Sander & Beatriz(40)

Beatriz and I met when she worked as a psychologist at Leiden University. After eight years in The Hague she wanted to return to Portugal, closer to her parents. I taught English at a secondary school and could work anywhere. Setubal, her hometown, was the logical choice.

Setubal is the forgotten city of the Lisbon region. Forty minutes from the capital, at the mouth of the Sado river, with dolphins in the bay and the Arrabida mountains as your backyard. Tourism is growing, but slowly. That makes it affordable.

We bought a 90m² apartment with three bedrooms for €165,000. IMI is €280 per year. In The Hague we would have bought a garage for that amount. Notary costs, transfer tax (IMT) and registration came to €12,000 — factor that into your budget.

As an EU citizen I could work immediately. I now teach English at the British Council in Setubal and give private lessons to Portuguese professionals. My income is €1,600 net — less than in the Netherlands, but our fixed costs are half. Beatriz works as a psychologist at a Centro de Saude.

Integration was easier than expected, thanks to Beatriz. Her family embraced me from day one. I now speak B1-Portuguese and even give a "Dutch conversation class" to her nieces. The Portuguese bureaucracy — NIF, Seguranca Social, Financas — we did together in two weeks.

Setubal is ideal for mixed couples. You have Portuguese authenticity without the expat bubble. The fish market is the best in the country, the beaches of Arrabida are pristine, and the nightlife in the old town is surprisingly lively. We feel we have the best of both worlds.