Salary Sanity-Check Worksheet

Pressure-test a Dutch offer before you sign, so you know what actually lands in your account.

Who this is for

Filipino devs who just got an offer (or a number) from a Dutch company and want to sanity-check it before saying yes. You are past the dreaming stage. There is a real euro figure on the table and you need to know if it is fair, livable, and worth the move.

What this helps you decide or do

Turn a gross euro number into a rough picture you can actually reason about: what hits your bank, what the 30% (becoming 27% in 2027) ruling does for you, and how it compares to your PH life once you convert at a realistic rate. It does not give you legal or tax advice. It gives you the questions to ask before you commit.

Worksheet

1. Write down the gross annual salary in euros, and confirm whether it is stated as 12 months or includes holiday allowance. Dutch contracts usually add 8% holiday pay on top, so ask if the number you were told already includes it.
2. Ask the employer point-blank: is this gross or net? Is the 13th month or holiday allowance included or separate? Get it in writing in the offer.
3. Confirm whether the company is on the IND public register of recognised sponsors. Check the register yourself; do not take “we sponsor visas” at face value.
4. Ask if they will apply for the 30% ruling for you, and whether they will cover the application. Note it is changing from 30% to 27% in 2027, not disappearing. Confirm the current salary threshold for your situation with the employer or IND, do not assume.
5. Estimate net take-home: run your gross through a current Dutch net salary calculator twice, once with the ruling and once without, so you see both. Treat the output as rough, not gospel.
6. Convert your estimated monthly net to pesos at a realistic rate: 1 euro is roughly 69 to 70 pesos as of June 2026. Do not use 40, which is far below the real rate.
7. Subtract a rough monthly cost-of-living number for your target city: rent, health insurance (mandatory in NL, budget for the monthly premium plus the yearly own-risk amount), groceries, transport. Ask current colleagues or expat groups for real figures, do not guess.
8. List what the offer does NOT cover that you assumed it would: relocation budget, first-month housing, flights, shipping, visa and document costs. Ask which of these the employer pays.
9. Compare the leftover monthly amount to your current PH net income after the same essentials. Decide if the gap justifies the move for your goals, not just the headline number.
10. Note the contract type and notice period: is it a fixed-term or permanent contract, and what is the probation clause? This affects your visa stability, so confirm it before signing.

Common mistakes

• Comparing gross euros to net pesos. Compare net to net, not gross to net.
• Using 40 pesos per euro. The real rate is roughly 69 to 70 (June 2026), which changes the whole picture.
• Assuming the 30% ruling is automatic or a sure thing. It must be applied for and you must qualify; confirm the current rules.
• Forgetting mandatory health insurance and the yearly own-risk amount as fixed monthly and annual costs.
• Treating a net salary calculator as exact. It is an estimate; your real number depends on your specific situation.
• Not asking whether holiday allowance and any 13th month are inside or on top of the quoted figure.

What to verify

• The current 30% (27% from 2027) ruling eligibility and salary threshold: verify with your employer, a Dutch tax adviser, or the Belastingdienst.
• Whether your employer is a recognised sponsor: check the IND public register directly.
• Your estimated net pay: confirm with a current calculator and ideally a tax adviser, not this worksheet.
• What the offer covers (relocation, housing, visa fees): get it from the employer in writing.

Jake note

I came over as a direct hire, and the thing that surprised me most was how different gross and net are here once the ruling and insurance are in. Do the net-to-net comparison in pesos before you get emotional about the euro number. It saved me from over-celebrating a figure that was smaller than it looked.