10 Best Places to Retire in Netherlands

Spending your retirement days in the “Land of Tulips and Windmills” will be great and to see why to continue reading our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands.

Located in Western Europe, the Netherlands is a country with a mild climate, high social tolerance and high level of happiness. It became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001 and has a progressive policy when it comes to drugs. Maybe it is due to all marijuana smoking, but according to the World Happiness Report, the Netherlands is the 6th happiest country in the world. To put things in context, Norway is the happiest country, the United States are ranked on the 14 place while the Central African Republic is dead last.

In terms of healthcare, the Netherlands tops all other European countries. According to Euro Health Consumer Index, the Netherlands is the country with the best healthcare in Europe and has been in top three since the first report from 2005. Health insurance is mandatory for all citizens and residents. Each person is part of the government’s health insurance system when it comes to long-term health issues. For short-term health issues, the person has to obtain health insurance from one of the numerous private companies. The country has more than 160 primary care centers with 24 hours/ 7 days a week open surgeries. Due to this, the country doesn’t have a large number of hospitals, so you should have that in mind when looking at our hospital to population ratio. If you would like to settle in the Nordic region, but still want a quality healthcare, check out our list of 10 Best Places to Retire in Sweden.

According to The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report from World Economic Forum from 2017 the Netherlands finds itself in 19th place when it comes to safety and security. The Crime and Safety report from The United States Overseas Security Advisory Council tells us that violent crimes are uncommon in the country, but they still occur in cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Pickpocketing, frauds and petty thefts happen often especially in public transportation and around touristic attractions. The burglaries are one of the common crimes, and burglars often scout the residencies for a longer period of time, engaging in crime when the residents are out.  Protest and demonstrations are common all over the country, but they are mostly peaceful.

In order to create our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands, we decided to think more outside of the box than usual. Since we only found recommendations for a small number of high profile cities, we decided to turn to The Atlas voor Gemeenten report (second source on English) about the best Dutch cities to live in. The ranking was based on numerous factors like the cultural offer, safety, and proximity to nature among others. We then took the first 10 cities we could obtain the cost of living index for and gave them points for ranking on the list, cost of living index (Numbeo) and hospital to population ratio (Google Maps). After summing all up in our IM score, we got our list. Although provided, weather averages (World Weather Online) didn’t contribute to the final score, since there isn’t much of a difference between the cities.  You should note that the cost of living index is to be compared with New York and its index of 100.00 while hospital to population ratio tells us (in theory) how many people are assigned to one hospital. Weather averages (temperature, rainy and sunny days) can tell you the lowest and highest monthly averages in the past year. Let’s get on with the list of best places to retire in the Netherlands.

10. Arnhem

IM Score: 10
Cost of Living Index: 79.08
Hospital to Population Ratio: 75,678
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 13
Temperature: 39/68°F
Rainy Days: 13/30
Sunny Days: 1/14

We will start with the city that has the least amount of sunny days on our list. Still, you’ll find plenty of things to enjoy in like numerous museums and art galleries, sports events and music venues. The city also has one of the biggest Zoo centers in the Netherlands and a beautiful national park set on more than 21 square miles.

9. Tilburg

IM Score: 11
Cost of Living Index: 19
Hospital to Population Ratio: 52,572
Best Cities to Live in Rank:
Temperature: 40/69°F
Rainy Days: 13/28
Sunny Days: 1/16

Being a part of EU Intercultural Cities Programme, Tilburg, the next on our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands is perfect for those who like diversity and getting in touch with different cultures. It offers plenty of recreational and cultural attractions whether you are an indoor or outdoor person.

8. Rotterdam

IM Score: 11
Cost of Living Index: 74.69
Hospital to Population Ratio: 110,444
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 17
Temperature: 41/68°F
Rainy Days: 11/28
Sunny Days: 2/16

Rotterdam is the second largest city in the country and largest port in Europe. The city will amaze you with an architectural landscape that represents a perfect blend between the historical buildings and modern architecture. In case you love sports, you’ll love it in Rotterdam. The city hosts many sports events including baseball games (which are hard to come by in Europe) and F1 race.

7. Amsterdam

IM Score: 15
Cost of Living Index: 85.23
Hospital to Population Ratio: 73,960
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 1
Temperature: 40/67°F
Rainy Days: 11/24
Sunny Days: 3/18

Although you may think a city like Amsterdam deserves a higher position on our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands, there are still some things that don’t make it an ideal retirement destination. Besides being the country’s largest and most populated city it is also the most expensive one. The things get worse with 5 million tourists a year. If you can hold up with all of that, the reward will be big. The city is the Netherlands’ cultural center and a place where you’ll always have something to see or do. One more reason for Amsterdam’s popularity are coffee shops where selling and consuming cannabis is allowed. And there is the city’s Red light district, but surely you don’t want to know much about that.

6. The Hague

IM Score: 15
Cost of Living Index: 77.94
Hospital to Population Ratio: 104,140
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 6
Temperature: 42/68°F
Rainy Days: 16/27
Sunny Days: 2/14

Although it isn’t the capital of the country, the Hague that’s up next on our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands hosts almost all important government bodies of the Netherlands, embassies and international organizations. Although it may be a bit uptight, the city has plenty of offerings for those who wish to live here and is surprisingly less expensive than you would think. The Hague is a home to a large community of expats, so you’ll always be able to find someone to share the homesickness with.

5. Eindhoven

IM Score: 17
Cost of Living Index: 75.06
Hospital to Population Ratio: 69,840
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 12
Temperature: 40/69°F
Rainy Days: 13/30
Sunny Days: 2/16

If you looking to live in a bigger city that isn’t a concrete jungle, welcome to Eindhoven, the number five on our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands. The city has the biggest percentage of green space compared to all other big cities in the Netherlands. This is why you’ll be able to enjoy in outdoor recreation. Eindhoven also has a vibrant cultural life and hosts numerous festivals.

4. Haarlem

IM Score: 19
Cost of Living Index: 80.82
Hospital to Population Ratio: 38,939
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 4
Temperature: 40/68°F
Rainy Days: 11/25
Sunny Days: 4/16

Although it has the second biggest cost of living index on our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands, Haarlem has a charm that may win you over. It offers a choice between the urban residential areas and quiet neighborhoods where you’ll have your desired peace and quiet. The major selling point of the city is the fact that you’ll need around 15 minutes to get to Amsterdam.

3. Utrecht

IM Score: 22
Cost of Living Index: 78.27
Hospital to Population Ratio: 42,312
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 2
Temperature: 40/68°F
Rainy Days: 13/27
Sunny Days: 2/15

Before Amsterdam became the country’s cultural center, that role used to belong to Utrecht. That is still visible in the city’s architecture and the fact that Utrecht hosts the largest number of cultural events in the Netherlands after Amsterdam. Throw in the mix the largest student population in the country, and you’ll get a buzzing city that always has an interesting offer on the table for a Friday night or Sunday afternoon.

2. Zwolle

IM Score: 22
Cost of Living Index: 73.89
Hospital to Population Ratio: 37,268
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 16
Temperature: 38/67°F
Rainy Days: 13/28
Sunny Days: 2/16

We are continuing our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands with Zwolle that is a bit quieter city that doesn’t have as many cultural attractions like Amsterdam or Utrecht, but it still shouldn’t be discarded. You’ll get the best hospital to population ratio and second lowest cost of living index on our list. Besides the architectural beauty and numerous monuments, Zwolle is also known as the place to go if you like good food.

1. Nijmegen

IM Score: 23
Cost of Living Index: 72.55
Hospital to Population Ratio: 42,693
Best Cities to Live in Rank: 8
Temperature: 39/68°F
Rainy Days: 13/29
Sunny Days: 1/17

It may have been a long journey, but we are finally at the end of our list of best places to retire in the Netherlands. Nijmegen is the country’s oldest city, being known in Roman times and has a great historical and cultural heritage. There is more. You won’t have to break the bank to settle here. It is the cheapest city to live in on our list. If that is not enough, then Nijmegen’s rivers, forests, hills, parks, and gardens will surely seal the deal.