Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands • Hacker News Board

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#41

Post by jonkoops » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:08 PM UTC

paulddraper wrote: post #21

Lol. I know what the comments will be. And the US is one of the top immigrant countries in the world. Always worth reflecting why people choose that when there is greener gras.

Money. You get paid much better in the US, you just have to accept the physical and mental implications of what it brings with it.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#42

Post by WarcrimeActual » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:09 PM UTC

ohm wrote: post #13

justmedep wrote: post #4

Coming from Switzerland to the US: I do not want to leave. Everything is better here… maybe not for the average person but for some individuals.

Can you give some examples?

I mean it's kind of obvious right. He's rich.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#43

Post by seszett » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #25

lifeisgood99 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the boat is sinking, I wouldn't stay on.

Back in 1930s Germany, there were other boats afloat to escape to. Here in 2025, you live in a globalized world. The rats are soon to be out of ships to flee to. There's no free society in the Sol system that survives rampant and unchecked authoritarianism in the triad of the US, China, and Russia. Europe is a military vassal of the first, an economic vassal of the second, and an energy vassal of the third (though in…

> the triad of the US, China, and Russia. Europe is a military vassal of the first, an economic vassal of the second, and an energy vassal of the third.

What an hyperbole.

There are also other places in the world besides Europe, the US and China.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#44

Post by jbstack » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

I love the Netherlands and have spent a few months trying it out as a place to live. It's among my favourite places: moderate weather, friendly people, a high level of personal freedom, very high rate of English speakers, clean and modern environment, good international restaurants, lively town centres even in smaller towns, most towns have rivers / canals which make them very pleasant to walk around. I could list many other positive things.

There are some (big) downsides though. Properties are very small and very expensive compared to other European countries, so you can't expect a high standard of living in this aspect unless you have plenty of money. Taxes are also very high. In addition to the usual income taxes, you pay a wealth tax and the threshold is very low (around 55k EUR in savings/assets) so this isn't only targeting very rich people. This makes it a pretty bad place to live if you care about investing and saving for the future.

If it wasn't for these last two points I'd almost definitely move there.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#45

Post by toomuchtodo » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

u/andrewstetsenko has lots of great posts on this topic:

https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=relocateme.substack.c...

https://old.reddit.com/r/AmerExit/comments/urwlbr/a_guide_fo... is also helpful.

(no affiliation, I just like folks helping folks get out)

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#46

Post by jonkoops » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

busterarm wrote: post #34

dr_dshiv wrote: post #10

Come to the Netherlands! It’s awesome. And the visa is easy: just put 5k in a business account. Look up Dutch American friendship treaty.

But finding housing is brutal.

It is. Unfortunately, the most of the EU is affected by the housing crisis.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#47

Post by xp84 » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:10 PM UTC

showerst wrote: post #20

justmedep wrote: post #4

Coming from Switzerland to the US: I do not want to leave. Everything is better here… maybe not for the average person but for some individuals.

That's the root of it, isn't it? America is pretty great if you're in the upper 20% or so, and otherwise it's losing ground fast.

Perhaps, but the places where it’s arguably nicer (than US) to be bottom 50% are that way because of side-effects of America being how America has always been. Without things like US NATO membership, someone in, let’s say Europe, might eventually find themselves made forcibly familiar with what actual fascism is, by being “welcomed” into Soviet Union 2.0, now without the communist trappings. If you think Soviet bread lines are better than SNAP benefits, I don’t think you’ve read enough history.

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#48

Post by mvkel » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:11 PM UTC

As an immigrant to the US, I've often viewed the fervent wish to depart (among natural born citizens) to be the ultimate form of self-entitlement.

That you'd give up so easily when your voice, presence, and vote, matters most. It's being tested right now, and leaving is the only way to fail.

Also, why do you think any other country would -love- to have you?

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#49

Post by koakuma-chan » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:11 PM UTC

jonkoops wrote: post #46

busterarm wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But finding housing is brutal.

It is. Unfortunately, the most of the EU is affected by the housing crisis.

Which country is not affected by housing crisis?

Re: Leaving the U.S. for the Netherlands

#50

Post by victorbjorklund » Wed, Dec 10, 2025, 4:11 PM UTC

qaq wrote: post #17

lifeisgood99 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the boat is sinking, I wouldn't stay on.

If this boat sinks there will not be places you can hide in

Silly argument. Empires rise and fall. USA isn’t the end of history. If USA sinks it won’t be great for the rest of the world but no not everything else will fall.