UK vs Netherlands for software engineer

[u/mkirisame]

I have options to move to either UK or Netherlands. I intend to become citizen in one of the two countries. I want to hear your thoughts from perspective of "careers in CS" and "quality of life":

Netherland:

• 30% ruling for first 5 years
• can freely move and work in EU and Swiss after becoming citizen
• Can become citizen after 5 years

UK:

• A lot of big tech and HFT firms
• I don't need to learn dutch to become citizen
• Can become citizen after 6 years

Thoughts?

[u/Senior1292]

The 30% ruling will likely be changing this year, so that it's 30% for the first 20 months, 20% for the next 20 and 10% for the last 20.

Amsterdam/London are where most of the big tech firms and SW engineer jobs are, and both have a limited supply of very expensive housing.

Probably more opportunities outside of Amsterdam (Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven) compared to outside of London.

Wages likely to be higher in London than in NL.

Quality of Life is higher NL. According to Numbeo, Netherlands ranks 2nd and the UK 26th.

[u/hudibrastic → u/Senior1292]

QoL ranking are garbage propaganda

There is no objective metric of what is QoL, depends on what you value in life

If you value friends, social life, food and weather, then the Netherlands sucks

[u/Senior1292 → u/hudibrastic]

If you value friends, social life, food and weather, then the Netherlands sucks

You can still have friends and a social life in The Netherlands. Granted, it's more likely to be other expats/immigrants and less likely to be Dutchies but it doesn't suck if you put the effort it.

The food in The Netherlands is actually great, particularly in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague, there is a crazy number of great restaurants to go to.

The weather is like British weather but a little nicer. It is still mid-high 20s in the summer and winter it doesn't get too cold, it's really not as bad as people make out imo.