Netherlands tops rankings for working abroad (but plummets to 50th place for housing!)

On days when the rain is lashing down and the sun won’t shine, you may wonder if there are better countries than the Netherlands to live in. The internet has spoken and the answer is… (drumroll, please!) maybe. 

We love the Netherlands and we’re not the only ones, apparently. The Netherlands is the eighth most common country of residence for internationals, according to the 2023 edition of the Expat Insider survey. But is it really the best country? 

A survey for expats 

More than 12,000 internationals worldwide shared their views on living abroad in the survey.

They represent 171 nationalities from 172 countries or territories and rated up to 56 aspects of expat life. Some of these aspects include cost of living, access to housing, and career prospects. 

There are pros and cons to living in every country, natuurlijk. Fantastic business culture and good safety are major bonuses, while some downfalls to living in the Netherlands include housing and difficulty settling in.

A Dutch workplace? Ja, alsjeblieft! (Yes, please!)

Wondering which country is the best place to work abroad? The borrelen culture must have something to do with it because, based on the survey, the answer is the Netherlands. 

The survey focused on four subcategories when comparing the Working Abroad Index in 53 countries. The Netherlands took spots in the top five for work and leisure, salary and job security, as well as work culture and satisfaction. 

READ MORE | The Netherlands ranks fifth happiest country in the world (and we couldn’t be more proud) 

So what exactly do internationals like about Dutch workplaces? Flexibility, good working hours, and fair pay provide satisfaction with jobs in the Netherlands.

Internationals are also huge fans of the lack of hierarchy in Dutch workplaces, as well as independent work being encouraged.

Curious about how the Netherlands compares with other countries when it comes to jobs abroad?

RankBest Countries for Working AbroadBest Countries for Work & LeisureBest Countries for Salary & Job SecurityBest Countries for Work Culture & Satisfaction
1NetherlandsFinlandLuxembourgEstonia
2LuxembourgSwedenSwitzerlandSweden
3SwedenDenmark TaiwanFinland
4UAECzechiaNorwayNetherlands
5FinlandNetherlandsNetherlandsDenmark

Difficulty making the Netherlands home

While the Netherlands has one of the highest rankings for work culture and satisfaction, there are a few things internationals are not satisfied with and one of those sore points is housing. (No surprise there. 🤷‍♂️)

Is it easy to find housing in the Netherlands? Absolutely not! And the rankings show this. Out of 53 countries, the Netherlands ranked 50th for housing. Echt niet leuk! 

In addition to it being difficult to find Dutch housing, it’s not easy to make yourself at home in the country, either. The Netherlands ranked 41 for ease of settling in — nearly landing in the bottom 10 of the countries surveyed.

The index also included factors such as culture and welcome, local friendliness, and how easy it is to find friends. 

Dying to know which countries rank as the best and worst places for internationals to live according to these metrics? Here you go! 👇

Top Ten (Rank)CountryBottom Ten (Rank)Country
1Mexico44Japan
2Spain45New Zealand
3Panama46Malta
4Malaysia47Italy
5Taiwan48South Africa
6Thailand49Germany
7Costa Rica50South Korea
8Philippines51Turkey
9Bahrain52Norway
10Portugal53Kuwait

Overall, the Netherlands ranks 22nd in the survey, proving that through all our complaints, internationals still love it here! Proost to the good Dutch life! 🍻

Do you agree with these rankings? Tell us in the comments!

Feature Image:Freepik
Simone Jacobs
Simone Jacobs
Originally from South Africa, Simone is having fun navigating the Dutch language, steep stairs, and bicycles (which she still manages to fall off of with her short, non-Dutch legs). An animal lover at heart, Simone can typically be found under her (growing?) mound of cats, where she uses the opportunity to read, write, and watch video compilations of creatures.

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