Side by side
the Netherlands and Germany
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Housing costs over 40% of income: Germany 11.2% against the Netherlands 6.5%, 4.7 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
the Netherlands
Germany
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: the Netherlands and Germany
Which covers more ground: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 9.56×: Germany 357,569, the Netherlands 37,391. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 4.63×: Germany 83.6m, the Netherlands 18m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Which spends a larger share on protecting the environment: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 2.5 points: the Netherlands 3.6%, Germany 1.2%. Waste and waste water, pollution control, biodiversity and landscape protection. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Which has more forest: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 21.6 points: Germany 32.5%, the Netherlands 10.9%. Share of the land area under forest. Eurostat · Land under forest · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 3.43×: Germany 759, the Netherlands 221. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Which is more crowded: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 2.24×: the Netherlands 531, Germany 237. People per square kilometre of that total area. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do housing costs eat more of the income: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 4.7 points: Germany 11.2%, the Netherlands 6.5%. Share whose housing costs exceed 40% of their disposable income. Eurostat · Housing costs over 40% of income · 2025. See the figure
Where do more people own their home: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 21.6 points: the Netherlands 68.8%, Germany 47.2%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. Eurostat · Own their home · 2025. See the figure
Which government owes more: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 19.1 points: Germany 63.5%, the Netherlands 44.4%. Consolidated gross debt of the general government, against GDP. Eurostat · Government debt · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the Netherlands or Germany?
The gap is 37.8%: the Netherlands 54.0, Germany 39.2. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.