It sounds like a vacation—and for many it is—but, at these prices, you can afford to make it a holiday that never has to end.
In fact, I bet it’s cheaper to live here than it is where you are now.
I’m talking about Portugal… where you could live a very comfortable life—frequent dinners out, cocktail hours, shopping, household help, a home near the water, etc.—on as little as 1,786 euros (about US$2,000) per month.
But the great thing about Portugal is that you could go much cheaper if you wanted…
Forgo the frills, and you could live well on just 922 euros (less than US$1,100) per month.
As Portugal retiree Allen Freeman explains, “We knew we had to retire overseas.”
“It’s cheaper and easier. And with all the chaos back home, we were ready to take that step.
“It was the right time. We just… didn’t know where.”
For years, Allen and his wife Linda had researched far and wide.
Exotic locations all over the world.
But they settled on Portugal.
Why?
Because they found it was the cheapest and safest place in all Europe.
“We are in gorgeous Silves, nestled in the Algarve region,” Allen explains. “A little walk and we’re in Old Town, where we can take a coffee break, get some sun, and avoid the tourists.
“There’s a castle, a cathedral, museums, tons of beaches…
“Having our own villa a few blocks from the beach is a dream we could never afford in America.”
Here on the Portuguese coast, Allen and Linda can live the retirement they’ve always wanted and then some.
Former teachers, they had never led expensive lives, and they weren’t ready to start in retirement.
But in Portugal they’re enjoying a lifestyle that could definitely be described as rich… on a schoolteacher’s budget.
Lots Of Places Are Cheap—But They’re Not Portugal
For about US$200,000 you could buy a two-bedroom, two-bath villa in one of our favorite towns in this country.
You could eat out for US$6, grab a pint of beer for US$2, and drink a cappuccino for US$1. A grocery trip for a week’s worth of food will put you back just US$18.
All in, Allen and Linda are living in a villa close to the beach in a charming town for about US$1,600 a month.
As Allen says, “During our working years, Linda and I never lived as well as we do now. It’s like we’ve earned this.
“We finally got to live like we always hoped but could never achieve before.”
A Simple Life By The Coast In The Algarve
Despite being near the ocean, the cost of living in Portugal is, on average, 30% lower than in any other country in Europe.
The southern region of Algarve in the country is our #1 choice for living overseas—it also happens to be incredibly affordable.
To give you a better idea, here is a breakdown of monthly expenses for a couple:
- Rent (for a basic apartment about a 15-minute walk to the water): 400 euros
- Public Transportation (for an unlimited pass for the bus that can take you all around): 40 euros
- Gas/Electricity/Water: 130 euros
- Cable/Phone/Internet Bundle (TVMucho annual subscription for WiFi and TV): 78 euros
- Entertainment (for a couple dining out at a restaurant twice a week): 204 euros
- Food and Groceries (for fresh, local foods… imported, frozen, and processed foods will cost you more): 70 euros
TOTAL: 922 euros
Kathleen Peddicord
