Looking for American Expats in Amsterdam?

The pros & cons of life in Amsterdam

Of course, no place is absolutely perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read on and discover what American expats love about Amsterdam — and the challenges they face.

What Americans like about living in Amsterdam

International vibe: Amsterdam is a very international city. There are many English-speaking expats living here, so you’ll easily make friends from all over the globe.

Cycle everywhere: Amsterdam is surprisingly small, which means you can cycle just about anywhere. Cycling from the east to the west side of the city takes about 45 minutes, roughly the same time it would take by car when considering city traffic. With plentiful bike lanes free bike parking, cycling around is incredibly convenient.

Tax break: The “30% ruling” is a significant incentive for expats. This tax break reduces taxable income by 30% for skilled foreigners. However, this only applies during the first five years. After that, you will be subject to the same tax rates as Amsterdam citizens. Be sure to check if your job qualifies for this ruling.

No language barrier: Most Dutch people speak English, which is great for getting around, settling in, and making friends with locals. Although learning Dutch is not necessary, it’s always a plus and will help you feel at home more easily. Your employer may also require you to learn it.

What Americans struggle with abroad

Cost of living: The cost of living in Amsterdam is something expats moving here should be aware of. Costs excluding rent would be around 1000 EUR per month for a single person.

Housing prices: Housing costs in Amsterdam are soaring, which leads many to reside outside the city and commute to work. As a single person, you could easily spend around 1,200 EUR per month on rent alone.

Government bureaucracy: Like in many European cities, navigating bureaucracy in Amsterdam can be challenging. Processes such as opening a bank account, securing health insurance, and handling immigration papers can be difficult to manage.

What our American members had to say about living Amsterdam

We also get a lot of written feedback from the thousands of survey-participants each year. Let's see some of the most common positive quotes.

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What I love about Amsterdam is that it’s easy to make friends and talk to people in English. You have very nice restaurants, cultural activities, open air concerts, and wonderful classic music halls.

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One of the best things about Amsterdam is its diversity and the practical, friendly people. I appreciate the safety, excellent infrastructure, and public transport system, as well as the fact that it's a great travel hub in a well-developed society.

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What I love most about Amsterdam is how easy-going the city is and how easy it is to get around. My wife loves it here, and our children have lots of safe autonomy with plenty of activities available, like football, yoga, tennis, and karate.

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The best thing about living in Amsterdam is being able to bike everywhere and use public transport. I really appreciate that life here is not only about work.

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I like that the country truly values its citizens. Although taxes are high, you can see the results in the excellent infrastructure. Generally speaking, people don't have to work two or more jobs to survive, and there's a good social safety net.

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For an American, the Netherlands is probably the most "American-like" country in Europe in terms of its economic approach. While it has a strong safety net and high taxes like many European countries, they also believe in private enterprise, and there are more opportunities here to start a business than in other countries.

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Now let's see some common negative topics that our American members had on their minds:

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The healthcare system bothers me the most because there is no empathy. Housing is also extremely difficult to find and very expensive. You have to pay for every little service, and again, there's a lack of empathy in the process.

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I don't like that the Dutch are not terribly welcoming to foreigners. They aren't mean, but they just have no interest in getting to know us.

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The Netherlands has a relatively high cost for healthcare, and the quality of service you receive for that cost is disappointing. Despite complaints about the American healthcare system, when you get healthcare in the US, you know the doctor will give you good service. Here, doctors often brush you off if you complain about symptoms that require advanced treatment, and the running joke among expats is that they just tell you to "take a paracetamol."

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What bothers me most about living in Amsterdam is the terrible weather and the difficulty of making close friends.

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The most frustrating thing for me was the change to the 30% tax ruling. I based part of my decision to move here on it being eight years, and then the government shortened it to five years. This left me with no trust in the government, and I think it was a very short-sighted move.

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All your questions about Amsterdam, answered

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I like that it’s an easy-going city. It’s not difficult to get around. My wife loves it and my children have lots of autonomy and activities — football, yoga, tennis, karate, etc. (American Member in Amsterdam)

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Enjoy the international experience with InterNations

We’re not just in Amsterdam! InterNations has lively communities in most of the Netherland’s major cities. If you’re traveling or moving to another city in the Netherlands, check out our American communities in Hague, Rotterdam , Maastricht, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Breda, or Groningen. But that’s not all: If you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, InterNations is your go-to platform. As an InterNations member, you’re always welcome to join events in any of our communities in over 420 cities worldwide. You can find the full list here: Browse all InterNations Communities worldwide.