Eindhoven Expat Guide 2026: Living, Working & Costs

Eindhoven at a Glance

Photo: Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

• Population: 240,000 (city proper)
• Expat population: approximately 40,000 — roughly 17% of residents, one of the highest proportions outside the Randstad
• Main languages spoken: Dutch, English (Eindhoven has some of the highest English proficiency among Dutch cities, driven by tech industry hiring)
• Key industries: semiconductor technology, electronics, industrial design, advanced manufacturing
• Average commute: 15–25 minutes by bike or public transport

Eindhoven is not the city most people imagine when they think of moving to the Netherlands, but it should be higher on the list for anyone working in tech. ASML, the company that manufactures the chip-making machines used by almost every major semiconductor fabricator in the world, is headquartered here. So is NXP Semiconductors, and Philips still has a major presence in the city it was founded in. That cluster of companies drives a secondary ecosystem of suppliers, research organisations, and startups that makes Eindhoven’s job market remarkably strong for its size.

The practical upside is significant: rents are lower than in the Randstad cities, the city is compact and easy to cycle around, and the international community — though smaller than in Amsterdam or The Hague — is well-established and genuinely welcoming to new arrivals. The downside is that if your job is not in the tech or design sector, the options are more limited than in larger cities. Eindhoven is not a place where you move and then figure out what to do — it works best when the job comes first.

Cost of Living

Eindhoven offers meaningfully lower costs than Amsterdam, Utrecht, or The Hague, which makes a substantial difference to take-home quality of life on comparable salaries.

The most desirable areas (Strijp-S, Centrum) command higher rents. More residential neighbourhoods like Gestel and parts of Woensel are noticeably cheaper and still well-connected.

Use the Housing Budget Checker to model your Eindhoven budget before you start looking.

Best Neighbourhoods for Expats

Strijp-S — The most talked-about neighbourhood in Eindhoven. Built on the former Philips factory site, it has been redeveloped into a mix of apartments, studios, creative workspaces, restaurants, and event venues. It attracts designers, engineers, and international arrivals in roughly equal measure. A 1-bedroom here runs €1,100–€1,400. It does not have the traditional Dutch neighbourhood feel — it is more like a planned creative district — but the community is tight-knit and English is the working language in most buildings.

Woensel-Zuid — More residential and less self-consciously designed than Strijp-S. Good supermarkets, schools, and connections to the ASML campus by bike. Rents are €950–€1,150 for a 1-bedroom.

Centrum — The city centre, with the Catharinaplein as the main square. A mix of apartments above shops and offices. Convenient but not the quietest option. Rents €1,050–€1,250.

Gestel — Green, quiet, and popular with families. Well-regarded schools in the area. 1-bedroom average around €950–€1,100. If you are coming with children and want a calmer environment, Gestel is worth looking at closely.

Working in Eindhoven

The tech sector is the engine of Eindhoven’s economy. ASML employs around 30,000 people in the region and recruits internationally on a large scale — if you are working there, the company has its own relocation support programme and a dedicated expat community (the ASML expat network is active and useful for practical settling-in questions). NXP Semiconductors employs several thousand in the city, and Philips (now primarily a health technology company) has around 3,000 staff in Eindhoven.

Beyond the three major anchors, the High Tech Campus Eindhoven — nicknamed the “Smartest Square Kilometre” — hosts around 260 companies and 12,000 researchers and entrepreneurs. It is a campus with its own facilities, shuttle buses, and a very international working environment.

The Dutch Design Week, held every October in Eindhoven, is the largest design event in Northern Europe and draws a significant design and creative industry community to the city year-round.

Coworking spaces include the High Tech Campus (for members), Seats2Meet Eindhoven, and Hub Eindhoven. Day passes from €20; monthly memberships from €180.

For salary benchmarking use the Salary Checker. Use the 30% Ruling Calculator to see how much tax you could save. If you have a foreign degree, check recognition requirements with the Diploma Evaluator. See also Working in the Netherlands.

Getting Registered

Registration is handled by Gemeente Eindhoven. Appointments at the city hall (Stadhuisplein) can be booked online. Waiting times are generally 1–2 weeks, shorter than in most Randstad cities.

Some ASML and NXP arrivals go through the International Welcome Centre South Netherlands (IWCN), which coordinates registration, housing, and partner employment support for expats in the region. If your employer is one of the major companies, check whether they use this service — it simplifies the process considerably.

Standard documentation: passport, rental contract or proof of address, employment contract. BSN issued on registration day.

Not sure which visa you need? Use the Visa Checker to find out. Use the BSN Planner to prepare your documents before your appointment. Planning your integration path? Use the Inburgering Route Planner to see your requirements.

Healthcare & Insurance

The main hospital is Catharina Ziekenhuis, which has a strong cardiac and oncology department. Maxima Medisch Centrum (in Veldhoven, just south of the city) is also widely used by Eindhoven residents.

English-speaking GPs are available across the city. The ASML Health Centre on campus handles basic GP care for ASML employees. For non-ASML arrivals, several practices in the Centrum and Strijp-S areas have English-speaking capacity. Registration waiting lists are typically 2–4 weeks.

Health insurance is mandatory from day one of residence. Premiums start around €140/month with a €385 eigen risico. Use the Health Insurance Wizard to compare policies. Compare Dutch and international expat insurance options with the Insurance Comparison.

Transport

Eindhoven is compact enough that cycling covers most daily journeys. The ASML campus in Veldhoven is about 6 km from the city centre — many employees cycle it or use company shuttle buses. Eindhoven Airport handles a reasonable number of European routes (Ryanair, TUI, Transavia), making it a useful departure point if you travel frequently for work.

By train, Eindhoven connects to Amsterdam (75 minutes), Utrecht (45 minutes), and Rotterdam (75 minutes). The intercity trains are direct and reliable; there is no high-speed connection, so the journey times are longer than from the Randstad cities.

For a full guide to OV travel in the Netherlands, see the OV-chipkaart guide for expats.

Practical Tips for Your First Weeks in Eindhoven

The ASML shuttle buses are genuinely useful even if you do not work at ASML. The High Tech Campus runs shared transport from several central Eindhoven locations. If you work at or near the campus, check the schedule before assuming you need a car.

Eindhoven Airport has useful European routes. Ryanair, TUI, and Transavia serve a range of European destinations from Eindhoven that are worth checking before defaulting to Schiphol. For routes to southern Europe, the UK, and Scandinavia, prices and journey times from Eindhoven can be better than from Amsterdam.

Dutch Design Week in October fills accommodation. If you are arriving in late September or October, book temporary accommodation well in advance. The nine-day festival brings a large number of visitors to the city, and short-term rental prices increase accordingly.

Veldhoven is not Eindhoven but functions as part of it. The ASML headquarters and several major supplier buildings are technically in the municipality of Veldhoven, just south of Eindhoven. If your employment address is in Veldhoven, you register as a resident of Eindhoven (if that is where you live) and commute to Veldhoven. The two municipalities are distinct administratively but function as one urban area in daily life.

The High Tech Campus shuttle requires registration. If you work at a company based on the campus, registering for the shuttle service is straightforward but not automatic. Ask your employer or HR about it in the first week.

Getting Started in Eindhoven

Moving to Eindhoven requires a few first steps. Here are the most important ones:

Open a bank account — You’ll need a Dutch bank account for rent, salary, and daily expenses. Wise offers a multi-currency account that works from day one, even before your BSN arrives. Open a Wise account → Use the Bank Account Comparison to find the right Dutch bank for your situation.

Get health insurance — Dutch health insurance (zorgverzekering) is mandatory. Use Independer to compare all Dutch health insurers in English. Compare health insurance →

Consider expat insurance — If you’re still settling in or working remotely, SafetyWing provides affordable global coverage from $45/month. Get SafetyWing coverage →

Plan your budget — Use our free cost of living calculator and housing budget checker to see what you can afford in Eindhoven.

Expat Community & Social Life

Eindhoven has one of the most practically active expat communities in the Netherlands, driven by the concentration of tech companies and the ASML effect. When a company employs 30,000 people internationally, a significant support ecosystem develops around it.

The ASML Expat Network is the largest organised expat community in the city and one of the better-resourced in the country. It organises social events, partner employment support, language classes, and practical settling-in help. You do not need to be an ASML employee to access all of it, though membership is primarily structured around ASML families.

InterNations Eindhoven is active. The Expat Centre South Netherlands (ECSN) provides registration support, practical information, and events specifically for internationals in the Eindhoven-Helmond-Brainport region. The IWCN (International Welcome Centre North Netherlands) has an equivalent South Netherlands counterpart worth contacting before you arrive.

Dutch Design Week, held every October across the city, is not just a professional event — it creates a social and cultural atmosphere that is genuinely engaging for new residents. The Design Academy Eindhoven graduation show during Dutch Design Week is one of the more interesting annual events in the Netherlands. If you arrive in September or October, it is a good entry point into the city’s creative scene.

Sports and social clubs in Eindhoven have significant English-speaking membership given the tech community. The EFC (Eindhoven Football Club) amateur leagues, cycling clubs, and the indoor climbing and sports facilities around Strijp-S are all active with mixed Dutch-international membership.

Schools and Families

Eindhoven has a developed international school infrastructure, proportionally larger than you might expect for a city its size — a direct result of ASML and the tech sector’s international recruitment.

International School Eindhoven (ISE) — One of the better-regarded IB international schools in the Netherlands, with programmes from early years through to diploma level. Fees approximately €14,000–€18,000/year. Waiting lists apply; register well in advance.

Philips of Eindhoven School — Founded by Philips for employee children, now independently run. A bilingual Dutch-English option with a more integrated character than a full international school.

Several Dutch primary schools in the Strijp-S and Woensel areas have developed good support for non-Dutch speaking children entering the system mid-year, which reflects how common international arrivals have become.

Eindhoven is family-friendly in practical terms. The scale is manageable — most areas are accessible by bike — the green space is generous particularly around the Dommel river corridor, and the housing supply for families is better than in the Randstad cities.

Housing Search: Practical Advice

The Eindhoven housing market has tightened considerably since 2020, driven by the growth of ASML and the general Brainport region expansion. Strijp-S in particular is competitive — well-designed apartments with good building communities attract strong demand and prices have risen faster than the city average.

Pararius and Funda are the main platforms. ASML and NXP both have relocation partnerships with local agencies that can provide access to pre-market listings — if you are arriving through one of the major employers, ask your HR contact about this.

Outside Strijp-S and the immediate Centrum, the market is more manageable. Gestel, Woensel-Zuid, and the areas near the High Tech Campus in Veldhoven (technically a separate municipality) offer better value for space.

One practical note: Eindhoven has a significant amount of student housing associated with TU/e (Technical University of Eindhoven) and Fontys University of Applied Sciences. These are not available for non-student registration. Check listing terms carefully.

Daily Life in Eindhoven

Eindhoven is compact and practical. Most of the city is covered by bike within 20 minutes. The Catharinaplein and the area around the Kleine Berg are the main social areas — restaurants, bars, and terraces that serve a mixed professional and student population.

The Dutch Design Week in October is worth understanding if you are arriving around that time. It runs across the city for nine days, with exhibitions in the Strijp-S buildings, the High Tech Campus, the Design Academy, and public spaces throughout the centre. It draws around 350,000 visitors, which is large relative to the city’s population, and it creates a particular atmosphere — more international, more design-oriented — that reflects what Eindhoven wants to be as much as what it currently is.

Strijp-S has the most interesting social infrastructure in the city. The Klokgebouw hosts markets and events, the GLOW light art festival uses the area every November, and the concentration of restaurants in the former factory buildings gives the neighbourhood a density of good eating options that the city centre doesn’t always match. Living in Strijp-S means you are in a social hub; living elsewhere in the city and treating it as a destination works equally well.

The outdoor options around Eindhoven are underrated. The Dommel river runs through the city and the parkland along it is accessible from most central neighbourhoods by bike. The De Malpie heathland south of the city and the Kempen area more broadly offer cycling and walking territory that the flat polder landscape of the Randstad cannot match.

Settling In: The First Month

1. Secure housing and confirm landlord permits municipality registration
2. Book registration at Gemeente Eindhoven (eindhoven.nl) — or use the IWCN process if arriving through a major employer
3. Receive BSN at registration
4. Open Dutch bank account
5. Register for health insurance
6. Find a GP — the ASML Health Centre covers ASML staff; non-ASML arrivals should register with a practice in the Centrum or Strijp-S area, several of which have English-language capacity
7. Apply for DigiD after BSN

The IWCN (International Welcome Centre) appointment, if your employer uses it, replaces several individual municipality appointments and is considerably more efficient. Worth confirming with your employer before arrival.

Related Guides

• Moving to Eindhoven: Full Guide 2026
• Finding Housing in the Netherlands
• Working in the Netherlands
• Health Insurance for Expats 2026

Eindhoven is a city that rewards people who arrive for the right reasons — specifically, the tech sector. If that is your context, it is one of the best places to live and work in the Netherlands.