GeraHome / EU Value Index / Netherlands vs Portugal
Netherlands vs Portugal: salary & cost of living
Which offers better value? A real Eurostat comparison of take-home pay and cost of living, with each country’s Gera EU Value Index.
Netherlands vs Portugal: which is better value to live in?
As of 2024, Netherlands offers better salary-to-cost value than Portugal on the Gera EU Value Index (115.4 vs 78.7, a 36.7-point gap, EU≈100). Netherlands pays €34,223 net a year versus €18,835 in Portugal; cost-of-living indices are 120.1 and 96.9. Figures from Eurostat (earnings & price levels).
Netherlands vs Portugal — head to head
| Metric | Netherlands | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Net annual take-home pay | €34,223 | €18,835 |
| PPS earnings index (EU=100) | 123 | 90.3 |
| Cost of living (EU=100) | 120.1 | 96.9 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 115.4 | 78.7 |
| EU value rank (of 27) | #8 | #21 |
Compare your salary in Netherlands and Portugal
Index your take-home pay against the EU norm in both
How far does your salary go in the EU?
Enter a net (take-home) salary and pick two EU countries. We index it against the EU norm using the same real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living figures behind the Gera EU Value Index.
| Metric | Netherlands | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary, locally | €35,000 | €35,000 |
| Salary value vs EU norm | 118.1 | 120.4 |
| Local cost of living (EU=100) | 120.1 | 117.8 |
| Typical local net pay | €34,223 | €35,824 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 115.4 (#8) | 123.2 (#2) |
On €35,000 a year, your salary stretches further in Austria — a value index of 120.4 against the EU norm of 100, because its cost of living is 117.8 (EU=100). The same salary indexes 118.1 in Netherlands and 120.4 in Austria. The Gera EU Value Index median is 94.9.
Netherlands vs Portugal — FAQ
- Is Netherlands or Portugal better value to live in?
- Netherlands offers better salary-to-cost value on the Gera EU Value Index (115.4 vs 78.7, EU≈100, 2024). Netherlands pays €34,223 net a year and Portugal €18,835; their cost-of-living indices are 120.1 and 96.9. Figures from Eurostat.
- Where is the salary higher — Netherlands or Portugal?
- Netherlands has the higher net annual take-home pay at €34,223 versus €18,835 in Portugal, for a single person at 100% of the average wage (Eurostat earn_nt_net, 2024). A higher salary does not always mean better value once cost of living is taken into account.
- Where is the cost of living lower — Netherlands or Portugal?
- Portugal has the lower cost of living, with a Gera EU Cost Index of 96.9 versus 120.1 (EU average ≈ 100), built from Eurostat price levels and household energy prices.
Moving to a new country in Europe?
From installs and repairs to a full home setup, GeraHome connects you to vetted local tradespeople. Get free quotes in minutes.
Full reports
Contains public sector information published by Eurostat (European Commission) and licensed under the Eurostat reuse policy (© European Union — free reuse with attribution). Source: Eurostat — Net annual earnings (earn_nt_net), single person at 100% of average wage (2024 (earnings) · 2024 price levels / 2025-S2 energy (cost of living), published 2025 (Eurostat earnings release)).