Skip to main content
Netherlands News in English

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Enjoying a drink on a terrace in The Hague
Enjoying a drink on a terrace in The Hague - Credit: kruwt / DepositPhotos - License: DepositPhotos
Business
The Hague
Rotterdam
Amsterdam
Eindhoven
expat
livability
Best Cities to Live for European Expats
ECA International
Saturday, 22 February 2020 - 09:00

Share this article:

Four Dutch cities among 15 best places for European expats

The Hague, Eindhoven, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam all made it into the top 15 of the best cities to live for European expats ranking by mobility consultant ECA International. The Netherlands and Switzerland are the only two countries with four cities in the top 20.

ECA ranked 480 large cities on livability factors including availability of health services, housing and utilities, access to social network and leisure activities, political tensions, personal safety, and air quality. The Hague was the Netherlands' best scoring city, ranking in 3rd place along with Geneva. Eindhoven came in 5th place, Amsterdam in 7th, and Rotterdam in 12th.

Denmark's Copenhagen and Switzerland's Bern came in joint 1st place thanks to their clean air, good facilities and low crime rate.

“Northern European cities in places such as Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Switzerland, have consistently scored well for expat livability," ECA analyst Neil Ashman said. "Excellent transport links, a high standard of healthcare and long-term political stability, mean that overseas workers from elsewhere in Europe can adapt to these locations with ease.”

Top 20 most livable locations for European expatriates:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

1. Bern, Switzerland

3. The Hague, Netherlands

3. ​Geneva, Switzerland

5. Eindhoven, Netherlands

5. Stavanger, Norway

7. Amsterdam, Netherlands

7. Basel, Switzerland

9. Dublin, Ireland

9. ​Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

9. ​Gothenburg, Sweden

12. ​Aarhus, Denmark

12. ​Rotterdam, Netherlands

14. ​Zurich, Switzerland

15. ​Bonn, Germany

15. ​Munich, Germany

17. ​Vienna, Austria

17. ​Hamburg, Germany

19. ​Stockholm, Sweden

19. ​Edinburgh, United Kingdom

More like this

Image
An election monitor escorts a handful of voters into the polling place at the Muiderkerk in Amsterdam-Oost. 18 March 2026
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht voter turnout below dismal 2022 local election
Image
A polling station in Amsterdam-Oost for the municipal elections on 18 March 2026
Utrecht, Groningen see highest early turnout in Municipal Elections voting
Image
Snow falls on the A4 along the southern edge of Schiphol Airport, near Amsterdam and Badhoevedorp. 15 Feb. 2026
Some 575 flights cancelled, delayed at Schiphol amid snow; 50 more affected tomorrow
Image
Dutch police station.
Police statistics show stable overall crime, record low burglaries, rising drug offenses
Make NL Times your top Google source

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Men drugging, raping wives & girlfriends on camera is "next level" criminality: Police
  • Video: Suspected tornado whips through village near Enschede, damaging homes
  • European Sleeper drops Amsterdam from Milan night train plan, adds Breda, Eindhoven
  • Online retailer Wehkamp acquired by Dutch fashion group Omoda
  • Stretch your holiday pay: Bunq makes vakantiegeld last with 2.51% savings interest promo

Top stories

  • Video: Suspected tornado whips through village near Enschede, damaging homes
  • Dutch companies imported €2 billion worth of dangerous designer drugs from India
  • Rate of birth complications higher in poorer neighborhoods
  • At least 8 Dutch men suspected of drugging, raping, filming their wives, girlfriends
  • Court rules Ye can remain in Netherlands for Arnhem performances this week

© 2012-2026, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Change Privacy Settings
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Partner Content