Asking Amsterdam: How much do you make?

[@hi.davidwen]

👉 Join my Patreon community for exclusive content, resources, updates, and more: www.patreon.com/davidwen What are your thoughts on salaries/incomes in Amsterdam? And if you don't mind sharing...how much do YOU make?

[@yaboifet9058]

Im a student in Eindhoven so i make 0 for now, hopefully more than 0 soon. I think money is good but quality of life is something essential that sometimes money cant buy. I would rather live and work in a country where i get to save up less money but have the pleasure to work and live with people who are kind, polite and i have access to very good infrastructure and am supported by competent and legitimate institutions. (so basically yes i come from the balkans hahah) Since technology is such a big thing in the Netherlands. (famous companies come to mind such as asml, philips etc). It would be a nice idea to do something similar with people working in tech. Thank you for this video i enjoyed it very much.

[@hi.davidwen]

Best of luck, that's a good mindset to have-quality of life is indeed more than just money. I wish you success in your studies and that you find a job (career) that you enjoy afterwards

[@Ni5ei]

Being able to live a decent life all depends on your housing situation. I only work 26 hours a week with a net income of €1700 a month. BUT I've bought an apartment 25 years ago which is almost paid off so I only have to pay €50 mortgage each month. My upstairs neighbour has an exact same apartment and pays €1000 rent each month. So her monthly net income needs to be €950 higher than mine, just so we end up with the same amount of money to spend on other things.

[@authorified89]

Nice! I net about 2,5k a month for a 32 hr work week, but will definitely be working even less like you as soon as my student loan is paid off. Sad to say that will take another 10 years, but working 4 days ain't that bad and I can pay my mortgage as well. I feel lucky

[@Dennis-xj8nh]

The.degree to which the government has destroyed the housing market is insane. 😢

[@deeptoot1453]

Buying is key but entering the housing market is nearly impossible for many.

[@Dennis-xj8nh]

@@deeptoot1453 People are desperate

[@discobomber]

Well done sir. This sounds like a dream. Lots of freetime and more than enough to live from.

[@womenfrom0202]

The bleu collar persons were mostly older people who have been able to buy houses some 20-40 yrs ago. Although we considered prices were high then, it was nothing compared to what they are now. Therefore their mortgage is lower and the salary will provide them a comfortable living. For example, I bought my 60 m2 apartment in 2001, the mortgage then was around €600 per month, (I think my salary was € 1800 pm.) However over the years I have changed the mortgage and amended the monthly amount, so now I pay € 300, enabling me to pay off my mortgage with the difference plus some more as my salary is now € 3000 pm.

[@47rintin1]

Born in 1952 i was a full time teacher of science and because of high interests I had my first opportunity to buy a house when I was 37.

[@coencordia]

40 years ago it was shit to buy a house as well with high interest and low possibility to get a mortage. In the 90s though, a lot of rental properties went for sale and people were able to profit from that.

[@roelf8044]

Please understand that there was a lot of job uncertainty in the 80's and that women only entered the work environment in the 90's. Especially this caused the income per household to go up considerably, which in turn caused the house prices to go up. Most people buy the most expensive house they can afford, so housing prices follow people's buying power.

[@47rintin1]

@@roelf8044 As well you need to add that in the Netherlands the consortia of social housing needed to pay a high tax introduced by the right winged VVD. That made to decrease the production of new houses.

[@BenjaminD84]

Gen Z complaining all the time and having no clue whatsoever. It was always difficult to find a house in the bigger cities. The 80's and 90's had high interest rates/unemployment and there were little to none homes being built for starters and medium income folks, the 2000s were really tough because of 9/11 and the following financial crisis of 2008. Every generation fights for their place. Stop nagging, keep your head down and face the music.

[@danchien1504]

Very informative video! Thanks for the hard work finding everyone to talk about a historically touchy subject!

[@hi.davidwen]

🙏

[@kroepkroep]

Please note that you cannot rent a apparment of 1000€ (without gas and electric) with a net salary of 2.200 (2.600-+ before tax) . You'll need a minimum income of 3700 before tax. There is this thing called "Crooked rent" where people that have been renting for 15+ years still have a monthly rent of 650€. While the new neighbours next door pay 1500€. This is these houese are still in the hand of the goverment, and they can only increase rent by 10% if a new person moves in.

[@hi.davidwen]

True thanks for sharing you need like 3x salary to rent a place

[@roy_hks]

@@hi.davidwen Not necessarily, you can rent with a lower income if you have a guarantor. This is the most common way to get your hands on a rental property, it’s near impossible to make three times the rent with today’s rent prices.

[@tho425]

​@hidavidwen nope, a lot of renting companies require you to earn 4.5x rent as gross salary So for a 1500 rent you need to earn 6700 per month. But next question, where did those people live... I doubt if they live in the center of Amsterdam, trains are good and we're cyclists so easy to live in a cheaper area

[@Idfk-hh9sp]

Als je idd 15 jaar geleden een huisje huurde en je zit er nog steeds in huur je gratis 😢

[@wongjefx980]

I dig the Skipper...she doesn't make the most money but values being outside in a nice location and meeting people. After you grind away in an office veal fattening pen cubicle or in your basement working remotely, you realize how important it is to be out for your physical and mental well-being.

[@Penalist]

It is a students' job. Within a few years she will be working in the cubicle you mention.

[@RealConstructor]

She’s probably a student or a self employed person earning some extra in the toerist season.

[@bencze465]

yeah, very romantic, but you can't sustain yourself with a job like that as an adult

[@d-24]

@@bencze465 Bro, 3000 netto a month is huge in The Netherlands..

[@PacoGerte-d3p]

​@@d-24no creo. 2k eur for rent? 🥱😵‍💫

[@tlwn5196]

The true answer is we lost Amsterdam to criminal landlords and rich expats. Amsterdam isn’t what defines the Netherlands, it’s the other cities that have pulled the brakes on time.

[@RealConstructor]

Amsterdam had been lost decades ago to extreme leftwing parties. Did make things worse than in other municipalities.

[@Papapannekoek]

We're all scewed.

[@PaulTheTurkish-ny1wc]

Amsterdam is the melting pot it always has been. It’s not lost at all, there are plenty of us, normal Amsterdam people living here.

[@ryanalexander5438]

​@@PaulTheTurkish-ny1wc you're right to an extent, but it wasn't this extreme. Amsterdam in 2024 is much different than when I stayed here in 97. Felt a lot more dutch. Now it doesn't feel much different than any other major city. The problem with multiculturalism is that it seems to get replaced with corporatism.

[@wyALIENowani_]

Real Netherland is where the small cities are

[@secularpastor]

Working 55-65 hours and having only 2 weeks off and getting only 3.3k is a joke.

[@demanhemzelf4431]

Since when is 30 days 2 weeks lol. And everything above 40 gets paid out in overtime (so extra free time off).

[@ryantnttve1953]

she said the whole office is 2 weeks free during Christmas and that she has a total of 30 vacation days.

[@demanhemzelf4431]

@@ryantnttve1953 yeah exactly, I am aware of that. OC mentioned though that they only have 2 weeks of

[@JeffreyMarciano]

She said 3.3k net which is actually a quite lot for a starter gross

[@demanhemzelf4431]

@@JeffreyMarciano eh not really. For a consultant I was surprised because a top firm pays more. Top firms pay 80k for starters. Won’t dox but at a T2 firm they do in the Netherlands. (Which is roughly 4.5k net)

[@Ralfscho]

I live in Scheveningen, the beachside district of The Hague. Historically, it’s been a community of fishermen, particularly native Scheveningers, and surfers. However, over the past decade, the area has experienced significant gentrification, with old buildings being torn down and replaced by upscale apartments designed for high-earning expats. Many of these newcomers work in IT, don’t surf, and often get around on e-scooters. Locally, we refer to them as “juppen,” a Dutch term blending “yuppie” (young urban professional) and “jongen” (young man), used to describe affluent, career-focused individuals.

[@brucepower3429]

Dat is overal rotterdam zit er ook vol mee ook met studenten die eigenlijk gewoon uit een goed nest komen die het uiteindelijk ook wel weer goed gaan hebben door afgeronde studie en eventueel ouders.(geen probleem verder) - Mijn wijk zit nu ook vol met koopwoningen er zijn ook gemixte wijken met koopwoningen naast sociale huurwoningen mensen praten nauwelijks met elkaar niet alleen door cultuur maar ook inkomen etc.

[@janneauesmeijer3385]

Thankyou for this video! It really shows how much work you put in, I think it’s really interesting to see a the numbers and hear about so many different people🙏

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks!

[@brianquigley1940]

The bus driver can "afford" to live in Amsterdam... because of subsidized housing and other allowances. There is a two-tier income system in the Netherlands.

[@jameezybreezy9030]

Also because he probably bought a house like 20 years ago when everything was a lot cheaper.

[@jerra7260]

He makes more I work at the company too and that is his salary without bonuses

[@sammuis01]

Probably his lifestyle is pretty low key as well.

[@ieism1]

That's complete nonsense

[@brianquigley1940]

@@ieism1 Explain the difference between the free sector and social housing.... and how the "housing allowance" works...

[@k.s.u.8047]

Something to be aware of- there are A LOT of people renting in social sector, or paying mortgage from 20 years ago, inheriting apartments. So that bus driver can probably afford decent lifestyle (assuming he doesn’t pay rent). It is not the case for new comers. People with higher salary are hesitant to share because there is a lot of shaming and guilting going on towards high-income migrants. I myself have learnt to hide my income.

[@Betweoxwitegan]

Shaming high income immigrants as opposed to high income politicians who won't enact legislation and fiscal policy to help the people really is something, how are we falling blind? Why is it so hard to see that it's politicians and not immigrants? It's honestly not even that hard to decrease the median necessary expenditure in a country, increase social housing supply, legislate a price growth cap on rent, enact a land value tax, vacancy tax, short term rental tax, space efficiency tax, foreign investment asset ownership tax and boom you just saved people like 20% of their income which they can use to spend on consumption that actually matters as opposed to inelastic social services. It's genuinely a joke that the median individual pays a higher effective tax rate than the ultra wealthy and consumes more per income point than them As you can see I love my taxes a bit too much 😂

[@ruben9912]

@Betweoxwitegan the twisted logic of it is that even with Geert in power, there is little politicians can do about "rich expats" without sending the economy down the drain. So some people think it's unfair and necessary to take matters into their own hands. I'm personally all for open borders and as much sustainable growth as possible yet we do find ourselves in a situation where people who were born here start feeling left behind and that makes for an extremely volatile political landscape. Newcomers must earn enough to live comfortably and yet old guard has to be able to keep up with resulting price hikes. There simply isn't a fix for that right now and you can really tell.

[@RifetOkic]

in 2023 the social housing sector was 36% , that’s allot? There is a very real problem for locals of cities like Amsterdam: gentrification The worst outcome that can and WILL happen if no one intervenes, is a situation like Venice. It’s very small number of actual citizens have declared the city dead and are deeply saddened to what happened to it. It’s quite literally an amusement park as they see it, normal life is basically gone. This is an extreme example, but you see the trends in other places as well. Even a big city like San Francisco has mostly lost its soul too because of gentrification and the homeless and drug addict problem is rampant. The citizens of such cities made gave the city it’s character and now they see they are losing it because of gentrification. Seems pretty understandable if one looks at the big picture or long term.

[@inguspodnieks5040]

why dont they blame all the refuge/turkish moroccans who dont work lol😂

[@jurbinvanhooff9613]

It’s maybe because Dutch people themselves can not afford a house while doing the same jobs as these immigrants and not getting a tax cut from the government. You can not blame the immigrants, but the government, who let in a net million immigrants in just ten years causing a housing crisis and wants to keep the tax cut, that is only benificial for the big corporations and the immigrants.

[@earthboundblueprint]

I'm realizing that I could earn just the same being a skipper as I do in a project management role that can be quite stressful sometimes 🙃

[@MohMoh-g3y3v]

so true 😆😂😂😂

[@th3_ch0s3n_0n3.]

you don't know anything of being a skipper so shushhh

[@particleconfig.8935]

@th3_ch0s3n_0n3. this type of skipping? mwah...

[@hi.davidwen]

Time for a career change in 2025?!

[@theempire00]

😂😂😂

[@Ijzermepper89]

As a specialised on site welder/ mechanic you could make around 120-150k annum in the Amsterdam area , working 50+hours a week and using your own equipment/welding rig

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing, yeah a lot of these skilled trade jobs are really important and pay very well

[@tho425]

Yes but then you need to arrange your unsurances, pension and illness or holidays are unpaid...

[@davidmolnar3644]

That is simply not true, I make as a professional self-employed tig pipe welder 70k/year. Where you can make 150/year? 😂

[@tho425]

@@davidmolnar3644 working 90 hours a week

[@Starioshka]

​@@davidmolnar3644They're making it up.

[@marjorieshum]

Annual gross salary in the NL usually is inclusive of the 8% holiday allowance, so it is not necessary to add "+ 8% holiday allowance" cause it is already included

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing. Yeah it can be tricky, for some it's included. For some not. Depends on contract. I did ask and went off what they told me whether it was on or off camera

[@johannessugito1686]

What isn't mentioned in this vlog, but very important is the paid sick days and a pension scheme paid by employers.

[@timwest9473]

And don't forget maternity leave and travel expenses.

[@kwasjemycat9236]

Im a industrial cleaner in the netherlands at the harbor in amsterdam and get 3200 euro netto a month but most important is i love my job

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing. Loving your job...priceless

[@MttSls]

I live in Amsterdam. Where can I apply for the same job as you?

[@thaobui9357]

Thanks for this great video! Very informative.

[@ConradMuller0f1]

My man is back

[@KMCDM]

If you read fast it looks like my man is black..

[@spanellaful]

The problem in Amsterdam is not the job/salary, but to find a house… once you have a place, it’s done

[@asap..now.]

Haha *once you have a place its done* 😂😂😂

[@RealConstructor]

Yeah, rent control keeps the rent lower than market rent, unless it’s free sector rent.

[@canwejustnot]

A lot of places in Amsterdam only rent out for a year or 2, so you can't get a permanent rent contract. Ergo, so it can't be rent controlled

[@ruben9912]

@@canwejustnot new legislation only allows for permanent contracts.

[@hi.davidwen]

True!

[@0sizhen0]

The microphone looks like a brush to me 😂 I got so distracted lol! But it’s a really interesting video! Thanks!

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks!

[@Lias9958]

Great video once again. You can easily live in Amsterdam with a median salary just like that busdriver. It all depends on the housing situation. Older folks already own a home. If you make 2600 net, and 300 is going to your mortage, its very easy to live on whats left. I'm 26 and my mortgage is 1400. So I need to make atleast 1100 more net to have it as comfy as the busdriver. Amsterdam is on its way to become the new London; a place only left for rich emigrants.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks, sadly the housing crisis is happening all over the world

[@Schroding3rsc4t]

Nice episode 🎉 Snall addition, we also have our public holiday days 6-7 a year which are on top of your private days (for most employees, can depend on sector or contract)

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks, yes plus public holidays

[@SergioAbarca9]

Got to love all the people in the comments who’ve never even lived in the Netherlands giving their opinion on something they’re literally ignorant about 😅

[@speeeed4931]

I’m from Amsterdam, 19 yo and I make 1400 euros, part-time job (20-25 hours per week)

[@JS-th7ow]

waar???

[@DN-dj4gi]

Lekker maat, investeer 15/20% van je salaris in een goedkope wereld index en bedank jezelf over 10 jaar.

[@redbag3453]

maar hoe werkt dat ​@@DN-dj4gi

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@Samosayummyyay]

@@JS-th7ow Dat is iets van 15.50 Euro per uur. Kijk ff bij thuisbezorgd, PostNL of pizzaketens. Die zoeken altijd wel iemand. Daar krijg je ook iets als dat meestal.

[@nhtrungdaniel]

HR professional who lives and works in Amsterdam here (part of my job involves working with compensation data)… if I may, the annual salary numbers they mentioned often already include the 13th month payment and holiday allowance (so often the monthly gross base salary amount is what they said divided by 13.96). So the net monthly amounts you listed in the video may be slightly inflated.

[@leocedro1]

The thing is, it’s much more complex than this. The video shows just one piece of the city’s reality. For example, there’s social housing available for people earning less than €55k per year, and many residents either own their homes outright or are paying minimal amounts to finish their mortgages. As an expat who came here to work, like many in the video, I recognize that we are in a privileged position. This perspective should encourage us to be helpful and contribute positively to the community. Nice video and best wishes

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@hro8899]

Long time dont see you,everything ok now,i like your videos keep on making them, I'm looking forward to the next one

[@hi.davidwen]

A lot going on in personal life (just like everyone else)...but thanks, I'm ok =) Happy new year

[@ten-ub4xd]

Great video pal

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks!

[@Rick020]

I'm surprised some people can survive in Amsterdam under 3k netto... I'm at €3500 netto/month and can barely make it through the month, thanks to the lovely f'in high rents :')

[@hi.davidwen]

I feel you. I didn't get into the details but you probably know they either live with others, live in social housing, or they bought property when the prices were lower.

[@abatizz1]

I got super lucky my boss gave me a studio in the middle of the centrum for 600 euro and I don't even have to pay for anything else.

[@Rick020]

@@abatizz1 That's nice! I pay €1400 (all costs included) for 45m² in Noord. But total fixed costs are closer to €2100 for me and my partner (that still studies).

[@0danye0]

why do people come to comment showing off a low rent in a comment that talks about high rents? non sense

[@abatizz1]

@@0danye0 It is not showing of it is showing that im lucky and without that i would not never be able to afford living in Amsterdam.

[@richtofein]

Good research. Thanks for sharing :)

[@Kaigaitobo]

So happy to watch a new video!

[@hi.davidwen]

🙏🙏

[@jpm5324]

Nice video, as an expat in the rotterdam region working in a STEM field I have to say they compensate pretty well. Especially if you have a good CAO.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks, yeah you can live a pretty good quality of life working in STEM here

[@vollkarmoviies5767]

Expat here - we also are taxed 50~55% of our annual salary. Which helps pay towards the free housing and welfare state

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing, it's only the amounts above 77K that are taxed at 50%...so in reality, no it's not 50% for anyone unless you make like a billion bucks

[@longtrip5079]

I am Datacenter Operation Engineer. My net salary 3200 eur + bonuses and 30 days holiday. Not bad salary but the rent is around 1600 eur. If you living alone is okay, but if you have family not enough. Netherlands is very expensive. I want move from here soon as possible.

[@maraivfrance2557]

Where would you want to go? I’m curious

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@MafaldaCRC]

Dude outside Adyen and Booking offices saying he interviewed a Software Engineer that works for a big tech company... 😂

[@hi.davidwen]

😆 🤔

[@dieenttauschung4124]

Those are also the highest paying Software Engineering employers in the country

[@leerdamfire]

That bus drivers salary doesn't make any sense. I am a bus driver myself in the city of utrecht and after 15 years of experience, i am in the highest wage scale. He should be making around 3400 euro net easily, and also have waaaaaay more paid vacation days Especially with his age. There is also a company profit pay at the end of the year.

[@Triadistic]

sssst

[@mmatadore1]

What is net? Is this what you get payed after all taxes? So what you get on your bank basicly?

[@ardena30]

Yes exactly

[@Margriet101]

Buschauffeur lijkt me een zwaar beroep. Ik ben blij dat jullie er zijn.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing!

[@DonHrvato]

I work as a Senior Data Analyst, 40h week, yearly gross salary is about € 82k here in the Netherlands

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing, what industry?

[@BobbiPhantom]

Dutch IT employee here, if you're young and you want some perspective and a decent salary. Choose IT for study or career ✌🏻.

[@MojoRisinBlues]

Hi! I recently started working in IT helpdesk here in The Netherlands and I realised that I negotiated very badly for only 3k gross per month. It's my first job here and where I come from that's a lot of money!! xD

[@michaellouwerse]

I recently moved away from Amersfoort, not as expensive as Amsterdam but nevertheless you need a lot of cash to buy a apartment or house in any of the cities. I did pay too much for my house near the beach (in the south of the netherlands) however for the same amount of money i now have a new house near the beach ❤️ compared to an old one bedroom apartment in Amersfoort. My mortgage is 1900 euro/month My one bedroom apartment was 1600/month. Get a permanent contract and a manager that allows remote or hybrid work and get out of the city, will make you much happier. Housing market outside of the Randstad is not as crazy and competitive, 10k overbid got me the house, compared to 40k in Amersfoort or 60k in Leiden, not sure about Amsterdam but i expect that to be ever more absurd.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing! House by the beach...that sounds nice!

[@WealthyChronicle]

Anyone else shocked by the difference in pay between the tech recruiter and the skipper? 🤯 Amsterdam's job market is wild! 😬

[@hi.davidwen]

Did you expect the skipper to make a lot more? Or the recruiter to make less?

[@Seph32]

Junior SysAdmin in Amsterdam. It's my first year promoted to this role. I make around 54k a year with

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@MrProbz420]

I recognize a Bainee when I see one. (Consultant) Truly amazing company, i’ve worked there for 4 years, wonderful time!

[@hi.davidwen]

I can't say if it's a Bainee or not (maybe you would know better) but I do know other Bainees...the training you get from working there is world-class and really does set you up for life!

[@theempire00]

So whats your salary after 4 years? 🤭🤭

[@LoudLin86]

Great video! As a Tech Recruiter in Amsterdam, i make quite a bit more than what was shared here. But the mortgage for my 50 sqm apartment is also €2000 a month plus all bills, health insurance etc. Some of my neighbours pay €750 rent for the same type of apartment or have much lower mortgages because they bought their apartment for half the cost and at lower interest. So we end up having the same money available to spend.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks! Yeah, there's so many people paying for social housing in Amsterdam and those who bought earlier on. Sucks that salaries haven't increased nearly as much as housing prices (true of the rest of the world too =/)

[@GK-lo4yd]

You are really hurting yourself financially paying that much money for 50 sqm.

[@bradley081]

Surprised how low the salaries are compared to the living expenses

[@hi.davidwen]

Yeah it can be quite expensive...

[@fsantanna]

yeah, but i believe you would see the same result in all major cities around the world: low salaries and high living costs

[@SVTranquillity]

Bear in mind that dutch people do not have to save up for retirement (government pension and your employer pays into your pensionfund as well), healthcare (just insurance 140 E a month) or study. And most people do not pay to travel to work as well, that is taken care by their employer.

[@johnd3426]

I earn 7.5k net and my wife around 4.2k net (she is a teacher). We live in The Hague. We have two kids and childcare costs us around 2.5k per month (after the toeslag). These salaries afford us a relatively modest lifestyle: we rent, drive a 2018 car that we bought cash and mostly holiday in our families. Maybe we pay more for things because we are expats but I genuinely wonder how people on lower incomes cope in the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@happinessisnow4142]

So what do you do?))

[@johnd3426]

@@happinessisnow4142 I work in international law.

[@sjefdesantos491]

Youre doing something wrong if you income is net 11.2 k 😂

[@maartjes-w6310]

I always wonder the same thing! I’m at ~104k yearly excl bonus (40hrs a week) so I feel I have a very good salary. But honestly being a single mom with two kids and no ‘toeslagen’ whatsoever, with a house in the randstad (close to Amsterdam) is *expensive*. I have a modest lifestyle as well; I’m saving/investing some money monthly, go on only one ‘bigger’ holiday a year, drive a very old and cheap car, I hardly splurge on anything and I am super careful with spending money on ‘extras’. I never understand how people on lower incomes get by in my area!

[@st3ph4nn]

I live in the Netherlands and also am a software engineer. A software engineer that earns 5k net is crazy.... This converted to a monthly gross salary should be around 8k gross. Every vancancy for a software engineer is around (max) 7k gross (the ones that I have seen). And that is a senior/lead position. Not quitly convinced about that one.

[@fakeuser_name]

@@st3ph4nn only true for Dutch companies, they do not pay

[@eborned]

​@fakeuser_name to be honest, these jobs will be gone in a few years when AI catches on. So we should enjoy it while we can.

[@hi.davidwen]

The big software companies in Amsterdam pay that much. Median total comp for a software engineer in Amsterdam is €107K. check out www.levels.fyi/t/software-engineer/locations/greater-amsterdam-area

[@Mootje103]

​@@eborneddefinitely wont happen

[@happinessisnow4142]

@@eborned There'll be even more positions in IT...

[@spacegerrit9499]

Thank God. Finally someone asking the people of Amsterdam some questions. They've been getting ignored for so long. It's like these people arent part of the country or something. /s

[@edwinvaniersel]

Correct, Amsterdam doesn't represent the Netherlands at all.

[@Iliares]

Although you are aware of netto and bruto income, most Dutch people will only remember and mention their bruto income when asked. This could have also been the case with the people in your questionnaire.

[@wanneske1969]

True, I doubt somebody who is 2 years at a company (although a lot of experience in other companies) earns 3600 € netto.

[@wernerklomp311]

@@wanneske1969just started a new job, make a little over that.

[@wanneske1969]

@@wernerklomp311 In Belgium the average netto wage for men is 2400 € and for women 1900 €. The average rent is 850 € a month but most Belgians own a house or appartment and don't rent.

[@wernerklomp311]

@@wanneske1969 I’m Dutch and making more than average but a new job doesn’t reset your salary to the first step: worked almost 20 years to get here.

[@wanneske1969]

@@wernerklomp311 I work 30 hours a week and have 3300 € netto without a proper uni or college degree but I'm an exception. Working shifts, weekends, on call ...

[@keeskip4589]

All their annual salaries are including the +8% holiday allowance or 13th month. Now it looks like it's a bonus above the annual salary.

[@Leo-pd8ww]

I'm sure some didn't know what the actual numbers were. Even if I wanted to tell, I would have to look some things up. The amusing part is that nobody mentions income from dividends.

[@longtrip5079]

8% holiday money is not extra , take from your salary every month, and pay back to you in May,but - 36%tax . So you loose almost half your money what took from you every month. 😂

[@keeskip4589]

@@longtrip5079 You didnt get my point

[@jasper915]

Thanks for this informatie video! I have just subscribed. I have a similar position, L&D specialist in South Holland.

[@hi.davidwen]

🙏🙌

[@back2nature608]

Welcome back!

[@hi.davidwen]

Thank you :) Happy new year

[@Diana-ub4fh]

Off topic but Qazaq coffee is the best! Love going there, recommend. Amazing video, thank you!

[@hi.davidwen]

Yes, they're the best!

[@raksitg023]

I'm a school dropout and earn 65k p year and have 35 days paid vacation days. Education mean nothing.. just find a good company with a good CAO

[@authorified89]

Amen, same here with 56k currently. Well done!

[@mohammadmurad8111]

Good for you man! I am curious what kind of job you do? And how do you found a good company with a good CAO?

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@whodis4463]

I did only my MBO 3 i am 27 years old and make 70.000 a year with allot of room to grow in the future

[@authorified89]

@@mohammadmurad8111 look into government, municipalities or centralized sectors like (energy) infrastructure and the like.

[@alistair676]

Just saying there are (many) people who make much, much more than that. But you probably won't hear them talk about it much. Finance, bankers, lawyers, surgeons, business owners, pilots, actors, etc. This is the mix of people making up the south, and 250k-500k is if not common, not rare. I personally know several at 1M+. And this shows when you consider that a low-end price for a family home in these areas starts at around 1.5M upwards 3M.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@Nixlaw]

I live in Rotterdam, earn around 6.5k net (with 30% ruling ), and wife around 1k with part time job, we have 2 kids, house rent is 2k, facilities around 500k, kids goes to the local international school, no car, no luxury lifestyle, not much travels, we just save 500 eur per month and that's all. I don't know how people do live in NL with much less income, I guess they now tricks on housing and taxes :D

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing! How much is international school by the way?

[@ExplorerBose]

I can listen to that first Indian guy speech. It's so assertive. I wish you asked for his no of year of experience in his field to earn 60K+ / year.

[@hi.davidwen]

He had prior experience in another field and switched his career by doing a traineeship in The Netherlands.

[@ExplorerBose]

@@hi.davidwen Ah, okay! Thank you for the effort in these kind of insightful videos and the response. Have a good one!

[@makiseasuna]

Don’t forget that above a certain range you pay 30% taxes and then the nice salaries pay 50…

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing. True. Above 77k is 50%

[@p.a.6170]

@@makiseasuna ! Thank you for mentioning this! Indeed lots of ppl who are getting their noses in the salaries of others forget that heavily important detail✨ 37->50

[@brianquigley1940]

David, great video. How about doing exactly the same in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Groningen, etc.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks! And also for the ideas too

[@KMCDM]

1500-2000€ is more for the expats housing and it can go up to 2500/3000€ then you live in the good areas (as an expat). Normal housing in the midsection you spend around 1200€ and lower section 800/900€ with benefits from the government. The cost what make it expensive are electricity water gas groceries and childcare etc etc.. If you have a regular job and you live alone it is living on the edge. With a partner it’s a bit better (with also a regular job)

[@AndreasAntoniusMaria]

Minimum wage is about € 2050 netto if you work 36 hrs a week. About 20% gets minimum wage.

[@dbs5212]

Bruto.

[@AndreasAntoniusMaria]

@ onzin. 2192 bruto per 36 uur als je ouder bent dan 21 j. En dat vind ik niet veel.

[@AccraGhanaVideos]

I like your interviews. They are straight forward. Simple questions and answers. No interruptions. You allowed them to speak. Great job! Unfortunately, the numbers do not add up. The Dutch minimum wage for adults (21 and older) is €2,308.98 per month. Based on a 40-hour work week (July 2024). If 1 bedroom apartment is €1,500 per month. You are left with only €800. You have not paid for utility, food, transportation and health insurance yet. Technically, capitalism has already collapsed around the world. Not only in Amsterdam. I can imagine that it is only going to get worse.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks!

[@TwanvandenBor]

Interesting video David, thanks! I live in Amsterdam and can tell the housing prices are high here, but so is quality of life. Regarding the cost of life, public transport and a bicycle take you all around the city. My friends in Amsterdam pay almost nothing for transport. My friends outside the city though pay less rent, but spend a lot on cars and petrol. Anyways, I love life in Amsterdam, I’m very grateful to be able to live here ❤

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks! And yeah things are expensive in Amsterdam but it's a great place to live (if you can afford it)...some experiences in life are worth paying for

[@rtwpaddyftw5287]

Housingmarket is fucked up. €1500,- for a 1 bed-room. I rent, near Rotterdam, about €750,- for a 3 bed-room house.

[@sergey5758]

How long do you rent appartement? I don’t see similar prices now😢 all prices are 1200+ euros

[@rtwpaddyftw5287]

​@@sergey5758 I have to honestly share that i rent social. I live here for about 11 years and started @ about €625,- And not to forget, next July my rent will go up with 5% The funny thing is that i do not have regrets to have not bought 20 years go.

[@rtwpaddyftw5287]

Also i believe, that when i leave this house, it will come again on the market and suddenly my landlord will ask for about € 900,-/€1100,-

[@arctiacaja]

It really is. I rent a 3 bed-room apartment in Amsterdam now for around €1100 but thats because it is middenhuur.. At least I can finally live in the city where I was born again, so thats nice.

[@Samosayummyyay]

@@rtwpaddyftw5287 Yea, try to save up for as long as you can there. I'm currently stuck in this 27m2 studio/apartment thing for ~860 euro/month😅

[@fakeuser_name]

You forgot to ask about toeslagen (benefits) and social housing. 40% of Ams is social housing

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing (I mentioned social housing a bit at the end of the video)

[@chrispnw2547]

My thoughts are who is renting/purchasing all those expensive apartments in Amsterdam? Something is not adding up as the cost of living is so high across the Netherlands. As an IT Risk Officer my base salary is $135K + 10% avg. bonus. Welcome back!!! You have been missed.

[@k.s.u.8047]

Plenty of people. There are tons of engineers with higher salaries, senior managers, directors etc. For 2 income household paying 2500 rent is not a big deal.

[@stefanievandijk7528]

Prizes in Amsterdam are extreem ɓut a lot of people working in Amsterdam live in surrounding cities where prizes are reasonable. People in IT also have bigger salaries in the Netherlands and there is better and cheaper medical care than the US, lots of payed vacation days and quality of life is way better

[@Betweoxwitegan]

I'm confused, obviously the people buying expensive apartments will be high income residents. If you mean why are the apartments so expensive then it's because of privatisation and profit seeking as opposed to social housing which when done right can be over half the price of equivalent private rent costs, Austria is a good example where most Vienna residents live in social housing and it's very affordable relative to elsewhere as a result. Overall like most developed countries, The Netherlands isn't building enough housing and there's too much private rent seeking which causes huge issues. Housing can be just 10% of the median income as opposed to 30% and we ought to advocate for change.

[@chrispnw2547]

@Betweoxwitegan The informal survey by David noted people making modest incomes but my understanding is housing in The Netherlands is hard to come by and quite expensive in the region.

[@AnymMusic]

A ton of real estate investors wanting a profit

[@amberleach5501]

They are so lucky, some of us are working 60 hours minimal, in tech for 2500 euro net in South Africa

[@Sakeyyffxvvbhgdd]

The expense in the Netherlands (Amsterdam) are Scary

[@hi.davidwen]

With 2.5K net euros in South Africa...is that enough based on cost of living there?

[@harmhoeks5996]

Idiotic comment to only know income but not expenses. Intern at Meta earns $8000 per month

[@amberleach5501]

@@hi.davidwen yeah but it's cutting it very close if you want to stay in a safe environment. Cost of living is cheaper but not really if you try to avoid social issues

[@hi.davidwen]

@@amberleach5501 thanks for sharing. Is there room to grow (eg. career, salary) or is it really hard? I've met a lot of South Africans who migrated to NL

[@silentdriver666]

Thanks to our social system, it barely makes a difference on how much you make bruto… netto you end up with a slight difference. The only way out is your own business..

[@RileyBeaky]

Well, this is just false. A slight difference in bruto=slight difference in netto. Big difference of course leads to big difference.

[@jameezybreezy9030]

@@RileyBeaky 😂

[@Leo-pd8ww]

It's not false. It's the principle of tax brackets. Even with your own business you will get tax hammered. The way out is to game the system.

[@RileyBeaky]

Well, it absolutely is. I don’t know what else to say, maybe just plot a graph in excel to visualise it yourself.

[@antoombom9584]

@@Leo-pd8wwyes if you’re stupid enough to pay yourself a high salary… But that’s your own fault then. Pay yourself the minimum salary and the rest you take out as dividends

[@vsanden]

I think many people do not need way more than what a month costs because of the social securities we have. I think in finance and accounting there are some higher paying jobs in Amsterdam if you would ask people in the zuidas.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks. I did go to Zuidas =) I wanted to talk to a lawyer for this video...and they ended up calling security on me. Lawyers.......

[@sergeleon1163]

The Netherlands pay compared to other western countries and how much everything cost is quite low. Before I worked in IT for 18 years and pre tax I made around 30K now as a factory worker around 35K

[@antoombom9584]

Well, add the +30% the government robs from us at gunpoint with the threat of being taken hostage and then you’ll get the real salary.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@Naat-z1x]

I call bullshit. Minimum wage currently is 32k per year for full-time already.

[@MttSls]

May I ask you what you did before and what you do now?

[@sergeleon1163]

@@MttSls From those 18 years in IT i did mostly System and Network admin although the pay wasn't much for the job, it did came with the benefit of 65 paid vacation days a year. (40 hour work week) Now I'm a production worker in a factory at 40 hours a week and the benefit of 27 paid days of vacation.

[@StephanBouwer]

I think something that was missing, is the retirement funds. Each month, depending on the speisifc job, your employer contributes to a retirement fund, basically, you earn more than what your nett salary is. Also... Try asking anyone here "how much sick days do you get" and no one will be able to give you an answer 😂

[@ankavoskuilen1725]

Because we don't 'get sickdays'. We have an entire different system but it will take a very long comment to explain how that works, so I won't bother you with that.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing. True pension is an important benefit too. Though, many people probably don't really know their pension benefits if you ask them (I work in the HR field)

[@StephanBouwer]

@@hi.davidwen to be honest im not even sure what my pension fund contributions are :D I think its maybe 2 or 5 or even 8%, one of those numbers are correct...

[@adil1715]

heavy I have to reconsider stop looking for a new job: 35 days based on 4 days work week and great salary.

[@hi.davidwen]

Good luck

[@stingc2]

Hi! I am curious about your calculation to get to a net salary? I have a 100k a year salary and do not make that net per month like the software engineer.

[@timwest9473]

Maybe he benefits from the 30% facility credited to people with a specific expertise coming from outside of the The Netherlands. The so called ''knowledge'' workers.

[@hi.davidwen]

Hey I use this tax calculator = tax.nl/

[@amitesh1singh]

This link does not work,​@@hi.davidwen

[@weareallpotatos6029]

Can we like not only interview in Amsterdam 😕😐

[@Dutchbelg3]

If you work in Amsterdam it does not mean you live in Amsterdam ;-) Outside of Amsterdam there are more affordable houses and quite a number of people bought their house in more affordable times... Prices went up the last 20 years A LOT! And Amsterdam even more because of the demand from expats.

[@hi.davidwen]

thanks for sharing

[@takitezy7]

You forgot coffee shop owner 😉...

[@hi.davidwen]

That'd be interesting

[@derecxs]

I never talk about salary in public. We Dutch have a way of saying "Someone else's papers are obscure to read." Some I believe, some I really dont.

[@wanneske1969]

In Belgium it's also a taboo to talk about your income. I've been at the same company for 25 years and have a nice wage but new employees that are 18 - 25 years young are jealous I earn more, a reason why I won't tell how much I earn.

[@Pjhjd]

Many people in Amsterdam live in so called social housing. Rent is max €800 more or less

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing

[@wanneske1969]

I live in Belgium (bordering the Netherlands) and I doubt the wages are that high.

[@PH61a]

Those wages sound very real to me.

[@wanneske1969]

@@PH61a In Belgium the wages are lower but so is the price of renting an appartment.

[@leonlam9419]

Je moet wel beseffen het is Amsterdam en dat het niet heel representatief is voor heel Nederland. De interviewer kon beter een stad kiezen zoals Breda, Utrecht, Arnhem of Maastricht.

[@wanneske1969]

@leonlam9419 Klopt. Wschl zijn de lonen daar hoger omdat de huur er hoger is dan in de rest van het land, of omgekeerd. It-experten en andere ex-pats verdienen wel meer dan n doorsnee bediende of arbeider vermoed ik.

[@hi.davidwen]

They are real wages. I work in the HR field and can verify salary ranges at least for the corporate workers (I also checked online sources).

[@JyGproductions]

Holliday allowance isnt an extra month pay. Its savings from your own salary. They take a cut from your salary every month to save it and give it back to you in May.

[@longtrip5079]

Yes you right, and no forget give back to you but with minus 🎉36 % Tax. So actually lose money

[@hi.davidwen]

Well to many, it's an "extra month's pay" that's payed in May. It's taxed more. But yeah, depends how you see it

[@JyGproductions]

@hidavidwen because they don't understand how it works. I didn't knew either untill I found out how Holliday allowance works. Now I don't get Holliday allowance anymore. It's included in my monthly paycheck.

[@user-jp1qt8ut3s]

Your nett salary seems to be a bit high compared to the gross salary, or do I do something wrong?

[@AnymMusic]

Recently we have gotten a new tax bracket that alleviates some of the taxes for middle incomes, and about 8000 is tax free earned

[@saraiahhogendike664]

It is correct. It is such a difference in The Netherlands. Though it depends on yr personal situation in part. Like being married or not, if you own a house, have 1 or 2 jobs, mortgage, etc etc

[@Johanneslol11]

I think the net should be gross, they remove pension and tax. These numbers seem off.

[@Jinnyboymusic]

Some of expats get also 30% ruling making the net higher.

[@hi.davidwen]

Check out thetax.nl/ (tax calculator)

[@9Bijo]

Sr Project manager with 5 years of experience 😂😂😂

[@GK-lo4yd]

Reminds of Chernobyl (HBO) where the lead technical engineer of the exploded reactor had 2 years of experience.

[@av4055]

I work as a webdev in Belgium and i make around 2.1k netto. Seeing this makes me wonder why i am still working for a Belgian company.

[@hi.davidwen]

How is 2.1k netto in Belgium? How much is rent and cost of living there?

[@harmhoeks5996]

Intern at meta earns €8000. Per month

[@SLLY88]

Its because in belgium we have the highest tax. Therefor we have less net in the end. 😢

[@av4055]

@@hi.davidwen rent is a lot cheaper though, in Brussels you pay around 1100 for a decent 1bedroom apartment. Costs of eating out are roughly the same though.

[@d.speedy5083]

​@@hi.davidwen€2100 is considered "low" in todays standard if you live in major cities like Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels(And Leuven. It's not a major city but living there is expensive as hell). Half your money goes straight to rent(youre lucky if it includes water/gas) and then other bills like internet(in Belgium, internet costs are high when compared to neighbouring countries. It can easily go up to €100/month). Then car costs like insurance, fuel, car note(if you got it from a cardealer)and maintenance. Food can be cheap depending where you buy it from. So deduct all of that from your €2100 net income and you'll see that youre left with little cash to even put aside save for later. Now if have a partner with that same income then that changes A LOT

[@zhieff]

This bus driver with the 2700 a month has a house which he bought in 1960 for 20k xD

[@hi.davidwen]

Don't know but wouldn't be surprised

[@PlasmaEU]

4:51 i was like bro i know this place and i saw this driver before, its Lelylaan station, used to take the bus for airport😂. btw it was 2650€ per month 5 days a week, 10 hour shifts (normally 8, i took extra every day to get some bonus. Amsterdam i soo nice when you have good price for rent, but its really hard to find, still would go to work there again!

[@hi.davidwen]

He's a nice guy!

[@n_be_de_pl_at]

4:18 'that would double in a few years'. Dream on (droom verder) :D

[@hi.davidwen]

I used to work in consulting too...and in management consulting, you can definitely double your salary when you get promoted (which includes bonus) especially from associate consultant to consultant

[@n_be_de_pl_at]

@hidavidwen So schedule an interview in

[@GK-lo4yd]

Also funny that a person with a whopping 2 years of experience is ‘consulting’ management.

[@demanhemzelf4431]

Consulting does double in pay in a few years lol. Just check glassdoor. 150k is pretty normal for an engagement manager (5 yearsh

[@TheAwkwardUnboxer]

Why did you choose to use the median salary from 2021? And not use the years 2024 or 2025 since this was uploaded recently?

[@hi.davidwen]

I couldn’t find an updated number from the Dutch bureau of statistics (CBS)..yeah I’m sure it’s higher now but wanted to go with a valid source and just highlight the date

[@TheAwkwardUnboxer]

@@hi.davidwen Aah okay, thanks! Was just curious. Think it's 46500 euro's in 2025😅

[@haridelle]

Until watching this video I thought I had a pretty good salary (working in Rotterdam). Now I'm not so sure and I haven't seen an annual bonus in the past 3 years...

[@Nynke_K]

You don't work on the Zuidas though 😅

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing, well I know there's more than just salary...I hope you're doing fine. But yeah, the economy and job market over the past few years haven't been great at all...

[@lewisdashchannel]

Im living in netherland now 17 years. But everything is expensief , i also live in afrika and dubai. But netherland is way to much evry year things going up and up

[@hi.davidwen]

=( I know

[@Harrypjotter7]

i had a woman as a patient, born and raised in de pijp. she worked there in law enforcement. she told me that amsterdam was the city where she would die, but the city is no longer amsterdam. everywhere she has to order in english, it is crawling with expats, and other yuppies. she left. the city has lost its soul.

[@MttSls]

For me, walking around the city and hearing English gives me a sense of calm, while the local language makes me anxious. That said, I'm really tired of hearing complaints about Amsterdam. The residents seem spoiled and pretentious, criticizing a city that's rapidly developing. Coming from a dying city with no opportunities for young people, these complaints frustrate me.

[@philhipp7766]

I live here for 5 years already (originally from Vienna), was working in Horeca and im still looking to get a house or a decent job. Amsterdam is getting more and more expensive, so anybody got a house or room?

[@hi.davidwen]

Best of luck to you

[@EGO0808]

Be aware that until a few years back, more than 60% of all housing in Amsterdam is subsidized public rental (sociale huur). That has changed now, but still almost 50% of all rental is subsidized. Next to that, Amsterdam has always had and still sees the issue of so called ‘scheef wonen’: Those living in subsidized public rental do not move out when they have to (due to increased income), as they can’t (or do not want to) afford the high private rental. As a result neither sufficient public or private rental is available and that drives up rental prices even more. Add to that the fact that illegal subrenting (onderverhuur) is rampant and you can see the fruitful result of more than 6 decades of leftist local politics in Amsterdam.

[@Joggert]

That's quite a frame you got going, but also not true. The housing sector is a national issue, in a nation that has never seen any leftist cabinet since the 1970s. For over 40 years, the housing sector has been going to shit. How? By increasing the amount of capital on the market, by charging the housing corporations insane amounts of money just to build affordable housing, through the deregulation of rental laws and prices, by subsidizing the homeowners, allowing large investment companies to buy houses, by increasing the percentage of loans banks can give customers to buy a house and also dismantling the ministrial department of housing. Obvisouly the people who make money out of this will point to scheefwoners but that's total BS.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing this info

[@cclphdfu]

I either am grosly underpaid for being a mechanic with 8 years of electrical education in a specialized field or half these people are bullshitting about their salary. Noone I know makes more then 40k after tax a year in similar functions either

[@hi.davidwen]

I think you’re fine…the Dutch median/middle salary is around 40-45k. But yeah some professions do earn more, especially in Amsterdam

[@mydogisbailey]

wow they actually earn pretty high salaries

[@donderstorm1845]

it's not very representative of the average person. most interviewed either had average or way above average salary. missing a lot of "normal" jobs i guess like retail workers, factory workers, caretakers/nurses, admin workers, receptionists, cleaners. the bus driver should be in the middle, not near the bottom. it's a nice video but i wish he interviewed more locals and fewer expats. expats are often highly educated and only came here for higher wages. they often have tax excemptions as well to lure them here. sucks for locals of course, since high earning expats drive up the housing prices even further.

[@KrijnFaber]

Meanwhile working remotely as a software engineer would easily earn double that. For now at least.

[@hi.davidwen]

Do you work remotely as a software engineer? How'd you find the job? Thanks for sharing

[@KrijnFaber]

@ Well I work as an devops engineer actually, but seen similar salaries for software engineers as well. Found the job on LinkedIn. Easy to filter for remote positions on there.

[@top3331]

30 days annual vacation is twice as much I get in US for parental leave!😢

[@hi.davidwen]

30 days is not uncommon in the Netherlands...some get 35-40 days!

[@salttrader4113]

Get a better company, here in the States as well and I have 33 days vacation plus 10 mandatory holidays. I work 40 hours a week, no over time and make over 120k.

[@mricardo96]

Ik doe echt iets verkeerd met het salaris

[@Koen030NL]

I feel the gross/net is a bit off in this video.

[@zerodivided3676]

By quite a bit. The net is pretty inflated by a good margin. I make around ~100K gross in NL (port of rotterdam area) and my net each month is just barely over 4K. Now, of course, when I take into account my (compane lease) car and the fact that the company pays (read: skims my salary to pay) medical insurance, my actual net would be quite a bit higher. So it isn't apples v apples. Regardless, looking at the guy making 75K gross - he would NOT get 4.2K net. It would be (considerably) less than 4K.

[@hi.davidwen]

Thanks for sharing. I've been using thetax.nl/ for calculations (what could be off?)

[@jeffreyzwart793]

@@hi.davidwenhigh skilled workers from abroad (expats) have a 30% ruling. Which means that on 30% of their salary, they don't have to pay any taxes. Hence for most of the people in the video the net salary will be 1k or so higher

[@SVEVelsen]

Two years ago I lost a bet to a customer. I said rents had topped out, people wouldn't pay more, because they couldn't. Customer disagreed and boasted he'd be able to get a fool, probably an expat, to pay anything. Right, you're on: 5x the median rent it is. € 110 per m². So a tiny 38 m² appartment that even had housemates, would cost € 4180 a month. Three weeks later I owed him a bottle of wine, because he had gotten an expat to sign a rental contract for a price set to be deliberately outrageous.

[@tovopro]

Wow! Very intriguing info, considering it’s so expensive for ppl from overseas to visit there. I wonder how much their cost of living is on average over there?

[@bebobism]

I guess it's around the € 1000,- per month without rent/mortgage and a car/transportation.

[@hi.davidwen]

Perhaps for another video =)