Last week I published who married a Dutchman Nikki and moved in with him. Lena spoke about the peculiarities of the mentality, learning the language, culture in a new country.
This part of the interview turned out to be more material: how much do a mortgage and housing cost, insurance, and a grocery basket … Read on, it’s very interesting!
House In The Netherlands
They say that in the Netherlands it is more profitable to take out a mortgage than to rent a house.
Yes, it’s true. Mortgages here are very affordable, with 2-3% per annum, and the total amount is issued for 30 years. It turns out that you need to pay from 800 to 1000 euros per month. The money seems to be rather big, but the rent costs the same, and at the same time you can be asked to pack your things at any time.
And what kind of housing do they choose to buy: large country houses or modern, more compact buildings?
It depends on many factors: the number of children, income, area … But more, of course, they prefer separate houses. Very popular in the Netherlands are small, two or three-story adjoining houses. It turns out that you have your own house, but there are neighbors to the right and left. The Netherlands is a very densely populated country, so every meter is used for building here. Often there is a garden near the houses. Although, probably, three trees and a lawn can hardly be called a garden. But the Dutch are very happy about this, they have a place to sit in the summer, have a barbecue.
By the way, many of our friends were very surprised when they found out that Nikki and I were temporarily living with our parents while we were collecting money for our own housing. For the Dutch, this is almost a disgrace. Although in Ukraine this is a common situation. But here, usually, if you live with a guy and a girl, then separated from your parents. Yes, and the parents themselves are much easier and easier to release their children into the big world.
Do you need a down payment for a mortgage?
No. If you are satisfied with the conditions, then you just go to the bank and draw up an agreement. You spend only on a notary and some banking services. And then monthly payments. And that’s it.
By the way, here people are not tied to real estate. If a person has a mortgage for 30 years, then he should not live there all this time. You can again come to the bank, make a recount and sell the property. And you can sell not to someone who already has the full amount on hand, but in the same way – in a mortgage. It is very convenient, you feel free.
And how much does a one-room apartment or a small house cost?
In our town, an old apartment (70-the 80s) up to a hundred square meters can be bought for 170,000 euros. In Amsterdam, of course, the prices are different, the older the housing, the more expensive it is, because these are architectural monuments. The price of a separate house in our village starts from 250,000, but again, it all depends on the condition of the building, size …
And what is the level of salaries and taxation?
Here, many people live at about the same level. Of course, there are rich people, but this is not as conspicuous as it is with us. There really is a middle class here. The tax system is quite complicated, but the bottom line is that the more you earn, the more taxes you pay. For example, if you officially receive 2800 euros, then, taking into account the deduction of taxes on your hands, you will receive 1900-2000. And if you have a minimum wage, then you can still receive 200-300 euros from the state as assistance. And it turns out that, for example, someone receives 2,000 euros, and you get 1,500, plus 300 euros from the state: you still end up at approximately the same level.
And what is the salary of the middle class in the Netherlands?
In order to live normally by Dutch standards, it is enough to receive net (already with taxes deducted) 2000-2500 euros.
But here is a slightly different concept of “normal”. For example, in Ukraine, it was very difficult for me to collect money, for example, for the same vacation. And even now, when I arrived in Ukraine, my mother tells me: “Gather up money so that you can buy a normal jacket for yourself next winter.” And I understand that two years ago I also thought like that, I collected it for a jacket, jeans, rest. Of course, I did not sit on breadcrumbs, but I had every hryvnia in my account. There is no problem with this. Every Dutchman who goes on vacation abroad at least once a year doesn’t save up for a jacket or jeans… Yes, they are scrupulous in financial matters, but it doesn’t come to redneck. Everyone has a savings account, a financial cushion that they can count on in unusual situations.
How do you and Nikki plan your budget? Sit down and write down where, how much you can spend?
Something like this, but it also depends on the family. For example, we can save more because we live with our parents. We consider, for example, this is for insurance, this is for a trip to Ukraine, the rest is for a savings account. In families with children, things are a little different: children’s goods and services are very expensive. But the essence of this planning is that there is something to postpone. There is no such thing as holding out until payday or borrowing money until payday. The Dutch feel calm, they are confident in the future.
Dutch Medicine
You brought up the subject of insurance. Tell me more about it.
Almost everyone is insured here, and this option, unlike the Ukrainian one, works. There is, for example, insurance for a camera or a bicycle. And if this thing is stolen from you, then you will be reimbursed by insurance for exactly the same thing. Some people abuse it. He hid, say, a bicycle in the garage of a friend, told the police that it had been stolen, and received a new one. There are also insurances in case of dismissal, illness, death of the person himself or his partner.
How expensive are these insurances?
For example, insurance in case of illness or death of a partner costs about eight euros per month.
Separately, of course, there is medical insurance …
Yes, it is required here. Although, theoretically, you can refuse it. This is what some Protestants do: if someone in their family gets sick, they only hope for God’s help.
There are a huge number of insurance companies in the Netherlands and you select the programs that you need the most. That is, at the beginning of the year you should make a rough plan: do you want to treat your teeth, get a massage, have a baby, or perhaps you will have to call an ambulance often. Based on this, you form an insurance program and, in fact, the amount for it. Of course, there is a minimum package that includes diagnostics from a family therapist and some elementary medicines. But, under the terms of this minimum insurance, if some serious injury suddenly occurs or an operation is needed, then the insurance company will only partially cover the costs, and you must pay the lion’s share yourself.
The basic formula of health insurance is as follows: the more you pay per month, the less you will have to pay in an unforeseen event. For example, I recently received a bill from the dentist for fillings – 200 euros, insurance covered almost everything, I still have to pay about 40 euros. If my monthly contribution was even higher, I could only pay 5 euros extra.
An ambulance is automatically provided in each insurance program. But if a person does not have insurance, then the call will have to pay 800 euros. By the way, an interesting point: if a person calls, it is not a fact that the doctors will come. First, the attendant will ask how bad the patient is. And if she concludes that it’s not very bad, she may advise you to contact the nearest medical center.
I really like the appointment with our family doctor. He has a very calm, friendly atmosphere in his office, there is absolutely no smell of drugs. During the consultation, there is no feeling that the doctor wants to heal you by prescribing a whole list of unnecessary drugs. The only thing that pisses you off a little is that he accepts you not in a medical gown, but in ordinary clothes: jeans, a shirt.
The methods of treatment here are also not quite familiar to Ukrainians. When you tell the doctor that you have a runny nose, fever, sore throat, he prescribes paracetamol for you. And you can be sure that you will not get anything except paracetamol (smiles).
I recently got sick with the flu. I call the medical post to make an appointment with the doctor. Assistant to me: “Describe what’s bothering you.” I tell her that I have a strong cough, a runny nose, and weakness. And she told me: “According to the symptoms you described, you have the flu. Drink paracetamol and buy nasal drops.” I was shocked, I told the assistant: “What are you, maybe it’s bronchitis, I want to see a doctor for an examination.” And she told me: “No, drink paracetamol. If it doesn’t go away in a week, call us again.” As a result, a week later I felt even worse, I still got to the doctor, and I had to take antibiotics.
Here, no one will prescribe you serious drugs right away. Only if you are already “green” will they give you a prescription that you can get at the pharmacy, for example, an antibiotic.
Everyone here is treated with paracetamol. I remember Nikki and I flew to visit Ukraine and he ate a low-quality pizza there. The poor thing barely made it home. Turns out he got salmonella. And what do you think the doctor prescribed for him? Paracetamol and yogurt. This is how he was treated. We would have immediately taken him to the infectious diseases hospital and put him under a dropper. By the way, if you need a referral to a highly specialized doctor, then you need to literally “knock out” it from your family doctor, and then wait for an appointment for almost a month, because there are long queues for each specialist.
But what if there is no time to wait a month?
I think that if there was something urgent, they would send it immediately. They are strange in this regard, but not fools, they will save lives. (Laughs.) But if you can endure, then you will definitely wait for an appointment for several weeks.
How Much Does Food Cost?
Is it true that food in the Netherlands is very expensive and people try to save as much as possible, for example, by buying promotional goods?
There are really a lot of profitable promotions and offers here. And we use it. I would not say that the prices here are very high. Yes, alcohol and tobacco products are much more expensive because they are heavily taxed. But if you think proportionally, then with a salary of 1,700 euros in the Netherlands, it is much easier to make purchases than with a salary of 3,200 hryvnias in Ukraine. In percentage terms, in Ukraine, you spend most of your money on groceries, although the prices are lower. To eat varied, 100-120 euros is enough. If there are children, then maybe a little more.
I recently got sick with the flu. I call the medical post to make an appointment with the doctor. Assistant to me: “Describe what’s bothering you.” I tell her that I have a strong cough, a runny nose, and weakness. And she told me: “According to the symptoms you described, you have the flu. Drink paracetamol and buy nasal drops.” I was shocked, I told the assistant: “What are you, maybe it’s bronchitis, I want to see a doctor for an examination.” And she told me: “No, drink paracetamol. If it doesn’t go away in a week, call us again.” As a result, a week later I felt even worse, I still got to the doctor, and I had to take antibiotics.
Here, no one will prescribe you serious drugs right away. Only if you are already “green” will they give you a prescription that you can get at the pharmacy, for example, an antibiotic.
Everyone here is treated with paracetamol. I remember Nikki and I flew to visit Ukraine and he ate a low-quality pizza there. Poor thing barely made it home. Turns out he got salmonella. And what do you think the doctor prescribed for him? Paracetamol and yogurt. This is how he was treated. We would have immediately taken him to the infectious diseases hospital and put him under a dropper. By the way, if you need a referral to a highly specialized doctor, then you need to literally “knock out” it from your family doctor, and then wait for an appointment for almost a month, because there are long queues for each specialist.
But what if there is no time to wait a month?
I think that if there was something urgent, they would send it immediately. They are strange in this regard, but not fools, they will save lives. (Laughs.) But if you can endure, then you will definitely wait for an appointment for several weeks.
What are the nutritional habits of the Dutch?
Although we live practically in a village, there is no such thing here that someone keeps a cow and a couple of hens for milk and eggs. This is done only by professional farmers. There are no gardens or orchards either, so you have to buy everything.
In Ukraine, housewives have a great imagination – they can buy potatoes and minced meat and cook a dozen dishes from it. There are a lot of semi-finished products in the Netherlands – already cut salad, which only needs to be seasoned, or a pie, which only needs to be warmed up. Also, every month supermarkets publish small magazines with recipes, usually fast food. It seems to me that cooking is automated here.
And what Ukrainian products do you miss?
Behind our fragrant and sweet peaches, plums… In the Netherlands they are beautiful in appearance, but as if made of plastic. The same story with tomatoes, they are watery. But berries and fruits, unlike Ukraine, often do not have seasonality, most can be bought all year round. In Ukraine, if strawberries are in season, then you need to overeat them a year in advance. Probably, everyone bought two kilograms of berries and just ate them in one sitting. And it was so delicious! In the Netherlands, you buy 100 grams of raspberries for three euros and this is a complete dessert for the table. Or a watermelon – they buy a half, cut out the middle, take out the bones, cut into cubes, and also serve as a dessert. Even in the Netherlands, there is no cottage cheese, curdled milk, fermented baked milk. I really missed this. Once I put milk to sour. But not only did it not want to turn sour, so my husband’s parents then poured everything out, because they thought I’ll get poisoned if I drink. There are some yogurts, cream, milk here. But they do not have our taste, Slavic. I found kefir and cottage cheese only in a Polish store.
Do you spoil your Dutch family with Ukrainian dishes?
I made dumplings several times, they went with a bang. But this is close to them in spirit because dumplings are similar to European ravioli. My husband and mother-in-law really liked the process itself, they helped me both knead the dough and sculpt. My hands have not yet reached borscht, but my husband really likes the way my mother cooked this dish. I made stuffed cabbage, but Nikki rejected it, said that my mother (my mother) also had better ones (laughs). After that, I didn’t try anymore. (Laughs.) If we bake something, then most often a puff pie with apple filling. But we buy dough. And in general, sweets are mostly taken in the store.
How Are Family Holidays Going?
We had a party one time and Nikki’s friends were supposed to come. I ask how many people should come, it turned out that 20-25. Just imagine that so many people come to your house. What would you do? Surely they would not leave the kitchen: they cooked, fried, steamed. And here everyone sits quietly, relaxes. I asked my husband and his parents: maybe they can help, we need to cook so many things … And they look at me like I’m sick. In the evening, I realized that the arrival of guests here is a completely different event than in Ukraine. Previously, before going to visit, I didn’t eat anything, because I knew that a hospitable table was waiting for me. In the Netherlands, the purpose of visiting is to chat over a glass of wine or a glass of beer. From food, mainly snacks (sausage, cheese) and some snacks (nuts, chips). The hostess does not carry plates but communicates with guests. At the same time, she can say: “Red wine on the table, white in the refrigerator, cola there. Eat yourself.” And that’s all.
In Ukraine, when they cook, especially for big holidays, it is done in such a way that they can eat up for another week later. In the Netherlands, if something is being prepared, then with the expectation that nothing is left. And it’s very convenient. And here the evening starts with sweets. That is, in the beginning, some buns, cakes with tea or coffee, and after that – french fries.
Here they eat a lot from deep fat, they use a lot of oil, no one counts how much they drank cola. Everyone has it in the refrigerator at any time of the day or night. So in Ukraine, they eat much more properly than here.
What is the clothing attitude in the Netherlands? Do girls like to dress up? And how much money do they spend on shopping, personal care?
It’s hard to say who spends how much, they don’t stick it out. It is impossible to understand by clothes how much someone earns. The girls are dressed simply, there are no sequins or rhinestones. The thing may be expensive, but it is not visible. Yes, they value brands and would rather buy one Hugo Boss than ten H&Ms. Girls don’t spend a lot of time on make-up and styling, they just don’t bother with their appearance. Therefore, my manicure, makeup, you can immediately distinguish foreigners from the Netherlands. (Laughs.) I bought myself a manicure lamp, and many do not understand why I spend so much time on this. The beauty industry is different here. It is very difficult to find a good manicurist or beautician, depilation is easier, but salons are not on every corner.
It is assumed that every family has a car. How accessible is it?
I don’t know what prices are in Ukraine, but in the Netherlands, for example, the new Opel Astra, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308 cost 25,000-27,000 euros on average, depending on the model. Of course, there are cheaper options, there are more expensive ones. On the Internet flea market, you can buy a car for 1000 euros. Most families do have cars, scooters, great ones because public transport here is poorly developed and very expensive. Communication between cities is generally weak, and there are few minibusses and buses.
But if you meet a conductor in public transport (he sits in a special booth inside the bus), he will definitely greet you. He is dressed in a uniform – shirt, trousers, sometimes even a tie, and never walks around the salon, begging for money. Paying for a trip is a must-have for every passenger.
In general, the Dutch respect any work. And it’s very cool! It doesn’t matter what you do. There is no such thing here that, for example, a person with an education is better than one without. Even the simplest specialty is at a premium here. A conductor, a salesman, a plumber, a builder – you can live normally with any of these specialties.
Well, the common feature of all the Netherlands is that they know how to very subtly present their pluses and focus on their advantages. They have dignity and self-respect, they are not afraid to express their own point of view. But at the same time, they remain very open and loyal to other cultures and mentalities.
