Old World European Living For a Third of U.S. Costs

Monday, September 10, 2018 Dear International Living Reader, If you long for a life in Europe but you assume you can't afford it... I have good news. You can live better than you imagine for less than it costs you to stay home. The secret lies in an often-overlooked European country with warm weather, a rich history, and the most affordable cost of living in the region. IL Correspondent Tricia Pimental tells you more below… Colm Lambert Managing Editor, IL Postcards * * * Old World European Living for a Third of U.S. Costs By Tricia Pimental Although my husband, Keith, and I considered moving abroad in the past, it wasn't until I retired that we began to look seriously. My Social Security and Keith's income were not enough to continue to pay the mortgage and living expenses back home. So, we rented a furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage with a fireplace and a swimming pool in northern Portugal for $790 a month—a far cry from the $2,100 we paid back home. It wasn't the plan to stay, but that was five years ago and we're still here. It's a mystery why this intoxicating country has been so often and so long overlooked. We've traveled through all of Europe and can't imagine living anywhere else. The weather is hard to beat. A temperate climate (although rainy in winter in the north) allows plenty of time for outdoor activities. Healthcare, both public and private, is widely available, inexpensive, and excellent. And it's the most affordable country in Western Europe. In Portugal, Keith and I immediately saw our expenses fall to between one third and one quarter of what they were back in the U.S. For example, a couple can easily live in a suburb of Lisbon in a comfortable apartment, without a car, and enjoy a moderate budget for entertainment, in addition to necessities, for $1,500 a month. Try doing that in any other Western European capital. A lunch for two at an inexpensive restaurant runs $16; pay double that for a mid-range eatery. A round-trip public transportation ticket is about $3.25, but you can travel on a pass for an entire month for less than $40. A one-bedroom rental in town averages $690, and outside the city center, $450. Utilities average about $110, and internet usage about $27 for one month.