An American moves to Spain and is completely happy except for one thing
Katie Passarello moved to A Coruña, Spain, from California in 2021.
California native Katie Passarello moved to northern Spain in 2021 on a Fulbright scholarship. Four years later, she’s living in A Coruña with her Spanish partner, Miguel, in the dream apartment they bought and renovated together.
A few months after arriving in Spain, Katie attended a networking event where she met Miguel, though she didn’t think much of the encounter—until they bumped into each other again the next night at a bar. “I was like, ‘Well, let’s make this whole meeting-up thing intentional,’” she recalled. Three and a half years later, they’re living together, building a home and planning for the future.
In the early days of their relationship, Katie lived with friends, and Miguel—whose full name is Miguel Armas Pastor, a local design engineer—frequently visited the shared home. Eventually, the couple decided to take the next step and move in together, settling into Miguel’s family home. This arrangement allowed Katie to obtain legal partnership status and have her residency recognized as European, as she was officially his partner.
Katie and Miguel also realized that owning a home made more financial sense than renting, since a mortgage would cost about the same. After eight months of searching, they finally purchased an apartment in 2023 for €128,890.
Sharing expenses and responsibilities
Before buying the apartment, Katie had her doubts. “I wasn’t sure if we were really mature enough to handle all the responsibilities of running a household,” she told Business Insider. But knowing each other’s personalities and values made it easier. “We were very firm about our maximum down payment, and we compared mortgage offers before committing to anything,” she added.
From the beginning, Katie made it clear that they needed to stay organized and split household expenses equally. “We both wanted to have real ownership,” she said. “We agreed to share everything 50-50 to avoid any hard feelings if there was ever an imbalance.”
At the start of the renovation process, the couple lived with Miguel’s parents—Katie’s in-laws—which came with its own set of challenges. “They’re wonderful, and I love them,” she said, “but you have less space, and suddenly, instead of having a partner, you have a roommate.”
Luckily, Miguel’s parents are also architects and played a crucial role in helping them renovate the apartment. The initial renovation budget was €53,300, but midway through the project, unexpected costs started piling up. “They had to tear everything out—even the floorboards,” Katie said.
The couple subcontracted demolition and masonry work while planning key features for their new home. One of the most important elements was the kitchen. “I love cooking and entertaining, so having an open kitchen connected to the dining room was essential for both of us,” she said.
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After months of hard work, the renovation was finally complete—and Katie and Miguel could begin their new life together in a home they built from the ground up.
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