Seven good reasons:
- One of the best health systems in the world
- Miles of gorgeous coastline
- Europe’s best-value capital city
- One of the safest places you can visit
- Historic castles in pretty towns
- Great climate
- Some of the friendliest people in the world
I can only attest to the coastline, safety, climate, and friendliness. I am sure some research is needed for I could call it one of the best health care systems, though it is certainly affordable. Best value just depends on your lifestyle. I would choose Greece over Portugal for value and friendliness.
They go on to say:
It’s the western most country in mainland Europe. Many airlines fly direct from North America to Portugal’s three international airports, in less than 7 hours. So, it’s closer than you think for when friends and family want to visit.
You’ll likely make lots of new friends in Portugal. In 2019, InterNations conducted a massive survey of expats all over the world. The questions asked were about how friendly expats found their new communities, how easy was it to make friends, how the locals fit in with visitors, and how likely expats were to want to stay in their new country as long as possible.
The Portuguese have a live-and-let-live attitude. You can sit for hours at an outdoor café nursing one cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and no check will appear unless requested. It’s normal for a person on a crosswalk to wave “thank you” to the driver who stopped.
And once you become friends with someone from Portugal—you will have gained a trusted ally forever.
A restaurant lunch, including wine, often comes in at less than $10 per person, and a coffee at a pavement café costs less than a dollar.
A three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant costs $55 in Paris and Rome, $50 in Madrid, but only $33 in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. Likewise, in budget-friendly Lisbon, monthly utilities for an 915-square-foot apartment can run you as little as $178, compared to $209 (Rome), and $195 (Paris). For all these reasons and more, Portugal has earned the #1 spot in Europe on International Living’s Global Retirement Index.
The thought of leaving the U.S. and California never crossed my mind. Maybe this is a better way to live?
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