Sydney’s soaring property prices, relentless pace, and the daily grind are pushing many Australians to their limits.
But for one family, enough was enough.
Liana and James Hakim, both 37, made the audacious decision to uproot their lives, sell off their belongings, and swap their million-dollar mortgage for a completely different existence in the Netherlands.
What started as a fleeting idea for a 12-month European adventure with their two young children, Johnny, eight, and Penny, six, has blossomed into a permanent, transformative move.
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Three years on, this Aussie family has found a new-found freedom, community, and work-life balance that they say was simply unattainable back home – and they have no plans to return.
“It has changed our lives in so many ways,” Liana told The Daily Mail.
“My children are thriving in school. They come home at 2pm and they just play on the street like it’s 1955.
“We’ve moved to an area with a genuine sense of community I never experienced in Sydney. Everything is rideable by bike, so we’re outside our house far more than we ever were in Australia.”
Liana and her husband James Hakim uprooted their family life in Australia to live in the Netherlands – with no plans to return home
She quickly dismisses the notion that such an idyllic existence could be found in regional Australia.
“Some people say you can find this in rural Australia but I don’t want to live rural. This is small village living in the city, and it’s amazing.”
Before their European exodus, life in Australia was “pretty standard” for the family.
“We mainly just went through our day-to-day as most families do – work, school, activities, play dates, seeing family and scheduling in time with friends,” she recalled.
“We had a $1 million mortgage, regular electricity and water bills and I would say a pretty high grocery bill as we tried to eat fresh and organic produce where possible.”
The Steiner advantage and a swift departure
A pivotal moment came when their son, Johnny, turned six.
His parents wanted him to experience a Waldorf Steiner education, an approach that nurtures intellectual, artistic, and social development through a balanced, creative curriculum, delaying formal academics in favour of creativity and holistic growth.
“We realised the Dutch government offers Steiner education as part of the free education system for taxpayers,” Liana said.
The family now cycles everywhere and save on fuel costs.
As European passport holders, the decision to consider a move to the Netherlands suddenly made perfect sense and the transition was remarkably swift.
Within five weeks, their Sydney family home was listed for rent, a removalist company hired to transport their essential belongings, and they were off to their new life in 2023.
“We temporarily rented out our Australian home furnished, leaving behind the items we didn’t want to bring immediately because we weren’t sure whether the move would last one year or many,” Liana said.
“However, we have since sold all the items that were left on Gumtree, which my father-in-law helped.”
Housing and finances
Upon arrival, the couple decided to purchase their own property, noting that rent was “almost higher than a mortgage similar to Australia”.
“It seemed silly not to buy because in the Netherlands you can buy with a zero per cent deposit if you qualify, and so we did just that,” Liana explained.
Properties are significantly more affordable than in Sydney, with houses typically ranging between €300,000 and €1.5 million (approximately AU$485,000 to AU$2.4 million), depending on size and location.
Back in Australia, Liana said she felt unfulfilled in her mundane life in Sydney. She now feels the move has changed their lives for the better
“It’s very rare to see something over these figures here,” she added.
This stands in stark contrast to Sydney’s median house price, which now sits at a record $1.76 million, with properties in the Inner West and Eastern Suburbs often commanding between $2.5 million and $4 million.
To support their family financially, James initially retained his creative director job in Australia, working remotely for two years before transitioning to freelancing.
“The work-life balance where we are in the Netherlands is so much better than Australia. Most people that have kids are working part-time or they’re working from home mostly and they are generally available,” they observed.
Lower costs and language immersion
While taxes and the general cost of living are comparable to Sydney, the family’s actual expenditure has drastically reduced due to their new lifestyle choices.
“We ride bicycles everywhere, barely use petrol, we don’t use airconditioning, we heat with a stove fire, and we don’t need childcare past the age of four because school is compulsory from the day you turn four,” Liana said.
The children commenced school just four weeks after relocating, deliberately placed in a local institution to force Dutch immersion.
The family now spends more time outdoors than they ever did in Australia
“They had zero knowledge of Dutch prior, despite having Dutch passports,” Liana said.
“My son was speaking fluently within two months and my daughter took around six months. They speak so well, people are shocked when they switch to English.”
To ensure their Australian heritage isn’t entirely lost, the family even practices “G’day Mate” on some evenings.
No plans to return
Three years into their Dutch adventure, the Hakims are firmly settled, with their European passports simplifying their long-term residency.
Liana, who documents their journey on TikTok and Instagram, has even launched a life coaching business, Out of Mind Space, with a friend she met abroad.
“We coach people on how to become a leader of your own life. We have 50 per cent Australian clients though, which is so nice for me, I love hearing a true Australian accent over Google Meet on a weekly basis,” she shared.
Reflecting on her past life, Liana felt unfulfilled in Sydney.
The move, she believes, has ignited a profound personal transformation for both her and James, fostering greater trust in life and reducing fear.
“I came here determined to step into who I know I am and not repeat my boring, monotonous life back home. I really did that, and I’ve just seen the rewards of it positively explode in front of my eyes,” she declared.
The only drawback remains the distance from family, though regular visits with her brother in Spain help bridge that gap.
For any Australians contemplating a similar leap, Liana’s advice is clear: “Just go for it, especially if the timing is right.”
“If more people said ‘yes’ to the ideas without immediately questioning them, we’d all be living the novels we love to read, and what a beautiful life experience that would be.”
English (US) · 