsNo classic CGT: Box 3 taxes a deemed return on net assets
DividendsBox 2: 24.5–31% for substantial shareholders
Exit taxYes: for substantial (5%+) shareholdings
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Moderate
46
Corporate19% up to €200k, 25.8% above
Capital gainsNo classic CGT: Box 3 taxes a deemed return on net assets
DividendsBox 2: 24.5–31% for substantial shareholders
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Business
Business friendliness
Excellent
85
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.72 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.75 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyYes: full foreign ownership
Local companyBV via notary in days; €0.01 min capital
FreelanceZZP self-employed; VAR/DBA rules on disguised employment
Investment
Investing environment
Excellent
87
Market cap130% of GDP (2017)
Private credit82% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsBox 3 taxes deemed return on assets; reform ongoing
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxEffectively via Box 3 deemed-return taxation
BrokersExcellent: DEGIRO (NL-based), Interactive Brokers
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Good
69
Salary & work
Good
77
Business
Excellent
85
Investment
Excellent
87
Tax friendliness
Moderate
46
Cost of living
Limited
41

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Excellent
84
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.7 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption1.91 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.43 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
87
Outcomes
Life expectancy82.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.9 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians3.88 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds2.42 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$8,195 PPP / person (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemMandatory private insurance, universal regulated
InsuranceCompulsory basic health insurance for residents
Average cost€130–160 / mo basic premium
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
95
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure8.6 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress16.7% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
90
Digital infrastructure
Internet use97.0% (2024)
Internet resilience83 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed90 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed79 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses3.8% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality4.20 / 5 (2022)
Rail density90.3 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity16,997 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
91
Attainment
Expected schooling18.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment87% gross (2023)
Education spending5.2% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€2,500 (EU statutory) / €8,000–20,000 (non-EU)
Public universityEU students pay statutory fee (~€2,530)
LanguagesEnglish (very many programs), Dutch
Student work16 hrs/week term-time or full-time in summer (work permit)
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
96
HDI0.955 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy82.2 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling18.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$68,344 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
92
Freedom in the World97 / 100 (Free)
Freedom on the Net84 / 100 (Free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
96
Rule of Law percentile96 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
IND: Immigrationind.nlBelastingdienst: Taxbelastingdienst.nlNetherlands Startup Visabusiness.gov.nlUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Netherlands visa & immigrationgoogle.comNetherlands tax residency rulesgoogle.comNetherlands citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Netherlandsgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.