Living in the Netherlands Practical guides · DevNJ

Living in the Netherlands /Articles

Living in the Netherlands

Practical articles for international residents

The guides are written from official Dutch government and municipal sources.

Filtered by Money & Benefits 12 articles Clear ✕

2026.10.30 Money & Benefits The Dutch household bills calendar: council tax in February, holiday pay in May, insurance switching by 31 December Dutch household budgets rarely break on monthly bills. They break on the once-a-year ones: municipal and water board taxes in February, the service charge settlement by 1 July, tax returns and provisional assessments, holiday pay in May, benefit reclaims and the health insurance switch. A month-by-month guide with a sinking-fund plan.
2026.10.29 Money & Benefits Dutch Student Loan Interest Rises in 2027: DUO's 2.70% and 3.28% Rates Explained DUO has set 2027 student loan interest at 2.70% for the 35-year system and 3.28% for the 15-year system. Here is who pays more, how fixed-rate periods and income-based repayment work, what happens if you move abroad, who qualifies, and how the debt affects a mortgage.
2026.10.28 Money & Benefits Cost of living in the Netherlands: monthly budgets for singles, couples and families, and 7 costs that change in 2027 How much does it cost to live in the Netherlands each month? We built budget ranges for a single person, a couple and a family of four — rent, energy, health insurance, groceries, transport, childcare, municipal taxes and telecom — using CBS, CPB, Nibud and government data, plus what changes in 2027.
2026.10.27 Money & Benefits 170 victims, €380,000 in three weeks: how to spot Dutch bank helpdesk scams and what to do if you are hit (October 2026) An AI-voiced robocall, a fake bank employee and an app that relays your card's contactless chip to a cash machine: a new scam cost about 170 people €380,000 in three weeks. Here is how bank and government impersonation scams work in the Netherlands, how to recognise them, and the order in which to contact your bank, the police, the Fraudehelpdesk and Kifid — plus who pays the loss.
2026.10.25 Money & Benefits Dutch childcare costs in 2027: the €11.60 cap, the gap with real prices, types of care and waiting lists The 2027 childcare allowance caps are €11.60 an hour for daycare, €10.31 for after-school care and €8.77 for childminders, but most daycare centres already charge more. How the gap reaches your bill, what the 2029 'almost free' system really means, the four types of Dutch childcare, waiting lists and worked cost examples.
2026.10.25 Money & Benefits Savings accounts in the Netherlands in 2026: easy access vs fixed term, teaser rates and the €100,000 guarantee How to compare savings accounts in the Netherlands as an international resident: easy-access vs fixed-term deposits, how to read teaser and bonus rates, what the €100,000 deposit guarantee covers and which country's scheme applies, Dutch banks vs EU banks vs platforms like Raisin, and what you need to open an account. Figures dated October 2026.
2026.10.23 Money & Benefits Dutch pensions rank world's best for a fourth year: what the AOW, workplace pensions and Wtp mean if you moved here later The Netherlands scored 85.8 in the 2026 Global Pension Index and kept first place. But the AOW state pension builds up at 2% per year of residence, so people who arrive mid-career will not get the full amount. A guide to the three pillars, AOW age, the Wtp transition and leaving the country.
2026.10.22 Money & Benefits Dutch Box 3 tax changes for 2027 and 2028: what the proposals mean for internationals The Dutch government wants to halve the Box 3 tax-free allowance for 2027 and move to taxing actual returns from 2028. Here is what is law, what is still a proposal, how savings, shares, property and foreign assets are treated, why partial non-residency ends after 2026, and what records to keep now.
2026.10.22 Money & Benefits Dutch energy bills in 2027: €141 higher grid fees, the end of net metering and how to choose a contract Dutch grid fees (netbeheerkosten) are set to rise by about €141 for an average household in 2027, and net metering for solar panels ends on 1 January. Here is how a Dutch energy bill is built, what changes in energy tax, how fixed, variable and dynamic contracts compare, how advance payments and annual settlements work for renters, and where to get help.
2026.10.21 Money & Benefits October 2026 in the Netherlands: 8 changes, and how to check a debt collector before you pay Since 1 October 2026, unregistered Dutch debt collectors can no longer charge collection fees or interest, and transport enforcement officers can start using the driving licence register to identify passengers. Add the end of summer time on 25 October, grid congestion and Utrecht's fare discounts, and here is what each change means for residents, ranked by how much it affects daily life.
2026.10.21 Money & Benefits Prinsjesdag 2026 decoded: what the 2027 Dutch budget means for your taxes, health insurance and benefits The 2027 Dutch budget presented on 15 September 2026 mixes measures already in law with proposals still before parliament. Here is what changes for residents — income tax, the 27% expat ruling, the €400 health insurance deductible, lower asset limits for allowances, the minimum wage and housing — sorted into confirmed, proposed, postponed and scrapped.
2026.10.18 Money & Benefits Dutch allowances (toeslagen) in 2026: who qualifies, how much, and how to avoid paying it back The Netherlands pays monthly allowances towards rent, health insurance, childcare and children — but only if you apply, and you repay anything you were overpaid. Here are the 2026 income and asset limits, the big change to the rent allowance, why repayment demands are so common, and the deadline for claiming 2025 (31 December 2026), checked against official sources.