What is it like to live in the Netherlands?

Real estate in the Netherlands

There has been a debate for several years that it has become unaffordable for many people to buy an apartment or house in the Netherlands. However, just like us, prices appear to vary enormously per province.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the average price to buy a house or apartment in the Netherlands in 2023 was €416,153, for a new build €503,370. Together this amounts to an average house price of €423,427. In Belgium, the average house price in 2023 was €322,780, according to Fednot’s Real Estate Barometer. So it is average in the Netherlands a lot more expensive to buy than in Belgium.

The housing debate in the Netherlands is also fueled by the evolution of prices: in 2015 the average house price was still € 234,639. So that means an increase of 80% to buy a home in the Netherlands in less than 10 years.

The five provinces with the highest average house price are North Holland (€ 507,271), Utrecht (€ 476,555), North Brabant (€ 418,547), Gelderland (€ 413,316) and South Holland (€ 410,408). The five provinces with the lowest average house price are Groningen (€ 313,679), Friesland (€ 323,765), Zeeland (€ 328,452), Limburg (€ 329,001) and Drenthe (€ 349,757).

The so-called Randstad (the region demarcated by Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) is the most expensive region, together with the province of North Brabant with Eindhoven, Tilburg, Breda and Den Bosch as the best-known cities. Just like with us, the following applies: the more centrally you live near the big cities, the more expensive.

Would you rather have something? rent in the Netherlands? That is also one much more expensive then with us. In the Netherlands they usually measure this in price per m² and last year the average was 17.77 euros, or 1,777 euros for an apartment of 100 m².

What stands out compared to Belgium: there is one in the Netherlands stricter spatial planning. You notice this, among other things, in the much lower diversity of architecture in villages and cities: the houses there are much more similar than ours. Ribbon development is also much less common in the Netherlands, only in the west and north of the country do you see it regularly.

Dutch people also live a lot closer together: no less than 42% of the almost 8 million homes are terraced houses according to Statistics Netherlands, compared to 21% in Flanders according to Statbel. Barely 13% is a detached house, compared to 27% in Flanders.

Facts & Figures

According to Statistics Netherlands, the Netherlands had a population of 17,811,291 in 2023 and will most likely reach the 18 million population mark this year. That is about 6 million more than in Belgium. However, our northern neighbors also have more space: the area of ​​the Netherlands is 41,543 km², compared to ours of 30,688 km².

The provinces with the most inhabitants are (not coincidentally?) the same provinces as those with the highest average house price. North and South Holland together account for approximately 6.7 million inhabitants, North Brabant has 2.6 million inhabitants, Gelderland 2.1 million and Utrecht 1.4 million. The fewest number of neighbors are in Zeeland (approximately 385,000 inhabitants), Flevoland (435,000 inhabitants) and Drenthe (495,000 inhabitants).

The four largest cities are Amsterdam (approximately 870,000 inhabitants), Rotterdam (approximately 650,000 inhabitants), The Hague (approximately 500,000 inhabitants) and Utrecht (approximately 360,000 inhabitants). For comparison: Brussels has approximately 1.2 million inhabitants, Antwerp approximately 530,000 inhabitants and Ghent approximately 265,000 inhabitants.

It education system is organized slightly differently then with us. To begin with, Dutch young people only have compulsory education up to the age of 16. They go to primary school until the age of 4 to 12. They then do not go to secondary school, but to secondary education, which lasts 4, 5 or 6 years depending on the type.

Almost every municipality has one or more primary schools, there are approximately 6,000 throughout the Netherlands. There are approximately 650 schools for secondary education and 70 schools for secondary vocational education. You can continue your studies at approximately 50 colleges and 15 universities. The best-known student cities are Groningen (with no less than a quarter of the inhabitants being students!), Leiden, Delft, Maastricht and Nijmegen. You will also find various universities and colleges and a vibrant student community in the major cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven.

The Netherlands has a very extensive network of approximately 130 hospitals spread throughout the country, similar to the situation here. General practitioner care is also quite comparable. The best-known hospitals include the UMC in Amsterdam, the UMC in Utrecht, LUMC Leiden, MUMC+ Maastricht and the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.

The Netherlands has one in the field of mobility great road network, one of the most branched in the world. Just like with us, you can easily get to neighboring countries, and easily from city to city, even in less densely populated areas.

The A4 near The Hague is the busiest highway in the Netherlands and even one of the busiest in Europe. The Randstad is of course the busiest region due to the heavy commuting. However it’s not too bad in terms of file: in the well-known TomTom Traffic Index, The Hague is the highest ranked Dutch city, in 52nd place.

Also the rail network is very extensive. Only in the east and north will you possibly live further than 30 kilometers from a station. In addition, the Netherlands is of course the cycling country par excellence, with fantastic cycling infrastructure in many cities and outside built-up areas.

The highlights

The Netherlands is known for her high standard of living and often scores high in lists of happiest residents. In addition to strong education, excellent healthcare and varied mobility options, the large amount of sports infrastructure also a role. Even more so than in Belgium, where we have absolutely nothing to complain about, sport in the Netherlands is extremely accessible and every municipality has numerous sports clubs. The government is therefore keen to invest heavily in sport, at all levels. It is no coincidence that such a small country is successful in all kinds of disciplines at the Olympic Games every four years…

The natural environment of course that also helps. The long coastline and many rivers invite to water sports. Inland you will find many heathland and forest areas, ideal for walking, running or cycling. The Wadden Islands in the north are a unique natural experience, where you can also enjoy walking or cycling.

Would you like to sniff something? culture on? Then you will usually find a local cultural center in your area where you can go for one varied offer. In addition, the Netherlands naturally has a very lively cultural offering, packed with museums, theaters, events and festivals. The annual carnival in North Brabant and Limburg you must see them once. And Amsterdam is probably one of the most cultural cities in Europe, where you can enjoy a touch of culture at any time of the day (and night).

Also for shopping you can of course go there Amsterdam. In addition Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Eindhoven the largest shopping cities in the country, but you can also enjoy shopping in the many smaller cities. The nearest shopping cities from Belgium are -depending on where you come from- Maastricht and Breda.