Managing your money as an expat comes with unique challenges. You are dealing with a new currency, unfamiliar tax deductions, expenses in multiple countries, and a cost of living that may be very different from what you are used to. A good budgeting system helps you stay on top of it all and avoid the common expat trap of overspending in the first year.
Here are the best budgeting tools for expats in the Netherlands, from dedicated apps to built-in bank features.
Why Budgeting Matters More for Expats
Expats face specific financial complexities that make budgeting particularly valuable:
- Higher cost of living surprises — Dutch housing, health insurance, and childcare costs can be a shock
- Multi-currency expenses — you may still have costs in your home country (loans, subscriptions, family support)
- Tax complexity — understanding what is deductible, what you owe, and how the 30% ruling affects your net income
- Irregular expenses — annual bills like road tax, health insurance deductible, and Dutch tax payments
- Savings goals — building an emergency fund in a new country, saving for travel home, or building toward a Dutch mortgage
YNAB (You Need A Budget)
YNAB is the gold standard of budgeting apps and is particularly popular among the expat community. It uses a zero-based budgeting approach — every euro gets a job.
Key Features
- Zero-based budgeting: assign every euro of income to a category before you spend it
- Multi-currency support: track expenses in different currencies with automatic conversion
- Goal tracking: set savings goals with target dates
- Bank sync: automatic import from some banks (direct bank connection availability varies for Dutch banks)
- Manual import: import transactions via CSV/OFX files from any bank
- Cross-platform: web, iOS, Android
- Price: approximately €12/month or €99/year (with a 34-day free trial)
Why Expats Love It
YNAB's "give every dollar a job" philosophy forces you to make intentional decisions about your money. For expats navigating a new financial landscape, this intentionality is incredibly valuable. The multi-currency support is also a standout feature for tracking expenses across countries.
Drawback
The learning curve is real — YNAB's methodology takes time to understand. And the price is higher than most alternatives. But most users who stick with it for 2-3 months become evangelists.
Toshl Finance
Toshl is a user-friendly budgeting app from Slovenia that has built a loyal following in Europe. It strikes a good balance between features and simplicity.
Key Features
- Expense tracking: quick entry of expenses with categories and tags
- Multi-currency: native support for multiple currencies with automatic conversion
- Budgets: set monthly or custom-period budgets per category
- Bank connections: supports European banks for automatic import
- Reports: visual charts and breakdowns of spending
- Price: free tier available; Pro is approximately €3/month or €25/year
Why It Works for Expats
Toshl is more affordable than YNAB and easier to get started with. The multi-currency support is excellent, and the European origin means better compatibility with Dutch banks.
Money Manager (Realbyte)
Money Manager is a straightforward, no-frills expense tracker that works well for people who want manual control without the complexity of YNAB.
Key Features
- Simple expense entry: quick and intuitive transaction logging
- Category management: customizable expense categories
- Statistics: daily, weekly, and monthly spending overviews
- Budget alerts: notifications when you approach budget limits
- No account needed: all data stored locally on your device
- Price: free with ads; Pro is a one-time purchase of approximately €4
Best For
Expats who want a simple, private expense tracker without the overhead of syncing bank accounts or learning a new methodology. Good for people who prefer manual tracking.
Built-In Bank Tools
Before downloading a separate app, check what your bank already offers. Several popular expat banks have surprisingly good built-in budgeting features:
bunq
- Automatic spending categorization
- Up to 25 sub-accounts (each with its own IBAN) for envelope budgeting
- Automatic savings rules (round-up, percentage of income, etc.)
- Monthly spending insights
Revolut
- Spending analytics with category breakdowns
- Budget limits per category with notifications
- Savings vaults with round-up feature
- Subscription tracking (identifies recurring payments)
ING and ABN AMRO
- Basic spending categorization in their apps
- Monthly and annual spending overviews
- Savings goals features
For more on these banks, see our digital bank comparison and traditional bank comparison.
Spreadsheets: The Classic Approach
Do not underestimate the power of a well-structured spreadsheet. Google Sheets or Excel can be the most flexible budgeting tool, and many financially savvy expats prefer them.
Advantages
- Complete customization for your specific situation
- Multi-currency calculations with formula-based conversion
- Easy to include Dutch-specific items like toeslagen and 30% ruling calculations
- Free (Google Sheets) or included with existing Microsoft subscription
- Shareable with a partner
Template Suggestion
Create sheets for: monthly budget plan, actual spending tracking, annual overview, and net worth tracker. Include Dutch-specific categories (see below).
Dutch-Specific Budget Categories
Whatever tool you choose, make sure to include these Netherlands-specific categories that differ from what you may be used to:
- Zorgverzekering: health insurance premium (€130-160/month) — offset by any zorgtoeslag received
- Eigen risico: annual health insurance deductible (€385/year) — budget monthly for this
- Huur + servicekosten: rent plus service charges (often listed separately)
- Gas/elektra: energy bills (budget separately as these fluctuate significantly)
- Gemeente taxes: municipal taxes including waste tax — billed annually
- Water authority tax (waterschapsbelasting): separate annual bill
- OV-chipkaart: public transport costs
- Fiets: bicycle maintenance, insurance, and eventual replacement
- Boodschappen: groceries — Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl
- Borrels and uitjes: social outings and drinks — Dutch social culture involves regular meetups
- Vliegtickets: flights home — for many expats, one of the biggest annual expenses
- Transfers abroad: regular money transfers to your home country
Our Recommendation
If you are willing to invest time and money: YNAB is the most powerful tool and will likely save you more than it costs.
If you want something simple and affordable: use your bank's built-in tools (especially bunq or Revolut) combined with a basic spreadsheet for annual planning.
If you are data-driven: a Google Sheets spreadsheet customized for your situation gives maximum flexibility.
The best budgeting tool is the one you actually use. Start simple, build the habit, and upgrade your system as needed.