The Dark Side of Living in The Netherlands

What are the downsides of living in the Netherlands? There is a wide variety of advantages that come along with relocating to the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a country that has a lot to offer everybody, whether they are searching for a higher standard of life, more work prospects, or a location to live that is cheaper. Let's not sugarcoat things and have an honest conversation about some of the challenges you could face if you decide to relocate to the Netherlands.
1. It’s an expensive country
The Netherlands is well-known for having some of the highest tax rates in the world, and almost everything is subject to taxation. The income tax is particularly high in contrast to those of other countries in Europe. You could also discover that the prices of electronic goods are higher in the Netherlands (here's a pro tip: shop on the German Amazon), and that the prices of some foods are also a little bit more. On the other hand, it is possible to acquire some excellent prices if you have learned how to shop and where to shop. The relationship between supply and demand is to blame for the typically high cost of rent throughout the whole of the United States. Jobs, in general, pay very well here; yet, in the end, it all comes down to how you look at it.
2. You have to learn a new language
Even though most Dutch people are aware of this fact, conversational English is not sufficient. You are going to need to educate yourself in Dutch since the majority of the labels, notices, goods, and parcels are all in Dutch. You are going to have to utilize Google Translate whenever you go to public locations like the grocery or railway stations until you master the local language.
It is well known that the service sector in the Netherlands is notorious for being less helpful and more difficult to navigate than in other nations. Even if someone has been downright impolite to us extremely seldom, the Dutch aren't exactly famed for their ability to provide good customer service.
You are either going to have to wait an eternity to speak to the manager, you are going to be in a line of 25 people on the phone, or you are going to have to wait weeks for a response to an email. Not to mention the level of frustration that a good number of individuals experience whenever they are confronted with tasks such as receiving mail or shipments.
3. Accommodation
Insane housing shortages are plaguing the Netherlands at the moment. As a result, it is essential to do apartment hunting in advance of relocating to this location for permanent residence. There are both furnished and unfurnished apartments available to choose. The furnished homes come with very huge rent prices. When you rent a property that isn't equipped, you may think you're getting a good deal, but in reality, you have to buy everything, even rugs and appliances that are necessary. In addition, property owners are reaping the benefits of the housing shortage by charging their renters unreasonable prices.
Due to the unfortunate state of affairs in the housing market in the Netherlands, it is essential that you begin your search for a new place to call home at the earliest possible date. Bear in mind that there are no assurances that you will locate a location right away; yet, you should not give up hope!
If you want to live in Amsterdam or one of the other cities in the Randstad, you need be extremely patient in your hunt for a new house, and you should prepare for a little bit of more wiggle space in your budget.
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#netherlands

[@ShrasRJ1987]

If learning the language of the country you move to is a "dark side" of that country for you, you shouldn't move out of your country at all. Of course you need to learn enough of the language to be a functioning adult in that country!

[@clinton5623]

Amen! Preach!!

[@ketchup9084]

Literal common sense to study a language if you’re moving or traveling to a different country smh

[@Ag8MrE]

Yep, that was my thought too. What a weird thing to say. You can say that about ANY country, and probably more so for English-speaking countries where the population rarely speak another language. At least in the Netherlands almost everyone speak pretty decent English, as well as French and German.

[@DenUitvreter]

The British and the Americans tend not understand the concept of a 2nd language because they only speak one. Well, it's not as good the first, your compromising on expression, precision and humour. They will say something like 'they have the same sense of humour' but they actually have no clue because the typical Dutch humour is in Dutch and doesn't get through to them. What they and other English speakers also forget is that Dutch learned English for their own advantage, not to encourage laziness in foreigners and explain them everything going on in the country.

[@nmg1909]

Most of the English and American native's mentality still points to the colonial master mentality of superiority, with no need to learn another language. People who learn other people's languages have created an advantage for themselves that value diversity.

[@clinton5623]

I can't stand how Americans and other English speaking countries just expect everyone else to speak English too and tend to get upset when they realize there are other languages out there. Learn at least some of the language not just out of necessity but as a courtesy to the native people as well.

[@AminaOwO]

I live in Azerbaijan and whenever people visit here, they want us to talk russian. Why should we when we have our perfectly good language? I definitely understand your frustration! I want to move to the netherlands in the future and learning the language is a very rational thing to do. I visited Korea this summer (learning the language in uni) and even though my korean isn't good yet, I tried my best to speak in korean if I knew what I was saying. It is also helpful in the long term, can't go your entire life somewhere without knowing the local language

[@petertownend7777]

@@AminaOwO because when Russia have done with Ukraine,they will be coming for your country sadly 😢

[@tomvanaarle2622]

This video was produced in the Ukraine which is not an English speaking country.

[@malvolio01]

@@petertownend7777 No, they won't. Stop guzzling the kool-aid

[@aaronkamakaze2967]

Most Americans are not like this at all. Considering they are already used to huge portions of their population not speaking English … sure some are ignorant but these are usually temporary tourists not expats. The number of expats living in the Netherlands who learn Dutch is extremely high, I am one of them. And I would say at least 70% of the expat community I know speak Dutch at a very high level.

[@eyespelegode]

The fact that this list doesn’t have any real problems on it makes me want to move even more

[@mattyguy4286]

Just thought the exact same haha

[@greyy_097]

thanks for this.

[@ninailia8552]

Move and you will realize the problems after a while.

[@rmyikzelf5604]

​@@ninailia8552like... what?

[@ninailia8552]

@@rmyikzelf5604 very expensive rents and house prices, not so good Healthcare system, people overall are not so happy a lot of complaints, very high taxes. Young generations are not in a good position overall...

[@how2pick4name]

Being direct, honest and doing what you say are bad things now? The world has gone insane! 😂

[@lillekenatnek195]

Yep modern society. You better be fake and lie! lol

[@bert2526]

We don't do snowflakes in here!

[@GamingBoxChannel]

Hahahaha it’s amazing how Dutchies wanna say they are direct and honest when that is a lie on its own 😂 they are the worst of the worst and they can’t stand to hear the truth

[@roydamon7639]

Yeah shipping fees and some necessary activities are somehow high

[@roydamon7639]

But is a nice place to be

[@erikthehalfabee6234]

I wouldn't translate "Afspraak is afspraak" "A meeting is a meeting" but rather "An agreement is an agreement" (Honor your agreement)

[@r.a.h7682]

its because its all computer generated videos.

[@pork_friedrice]

Agreed, “a meeting is a meeting” is a poor translation

[@daytonarol3x]

"afspraak" depending on which context it's used in means appointment, bijvoorbeeld " Op woensdag ochtend ik heb een afspraak met mijn dokter"..I'm not Dutch originally from London England, moved to the Netherlands 3 years ago now I speak dutch

[@erikthehalfabee6234]

@@daytonarol3x Yes, " an appointment is an appointment" is an even more accurate translation of " Afspraak is afspraak"

[@nicolabagnardi6945]

3:29 this is LITERALLY the main reason i want to move to the netherlands, because it isn't as stupidly car-centric as the usa. it feels like this guy is finding good things about the netherlands and trying to make them sound bad.

[@yuulfuji]

not just bikes watcher?

[@GG69BLIN]

Hij is gewoon een luie amerikaan

[@KK-fw4zq]

@@yuulfujiwhat is that? US car dependency is just disgusting and depressing. No wonder everyone in the US is greedy, and depressed.

[@yuulfuji]

@@KK-fw4zq its a youtube channel all about how car dependant other countries are compared to the netherlands. if you’re interested in that kind of stuff I recommend his channel.

[@KK-fw4zq]

@@yuulfuji oh wow! Didn’t know such channel existed! Very informative and everything I thought was wrong living here in the US.

[@atscub]

Here is the real list, from a foreigner, a Spanish speaker, living in the Netherlands: - Rents too high (buying surprisingly not so much) - Healthcare has good quality, but it's difficult to get something investigated. They tend to disregard your problem saying it's probably nothing (you may pay 300 euros for going to the emergency room in the middle of the night, where the only thing they did was listening to you and then telling its probably nothing). - Weather sucks most of the time, even in the summer, but when it's sunny it is amazing. - Dutch food isn't the best and the majority of foreign food also suffers from this. I'm amazed that Uber eats options are so much in Cuba. Luckily there are some good options once you find them and you can always cook your own. - Taxes are very high. However, the country functions very well. Good things: - Dutch people are amazingly nice and welcoming (I love them). They are genuine and transparent, which sometimes can come across as rude to foreigners. But overall a good trait once you get used to it since it goes both ways, you can also be truly free to speak your mind. - Virtually everyone speaks good English, French and in some cases Spanish, which I love they make the effort. - It's a safe and peaceful place to live and they also don't care about looks or other superficial things. - The country works so well. Everything is so organized.

[@cmfrtblynmb02]

this is a good list. I agree.

[@user-cx2zg4hr9k]

No, bad healthcare!!!! Very bad!!!!

[@hansonel]

Thank you. This is an actual list of pros and cons of living in The Netherlands.

[@Ray03595]

these make more sense. And yea, lots of people see high taxes as a negative, but if the country functions as well as it does, I would gladly pay those taxes. Better than U.S. where the money basically disappears, goes to the army, or back into fixing asphalt roads.Never really improves the quality of life for the average citizen anyone anymore.

[@baronmeduse]

Buying is actually very expensive depending where you buy. Even if you move out of the three biggest cities you're looking at €300,000 if you don't want a 2 bedroom box. Plus there's a massive housing shortage (for the last 20 years).

[@JAY1892]

I would make it an international law, if you move to another country, you MUST learn their language to a reasonable level, within five years. I find it immensely ignorant when people move to another country and can barely speak the language even after 5 - 50 years. In addition, you must respect their culture and way of life, whilst keeping your own. Lastly, you must never make demands that suit your culture on your new country. As the saying goes, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” If you don’t agree with any of the above, then stay in your country. End of.

[@Tisha750]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Ned-nw6ge]

Agreed. I don't like it when foreigners, or even Dutch people, say that speaking Dutch is useless (in this case) just because "we" speak English well (about three million Dutch people DO NOT speak English well). Not integrating completely just because many of the natives speak your language well enough is disrespectful and rude. Hearing an adn seeing the use of aglicisms in the media and by young people is so irritating as well. If you're not a migrant who is still learning, then why are you mixing up Dutch with English? It's usually an indicator that the person sucks at speaking both languages seperately, but it's sold as being cool and trendy (and there's even people saying that we should abolish our mother tongue and just speak English- hereby disrespecting and disposing of our culture and history in favour of something as shallow as globalisation and "making it easier in terms of trade and geopolitics"). Indeed, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you can't or don't want to, stay where you are.

[@Celevie]

The biggest mistake Gulf Arabian countries do is to accept English language

[@colinguo5855]

​@@Ned-nw6ge Can't argue for that one. But if you want that, we Americans can just leave NATO and let you guys sort yourselves out against Russia.

[@writerconsidered]

Is that the worst you got? To be honest I've heard all this before about Europe at large. Nothing that bad. Don't forget the taxes have two components, you get something in return for those taxes and second wages are adjusted to accommodate those taxes. Housing is legitimate but depending on where you are at in the US housing is insane here.

[@ianabruntseva7677]

I totally disagree with the language part. Dutch people are excellent English speakers. This is the main reason why it's so difficult to learn Dutch. You just can't motivate yourself enough since literally everyone speaks perfect English starting from the young age. You won't have a situation when someone doesn't understand you. But if you do learn Dutch and you're trying to use it in conversations, people are more than happy to help you.

[@roydamon7639]

Lana yeah is a nice English speaking country

[@roydamon7639]

But need to tell you some more about the country

[@roydamon7639]

Text me ❤

[@ianabruntseva7677]

@Grote Scheiße I guess, they really enjoy speaking English and proud of it.

[@knijn]

Not everyone here speaks perfect English. Have you ever heard of Dunglish? It's a mix Dutch and English and it's spoken by the majority of the Netherlands. You would call it broken English.

[@ovlv1518]

It's gets "cold" in the Netherlands. Have you been to Chicago? XD. I've been in the Netherlands for like 3.5 years and visited in the winter prior to living here, but it has never been Sub-Zero xD.

[@williamgeardener2509]

Although the myth of Dutch people speaking English at a very high level is still promoted, foreigners do not seem to grasp the reality of Dutch speaking Dutch. In the Netherlands Dutch is the first language and that's why signs are in Dutch. If you really expect that all Dutch people will switch to English the moment that they notice that you're not Dutch you will be disappointed. A lot of Dutch people will insist on speaking Dutch even though they are quite capable of speaking English, German or French. The general thought is that if you're not willing to learn some basic Dutch sentences, why should Dutch people go to through the trouble of switching to a foreign language in their own country? When you're in Rome, act like the Romans, when you're in the Netherlands, at least make an effort to speak Dutch. We do not expect you to speak fluent Dutch. We won't hold it against you if make mistakes. We will however ignore you if you can't be bothered to at least make en effort to learn some basic Dutch words sentences. What's difficult about: Hallo = Hello Tot Ziens = See you later Goedemorgen = Good morning Goede avond = Good evening Bedankt = Thanks Dank u = Thank you Sorry = Sorry Alstublieft = (if it pleases you) = Please

[@memmem77]

How rude of us, that we expect a foreigner to learn some basics of Dutch and we can't completely accommodate you in other languages the entire time, from A to Z. Even our signs are in Dutch, how dare we! Try this entitled attitude in countries as Germany, France, Spain, Poland or Italy and check how much they will adapt to your desire to be spoken to in English and then come back to this comment section. You hypocrite. When are you leaving? We'll throw a little party here when you are.

[@tumslucks9781]

Dutch is a grotesque language. No sane person wants to speak that wretched lingo. The Dutch have a curious nature, eccentric but charmless.

[@geniaparker1745]

@user-gz1hg7fd4v , hey being a 5"9 blonde blue eyed American woman, whose great grandmother was drowned for founding your church by the catholic church, and my grandfather was killed in a ship wreck. No wonder my orphan grandfather came to America to become a senator and his children became camandors of the American navy. I'm rude to, maybe I may not want to visit or learn the language of my country if this is how you act..

[@rensbuist]

De beste manier om nederlands te leren, is nederlands proberen te praten. Dat wordt gewaardeerd .

[@NoName-pu1er]

Dutch is so similar to Afrikaans( which is what i speak) most of it is just a 2 letter difference so i dont think id really have a problem fitting in

[@rmyikzelf5604]

How strange.... a Dutch speaking county mostly having signs in their native language. Oh well.

[@wout123100]

i am flabbergasted haha ik ken een spreekwoord, een bord voor je kop hebben,,,mmh tja

[@jeweetzelf380]

😂😂😂

[@sid86588]

"You need to learn a New language" isnt that for moving to litteraly every other country? Like ofc ur gonna need to learn the language atleast a bit

[@dankfarrik8376]

Hell I'm dutch and my wife is japanese. She lives with me in the Netherlands and I'm learning Japanese because she needs to learn dutch for her inburgering. It's only fair!

[@sid86588]

@@dankfarrik8376 Exactlyyy

[@AlexK-yr2th]

The income tax rates are mostly not correctly displayed. There are a lot of "belastingschijven" where you are taxed according to your taxable income, not gross income. They tend to talk about the gross rates and not the taxable amounts, ignoring the salary deductibles and the rates for healthcare, pension and social security. I think The Netherlands has the highest numbers of possible deductibles as well and there are a lot of subsidies and child support, among many others. The Netherlands has chosen to follow the socialist model (no, Americans, that is not far left or even communism). It is where society looks after all, specially the less fortunate and provides social services for everybody, even foreigners. We maintain a model where the taxes flow back to the people, not the 1% and then trickles down. The government takes things in their own hands (like public services, hospitals, drugs), paid for by taxes to all. But at the same time, The Netherlands is one of the most free and liberal countries in existence, often introducing liberal thoughts first like euthanasia, registered prostitutes, same sex marriages, use of soft drugs and so on. Not even to mention The Netherlands provided the first company, shares, stock market and 99% of your constitution which you now all call your own. You are living according to our model but, quite frankly, have messed it up altogether. The 247-year old experiment as you want to call it, has pretty much failed. And then there are the privacy laws here that are basically non existent in the US. You just live in a totally different manner, with different values and morals which are, mostly all, inferior to ours. Customer service goes by the idea that people have their own responsibility and fortitude. Not like the US where the tendency is that people need to be handheld and taught (hence the burning coffee, chicken nuggets and dog in a microwave story). Dutch people are not submissive people because we believe everyone is equal. So don't expect to be treated as such in general and with Customer Service in particular. I honestly don't know where the statement comes from that "The Netherlands is known to...". It sounds like a wild guess or clickbait or American tunnelvision that everything should be sculpted after their example. The customer is King, but only if they act Royal, is the Dutch credo! They are there to help you, not to be perceived like a servant. The housing crisis is caused by too many people living (and want to live) in The Netherlands, combined with the effects of the Corona crisis where new development was put on hold. Not even want to mention the banking crisis 15 years ago the US faced us with by providing too much credit their own economy could no longer afford or the international politics they push down our throats that make prices rise and cause inflation allover the place till date. They have caused so many shortages in supply that prices must rise. And in The Netherlands we have to import a lot of things and we rely on international market prices. We just don't have a lot of local raw materials and depend on other countries, markets and American policies and politics. We live with almost 18 million people in a country that is half the size of West-Virginia and still want to maintain parks, nature and other facilities. The main problem is that foreigners/expats all want to live in the same area, usually highly concentrated (and hugely overrated) areas like Utrecht, Amsterdam and Rotterdam and then complain about the houses that are (not) available. And they are far, far better than your New York or Chicago still. The Netherlands is not an open-air amusement park as portrait in your movies where one should have lived at least ones and all come to live on top of each other. Mainly, US expats/immigrants want to live on those anthills, pushing prices up tremendously. Claiming that the prices are unreasonable is caused by the people that actual mention it, don't blame us. Housing is expensive here to begin with. We had no Native Indians to steal the land from. Moreover, a lot of available housing is used for AirBnB's, hostels and hotels, making housing less available that is a burden to us but an inconvenience to you. Dutch people consider a rental house as their own and maintain it as such. Therefore, there is this rule that a house needs to be handed over they way it was accepted. That usually means without carpet etc. because that might not be your choice or liking and you should not be left with a bad choice or have to dispose of it. You have to remove the things before the next one moves in. Don't forget that The Netherlands is created for Dutch tax payers, not for Americans that think that the rest of the world is at their service or it is our job to accommodate you. We set the standard. Having a car is not an investment. I don't understand the limited, unrealistic perception of the vlogger. It is a liability, not an asset. And yes, it is expensive but we have a lot of roads and bicycle lanes to maintain that are kept in a excellent state (unlike the US and many other countries). Where do your taxes go by the way? Quality needs to be paid for. It is not at all a discouragement of the government by upholding costs (where did you get that from) but the people that work on your car have to earn a decent salary as well and not done by Mexican immigrants or underpaid people that need to run 2 or 3 jobs, sorry. That is just a wild guess and a wrong assumption. You can buy a car in another country but you have to pay certain taxes over it because the car will be used on the Dutch roads. It is not forbidden at all. There is free exchange of goods and labor within the Schengen countries. And you want to bring your American gas-guzzler over here, you pay for it. There is also an excellent public transport system that is heavily subsidized by the government. So there goes a big part of the car taxes as well as an alternative, not a discouragement. We Dutch are straight forward and that doesn't go well with a lot of other cultures. Specially the American arrogant attitude that they are God's gift to the rest of the world, doesn't sit very well here. We founded you, not the other way around. Don't come and judge us according to your low(er) standards. Asking "how are you" and then don't listen for the answer for example, is insulting and disrespectful to Dutch people. You have to learn the language basically to participate and be genuine, not just oust words that have no meaning to you, or our answer for that matter. That it is hard to make friends might be true, but Dutch see friends as someone that you can call in the middle of the night when there is a problem, someone you can trust to water your plants when you are on a holiday, not an acquaintance (een kennis) or call everyone a friend just because you bumped into each other or have the same love for sneakers. Generalizing, people in The Netherlands are busy, have a lot of hobbies, do not have maids or laundry services and cook at home mostly and plan things ahead because they have to out of time restrains. We also value time a lot more than money. So don't come and claim our money (being time). And we just don't like it when you just show up at their doorstep, blocking us from the things we want or need to do. Making friends in the summer is just ridiculous. Be reminded please that in The Netherlands, you have to make friends according to our definition and not expect to be accommodated according to your shallow perception of what a friend actually is. If you are not able to make friends in The Netherlands, it is your shortcoming of not being able to adjust to other values and cultures basically. Every country has weather. Here is it's hot, cold and a lot of rain in between or even during. The weather is not erratic because their is no plan behind it, it's nature! In your perception, erratic should be the floods, forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornado's. Rain is just water like your shower in the morning. For sure one is not sweet enough to melt, so bare with it or don't come or stay here if you are afraid to disintegrate upon arrival. Dutch do not always follow the regulations. It is a "national sport" to deduct from the tax system and bypass existing rules. When it comes to a professional (and even personal) environment, be on time, keep your word and be good for it, otherwise you waste other peoples time and trust. We follow the rules when others are involved because they also rely on it. It is all about respect. Honesty seems to be a problem with the vlogger. He rather beat around the bush and be superficial apparently and expect others to do the same, even in a foreign environment/culture. Most is not a negative but a absolute positive really. We are proud of who we are and have no intention to be American whatsoever or adopt their questionable values. There is no dark side, maybe for the American "visitor" that expect to continue there own life style abroad and expect to other to adopt to them or are simply in search of clickbait. Adjust, accept and respect; you are not at home and you don't pay for what we provide you as a guest. Our infrastructure and provisions are there for you to use and you mostly don't pay for them. Be respectful and stop complaining and, for sure, don't call it a dark side. We are so much more enlightened than you folks. Let's be honest, the US is pretty shady and gloomy, isn't it?! This video is clearly created to subdue the perception of a country that is considered as an example by many in the US and around the world. You do not get bigger by making others look smaller. They still stand at the same height and so do you.

[@baronmeduse]

It also has a lot of tax evaders/avoiders.

[@AlexK-yr2th]

@@baronmeduse The system in the Netherlands where all systems are connected, is so extensive that it is almost impossible to evade or avoid taxes. Everything is connected through the social security number and your ID. Whether you go to a hospital, receive child care, have social support, subsidies and, yes, pay your taxes or even your car registration. It all runs on the same system that makes it impossible to avoid anything. So if you are talking about The Netherlands, it is utter nonsense and extremely poorly informed.

[@TrilithiumBanditKelsey]

Ohhhh... you're full of crap. You didn't steal land from Indians (Native Americans), but you stole it from South Africans, West Africans, along with a smattering of territorial acquisitions polka-dotting the globe. Americans bought slaves centuries ago brokered wholesale by Dutch traders on the Gold Coast. In South Africa, Apartheid ended only a few decades ago. You might be surprised where a good chunk of the wealth in the Netherlands is derived, wealth which pays for all that exorbitant infrastructure; I'm pretty sure it's not just tech and tax-haven financial instruments. Pesky foreigners? Well, that all started with the German occupation 1940s, whereby under the flag of neutrality, the Netherlands openly rolled out the Welcome-mat for the Nazis. In the end, it was foreigners who kept the Netherlands on the map, and to this day it remains a free country... with a little help from its distant neighbors.

[@Extremaduur]

Housing shortages have been in the Netherlands since the Second World War and never went away. Just a very small country with lots of people.

[@jan22150]

Well snowing that much in the netherlands never happens. When was the last time you see so much snow in the Netherlands?

[@ebalbal3370]

Vorige eeuw of zo😅

[@jan22150]

​@ebalbal3370 The last time it froze so hard that the river Rhine froze over was in 1956. I remember it well.

[@Izithel]

I remember a lot of snow for a few days in like 2018 or so, remember having a great time cycling home in weather I had not expected or prepared for at all, and witnised a poor guy falling of his bike near the Grote Kerk in The Hague because the combination of snow hiding the tram tracks and the slipperiness. But that snow was also gone like a few days later.

[@Monica-il3pn]

As a child in the 80 we could ride a sleigh most years but only a couple of days in december January or februari, for the last 30 year there is a lot less snow or skating in ice. The climate is not so bad i think. Uk and Scandinavië are a lot worse.

[@gerrylanter8109]

Many years ago.......

[@hillock10]

Don't they have indoor tennis clubs and sports clubs for the winter?

[@HansMichael69]

Directness is a Dark Side? For me as a Finnish it’s a great PLUS. I hate the Indian taxi driver attitude of ”no problem sir!” Or the all-around American smiling attitude in every, even tricky, situation.

[@Mel-iv1nm]

Yeah you basically always have to play a guessing game and read minds what people actually think ( at least that’s how I always felt) like someone will dislike you but smile to your face and invite you to their birthday like what????? Or someone will say “yes we will order that for the project “ and never order it because they’re immune to saying “no” like wtf 😮😮 plus dutch aren’t that direct in some cases , most of. The time they try to be respectfully direct at least people around me .

[@knijn]

This level of directness is considered to be rude for foreigners. We do not mean it that way, but it's usually received as rudeness.

[@ihsahnakerfeldt9280]

​@@knijnAh, the typical response. Why is it so difficult for many people from blunt cultures to understand that 1) honesty and politeness are not mutually exclusive 2) just because you're being honest and your intent is not bad doesn't mean you are not rude 3) being honest/direct without any filters IS rude?

[@viktorvondoom9119]

​​@@ihsahnakerfeldt9280Because culture is based on norms and values, and our culture renders your points (especially 2 and 3) inapplicable to the situations where we state our opinions while you consider it rude directness Edit: also, who said we dont have a filter? Its just a filter that filters out other things than you would filter out

[@ihsahnakerfeldt9280]

@@viktorvondoom9119 If someone you think is unattractive hits on you, do you think it's ok for you to reject them by saying "no you're ugly" as opposed to "sorry you're not my type"?

[@dark-ghost5455]

there is a dutch girl that told us the kids in netherlands are toxic

[@knijn]

She's right.

[@jaydensluis5362]

I lived there it was NOT GOOD to cold

[@essi0489]

As an introvert that likes cold weather and direct ppl living a high standard life, this is the perfect place for me ❤

[@cnam1258]

Hehehe me too I think...

[@ruudzwart]

Yes, please stay away, don't relocate here.

[@tumslucks9781]

North Africans love it here.🇳🇱🐪

[@augustlavdal6187]

Hahah, nice

[@cornelisooms196]

Don’t worry the only foreigners they are welcoming are the so called asylum seekers in other words you are only welcome if you don’t adapt, destabilize the healthcare and housing market and above all don’t want to work. The real Dutch will pay for it all without any hesitation completely brainwashed by a Sesame Street government.

[@galactichand551]

🤣🤣🤣

[@dankfarrik8376]

Yeah especially if you have the attitude of the guy in the video.

[@nyergesflorian547]

tell me one country where the fence made by sasuge ,these informations are tipicly normal and everywhere is the same

[@jjijq]

Except for the housing shortages this is basically every country

[@Ned-nw6ge]

Making friends in the Netherlands is still difficult when you're Dutch 💀. Especially if you live in a different region than the one you were born in (because the locals will notice, and will subtly let you know that they don't see you as 'one of them'- at least that's my experience as a Hollander living in Brabant). You have the best chance in a group where nobody knows each other yet, like in a first year's student class.

[@21copyCat]

waiting long for service has not been my experience but i find most dutch locals to be aloof and detached

[@GG69BLIN]

Its not an expensive country, maybe now with the war in Ukraine, but that is in every country nowadays. Also, off course its expensive to book a hotel in Amsterdam, thats pure tourism, go somewhere else in the NLs then, plenty of place.. look American, this country doesnt only exist of Amsterdam. If you went on a trip to France, you stay at Paris only, cause why not.. youre a culture crusher and not looking at the rest of the country person, you have to pay very much more.. and why ?? BECAUSE OF TOURISTS LIKE YOU WHO ONLY GO TO PARIS AND AMSTERDAM

[@janvanteylingen2323]

I am really surprised that you complain about learning another language. Is it not normal to learn the language of the country you gonna live in? When I am going to live in the USA I have to learn to speak English. I cannot expect that every American will talk Dutch to me. So why is it a dark side of the Netherlands to learn to speak the local language?

[@kjeldschouten-lebbing6260]

"The income tax is higher than other countries in Europe" - Not true, it's about average compared to north european countries. There are many deductibles (aftrekposten), tax deductions (heffingskortingen) and grants (toeslagen) that lower the "average tax pressure" considerably. For example, someone with an income under 20k a year, gets a few thousand deducated from their tax and gets a few thousand in toeslagen. Ending up with a negative nett-tax rate in some cases "high costs of rents" - Mostly a randstad-only issue. There is enough of sub 1000 or even sub 800 homes available outside of the randstad.

[@arindambanerjee8243]

Is it Portugal 🇵🇹 is cheaper than Netherlands? Plz guide me. I am confused..that should I come to Netherlands or portugal? I coming from Dubai

[@T13770]

Those are very very different country's, Portugal is cheaper but only if you earn above average there. Just like Spain the salaries are lower since the cost of living is low. That's not the case in The Netherlands and live is expansive but the quality of life is high. Good health care, clear governmental procedures, excellent English speaking officials etc. in my opinion. I'm from The Netherlands living in Spain currently.@@arindambanerjee8243

[@jiordanov7855]

I live year and a half in Netherlands, I love the country and the Dutch people, but I'm moving soon. It is too expensive, I've had a lot of issues with certain institutions, the rents especially for foreigners are very high and not good at all. Above that, Netherlands is a very beautiful country with nice people and it was a positive experience in my life!

[@Anntiokia]

well the states rents are no better, the USA is very expensive under this administration of Biden, the worst president ever, wait until he gets out of office, so far this place sucks

[@user-fq2ty]

Where are you moving

[@dicknr1]

The rent for foreigners... No you jump on the migrant tour where they all clod together in the same provinces and cities which we the dutch refuse to live. They sell you overpriced homes up to 400% in amsterdam for example over Emmen. So you let yourself be scammed. because if you called IND which is the immigration service they helped you with all these issues without f-ing you over with places like amsterdam or such recommendations. you scam yourself dont blame the nation, every place has a area that wants to extract your money, the west part of NL and the south both have a giant hand in that. So if you choose to live in 60m2 for 2000 euro thats your failure. If you decide to live in the east you find homes for

[@knijn]

@@user-fq2ty Why didn't you read his message? The second sentence. "It is too expensive".

[@user-fq2ty]

@@knijn I said "Where" no "Why" you motherfucker, don't you know the difference? Why didn't you read my message?

[@PaulineXCX]

I have a Dutch partner … I’m from scotland but grew up in South Africa and afrikaans is a sister language of Dutch …. His English is now really good 👍 now

[@stevehilton4052]

I'm a Brit living in the Netherlands for the best part of 25 years, I've lived in rural zeeland and now the port city of Rotterdam.... I'm afraid I don't recognise half of the comments made here... Yes the taxes are high and the Dutch pretty much play by the rules ( sometimes to the point of being blinkered) But the public transport system especially in the big cities is second to none,in fact in the city a car is a liability, the Netherlands is a very small country with a relatively large population and the majority of towns and cities were built so long ago there was no need for wide streets, and the houses were taxed on the width of the building ( so we have a lot of narrow, long and high buildings in the inner cities, this is not what the young countries with plenty of land are used to....as for the language issue,i know many people who live and work here from all over the world that don't speak Dutch but have English as a first or second language within any problems...( Don't forget there is a labour shortage like everywhere these days and people of all languages are welcome regardless) The health care system is extremely good and so are the labour and employment regulations and workers rights. The Dutch people are nothing like the way described as not easy to get into the circle of friends.....I have some of the closest friends I've ever had both in zeeland and Rotterdam, made just as if I had been in their lives for years and years....... So yes taxes are high,a car can be expensive in the big cities, housing is in a problem but it's being addressed with big building projects all over the country ( which in itself is problematic because of the lack of young people who want to work in the building trade, the good wages and well regulated workplace has attracted lots of East European builders have arrived and make a huge difference, however they also need to be housed which leaves less for the local people, add to that the people who need to be rehoused in order to demolish the older buildings and build new) Living and working here having no Dutch is not only possible but a good experience.....

[@aero1000]

Hoped for some stronger reasons against my country. 1) It's not that expensive, yes taxes are high but you also get a lot in return if you have a low income. It's however difficult to live very extravagant. 2) The Dutch are the best non-native country at speaking English, you will be fine if you only speak English and within cities you can socialize with other expats. Learning Dutch does help of course. 3) Accommodation is fair, it's very difficult to find affordable housing. 4) its expensive to own a car, but the great thing you don't even have to because you can live with just a bike. Half of the people I know within a city do not even have a car and it saves them a few hundred bucks a month. 5) It is always difficult to make friends, Dutch are welcoming but you need to make the first step. They also don't look at you weird if you say I need friends, we understand. 6) The weather, fair. 7) Taxes are high, already mentioned in 1. Yes they are but they also pay for a high quality of living, healthcare, childcare, infrastructure, safety, job security etc. 8) And yes we are direct, but not rude! We like to help and try to give solid advice if you would come to this country and are running into some things. I add 9). Food, if you are a foodie you can of course go to restaurants etc. But it is not as a big thing as in other countries like France or Italy. Only point 3 and 6 are fair. Point 5 is more dependent on you as a person. Point 1 is fair if you want to be a millionaire, show of your Ferrari and expect some praise of how successful you are. We do not do that here.

[@martinhammett8121]

My brother lived & worked in Utrecht for 6 years & doesn't speak Dutch

[@knijn]

Your brother will not be respected as much as foreigners who do learn Dutch. To me it sounds like your brother is lazy or he doesn't care. He won't get my respect.

[@learn1thing]

1. It's expensive if you have an expensive life style. Depending on your occupation and how much you earn life can be easy or hard, that applies to any country not just the Netherlands. 2. You should learn the language of the country you live in but it's hardly required. If you don't you might miss out on important information and opportunities. You should not expect other people to know your native language, there's hundreds of different nationalities in the Netherlands and nobody speaks all the languages. 3. Accomodation, this is a problem. Not just in the Netherlands, there is a global housing shortage which raises prices for both buying and renting and with more people moving to the Netherlands this means more competition for the same limited number of houses. All in all, these "dark sides" are common and global, not something that applies specifically to the Netherlands. You will face the same issues anywhere you decide to move (unless you go to a country where the official language is the same as yours USAUKCanada)

[@buddy1155]

The country is expensive, houses are expensive, cars are expensive, taxes are high, that is just ONE point: the country is expensive. Learning a new language... sure that goes for every country if you doesn't happen to speak that language. Difficult to make new friends .... really depends on the kind of person you are. Weather... the only valid point, the weather sucks. Being direct ... that is a positive point. So it is expensive and the weather sucks, the rest is great.

[@IHateVegans-gf2de]

housing in netherlands is so bad you need to wait like 25+ years of housing register time to get a apartment

[@GG69BLIN]

Yes because our borders are still open

[@GG69BLIN]

"I Hate vegans"😄

[@Man-in-the-green]

Most images and clips are American. Thanks to Getty Images. Old images for example the ‘IAMsterdam’ sign is already gone for many years.

[@Frost_blox]

Me : crying for saying all mean stuff to my country me unsubing

[@marshallward9971]

You telling me these taxes are high, they’re less than the uk and us

[@mopacwestgate]

It's the 2nd most densely populated country in the world( after Tokyo)so of course it's going to be expensive...

[@75225]

country Tokyo???????

[@dutchskyrimgamer.youtube2748]

The Netherlands is the fifth most densely populated countries of Europe.

[@nononsensetaken]

Thank you 👍🏼

[@vogel2280]

Asking for the manager in the Netherlands is a very stupid thing to do! Talking to customers is a task for customer service, not the job of a manager. The manager will be in a meetings about budgets, talking with agencies to outsource staffing, discussing the commissioning of bespoke software. If you insist on talking to the manager, you'll be waiting for a long, long time just to hear that company policy will not be changed just because you are demanding so. Living in Amsterdam? That a mistake only foreigners and die-hard fans make. Dutch people tend to explicitly NOT want to live in Amsterdam. It is similar to seeking permanent residence inside Disney world. It is expensive and the city is smothered by tourists. Amsterdam is an amusement park, not a city. Taxes are high, but they pay for a lot that would be an expense in other countries. (Almost) free education, very cheap healthcare, cheap daycare for working parents.

[@BB-uk4wj]

😂 at your comparison to living in Disney World. In all the videos I've watched, Amsterdam repeatedly sounds unappealing as a destination. Maybe vacation, but even then, maybe not.

[@vogel2280]

@@BB-uk4wj Well, Amsterdam is definitely a pretty city and well worth a VISIT, and then you go somewhere else...

[@-_YouMayFind_-]

Learning a new language is the case for most countries lol. The Netherlands is actually not that bad because most can speak English.

[@cathychats]

As a person that lived in Holland for 10 years I can tell you that the weather REALLY sucks 😅

[@gerrylanter8109]

As someone who lived here all his live I can confirm that.

[@craigmckinley4760]

They give you straight answers when you ask and it's not that expensive in Amsterdam if you live in London or Paris It's their country learn their language - it's courtesy and everyone speaks English anyway unless you go to the country side The people are more open polite and kind as you move out of the cities - like most cities

[@weeardguy]

The biggest problem about this video is that they seem to focus on Amsterdam and then explain it as being a country, while outside of Amsterdam rents are usually lower and especially when you get outside the Randstad, prices can be very mild in general. And about the countryside: I sometimes get the feeling people there speak better English than in big cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Especially the English of members of staff in public transport is sometimes abysmal.

[@lillekenatnek195]

This British guy is the king of nitpicking

[@ParticleX]

The comment about the wheather is incorrect. There are not much days it rains all the time and spending indoor sin winter was maybe a few decades ago. But the mild winters don't allways bring snow or temperatures below zero. Below zero days in winter are rare these days.

[@martinhammett8121]

You don't really need a car because the transport infrastructure is so good !

[@Marco_franceschini]

That's only if you live in the Randstad. And even there, my daily commuting time on public transport/bike is 4 hours.

[@BB-uk4wj]

Learning the national language isn't a disadvantage.😅 That's just decency. I see how foreigners not learning English has negatively impacted America. I wouldn't inflict that on someone else. Common sense and common courtesy. I will learn Dutch if I move to the Netherlands, np.

[@knijn]

You have no choice. if you live here and you speak any other language than Dutch you'll be ignored. Dutch is the official language or you would want to learn Frisian which is only spoken by Frisians.

[@shturmovik3033]

You do not need a car in Holland. The Public transportation is that good. You will gravitate to other expats rather than Dutch friends until you learn Dutch. The weather is worse than you think. In our 8 years there, we had only 5 “good” summers, the bad summers were rainy and cold. Holland is a Police state, you will be observed as a “boutenlander” I.e. outsider.

[@ebalbal3370]

Buitenlander😊

[@mairaineplayzgames2205]

3:43 you forgot about the road taxes!

[@Mrdibzahab]

When you live in a big city in The Netherlands, you DO NOT need a car. And calling a car an investment is funny :)

[@USandGlobal]

That’s every major city in most countries

[@capriciacamacho8178]

I live in NYC… unfortunately taxes and rent prices don’t phase me 😂😂😂

[@BB-uk4wj]

How clean is it? A lot of people in small spaces. I never hear anyone speak to litter or filth (like pests and rodents in buildings for example), recycling, pollution, homelessness, etc. I have seen some stats that mention it is quite clean.

[@darrenislar1053]

high taxes is true, but a visit to the hospital is free. There is an annual fee, but besides that, you don't need to worry about unpayable bills and oh... everyone needs an insurance, but those are far more affordable than in the US. Besides that, I hear that we have great infrastructure, and when you get out of a job ,the government is paying a big part of your salary for a certain amount of time. There are benefits to paying high taxes

[@icommitars0n]

Americans spontaneously combusting when they have to learn a new language when traveling to a new country:

[@Eline_Meijer]

Title: "The Dark Side of Living in The Netherlands" Real Title: "A Tourist Complaining About Everything."

[@JohnDegen_aka_Jeehannes]

As a Dutch person I can say that many of these points are not based on fact. E.g. many Dutch people will not stick to rules very conscientiously

[@gerrylanter8109]

As a Dutch person biking daily in Amsterdam I can confirm that this is absolutely true!

[@hinkhall5291]

Most points except for the part where the govt is tryna discouraging driving sounds like Canada. Except add more Indian people and less walkable or bikeable areas and lack of forthrightness.

[@BenvanBroekhuijsen]

Shopping on Amazon Germany doesn't make sense. As soon as you pay, the VAT will be calculated according to the country it is shipped to. This is European law. Wow and landlords that charge higher rents due to shortage, this litterally happens in EVERY country especially when there is tourism. The facts are so general that you can almost copy them one on one to every European country. You are mentioning the high taxes twice, but you are not mentioning what you get in return for that, a very high level social security system, nor do you mention anything about the subsidies you get when you are earning the minimal wage. I thought that this video would have some sarcastic humouristic view at the Netherlands but this is just rubbish, non informative and one really learns NOTHING from this.

[@johnvanderschee6345]

Although it may seem counterintuitive, shopping on the German Amazon site is cheaper than buying on the Dutch site, I would say 9 out of 10 times. The differences can be substantial. It has nothing to do with btw, which is 2 percent point higher in Germany anyway. This is why I keep my Prime subscription on the German site (can't have'm on both) whilst I live in The Netherlands.

[@BenvanBroekhuijsen]

@@johnvanderschee6345 Yes it is true that the German site is cheaper, but as you say, this is not due to the VAT, which the video is suggesting. How high is the VAT in the Netherlands these days? When I left the country it was 21% and Germany 19% I believe. I live in Portugal and Portugal does not have its own Amazon website so I must use the Spanish one. But I am sure that if we would have one, everything would be more expensive here. Now if I shop something on the Spanish site, the price always goes up because of our ridiculous 23% VAT we have here in Portugal.

[@baronmeduse]

Taxes are high? No pal, the place where you lived before had taxes that were too low or non-existent.

[@deplorablerach]

listen to yourself advocating for more money going to the government instead of private individuals. man..

[@baronmeduse]

@@deplorablerach That's not what I wrote. Any money you get ultimately comes from government issuing it (or its issue via loans which is the same thing via another route). Tax is what happens when it is 'returned' to where it came from as a fiscal space mechanism. The two processes do not operate in a simple see-saw fashion. You don't 'fund' the government. They fund you. Depending on the circumstances you can pay x-level of tax with x-level of spending issue occurring. Low taxation usually means a lower level of government spending, which general means a low level of activity towards the public purpose. When people are being paid adequately they can be taxed adequately.

[@kellysmyth2337]

My adopted son just moved back there after 7 years. He says the whole society is f••••d

[@Tisha750]

Why did he take so long to move back?

[@fagefoo1323]

It's nowadays a bit polarised but this is not the case in the whole society.

[@fbabarbe430]

Maybe hè doesn't like you.

[@fagefoo1323]

But wait. It's very much possible to navigate in English here.

[@ninailia8552]

1. It's super expensive, and lately becomes more and more with very high taxes. Gladly, some second-hand stuff is in good shape, so you can save money from there. 2. Learning a language moving to a new country is something you have to expect anyway when you move. 3.housing is super expensive, unreasonably expensive, and very hard to find one to live in. It is one of the biggest problems in the country. 4.owning a car is not per se so expensive, but owning a new car it is, and becomes worse and worse. 5.it is really difficult to make friends here, to talk to them it is easy, they are ok to talk to,but to really become friends it is a different story. They have friends from childhood and uni and they hardly get out of this bubble. 6. The weather is terrible, and some years like this are worse than others. Too much rain and cloudiness,which I used to like but since I moved here I don't anymore, not to that extent. 7. Taxes are super high, you pay taxes almost for everything, eventually working more it doesn't give you extra cash. 8. The directness is good, but some become super rude or arrogant because they think they are always right. So let's keep it somewhere in between. 9. Spontaneity is not smth Dutch appreciate, they need to have a schedule for everything, if you get them out of this they get frustrated. Something you don't mention is that they have the "normaal doen" mindset, which means blend in, don't do smth will make you different, and that can have a positive and negative effect too, some people here they just compromise to be socially accepted, Dutch or not...

[@c-train3630]

Im american and im the dxact same way.

[@Jaw-waadWesso-by1ok]

I'll still live in the Netherlands no matter what

[@Lea-rb9nc]

If you left there tomorrow, it. Isn't likely you would be missed. I enjoyed the times I spent there and while I don't live in the Netherlands, I do enjoy a number of Dutch friends and neighbors in my small French village and in neighboring villages. When we move to a country that speaks another language it isn't just a hurdle to learn the language but a privilege.

[@bigbuba5212]

"It's expensive to own a car" Sir, that's why I want to move there in the first place

[@DRC85]

Now do Baltimore

[@ronaldkishna8319]

Ik = I Jij = you Hij= he Zij= she Wij = we Jullie = you ( plural) Zij = they Dutch is very doable for basic conversations

[@taufanandriansyah7174]

Kacang hijau 55 hektar

[@chrisbrowning550]

I do agree on learning the language of the country you plan to live, it is only fair and respectful. This is my thoughts on the good and bad points to living in Holland. A good work life balance, as the Dutch are pretty chilled with not working to hard. Infrastructure such as buildings, streets and roads are kept very clean and well maintained. Probably the best roads in Europe. Travel expenses can be funded depending on the company, but I think that's with most companies. Central to most of Europe, so travelling is quicker. You can ride a bike almost anywhere. Feels like a safe place to live, never felt unsafe but I guess that depends on your location. Dutch people seem nice and not so direct as some may think. Good beers. Lots of music cultre and festivals. My bad experiences have to be, Very high taxes, even overtime and company bonuses are taxed at 50% (Crazy!) Houses are small and not cheap. Owning a car is very expensive as to taxes, even public transport is high price. Not much nature to explore, most places feel man made such as beaches and nature parks which makes it very boring. Not easy to find friends here, maybe it is just me but I don’t find it so easy. Almost no Dutch culture with food compared to Germany, France of the south of Europe.

[@pedroRodriguesMD]

You think that this is dark ? Come to Portugal. Same issues, but when yo buy a car, you pay for 2, the minimum wage is not 1800 or 2200 like in the Netherlands, it is 3x LESS, 750 eur a month, and housing almost the same price. And no it is not clean.

[@stevengumanit8507]

Can anybody PLEASE help me to find an old Dutch friend I have not heard from in over 20 years, steven

[@deplorablerach]

he's probably in Florida now

[@sdfjsd]

I wish NotJustBikes would talk about this stuff.

[@roelpiepenbrink700]

Snow in the Netherlands? Max 10 days a year....

[@theijaegers8981]

there is only one reason for this......Negative comments are also comments..

[@Queenbean123]

I d like to add that the childcare is quite expensive and poor quality. It’s not caring and too many part-time care givers whom don’t work full time. We lived in Singapore for 13 years, excited to move to Amsterdam, however things just shocked me and with comparison we left after 6 months. Childcare- expensive, minimum support and care. Public school- rough and basic. Medical care - can’t get anything treated and caused so many problems. Salary isn’t high and tax is insanely high Bad weather - just raining, dark for like 4 months. Food- literally lost appetite to go out. After this 6 months honestly after we moved back to Singapore we felt like we were in a developing country. The amount of care that Singapore schools are kindergartens give to children, they charge 7% tax but provide top notch services, great food everywhere…. I encourage European ppl to Aiden’s some time in Asia, like Hong Kong, Singapore, JAPAN. Korea.. you ll notice that East s rising and life here is better. I hope Europe can find the old glory back, but ppl in general need to have more drive, ambition to work and study. I find the emphasis is too much on benefit, relaxing, ect, this is not going to be sustainable. Even they tax 60%

[@clockworkninja3660]

I didnt see a single "Dark" thing here. Even the tax isnt more than I pay now in my country anyway. Someone was really trying to find issues. Thanks for confirming that my choice to move here is the right one.

[@Celevie]

Being straightforwardness as a necessary trait to being civilised is implemented from the Muslims Spain during the renaissance period

[@SintherX]

Maybe I don't get the entire taxation picture but 36,1% tax it's not that bad. I'm currnetly paying from my salary 43,75% to the goverment - (cries in romanian).

[@erwinlanser]

As a Dutch Guy I’m so glad I moved abroad 🎉

[@gerrylanter8109]

The Dutch may feel the same.......

[@Jacob_._Roberts]

If you don't like living in the Netherlands, I'll gladly trade places with you.

[@knol1969]

It’s 50% bullshit and 50% accurate. The Dutch are one happiest in the world and 18th GDP in the world and 6th GDP in Europe. Good infrastructure, cheap healthcare and almost everyone speaks English. The Neterlands is not much different then Belgium, Germany or Denmark

[@jeweetzelf380]

Love 💕

[@hotjohnny1185]

The Dutch, according to my own personal experiences, are extremely difficult to get along with.

[@fbabarbe430]

And how are your social skills?

[@gerrylanter8109]

Might be "the eye of the beholder"........

[@pjhgerlach]

If you can't stand the heat, leave the kitchen. 😂

[@T13770]

It's whatever you are looking for, just like every country The Netherlands has it's issues. It's mainly pretty full and the past political issues (3-5 years) haven't helped the country at all. The healthcare system is excellent, almost everything is very organized (roads, official systems etc.) and there isn't much room for change if you don't have a budget that is far above average. I was born and raised there and have been living in Spain, Valencia for 3 years now. I love the nature, a bit chaotic system, double parked cars, motorcycles on the sidewalk, affordable houses and being able to just go to the middle of nowhere to have a quite camping weekend. Forget those things if you live in The Netherlands. On the same hand, I know people who love it there, friends of my age (20-30) who wouldn't want anything else. It's the same in any country, pro's and con's, "real" issues and some stuff most people just find annoying. Learn the language, do your research and don't make it more complicated then it has to be. There is no "secret dark side", use your commen sense I would say.

[@connorduke4619]

Most Dutch doctors, dentists and many pediatricians are utterly incompetent and corrupt as well. The Dutch have never had a tradition of high philosophy or virtue ethics and it shows. They tend to have the ethics of uneducated peasant farmers.

[@Nevisblau]

I am a Filipino now but I might have been Dutch in my previous life.

[@moordt]

Lol, the snow 😂😂😂😂😂. I wish we have this amount regularly. That isn't footage from The Netherlands. 😂😂😂😂

[@TheLineCutter]

actual things: housing shortage and bad weather. the rest is really "whèèh" comments. you think moving to another country is hard? YES it is. you dont have to do it! I dont take on the challenge of going under water for 5 minutes and then complain that I couldnt hold my breath for that long. you should know all this before doing it OR you dont do it.

[@Darkscenes-jp4ge]

I'm neutral about the Netherlands I don't like the Netherlands but I don't hate the Netherlands either

[@gerrylanter8109]

I have the same with cauliflower!

[@richthomas9170]

I was Shock the Dutch was such big Haters, and very quick to tell on you.

[@dankfarrik8376]

Big haters of what?

[@GG69BLIN]

?

[@fbabarbe430]

Bit too sensitive. Raised in a too cheltered life?

[@sleepless51]

It comes beautifully packaged, but the real dark side hits when you have to deal with housing, bureaucracy, banks, competition (job), double-standards, etc. These things can also be considered as standard things, but the difficulty level in the Netherlands is a bit higher if you're a new comer. If you know the joke about "tourism and immigration", you know what I mean.

[@mrklein4948]

As a Dutch person I can confirm 80% of this video is true

[@gtggdc325]

Not about the health care, we far more developed health wise worldwide

[@wal008able]

You are free to go explore a better place for you. Success with that

[@knijn]

@@gtggdc325 Health care is super expensive here. You pay €150 each month for health insurrance and sometimes the medical bill is not high enough for the insurrance company to cover it for you and you have to pay the bill yourself. We call it 'eigen risico' (self-risk).

[@knijn]

@@wal008able Or he can just stay here and complain all he wants. It's not for you to decide what people should do in their lives.

[@gerrylanter8109]

@@knijn "Eigen risico" ("own risk") only means that the first 385 Euro's for medical costs (except visits to your GP) must be paid by yourself, after which everything else is free, no matter how high the bill (you won't even see) might be. It's a fixed amount, that's part of the health insurance system. So what you say is not true.

[@karel-de-Grote]

The dark side of You Tube: videos like this. Seriously: Have you been betrayed by a Dutch partner? Did he leave you for a nicer partner?

[@bloo4448]

This is read from the internet, have read it word for word online….

[@MisterMotel]

02:05 You have to wait an eternity to speak to the manager? If you are a Karen that needs to speak to the manager all the time we dont want you here.

[@bramrieuwers9719]

Learning a language shouldn't be a problem. because most the Dutch citizens speaks at least English.