With January 1 comes change. In 2024, a set of new rules and regulations come into force in the Netherlands — and some of them will have an effect your wallet.
Will you be saving geld or losing it? The AD has listed the most important changes. Let’s check them out. 👇
💼 Changes coming to the work place in 2024
1. The minimum hourly wage will go up
As of January 1, 2024, the Dutch minimum wage will increase from €11.51 to 13.27 (based on a 40-hour work week).
With a working week of 40 hours, you could therefore receive €266.75 more per month than in 2023. 💸
2. Salaries will increase
Due to increases in labour credit (arbeidskorting) and general tax credit (heffingskorting), the average net salary in the Netherlands is also going up.
READ MORE | Salaries in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide to Dutch wages
On average, people will see a nice €79.19 extra on their monthly pay slip.
3. You can claim more travel and work from home allowance
Commuting to work? Starting 2024, you can claim a travel allowance (reiskostenvergoeding) of €0.23 per kilometre. That’s an increase of 2 cents per kilometre from 2023.
The “working from home” allowance (thuiswerk vergoeding) is also going up by 20 cents. This brings it to a total of €2.35, which can be claimed by an employee per WFH day.
🏥 Healthcare changes in the Netherlands in 2024
4. Your healthcare allowance will go down
While childcare allowance, housing allowance and child benefits go up in 2024, the healthcare allowance is decreasing.
For a single person, next year’s maximum zorgtoeslag is limited to €123 per month, as opposed to €154 per month in 2023.
5. … but your healthcare premium will go up
Overall, healthcare premiums will go up in the Netherlands in 2024 — the exact amount just depends on your insurer and the type of insurance you have.
READ MORE | Dutch health insurance in 2024: what’s new?
For example, the most expensive basic coverage in the Netherlands will cost €170.95 per month, while the cheapest costs about €40 less.
🏠 Changes affecting your home in 2024
6. Your landlord can increase your rent
Here we go again. For all rentals in the free sector, landlords may increase rents by up to 5.5% in 2024. This limit was set by the Dutch government.
7. You could get a higher mortgage, under one condition
In 2024, your maximum Dutch mortgage is linked to the energy efficiency of your home.
READ MORE | Is now the time to buy a house in the Netherlands? Here’s what the mortgage experts say
If you’re buying a home with an A++++ energy label, you could get up to €50,000 more in loans. For C and D labels this amount is €5,000, and for E, F and G it is €0.
Homeowners with low energy labels may also borrow extra money to make their home more energy efficient.
8. Energy prices are going up again
The Dutch energy price ceiling is expiring on January 1. On top of that, we can expect to pay more due to higher taxes and rising network management costs. Yikes.
READ MORE | Energy prices in the Netherlands: what’s changing in 2024
On average, energy prices are expected to increase by about €13 per month.
🛒 Changes coming to your Dutch supermarket in 2024
9. Beer is becoming more expensive
Bad news for all biertje lovers: the golden liquid will soon be pricier in the Netherlands.
The price of a crate of beer will go up by €0.50 in 2024, while the price of an individual bottle will go up by €0.20.
You can also expect to pay an extra 13 cents per bottle of wine.
10. Non-alcoholic drinks will also cost you more
As the AD writes, the so-called consumption tax for sodas will rise from 9 cents to 26 cents per litre next year. This does not apply to water.
✈️ Changes that will affect you when travelling in 2024
10. Flight tax is increasing
Planning to travel by plane in 2024? Expect to pay slightly more than in previous years.
The reason for that is an increase in flight tax. The tax per departing passenger will rise from €26.43 to €29.05 in 2024.
11. Higher fines for all traffic infractions
All traffic fines in the Netherlands will go up by a whopping 10% in 2024.
Texting and driving with will soon set you back €420 euros, while driving on the wrong side of the road will cost you €270.
Driving 20 km/h too fast in a residential area? That’ll be €240. Ouchie. 😳
📈 Changes coming to your savings and investments in 2024
12. Tax rates on assets will go up
If your assets exceed the tax-free limit in the Netherlands, you will soon pay 36% tax on the return of your savings and investments above that limit (as opposed to 32% in 2023.)
The tax-free limit currently sits at €57,000 for a single person and €114,000 for tax partners.
How will your wallet be affected by these changes? Let us know in the comments!
Imposing a minimum wage is totalitarian no matter how you look at it. It forces an employer to pay even low performing workers more than what they are fairly worth. But most disgraceful is it deprives workers the right to work for what THEY consider a fair wage!! I’m retired and would like to work a variety of jobs for substantially less than the dictated minimum wage, but prudent employers will, of course, hire younger and cheaper workers. This is not how a free society should function!!!
Great overview.Thank you!