Top 5 Cities for LGBTQ Expats Retiring Abroad in the Netherlands

Looking for a country that practically wrote the handbook on LGBTQ acceptance and tops global happiness charts? 🇳🇱 This week on Queer Money, we’re off to the Netherlands — the land of bikes, canals, and unapologetic inclusivity — to uncover the top five Dutch cities for gay retirees.

From Amsterdam’s canal-side rainbow hubs to Eindhoven’s tech-driven calm, we break down where your hard-earned retirement dollars (or euros) stretch farthest while keeping you close to culture, healthcare, and community. You’ll hear why Groningen, Leiden, and Nijmegen are quietly stealing the spotlight from Amsterdam — with lower costs, easy travel, and a “being gay is a non-issue” vibe that makes daily life beautifully ordinary.

Whether you’re a gay expat looking to retire abroad or simply dreaming of a Plan B where equality is a given, this episode explores what makes the Netherlands one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries on earth and what life can really look like after you hang up the briefcase and pick up a bike bell.

Takeaways:

1. Top 5 Dutch cities ranked for cost, community & queer comfort.
2. Average 2-bedroom rents and cost of living vs. the U.S. average.
3. How Amsterdam’s vibrant scene compares to Leiden or Nijmegen’s calmer pace.
4. Why the Netherlands is a model for LGBTQ equality and safety.
5. Key retirement trade-offs — taxes, healthcare contributions & travel costs.
6. The Queer Money Retirement Rating for each city (1-10 scale).
7. Tips for building your own “Plan B Abroad.”

Ready to map your own finish line? Grab the Happy Gay Retirement Calculator and see how close you are to your dream life abroad. Then explore data on every city we’ve covered so far — from Costa Rica to Portugal to the Netherlands — at QueerMoneyPodcast.com/cities.

💡 Catch past episodes: Costa Rica (#608) & Portugal Golden Visa (#611). Next up: Taiwan — the most surprisingly affordable LGBTQ haven in Asia!

The Netherlands Chapters

• 0:00 - Intro
• 0:22 - The Netherlands
• 1:28 - Amsterdam
• 4:56 - Eindhoven
• 8:45 - Groningen
• 10:26 - Leiden
• 13:00 - Nijmegen
• 14:40 - Netherlands wrap up

Mentioned in this episode:

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