Photo by Kireyonok_Yuliya
Moving to a new country will always be a lot like groping in the dark, hoping to find purchase. For overseas Filipinos in the Netherlands, understanding the cost of livingis a crucial first step in building a new life.
The Netherlands is known for its high quality of life, but this comes with a different financial reality compared to the Philippines. Based on the real-life experiences Maya Butalid shares in her book Chasing Windmills, we can learn what to expect. Her journey from activist to city councillor in Tilburg shows that success is possible. Still, it requires adapting to a new system, learning the language, and managing a different set of expectations.
Let’s explore what the cost of living in the Netherlands truly means for a Filipino starting this journey.
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Securing a Home and Paying Rent
Your most considerable expense will be your home. Housing costs and rent prices in the Netherlands are much higher than in the Philippines, comparatively speaking.
The Dutch government provides a strong social safety net for its citizens, yet finding an affordable place to live, especially in urban areas, can be a bit difficult. Maya’s experience–as she writes in her book–shows this to be true, but the type of housing and its location significantly affect your budget and lifestyle.
Maya also observed the stark difference in how poverty looks.
In the Philippines, poverty often means lacking basic necessities such as shelter and food–but in the Dutch welfare state, poverty is more hidden but deeply felt.
“I saw for the first time how it was to be poor in the Netherlands. It is indeed not like in the Philippines, since they have the basic things in life, but in a way, it was not really better. I remember telling myself then that I would rather live as poor in the Philippines than as poor in the Netherlands as long as I am healthy.”
This quote highlights a key point: while the system provides a roof, the cost of living in the Netherlands can create a different kind of strain.
Understanding Grocery and Food Prices
After housing, your weekly grocery bill is a significant part of your average monthly expenses in the Netherlands. Grocery and food prices there are higher than in the Philippines, but the quality and variety are also different.
Cooking at home is the most cost-effective way to eat. You will find familiar Asian ingredients in specialty stores, but they will be more expensive than in Manila or Cebu. Local Dutch supermarkets like Albert Heijn, Jumbo, and Lidl offer good quality.
Due to high prices, eating out at restaurants is a luxury rather than part of a daily routine.
Adjusting your food spending is a practical way to adapt to the cost of living in the Netherlands. You may have to eat less rice, discover new types of vegetables, and find that pandesal is a special treat from a Filipino store rather than a daily breakfast.
Navigating Dutch Healthcare and Insurance
The Dutch healthcare system is world-class, but operates very differently from the Philippines.
“The Netherlands has a good universal health care system.”
A mandatory and central part of your average monthly expenses will be your Dutch healthcare and insurance premiums.
You pay a monthly premium to a private insurer (around €120-€140 per month for adults). On top of this, there is an annual “own risk” (eigen risico) amount of about €385 that you need to pay out of pocket for specific treatments.
This system covers doctors, hospital stays, and most essential care.
Maya experienced this system firsthand, especially during her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in a Dutch hospital.
The care was excellent, but the system is highly bureaucratic. Therefore, you must be proactive in managing appointments and understanding your policy. While the system provides security, the monthly premium is a fixed cost you must account for.
Unlike the Philippines, where you might pay out of pocket for many things, in the Netherlands, your healthcare and insurance premiums are a non-negotiable part of the cost of living that protects you from catastrophic bills but does require monthly budgeting on your part.
Budgeting for Transportation Costs
The Netherlands has fantastic public transportation. Bicycles are king, and trains and buses connect the entire country. Transportation costs and public transit fees are a necessary part of your budget, but they can be managed smartly.
Maya’s stories are full of mentions about trains and buses, from her early panic at not understanding station announcements to her later work as a city councillor debating bus routes. Learning to navigate this system is part of the integration process. She writes about the importance of language in avoiding that feeling of helplessness at a train station.
For daily life, a bicycle is the cheapest and healthiest option. Most Dutch cities are designed for bikes. For longer distances, the train network is efficient but expensive if you buy single tickets. Most commuters, though, use a reloadable public transport card (OV-chipkaart) or subscribe to monthly discount plans to offset costs.
Photo by freepik
A Final Word and Your Next Step
Living in the Netherlands as a Filipino is a rewarding journey that reshapes your understanding of home, family, and self.
The cost of living in the Netherlands is high, but the returns—stability, healthcare, education, and a chance to build a new identity—can be immense.
And as Maya Butalid’s life proves, the journey is worth it. Go out chasing your own windmills, face challenges head-on, walk long distances (literally, as she did in the Four Day Marches), and find your unique place in a new land.
To truly understand the depth of this migrant journey—the struggles, the triumphs, the personal cost and the priceless gains—there is no better guide than Maya’s own words.
Get your copy of Maya Butalid’s book, Chasing Windmills.
