Netherlands
Europe
Key facts
- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Population
- 18,087,633
- 2025
- Area
- 41,540 km²
- Official language
- Dutch
- Currency
- Euro
- EUR
- GDP per capita
- US$73,684
- 2025
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed with conditions
- Dual citizenship is generally not allowed, but exceptions let some naturalising foreigners and Dutch citizens abroad keep both nationalities.
Netherlands (Europe) has data on 11/14 Prosperous Intelligence indices. Strongest relative position: Passport Index — #3/198 (96.3/100). Lowest relative position: Tax Freedom Index — #141/145 (38.3/100). The passport ranks #3/198 and reaches 202 destinations without a consular visa in advance. Global Citizenship Score 82.4/100 (#12/199). On the entry side, 92/197 passports can enter Netherlands without a consular visa in advance. The dataset records 3 active citizenship and residence programmes in Netherlands.
Scores on 11 indices
- Health & Longevity84.5
- Safety & Stability92.1
- Economy & Income79.4
- Education89.2
- Environment & Clean Water70.2
- Infrastructure99.4
- Digital Connectivity81.9
- Equality93.8
- Learning Quality92.3
- Expected Years of Schooling88.9
- Education Spending75.1
- Basic Access100.0
- Violent Crime99.0
- Stability & Absence of Terrorism73.3
- Law Enforcement & Order99.4
- Road Safety93.4
- Absence of Armed Conflict100.0
- Health Outcomes96.1
- Coverage & Access94.5
- Health Workforce & Facilities59.0
- Spending & Investment78.5
- Financial Protection87.1
- Personal Income Tax10.0
- Capital Gains & Dividends69.0
- System & Incentives45.0
- Net Wealth Tax64.0
- Inheritance & Gift Tax28.9
- Corporate & Social Security15.8
- Rule of Law & Property Rights99.0
- Political Stability73.3
- Institutions & Regulation98.1
- Financial Soundness57.0
- Monetary Stability69.6
- Freedom of Capital Movement100.0
- Education89.2
- Healthcare84.5
- Safety92.1
- Quality of Life85.6
- Cost of living42.4
- Passport96.3
- Passport96.3
- Quality of Life85.6
- Safety92.1
- Healthcare84.5
- Purchasing power & price stability66.2
- Education89.2
- Wealth Protection84.0
- Tax38.3
- Cost of living42.4
- Healthcare84.5
- Safety92.1
- Quality of Life85.6
- Tax38.3
- Wealth Protection84.0
- Affordable Prices30.7
- Price Stability69.6
- Purchasing power65.3
Monthly living costs
- Total incl. rentUS$3,038Rank 21 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$610Rank 19 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$2,563Rank 22 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$101Rank 11 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$177Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$130Rank 21 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$67Rank 17 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 2 adults, 2 primary-school children
- Total incl. rentUS$4,547Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$1,300Rank 17 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$3,520Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$324Rank 11 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$353Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$261Rank 18 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$88Rank 16 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- International school (reference)US$1,838Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 4 schools, US$514–US$2,585 a month; not included in the totals
At a glance
Entering Netherlands
- Visa-free: 92 passports
- Visa on arrival: 0 passports
- eTA: 0 passports
- e-Visa: 0 passports
- Consular visa required: 105 passports
Regional position and data sources
- First in Europe on 0/11 indices
- Above the regional median on 8/11 indices
- Each index lists its source and data date on the Data sources page
Citizenship and residence programmes in the dataset
- Residence permit self-employed person (essential Dutch interest)
- Residence permit for a start-up (IND)
- Startup visa (residence permit for foreign startups)
Frequently asked questions about the Netherlands
What is the capital of the Netherlands?
The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam.
What is the population of the Netherlands?
According to the World Bank, the Netherlands had a population of 18,087,633 in 2025.
What is the official language of the Netherlands?
The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch.
What currency does the Netherlands use?
The Netherlands uses the Euro (EUR).
Does the Netherlands allow dual citizenship?
Dual citizenship is generally not allowed, but exceptions let some naturalising foreigners and Dutch citizens abroad keep both nationalities.
How strong is the Netherlands passport?
The Netherlands passport ranks #3 of 198 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Passport Index and reaches 202 destinations without applying for a consular visa in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA).
How many destinations require a visa for Netherlands passport holders?
Holders of the Netherlands passport must apply for a consular visa before travelling to 14 destinations and need an e-Visa for 31. Full list: Netherlands passport page.
How many passports can enter the Netherlands without applying for a visa in advance?
92 of 197 passports can enter the Netherlands without applying for a consular visa in advance: 92 visa-free. 105 must apply for a consular visa.
What citizenship and residency programmes does the Netherlands offer?
The Prosperous Intelligence dataset records 3 active citizenship and residency programmes in the Netherlands: Residence permit self-employed person (essential Dutch interest), Residence permit for a start-up (IND) and Startup visa (residence permit for foreign startups). Details: Opportunity Map.
How long does an application take in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, an application under Residence permit self-employed person (essential Dutch interest) takes about 2–4 months, Residence permit for a start-up (IND) about 1–3 months and Startup visa (residence permit for foreign startups) about 2–3 months (reference processing time).
How long does it take to become a citizen of the Netherlands through these programmes?
Through Residence permit self-employed person (essential Dutch interest), citizenship of the Netherlands is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Residence permit for a start-up (IND), citizenship of the Netherlands is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Startup visa (residence permit for foreign startups), citizenship of the Netherlands is possible after about 5 years, after a period of permanent residence (reference time).
How many days a year do you need to spend in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, Residence permit for a start-up (IND) requires 0 days of physical presence a year (reference figure).
Can family members join programmes in the Netherlands?
All 3 programmes can include spouse and children under 18.
Where is the Netherlands strongest and weakest in Prosperous Intelligence’s indices?
Relative to other countries, the Netherlands is strongest on the Passport Index (#3 of 198) and weakest on the Tax Freedom Index (#141 of 145).
How does the Netherlands rank for quality of life?
The Netherlands scores 85.6/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Quality of Life Index, ranking #10 of 211.
Is the Netherlands expensive to live in?
The Netherlands scores 42.4/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Cost of Living Index, ranking #170 of 200. This is the affordability-of-living-costs score: a higher score means lower prices.
How safe is the Netherlands?
The Netherlands scores 92.1/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Global Safety Index, ranking #21 of 203.
How does the Netherlands rank for healthcare?
The Netherlands scores 84.5/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Healthcare Index, ranking #14 of 192.
How does the Netherlands rank for education?
The Netherlands scores 89.2/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Education Index, ranking #4 of 191.
How does the Netherlands rank on taxes?
The Netherlands scores 38.3/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Tax Freedom Index, ranking #141 of 145. Detailed tax rates: Tax Freedom Index.
What the profile contains
- Key facts from government and international sources
- Scores and global ranks on 11 Prosperous Intelligence indices
- Entry rules, passport strength and residency programmes
Why the profile matters
- Compare one country across many criteria on a single page
- Not a substitute for legal, tax or investment advice
Method
- How each index is scored and weighted
- The limits of the data and how to check official sources
