Paula, a Spanish national who Lived in Holland for about two yearssave “The month I make the least is between 800 and the month I make the most is between 1,000 or 1,100”The rent is about 2,000 euros per month, including water and electricity, of which their share is 1,000 euros. “Yes, it is true that it is expensive”by admitting; The difficulty in finding accommodation is due to the fact that, in his words, “Here in Holland the demand is high and the supply is low.”Which means the price, according to him, “a little extra”.
Insurance is mandatory in the country of residence and work And it costs 142 euros per month; She is paid about 129 euros from the state, so, according to her calculations, Paula’s personal expenses are about 11 or 12 euros per month: the aid is determined based on each person’s income.
Their other regular costs are the gym, with 38 euros, and the telephone line with unlimited data in exchange for a promotion for under 30s with 25 euros. Paula and her boyfriend (with whom she shares a house) have a joint account where they each deposit 150 euros for shopping, but their average spending on food (both hers and her boyfriend’s) is 300-350 euros per month.
They travel in a shared car that runs on gas, but consumes gasoline, costing 80 euros per month, part of which is paid to Paula by his company for kilometers traveled. Also Leisure spends between 300 and 350 euros per monthSo it adds subscriptions like Netflix, Prime or Spotify. He has some money left over, especially what he doesn’t spend from his bank account, and saves 180-190 euros per month in an investment account. at best, Paula can save around 1,200 euros per month with these two types of accounts.
Although Paula does not mention her income (which makes it difficult to calculate savings based on expenses), the sum of rent (1,000 euros for Paula), insurance (11 or 12 euros, once help is excluded), gym (38 euros), cell phone (25 euros), half of food (half like 150 euros) 300-350 euros, since she and her boyfriend spend that amount between them), gasoline (80 euros, of which her company is a part) takes) and retirement (300-350 euros) between 1,600 and 1,700 euros per month (if 80 euros or more of fuel is included). Undoubtedly, save according to your potential, Deduct the above mentioned amount from your salary.
How health support works
D Social benefits seem to be zortoeslag And, according to the Netherlands Tax Agency (Belastingdienst), in 2026 it can be accessed with an annual income of up to 40,857 euros for a single person for benefit purposes and up to 51,142 euros for a couple with benefit purposes. The assets of the beneficiary as of 1 January are also subject to a maximum and are 146,011 euros in the first case and 184,633 euros in the second case.
As income increases, your payment decreases. For example, in the case of a single person with a countable income of up to 29,500 euros, or in the case of two persons jointly, in 2026, according to the official table, the benefit amounts to 129 euros per month and 246 euros per month for two persons (not 129 euros per person). The benefit amount does not depend on the insurance premium.
According to the information provided by Paula, she is subsidized around 129 euros per month; It does not specify whether the government considers whether she and her boyfriend are part of a family unit or not for purposes of calculating aid
The application process is uniquevia Internet and DigiD (official Dutch identification); Once granted, it continues to be collected annually as long as the conditions are met. To do this, you must meet the requirements, including having basic health insurance in the Netherlands and Dutch nationality or a residence permit issued by the Dutch government; Paula, a Spanish national, said she welcomed it; The Dutch government website does not specify how EU citizens are granted.
which does not enter your account
Two other problems do not appear in Paula’s account.: First, if you work for a Dutch employer and pay payroll tax there (which is not clearly stated), the basic insurance period is four months; Anyone who waits too long risks being fined and unless they are self-insured, care is at their own expense.
Also The deductible to be paid by the insured needs to be taken into consideration Before insurance covers care; This is a standard payment of €385 (in 2026) per person aged 18 or over. Among other things, visiting general practitioners and home nursing are excluded from the franchise.
In July 2026 the cost of rental homes rose by an average of 4.4%, 4.5% in freehold housing and 3.8% in existing contracts without tenant changes (according to CBS, Dutch Statistical Office) This is a lower percentage than was registered in this type of operations in previous years: 4.9% in 2025 and 5.4% in 2024.
To increase this percentage in perspective, Emancipation Observatory of the Youth Council of SpainBased on data from mid-2024, indicates that the median rent for a free home was 1,072 euros per month, which represents 102.3% of the median net salary of a young salaried person who wants to live alone.
A related Genbeta article included information on the evolution of salary vs. rent for representatives of Generation Z.
The last update of information on Dutch health insurance and support took place on September 15, 2026, with the publication of the Netherlands’ budget for 2027.
Right now, the Dutch government expects the average premium to increase by 12.50 euros, reaching 169 euros per month in 2027; The maximum amount of insurance assistance for a person without a partner for the purpose of assistance will be 140 euros, and the deductible amount will be 400 euros; That is, the maximum aid will increase by 11 euros compared to an increase of 12.50 euros in the average insurance premium; Individual costs will depend on the insurer in each specific case, so Paula’s situation in 2027 will be subject to change.
Picture | Paula’s TikTok with edits
