Your views on Portugal for retirement

Hello Yvonne,

Welcome on board !

Please note that I have created a new thread from your post on the Portugal forum so that members can share their any feedback they have on the topic.

All the best

Bhavna

Thank you so much. I'm actually very open. Portugal was on my short list because of the people, the climate, the food, but honestly? The Atlantic cold water scares me. I was spoiled paddle boarding every morning when I lived on Maui for 2 years. Why I didn't stay: Too much transient energy - no sense of community. Portugal appeals to me for its expat population. What I'm looking for:

Beachfront residence

Low cost of living

Warm sense of community

Warm water

Not crazy touristy

Safe

-@buchyvon

Hi Yvonne,

regarding your expectations in Portugal you will

• easily find beachfront residence
• low cost of living is highly subjective and will mostly be linked to on your references in terms of costs and incomes
• Warm sens of community will also depend on your capacity to learn portugues or on the diaspora of your co-citizens or of english-speaking persons
• not find any warm water except in your spa if you have one
• will find many crazy touristry if you go south, less between Lisboa and Porto
• find safety, yes, but be careful when purchasing real estate or dealing with any contractor

Yes, cost of living depends.  Real estate is still low relative to the US.  Food and wine are remarkably inexpensive, on the shelves or in a restaurant.  A car on the other hand will probably be more expensive, and the gas for it.

The Portuguese language probably should be the thing to think hardest about.  For someone who isn't up for speaking it at some minimal level, maybe a sensible plan would be to rent in Lisbon for a couple years.  I think you can get by with English there, and maybe Porto and Algarve destinations, but it would be frustrating in most of the country.  Then when you've had time to pick up the language, you can go to the parts of the country where you'll find the other things on the list (except warm sea water.)