17 October 2024 · People Like You · Netherlands
South African Tech Couples Moving to the Netherlands: What Your New Life Will Really Cost
Relocating together is equal parts spreadsheet and leap of faith.
I’ve helped dozens of South African developers, product managers, UX leads (and their equally accomplished partners) make the trek to Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Rotterdam. The first question is always the same:
“Will two tech salaries actually cover Dutch rent, groceries, and a crèche without us living on stroopwafels alone?”
Short answer: Yes — if you understand the numbers before you accept an offer.
Below is a no-fluff, research-heavy, occasionally cheeky breakdown designed for couples in tech. Skip around using the headings or bookmark for later caffeine-fuelled budgeting.
1. Combined Salary Expectations
The Dutch tech pay curve (2024–2025)
| Role | Mid-level annual gross | Senior annual gross |
|---|---|---|
| Full-stack developer | €60 000 | €80 000 |
| Data scientist | €68 000 | €90 000 |
| Product manager | €70 000 | €95 000 |
| DevOps / Cloud engineer | €65 000 | €88 000 |
Multiply by two and you’re looking at joint pre-tax earnings of €120 000–€190 000. That range is big because:
- Location matters: Amsterdam pays ~8 % more than Eindhoven; Utrecht sits in the middle.
- Start-ups vs corporates: Pre-IPO stock might compensate for lower salaries.
- Job-seeker leverage: Dutch employers expect negotiation — you won’t be the “difficult South African” if you ask.
Net income after tax (without the 30 % ruling)
On €150 000 combined, your take-home is roughly €88 000 per year, or €7 333 per month after standard deductions, insurance and pension contributions.
Net income with the 30 % ruling
Apply the 30 % ruling (explained in detail below) and net jumps to €103 000 per year — €8 580 monthly. That’s an extra €1 247 each month to throw at rent, travel and the occasional braai in Vondelpark.
2. Housing and Childcare: The Two Big Ticket Items
Renting in 2024
Expect the following median monthly rents for a modern, two-bed apartment:
- Amsterdam (Binnenring): €2 300
- Haarlem / Amstelveen (commuter favourites): €1 900
- Utrecht centre: €1 850
- Eindhoven Brainport: €1 650
- Rotterdam Kop van Zuid: €1 800
Budgets stretch further outside city centres, but factor in rail passes (€109/month each) and the famously cranky Dutch weather before you sign a lease in the tulip fields.
Hidden housing costs
- Agency fee (occasionally one month’s rent)
- Deposit (one to two months)
- Municipal taxes (afvalstoffenheffing & rioolheffing) — ±€40/month
- Furnishing a kale (empty) flat: €4 000 one-off if you need lights, curtains, washing machine — yes, even light fixtures can be missing.
Buying property
Interest rates hovered around 4 % in Q2-2024. Expats can borrow up to 100 % of the purchase price plus energy-efficiency upgrades.
Average prices per m²:
- Amsterdam: €7 100
- Eindhoven: €4 500
Most couples rent first, then buy in year two once they’ve navigated Dutch mortgage paperwork — think Tolkien, but with notarised translations.
Childcare costs & availability
The Netherlands treats childcare like an Olympic event: world-class yet absurdly competitive. Waiting lists for day-care (kinderdagverblijf) can stretch 6–12 months in major cities.
Typical fees:
- €9.50–€11.00 per hour (8-hour day minimum)
- For a 3-day week: €1 000–€1 250 per month
Fortunately, the kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare allowance) refunds a sizeable chunk, income-dependent. With two tech salaries you’ll still pay roughly €600–€750 net per month.
Pro tip: Register for childcare the moment you have a Dutch address, even if the baby is still theoretical.
3. The 30 % Ruling: Your Golden Ticket
In plain English: for up to five years, 30 % of your gross salary can be paid tax-free if you’re a skilled worker recruited from abroad.
Eligibility cliffs:
- Salary threshold: €46 107 (2024) after the 30 % reduction.
- Distance: Must have lived >150 km from Dutch border for 16 of the last 24 months (South Africa definitely qualifies).
- Application deadline: File within four months of starting your Dutch contract to claim retrospectively from day one.
Married or in a registered partnership? Both of you can claim separately if each meets the salary threshold. My record household gain: €28 400 saved in year one alone.
Nuance alert: From 2024 the benefit tapers to 20 % in year four and 10 % in year five. Still worth every emailed PDF.
4. Community Stories: Budgets From Real SA Couples
The “Amsterdam Product Duo”
Roles: Senior PM + UX researcher
Combined gross: €165 000 (30 % ruling approved)
Monthly budget (actual)
| Category | € |
|---|---|
| Rent (90 m² Jordaan) | 2 550 |
| Utilities + internet | 220 |
| Groceries & takeaway | 780 |
| Health insurance | 264 |
| Childcare (2 days) | 550 |
| Transport (bikes + OV chip) | 140 |
| Savings / investments | 2 000 |
| Total | 6 504 |
Quote:
“We spend less on petrol and private security than in Joburg, but triple on oat lattes. Worth it.”
The “Brainport Engineers”
Roles: Two embedded-systems developers in Eindhoven
Combined gross: €128 000 (no kids yet)
Monthly spend
- Rent (new build, Strijp-S): €1 550
- Groceries: €600
- Eating out + craft beer habit: €400
- Health insurance: €248
- Weekend travel fund: €500
- Savings (aggressive FIRE plan): €2 200
They’re on track to retire at 45 if the ETFs cooperate.
The “Rotterdam + Remote Hybrid”
Roles: Front-end dev (on-site) + South African employer remote QA
Combined gross: €112 000
30 % ruling on one salary only
One toddler
Monthly outflow: €5 950, including €750 net for full-time childcare thanks to toeslag subsidies.
5. First-Person Interviews
Interviews edited for length and Dutch swear-word density.
Lerato, Senior Data Scientist, Utrecht
“I thought the recruiter’s offer of €78 k was Monopoly money until I read Dutch tax tables. The 30 % ruling put me back in the game. Biggest shock? Groceries — chicken is affordable, but biltong import prices make you weep.”
Her tip: Open a Knab joint account on day one; their English app saves marital arguments over translating iDEAL push notifications.
Johan & Mari, DevOps + DevOps (love in the server room)
They arrived with two cats, one toddler and zero Dutch. Housing panic set in until a fellow Saffa on the Expats in NL Slack offered a sublet.
“Community saved us,” Johan admits. “We pay it forward by answering Kubernetes questions in Afrikaans at meet-ups.”
6. The Little Costs That Add Up
- Bikes (decent e-bike): €2 000–€3 500 each
- Health insurance deductible (eigen risico): €385 per adult per year
- Streaming services: Pricey if you juggle DSTV rugby VPNs
- Municipal parking permit in Amsterdam: Up to 24-month waiting list — buy a cargo bike instead.
7. Cost-of-Living Hacks From Seasoned Saffas
- Groceries: Lidl for staples, Turkish markets for fresh produce, Albert Heijn only for bonus card deals.
- Heating: Invest in good slippers; Dutch landlords keep thermostats at 19 °C.
- Travel: An unlimited NS “Dal Vrij” off-peak pass can slash rail costs if one partner commutes outside rush hour.
- Tax optimisation: File jointly and deduct hypotheekrente (mortgage interest) once you buy. Our deep dive, the Tax optimisation guide, explains the nerdy details.
- Plan B comparisons: Not sold on tulips? See how Dutch numbers stack against Iberian and Adriatic alternatives in our Spain vs Croatia remote-worker visa showdown. Canada more your vibe? Peek at the creative route in this self-employed artist residency breakdown.
8. Sample Monthly Budget Calculator
Below is a plug-and-play template many couples use. Copy, adjust and feed into your favourite spreadsheet.
| Expense | Low (smaller city) | Mid (Randstad) | High (Amsterdam centre) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (2-bed) | €1 400 | €1 800 | €2 500 |
| Utilities | 180 | 220 | 260 |
| Health insurance (2 adults) | 240 | 240 | 240 |
| Groceries | 600 | 750 | 900 |
| Childcare (3 days) | 600 | 700 | 950 |
| Transport | 120 | 180 | 250 |
| Fun & travel | 400 | 600 | 800 |
| TOTAL | 3 540 | 4 490 | 5 900 |
With net income of €7 300–€8 600, most couples still bank 20–35 % each month, provided they don’t treat every Friday as a canal-side prosecco emergency.
9. Final Thoughts: Is the Netherlands Worth It?
The Dutch aren’t big on hyperbole, so let’s keep it factual:
- You’ll likely earn more than in Cape Town or Johannesburg, even after tax.
- Your biggest cost shocks will be rent and, if you have kids, childcare.
- The 30 % ruling can offset both in a very real, spreadsheet-approved way.
- Safety, public transport and parental leave are everyday quality-of-life wins money can’t quantify.
As one interviewee told me over her second bitterballen:
“I miss the Highveld thunderstorms, but my daughter thinks bikes are magical unicorns. Fair trade.”
Ready to Crunch Your Own Numbers?
BorderPilot turns these averages into your personal relocation budget — factoring in your exact salaries, family size and neighbourhood wishlist. It’s free, takes five minutes, and might save you thousands in rookie mistakes.
Create your custom relocation plan today and land in the Netherlands with confidence — not crossed fingers.