Creators

Amsterdam vs Lisbon for creators: after the NHR, what remains

Updated: 6 October 2026 Holdwise editorial team

For a decade the answer was automatic: creators relocated to Lisbon for the NHR, the special regime that taxed newcomers gently. That regime closed to new entrants in 2024, replaced by a narrow successor aimed at scientific and innovation roles. The comparison has changed as a result. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

Advantages of Lisbon

Cost of living: rent, food and studios cost clearly less than in Amsterdam.
Weather and light: good for filming and for morale.
A large, established international creator community, still growing.
EU membership, so you have the same OSS system and market access as in the Netherlands.

Advantages of Amsterdam today

A regime that still works: with the NHR closed, ordinary Portuguese progressive rates reach the high forties. The Dutch structure keeps retained profit at 19% and offers newcomers the expat ruling (30%, going to 27% for new cases from 2027). See the expat ruling.
Selling your business: under the participation exemption, a future sale of your channel or brand is tax free in the holding. Lisbon's old regime offered a similar advantage for large sales.
Much government information in English (forms and letters are mostly in Dutch), well-developed digital government services, and banks that handle business applications quickly.
Many brand headquarters nearby, and Schiphol for travel to sponsors.

A lower customary salary is allowed if comparable work pays less, or for up to three years while a new BV is still unable to pay the full salary. With this alone, you save money. You can also borrow up to €500,000 from your own BV (besloten vennootschap, a Dutch private limited company). The lower salary is what saves tax. At €36,000 in place of €58,000, you keep about €7,100 a year more. After a later dividend, about €2,800 of that remains. The loan gives you access to money, but your tax stays the same. Calculate it with your own figures.

The main factors

Creators in an early stage who need to keep costs low still do well in Lisbon. It is a good place to build an audience cheaply. Once you make real profit, the choice changes. When retained earnings and a future sale become the main numbers, the Dutch structure is the better choice. In both countries, you pay tax where you really live. See where your company is taxed and all creator money questions.

Free advice

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Part of Doing Business in the Netherlands, the complete 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Portugal still a tax haven for creators after NHR ended? +

For most creators, that time is over. The NHR regime closed to newcomers in 2024. The new regime only applies to a narrow group of scientific and innovation roles. Other newcomers now pay ordinary progressive rates.

Is Lisbon cheaper than Amsterdam for creators? +

Yes. Rent, daily life and studio space cost clearly less than in Amsterdam. This makes Lisbon attractive while you build your audience.

When does Amsterdam beat Lisbon for a creator? +

Once you make real profit. Then retained earnings taxed at 19% on the first €200,000 (25.8% above), the expat ruling for newcomers and a tax-free sale through the holding count for more than the weather.