Expat Insider 2026 – Amsterdam

➡️You’re welcome to use these 2026 Expat Insider results. Please remember to credit InterNations as the source, and where possible, include a link to www.internations.org.

In this article:

• • In Brief
  • Flexibility & a Great Work-Life Balance
  • Unaffordable Housing
  • Efficient Admin, Ailing Healthcare
  • Bikes, Culture & Gray Skies
  • Who Moves to Amsterdam?

In Brief

Amsterdam lands in 16th place out of 33 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2026, based on the annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations. It ranked 26th out of 53 in 2024 — the last time a city ranking was published.

The Dutch capital is a city of extremes: the Working Abroad Index (2nd) is among the very best, while the Quality of Life Index (26th) and Personal Finance Index (23rd) drag, with Expat Essentials (11th) and Ease of Settling In (18th) in between. The mood mirrors the split — 71% of expats are overall satisfied with their life in Amsterdam, about the same as the global average of 70%, but only 10% are completely happy (vs. 24%), ranking the city 19th for this factor.

Flexibility & a Great Work-Life Balance

Amsterdam wins the Work Culture & Satisfaction Subcategory (1st) outright: 84% of working expats agree that the local business culture supports flexibility such as remote work and flexible hours (vs. 56% globally), with close to four in five (78%) able to work remotely at least some of the time (vs. 66%). Three-quarters (75%) are satisfied with their job in general (vs. 61%). Results in the Work & Leisure Subcategory (2nd) follow close behind — 81% are happy with their working hours (vs. 63% globally) and 75% with their work-life balance (vs. 62%). This matches respondents’ full-time weeks of just 39.3 hours (vs. 42.2 globally).

The career fundamentals hold, too. In the Salary & Job Security Subcategory (5th), 80% rate the state of the economy positively (vs. 59% globally), and 57% praise the local job market (vs. 38%). In Career Prospects (6th), 66% agree that moving to Amsterdam has improved their prospects (vs. 55%), with just 8% disagreeing (vs. 22%). A quarter of expats (25%) moved for a job they had found themselves (vs. 17%), and 10% were recruited internationally (vs. 4%)

Unaffordable Housing

The Housing Subcategory (31st) is Amsterdam’s disaster zone. A crushing 91% of expats rate the affordability of housing negatively, nearly double the global average of 49% — only Dublin saw an even worse result for this factor. Finding a place is barely easier: 64% say it’s hard for expats to find housing (vs. 35% globally). Expats saw it coming — the housing market was their top concern before moving, named by 35% (vs. 17% globally).

The wider cost picture compounds it: 63% rate the general cost of living negatively (vs. 40% globally), keeping the Personal Finance Index at 23rd even though the pay itself convinces — around two-thirds (66%) agree they’re paid fairly for their work (vs. 58%), and 62% are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 55%). In Amsterdam, the money is good; the rent just takes it.

Efficient Admin, Ailing Healthcare

The practicalities shine, with Amsterdam ranking 11th in the Expat Essentials Index — including a 4th place for Admin Topics. Expats are much more likely to find it easy to deal with the local bureaucracy (61% vs. 38% globally), praise the availability of administrative services online (86% vs. 61%), and open a local bank account without trouble (82% vs. 63%). Cashless payment options are easily available and widely accepted (96% vs. 86% globally), and the language doesn’t pose a problem, either: 84% say it’s easy to live in Amsterdam without speaking Dutch (vs. 48%).

Healthcare (31st) is perhaps the biggest surprise. Only 56% of expats rate the quality of medical care positively (vs. 71% globally), while over a quarter (27%) rate it negatively (vs. 15%). Its availability in the city convinces just 57% (vs. 71%), and its affordability 45% (vs. 61% globally), with 38% rating the latter negatively.

Bikes, Culture & Gray Skies

The rest of the Quality of Life Index (26th) is a mixed ride. On the plus side, 88% say it’s easy and safe to get around on foot or by bicycle (vs. 78% globally), 81% praise both the culture & nightlife (vs. 67%) and the opportunities for recreational sports (vs. 76%), and 92% love the opportunity to travel (vs. 84%). However, the climate puts a dampener on things: just 22% rate the climate & weather positively (vs. 58% globally), while 54% rate it negatively — a concern 28% had carried into the move (vs. 15%).

The social climate cools things further (Ease of Settling In 18th): only 49% rate the general friendliness of the local residents positively (vs. 63% globally), 46% find it difficult to make local friends (vs. 40%), and about half (49%) mostly socialize with other expats (vs. 37% globally). Still, 63% feel at home in Amsterdam (vs. 61%), and 57% are happy with their social life (vs. 54%).

Who Moves to Amsterdam?

Amsterdam’s expat crowd is young-ish, international, and strikingly child-free: 74% have no children (vs. 47% globally), the average age is 45.6 (vs. 49.8), and no nationality dominates — Spaniards (9%) lead, ahead of US Americans, Italians, and Brits (7% each). More than half (53%) hold a postgraduate degree (vs. 50% globally).

Over two in five (44%) have lived there for more than ten years already (vs. 39% globally), yet roots run oddly shallow for such long stays: only 16% plan to stay forever (vs. 27%), and nearly half (47%) simply don’t know when they’ll leave (vs. 38%).