1Comparing pay in a nutshell
2Why gross salaries mislead
Brackets, credits and social contributions are built differently in every country.
The Dutch 8% holiday allowance, 13th months and employer pension are not in every country's quoted salary.
A rate on one day can make an offer look better or worse than it is over a year.
3The 30% ruling changes the Dutch side
| Gross incl. holiday pay | Net per year | Net per month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Without the 30% ruling | €81,000 | €54,353 | €4,529 |
| With the 30% ruling | €81,000 | €66,759 | €5,563 |
4What a simplified country model leaves out
- Regional and local taxes
- US state tax, German church tax, Spanish regional rates and similar surcharges.
- Social security
- Pension and health contributions are structured very differently from the Dutch system.
- Family and personal credits
- Allowances for children, a partner or age that a quick model does not include.
- Healthcare
- In the Netherlands you pay a premium yourself; elsewhere it may come out of salary or your employer pays.
5Exchange rate is not cost of living
Converting a foreign net salary to euros tells you what the money is worth if you spent it here. It says nothing about what it buys where you would live: rent, healthcare and daily costs can be much higher or lower.
6Living in one country, working in another
Your situation
7A fair comparison, step by step
8Common questions
Is the Netherlands a high-tax country?
For high incomes yes, with a 49.5% top rate. For average incomes the tax credits make the burden moderate, especially compared with Belgium.
Does the 30% ruling apply to remote work for a foreign company?
Only if a Dutch employer or a foreign employer with Dutch payroll applies it and you meet the conditions.
How do I compare two Dutch offers?
See job offers explained.
Where do I keep foreign income or assets?
That is a treaty question, not a salary comparison: see tax treaties.
Sources
This article is based on these official pages. If anything here differs from them, the official page is right.
Ready to run your own numbers?
NL vs home country calculator