George Kelly had always dreamed of living abroad, but only decided to take a leap during the coronavirus pandemic. Before moving, George ran a food truck selling cheesy chips in the UK, touring summer festivals and gigs. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020, the business ground to a halt.

Inspired by his friend who had moved to Amsterdam and started work in a Dutch start-up, the 32-year-old accepted a role within the same company as lead graphic designer. In the space of three and a half weeks, George had signed a new job contract and swapped London for Amsterdam.

“I packed my world of possessions into my car and booked a Eurotunnel. I got there on Saturday and started working the following Monday,” he said.

Amsterdam is one of the easiest non-UK cities for Brits to move to, having recently topped Feather’s Relocation Index.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

After a few years of Dutch office life, the Brit abroad decided it was time to reconnect with his foodie roots. In 2024, George and his girlfriend Cress started a cheese toastie business, Monty’s.

Despite being an expat, George has found the process of opening a business ‘intuitive’ and ‘surprisingly easy’. “Things happen quite quickly,” George explained. “Once you register your business, a couple of days later, your details arrive in the post. Everything is fairly easy to do.”

In recent years, Monty’s has become a big hit, making a name for itself in a country known for its love of carbs, potatoes and melted cheese by carving out a niche with sourdough toasties made with both British and Dutch cheeses.

George has no plans to return to the UK any time soon. In the 15 months since launch, he has made friends from across the world and gained a deeper understanding of Dutch culture.

One thing that he hasn’t quite mastered yet is the language. George manages to get by on only 40 words of Dutch, but he says that isn’t a huge problem. “Language is not even an issue,” he said. While the Brit hasn’t fully got his head around the notoriously complex language, he has thrown himself into other aspects of Dutch culture.

George now cycles everywhere and finds his travel expenses are now “not far from zero.” Between him and his girlfriend, they have seven bikes and they almost exclusively cycle around Amsterdam.

The one notable negative difference George has noticed is the cost of healthcare. In the Netherlands, health insurance is mandatory and costs around £150 a month, according to Feather, which provides English-language support and flexible insurance aimed at expats.

When it comes to Brits in the Netherlands, the population has been declining in recent years. In 2024, 3,000 Brits moved to the Netherlands, while in 2019 the number was 6,500, according to Statistics Netherlands. However, fewer are returning. Around 2,200 came back in 2024, which is around 1,000 fewer than in 2019.

Fewer Dutch people have been emigrating to the United Kingdom since 2015. Back then, over 4,000 moved to the UK, but by 2024, the number had dropped to 1,300, the fewest in 30 years.

George’s top tip when it comes to moving abroad is simple. “Go for it, don’t doubt the decision, and it’ll be a highlight of your life.”