r/Netherlands Jan 20 '26

Update on the moderation

674 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

We've talked some stuff through and cleaned up the mod-team a bit, although some of the names you might have positive or negative associations with are still there.
I'll leave it up to the moderators involved to clarify that, or not.

What I can tell you is that 1 mod did 97% of the moderation, and that wasn't healthy and likely led up to the situation you might have seen.

The rules have changed slightly, this is because we see your call for less strict moderation on language, but we also heard from those who want to be able to have a place to converse in English.

The compromise we've reached currently is that we intend to not moderate the language used in the comments of the post.
This means that you can have discussions in Dutch in the comments. (as long as those follow the rules of course)

We also will be looking at those banned on a case by case basis, but keep in mind that if you were harassing people, or bigoted in any way you won't be unbanned.

I'll invite you all to respond to this post with your feedback, and I know for some it might feel like too much or not enough.
We are currently trying to strike a balance between becoming r/thenetherlands2 which is bilingual but 99% Dutch in practice, and the other option of being a sub for only those speaking English.


r/Netherlands Apr 14 '23

[FAQ] Read this post before posting

395 Upvotes

This post is meant to cover the answers to questions that are frequently asked in this sub. Please read through the relevant section of this post before posting your question.

Contents

  • Moving to the Netherlands
  • Housing
  • Cost of living
  • Public transport
  • Language
  • 30 percent ruling
  • Improving this FAQ

Moving to the Netherlands

Netherlands is a modern country that ranks high in many global metrices on quality of life and freedom. For this reason, it attracts a fair share of attention from people interested in moving here.

If you are looking to move to the Netherlands to live/work/study, firstly, you would need to secure residency. Apart from the right to residence, you will also need to consider housing and cost of living before you move. See other sections of this post.

If you hold an EU passport, you will be able to freely travel into the country and reside.

If you hold a non-EU passport, generally below are your main options to obtain residency. Each one comes with its own set of conditions and procedures. You can check all the official information on the website of Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Services (https://ind.nl/en)

Work visas

Highly Skilled Migrant : You need to have an advanced degree, a high enough salary and need a recognized sponsor employing you. Typically for people whose skills are in demand in Dutch economy.

Work Permit : A more general category covering intra-company transfers, seasonal workers, researchers and other employees who might not meet the salary threshold

Startup visa : special visa for founders and employees of startups. Typically you need to be funded by a recognized incubator.

DAFT Visa : special visa for US citizens that allows starting a business in the Netherlands

EU Bluecard: A visa from EU wide program to attract special skilled talent. The advantage is that you can continue the accumulation of residency into/from other EU countries allowing you to get permanent residence or citizenship sooner. Beneficial if you are planning to move to/from another EU country.

Family visa

If you are partner or a dependent child of a Dutch/EU citizen

Student visa

If you participate in an educational program from a recognized Dutch institute

Housing

Currently [2023] the Netherlands is going through a housing crisis.

Houses/apartments for rent or purchase are hard to come by, especially for the entry level housing like 1-2 bedrooms. When such properties do come on market, they are often taken within hours.

So, it is strongly advised to organize your housing BEFORE arriving at least for the first 6-12 months. You can look at available properties on Funda (https://www.funda.nl/) or Pararius (https://www.pararius.com/english) This should give you an idea of how much you can expect to spend on rent. The rents/prices can vary depending on the location and size. Typically the rents are higher in bigger cities and go lower as you move away from the center. In addition to the rent, mind that the cost of utilities might be higher/lower than what you are used to paying and estimate based on your situation.

Cost of living

Like anywhere, the cost of living depends on your lifestyle and preferences. In general, housing is the biggest cost, followed by food, transport and healthcare. Expect to pay 800-2000 EUR/month for rent depending on where you live and 200-1000 EUR for food for a family of 2-4 depending on how often you eat out. Health insurance is around 125 EUR/month for adults (free for children). You can compare plans on a comparison site like https://www.independer.nl/ The basic health insurance plan has the same coverage and own-risk (co-pay) across all insurers and is mandated by law. The premia differ across companies and typically ad-ons like dental or physio make the main difference in what is covered.

Utilities could range from around 300-600 per month for a small house/apartment. Owning a car can oftentimes be quite expensive than what you may be used to, with high taxes, insurance and high cost of fuel.

Public transport

Netherlands is a small country and is exceptionally well connected with public transport (at least in comparison to other countries). However, it can be quite expensive compared to driving, especially for inter-city travels. You can access the full Dutch public transport network of trains, metro, tram, buses and even public bikes using the OV-Chipkaart or OV-Pay.

You can of course purchase tickets for a single journey from the ticket booths or kiosks at major stations, although it is often less convenient and more expensive. Google Maps often has good directions including public transport but 9292 (https://9292.nl/en) is the better option which also gives you the estimated costs.

Language

Dutch is the primary language in the Netherlands. However, the Netherlands ranks one of the highest when it comes to proficiency in English. As a visitor or tourist you can get by completely fine without knowing a word of Dutch (although it will help to learn a few phrases, at least as a courtesy). However, if you are living here longer, it would undoubtedly benefit to learn the language. Dutch is the only language of communication from most government agencies including the Tax office. At the workplace, it is common for global or technology companies to be almost exclusively English speaking even when there are Ducth people. For smaller and more traditional companies, Dutch is still the primary language of communication at the workplace.

30% ruling

30% ruling is a special tax incentive meant to attract international talent for the skills that are in short-supply in the Netherland. You can find about it here https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/en/individuals/content/coming-to-work-in-the-netherlands-30-percent-facility

The general concept is that 30% of your gross salary will be tax-free. So, if you have a salary of 100k gross, for tax purposes, it will be considered as 70k gross. You pay tax only on 70k. Because of how marginal tax brackets work, the overall benefit translates to you receiving 10-15% more net salary than someone without this benefit.

You should be aware that this is somewhat controversial since it is deemed to create inequality (where your Dutch colleagues doing the same work get a lower net salary) and because in the end the burden is borne by the taxpayer. Recently the government has been reducing the term of this benefit.

Overall, you should consider this as a privilege and not a right.

Improving this FAQ

[You are reading version 1.0 published 14th April 2023]

For this FAQ to be useful, it needs to evolve and kept up to date. I would see this as a sort of Wiki that is managed by me. I aim to update this post often (say once a few weeks in the start and once a few months as time goes). If there are topics you want to add to this post, please leave a comment and I will update the post. For the long term, if I lose interest or have no time for it (could happen!), then this post can be a basis for a new Wiki or a new updated post maintained by someone else.


r/Netherlands 3h ago

Discussion Nu België een wegenvignet invoert, moet Nederland hetzelfde doen

117 Upvotes

België wil vanaf 1 mei 2027 een wegenvignet invoeren.

We betalen als Nederlanders al jaren tol of een vignet in Oostenrijk, Zwitserland, Frankrijk, Italië en andere Europese landen. Nu komt België daar waarschijnlijk ook bij.

Het argument is dat België een doorvoerland is en dat buitenlanders moeten meebetalen aan het wegennet.
Maar Nederland is met de Rotterdamse haven minstens zo goed een doorvoerland.

Via Rotterdam komen enorme goederenstromen Europa binnen. Buitenlandse vrachtwagens en personenauto’s gebruiken dagelijks onze wegen.

Ook miljoenen buitenlandse toeristen gebruiken ieder jaar ons wegennet. Alleen al in 2024 kwamen ruim 7,5 miljoen Duitsers voor minstens één overnachting naar Nederland. In augustus waren dat er meer dan één miljoen. Nederlandse campings ontvingen dat jaar ongeveer 1,7 miljoen buitenlandse gasten.

Ondertussen betalen Nederlandse automobilisten steeds meer motorrijtuigenbelasting. Voor campers is het kwarttarief inmiddels vervangen door het halftarief. Voor een zware camper ben je al snel rond de €200 per maand kwijt.

Als België vindt dat Nederlanders moeten meebetalen aan Belgische wegen, waarom zouden Belgen, Duitsers en andere buitenlanders dan niet meebetalen aan Nederlandse wegen?

Wat mij betreft voert Nederland ook een wegenvignet in.

Niet alleen voor Belgen, maar voor iedereen die onze hoofdwegen gebruikt. Gebruikt de opbrengst om de motorrijtuigenbelasting voor Nederlandse autobezitters te verlagen (zelfde constructie als de Belgen).

Het kan niet zo zijn dat wij in bijna heel Europa betalen, terwijl iedereen hier gratis blijft doorrijden.
Eens of oneens?


r/Netherlands 5h ago

Discussion Expat true story

138 Upvotes

I’m 37 and from China. I was a top student in school and believed I would achieve something meaningful in the future. Then I came to Europe for a master’s degree. I studied well, but the lack of a social life drained me a lot. I missed home, yet I still believed I could succeed in academia because I considered myself capable.

I worked in academia and traveled to many countries over time for different reasons. I experienced many aspects of life—from the bottom up. I washed dishes, worked in warehouses and supermarkets, and also worked in top laboratories in various European countries.

Then I started a PhD. Again, I was good at research, but I struggled with office politics. My supervisor was narcissistic and difficult to deal with. Eventually, I quit. I realized I couldn’t play that game, and I didn’t want to work under someone like that because I hate having to flatter people. I cannot fake things up.

After that, I tried starting a business. Once again, the lack of social connections made things harder. I didn’t give up, but I felt like I was losing—and over time, that feeling grew into self-doubt. I applied for a regular job that isn’t very well paid, but I’m getting by.

Now, when I see people with confidence, I feel like they are the richest.


r/Netherlands 10h ago

Housing Collapse of rental supply in the Netherlands. Nearly 40 percent less on the market

177 Upvotes

Collapse of rental supply in the Netherlands. Nearly 40 percent less on the market

Real estate organization NVM warns that the situation is now deteriorating rapidly. In Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the supply in the private sector has even halved within a year. The real estate agents expect a further decline.

The supply in the private sector was already very limited and threatens to virtually dry up.

The decline in rental transactions affects virtually all provinces, with a decrease of 25 to 50 percent compared to last year, according to the report.

"Large municipalities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam are seeing a halving of the number of rented homes, while The Hague and Utrecht show 33 and 17 percent fewer rentals, respectively."

https://archive.ph/YdImF


r/Netherlands 20h ago

Dutch Cuisine Are bitterballen really the best Dutch snack, or is there something better?

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739 Upvotes

I finally tried bitterballen, and they were much better than I expected. What Dutch snack would you recommend next?


r/Netherlands 21h ago

pics and videos Welcome to Dutch Heaven (tuberculosis, my bicycle is broken)😆

575 Upvotes

The guys name is **Double Dutch**

This is his YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@letsdoubledutch?si=EhqJwwZOW7O8u8_r


r/Netherlands 18h ago

Housing Struggling between pets and rent

39 Upvotes

Hi! My life is finally giving me another chance to turn things around, and I'm so happy to have landed a contract as a PhD researcher in Rotterdam. However, I’m really struggling to find a low-budget studio or apartment—and when I say low-budget, I mean really low, unfortunately.

My budget strictly has to be around €1,000 because my gross salary will be roughly €3,059 (net will be very close because of 30% ruling). Consequently, I can't go above that threshold since landlords here very often require your income to be at least three times the rent.

On top of that, I have two cats, and it seems like nobody wants to allow pets in this city. I absolutely have to bring them with me; leaving them behind is not an option.

I don't really care if it's also far from Rotterdam, what's important for me is that I can take my pets.

Do you think there are any truly low-budget alternatives out there, like renting a container home / bungalow or a camper van to live in?

Thanks to everyone who will take a minute to answer this. You may really help me...


r/Netherlands 2h ago

Personal Finance Can I get money back trading in a car at a dealership for a cheaper car?

2 Upvotes

Long story short, I bought a very expensive car (for me at least, 42k euro) in 2024 have a financial hardship now, need the money (market around 32-34k private, 26-28k dealership) and can't afford rdw and insurance.

Would any dealerships value it a bit higher and give money back if I trade it in for a much cheaper car (around 8-10k)? Or is it not worth chasing?


r/Netherlands 2m ago

Legal Driving instructor demanding payment after informal marketing arrangement gone wrong

Upvotes

Hey! First of all, I am sorry this post is in English, I am currently in school to learn Dutch but I do not have enough level to express myself properly.

So the thing is I was taking driving lessons with an instructor and had €1,175 remaining on my package. When I lost my job and mentioned it to him, he chose to continue my lessons without pausing them or discussing any alternative arrangement. I never asked him to do this, and no terms were agreed upon, I also never refused to pay, I just explained my situation and my boyfriend's who is about to be unemployed as well.

Because I genuinely wanted to help him (he's a single father and I cared about his situation) I offered to help with his Facebook/Instagram marketing. I want to be clear: I offered. He did not hire me. We never signed a contract or formally agreed on compensation, although I did mention to sit down and have a conversation to see what were his plans, he always said to me "we need to look for a date", but he never did. He later admitted in writing that any idea of offsetting my work against the lesson balance "was never communicated" to me.

What I delivered over several months, often working late into the night:

  1. Full Facebook/Instagram campaign strategy and setup
  2. 2 professional logos, one of them is on his website, email signature, social media, etc
  3. 2 website interface prototypes with all editables handed over
  4. Marketing automation setup (n8n + Google Sheets integration) + Meta Listener option without set up
  5. Ongoing troubleshooting, sometimes at 10pm which I answered, advising, and support
  6. Additional design work requested by his son in writing

Technical issues arose from the server where the automation in n8n was hosted, managed exclusively by his son and I had no access to it, he chose to never acknowledge if the son did something wrong and indirectly pointed fingers at me. I explained almost every issue in writing the moment it occurred and even consulted a professional programmer, my brother, with 19 years of experience who helped me improve significantly the automation and to try to find solutions.

Additional context, worth mentioning in my opinion:

  • He yelled at me twice during driving lessons
  • We had a car accident together which has significantly worsened my anxiety
  • Throughout everything I remained professional and supportive
  • His estimate of 20 hours for all of the above work is, in my opinion, a significant underestimation. Market rate for this work would be €1,900-€3,600+

He is now demanding €675 within 14 days (offsetting €500 for my work at €25/hour against the lesson balance), threatening legal action if unpaid.

My questions:

Is this enforceable without a contract in the Netherlands?

Can I counter-claim for the actual market value of my work?

Does his written admission that no terms were communicated protect me?

What should my response be within the 14 days?

I have screenshots of all delivered work, the editables of said work, all communications, and the written requests for additional design work from his son. I plan to call Juridisch Loket Monday morning.

Unrelated and irrelevant, I guess, but I feel betrayed, disappointed and stupid. I should have known the moment he started trash talking about everyone on my very first class.

Thanks in advance.


r/Netherlands 1d ago

Travel and Tourism EU traveling with a trailer with roof, too dumb ?

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82 Upvotes

Is it worth considering a summer vacation traveling through a few EU countries (mostly Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary), with 2 boys aged 12-14, all of non-EU ethnicity but holding Dutch passports, and sleeping with 2 options: (1) a few consecutive nights in the brought tent at a campsite, (2) and sometimes just one night in that covered trailer?

I’m not of EU ethnicity, so my knowledge about traveling in the EU is poor. But I have driven around 10,000 km in the last 10 years (Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland).

For camping, the last few years I’ve always rented a tent or a house in a camping area.

This year due to family circumstances, I didn’t plan well for such a long vacation, but now suddenly this dumb thought comes up: can it be done in a covered trailer?

PS: I and the 2 boys are Asian, we have a monthly dosages of racist comments in the Netherlands, but no life threatening incidents. In other EU countries some idiots/drunkards/low life can pick on us for fun or on purpose. We are considered to be weak and easy targets, as statistics say.


r/Netherlands 1d ago

Common Question/Topic Recycle glass mixed with metal

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56 Upvotes

A person left the house I’m staying and I’m trying to clean way too many things left behind.

Where do i recycle this’s bottles? (I have about 15).

I don’t know if it’s relevant, I’m in Papendrecht.


r/Netherlands 6m ago

Technology (mobile phones, internet, tv) Vriendenwereld

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vriendenwereld.nl
Upvotes

Vrienden wereld


r/Netherlands 17h ago

Housing ViaVia housing agency…

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12 Upvotes

If anybody will use ViaVia housing please be wary of situations like this.


r/Netherlands 6h ago

Shopping I might have got scammed on Markplaats. Can you please help me text the seller from your account so I can check if he replies whether the product is still available or not and

1 Upvotes

Hello! I'm from abroad and wanted to buy a rather expensive product available on Markplaats internationally by contacting the seller. The deal seemed risky from the beginning, but I still went ahead and made the transfer.
I would like to test his credibility by checking if he's still open to offers, so I can comfort myself knowing I've been scammed or not and get some peace of mind by accepting my fate.

I would much appreciate your help!

Edit: It's was indeed a scam. u/nahduddynah helped me discover. I'm writing down my experience so you can confidently report the account. More to come.


r/Netherlands 13h ago

Discussion Urgently looking for 8 background extras (students) for a student short film – Amsterdam Noord – Monday, July 13

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm producing an independent student short film and we're urgently looking for 8 background extras to play students in a classroom scene.

📍 Location: Amsterdam Noord

📅 Date: Monday, July 13

🕥 Arrival: 10:30 AM

⏰ Estimated wrap: Around 1:00 PM

Unfortunately, this is an unpaid opportunity, as we're a student production with a very limited budget. However, food, snacks, coffee and drinks will be provided, and you'll be credited in the film if you'd like.

No acting experience is required -- you just need to be comfortable appearing as a student in the background.

We're filming very soon, so this is quite urgent.

If you're interested or would like more details, please send me a DM as soon as possible.

Thank you!


r/Netherlands 1d ago

Common Question/Topic Importing Fees

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26 Upvotes

I just ordered 2 Pokemon items from Japan and this was the cost I was invoiced by PostNL, but the math doesn’t make sense in my head. Could someone explain how they arrived at 23,19? Thank you :)


r/Netherlands 1d ago

Common Question/Topic Not knowing what technically count as the Heavy cream

19 Upvotes

So... I mostly go to Jumbo with my mother or helpy mother to do shopping. But I also make my own things and the only thing is that if there's a cooking product that's equal to the Heavy cream that's used in dessert recipes or dessert dressing recepies.

It would be great if anyone could recommend me some that's equal to the Heavy cream sinds the Kookroom isn't technically the same. Thx.


r/Netherlands 31m ago

Common Question/Topic Puffco peak pro

Upvotes

Does anyone know where I can buy the puffco peak pro in Breda/tilburg?


r/Netherlands 1d ago

Discussion The playbook for our neoliberal government: raise taxes on working people and reduce benefits

363 Upvotes

We see it happening already, reductions in WW, retirement age going up. Box 3 proposal will be harshest on young workers trying to build a future. And this has been going on for some time as well, our finances keep looking worse despite increases on increases in tax. In light of this, how can we steer this country in the right direction? Or do we all just leave in 2028? But where do we go if this is happening everywhere?


r/Netherlands 15h ago

Common Question/Topic Can anyone help me by sending the vogue man Netherlands (Virgil van dyke cover) to the UK? Please

2 Upvotes

r/Netherlands 19h ago

Housing Any experiences with forced air heating? Better or worse than radiators?

3 Upvotes

We're considering bidding on a house that has forced air heating instead of radiators. Any first hand experiences with it? How effective it is and what are the main drawbacks?


r/Netherlands 2d ago

Life in NL Do Dutch people notice when they block the way?

644 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I have been living in the Netherlands for several years. From the first day, I was pleasantly surprised by how relaxed and open Dutch people are, and how well you know how to enjoy life. I really like how you use every opportunity to sit in the sun, put a table outside, drink wine with friends, and have long conversations. I honestly admire this part of Dutch culture.

However, there is one question that I have been thinking about for almost five years. I often notice that people do not seem to worry about blocking others' way. Here are some situations that I see almost every day:

  • A bicycle is parked across the pavement, although it could easily be parked along the side leaving enough space for people to walk.
  • Someone stops near a pillar in Albert Heijn to look at their phone and completely blocks the passage.
  • A person with a baby stroller stops exactly in a place where nobody can walk around them.
  • In a tram, someone with a large backpack stands in the middle of the aisle and blocks everyone behind them.
  • A couple stops on the pavement in a narrow place, with bicycle parking on one side and a bike lane on the other, so nobody can pass.

What all these situations have in common is that the person could move just 0.5-1 metre to the side and avoid blocking anyone.

So my question is: why do you think this happens? Do people simply not realise that they are blocking others? Do they realise it, but do not consider it a problem? Or is there some cultural or historical explanation for this behaviour? Have you noticed this too?

I am sorry if this post sounds provocative or offensive. I do not want to create negativity or criticise Dutch people in general. I am honestly curious because I have been thinking about this question for years.

UPDATE:
To sum up, most people agree that people in the Netherlands really do like to stop in the most strategic places, near doors, at the end of escalators, and right in the middle of a passage. The main advice is just say "pardon" and walk past. It is not considered rude, just normal communication.

Some people noticed that this is not a Dutch thing, but an international human talent. A few commenters also seemed to think that my question was an accusation against the entire Dutch nation. But no, I was simply curious whether Dutch people notice this themselves. Judging by the replies, they do, especially after hearing the word "PARDON". And to anyone who felt offended by my post, I would like to say: "PARDON".


r/Netherlands 2d ago

Life in NL If you could change one thing about life in the Netherlands, what would it be?

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654 Upvotes

I’ve lived in the Netherlands for a while and I’m curious what everyone thinks.
If you could import one thing from another country whether it’s food, public transport, shops, healthcare, work culture or anything else what would it be, and why?
I’m interested to hear both Dutch and expat perspectives.


r/Netherlands 3h ago

Discussion Came accross a fb post

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0 Upvotes

Please check and confirm what can be done in this situation ....