Beach Living at Half the Cost of the U.S.

"So Many People Here Speak English"  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­‌ 

Saturday, October 04, 2025 Dear International Living Postcards Reader, If you want to retire early, escape the tensions of life in the U.S. and stop worrying about money, you should consider Portugal. Moving to this affordable Western European retirement haven allowed Lori and Dave Hetes to do all of the above. Now, they spend their days having adventures, with a home by the beach that costs half what it would back home. Read on… Jennifer Stevens Executive Editor, International Living P.S. If you're interested in living in the most relaxed, affordable country in Western Europe... but you don't want to pay typical European prices, then Portugal is for you. That's why we named it Europe's top retirement destination of 2024. Pick up a FREE copy of our comprehensive Escape to Portugal manual as part of a very special offer here. Hurry, this offer ends at midnight tomorrow. Beach Living at Half the Cost of the U.S. By Yayeri Van Baarsen In 2016, Lori and Dave Hetes started thinking about moving overseas. The couple, retired at 62, decided it was time for a change. "We saw things in the States fall apart and started looking at where we could afford to live from a retirement perspective." Initially, Portugal was just an idea. "It wasn't an end-of-the-rainbow, show-off place like Monaco," says Dave. "It was just a country I picked." The more they read about it, though, the nicer it seemed. "We especially liked the location—right on the coast and a good base for traveling around Europe—and the climate. By the time we read that Portugal had over 300 sunny days a year, we were sold," Lori recalls. The decision was easy; the paperwork not so much. "We applied for our residency visa in early September 2022 and were hoping to move mid-October," says Dave. "However, by the end of December we still had no word on our visa application—and no place to live in the U.S. anymore. After weeks of staying with friends and family, we decided to just fly over and wait there." Dealing with the Portuguese bureaucracy took patience and perseverance but eventually the paperwork was approved. Lori and Dave are now settling in fine, learning the language via Duolingo and planning to take Portuguese classes soon.  Recommended Resource: Enjoy a First-World Lifestyle in This Low-Cost Paradise A couple can live very well on a budget as low as $2,207 a month in this Western European country, with 1,115 miles of stunning coastline, ancient Moorish castles and café-lined cobblestone streets. Click here to discover everything you need to know about this retirement haven. "We're fortunate that so many people here speak English, but it's important to have at least a few Portuguese words in your vocabulary," says Lori. The couple live in Cabanas, right on the Algarve coast. "Every day we walk to the beach and stroll on the boardwalk," says Lori. "We regularly go for a drive in the mountains and look at the Atlantic Ocean from the top of a hill. Last time, we found fields of wild lavender and picked a bundle which is now drying at home. We discover new beaches by driving along the coast road and randomly following signs that say 'praia.' Recently, we tried (and failed at) making nesperra (or loquat) jam, and on a walk through town on Good Friday, we suddenly came across an impressive Stations of the Cross procession." Soon, Dave and Lori will be moving to Altura, closer to the Spanish border, where they'll be renting a house within walking distance of the beach for €1,000 ($1,096) a month. "It's a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a beautiful balcony terrace where we'll be spending most of our time," says Lori. "In the U.S., this would cost twice the amount." Less expensive in Portugal as well is the food. "Our grocery bill here is always less than it was in the States." And of course the wine: "€2 to €3 gets you a decent bottle." Apart from the cost of living, Lori and Dave were also pleasantly surprised by the Portuguese tradition of a relaxed lunchtime. "I've never been a lunch eater: back in the States, I'd always grab something quick," says Lori. "Not in Portugal! Here, you sit down with friends, have a glass of wine, talk, enjoy, and take your time. Lunch easily takes an hour and a half. There's only one thing you should never do here, and that's go to a Portuguese café at lunchtime and only order coffee!" Editor's Note: Lori and Dave are among the increasing number of Americans to call Portugal home. And it's no surprise. Thanks to its excellent weather, rich culture, welcoming people, good-value cost of living, Portugal took the top spot in Europe for our 2024 Annual Global Retirement Index. To help you decide if Europe's official best place to retire is for you, we're offering you a FREE copy of our comprehensive guide, Escape to Portugal. This offer is only available until midnight tomorrow, so don't delay—claim your copy here right now. Recommended Resource: Enjoy a First-World Lifestyle in This Low-Cost Paradise A couple can live very well on a budget as low as $2,207 a month in this Western European country, with 1,115 miles of stunning coastline, ancient Moorish castles and café-lined cobblestone streets. Click here to discover everything you need to know about this retirement haven. Recommended Reading Why Now is the Time to Apply for Europe's "Hidden" Golden Visa By Ted Baumann Malta's New Visa Offers a Fast Track to European Residency By Ted Baumann Why We Have Decided to Spend Half the Year Living in Sri Lanka By Roland Dalton Inbox too crowded? 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