The Netherlands after Germany: culture shock or copy-paste? #netherlands #amsterdam #amsterdamlife

Moving to the Netherlands as an expat?

Let’s face it, it isn’t always a walk in the tulip park. But if you've lived in Germany first, you're already half-prepared. Here’s why:

💬 Dutch directness
Blunt? Yes. Rude? No. After strict German formality, it can feel refreshing. No fluff, no small talk — just say what you mean.

🌧️ Biking in the rain
In Germany, bad weather doesn’t stop a good hike — especially if planned weeks ahead. So the “you’re not made of sugar” mindset isn’t new. In the Netherlands, people cycle, shop and commute through wind and sideways rain like it’s nothing. It’s not extreme — it’s just daily life. You adapt, or stay home forever.

🏘️ Finding housing in Amsterdam
After Berlin’s “please attach your life story” flat apps and Munich’s €1,200 shoeboxes 45 minutes out, Amsterdam feels familiar. It’s pricey, listings vanish fast. But after German Wohnungsbesichtigungen with 40 people and a stack of documents, you’re ready for the game.

🏠 “No-curtains” culture
Dutch living rooms are visible from the street — not a lack of privacy, just a different idea of it. In Germany, privacy has its own quirks: Rollos at home, textilfrei saunas in public. That mental whiplash? It prepares you.

🧾 Everything in Dutch
English job ads? Sure. But contracts, tax letters and hospital forms? Dutch. German helps a bit, but beware of false friends — “Winkel” means shop, not corner. At least Dutch has no cases and no “der/die/das” to haunt you.

💸 36% tax? Could be worse
On €90k gross, it’s ~36% tax in NL vs. nearly 41% in Germany. Plus: no church tax, less paperwork, no Elster trauma.

👥 Finding friends = full-time job
You cracked German social life? Now try it again — with Google Calendar invites. Dutch folks are kind, but busy. It takes time, persistence and showing up.

🔎 Still job hunting after 4 months?
Don’t panic. Even locals wait. Dutch hiring takes time — interviews get spread out, decisions take weeks. But if you’ve job-hunted in Germany, you know: patience is a skill.

Moved from Germany to the Netherlands? Share your experience below! 👇

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