Why Portugal?

The Why and How of Moving Here

Photo by Liam McKay on Unsplash

Before moving to Portugal this question drove me insane. People, few of them supportive, asked me so often that I made a list which I copied and pasted into every text, email and DM.

Here it is, word for freaking word.

I chose Portugal because:

1. I’m a Europhile.
2. I qualify for a residency visa there.
3. It has the same weather as California.
4. It’s the most affordable country in Western Europe.
5. It’s the 3rd safest country in the World.
6. They have a very good and affordable healthcare system. (A friend paid 12€ for an MRI. Yup, you read that correctly, $13 for an MRI.)

I’ve been living in Portugal for almost one year at the time of this writing, (shy just 5 days) and all of those reasons still stand. I have more now that I’ve been here for a year, many more. But we don’t know what we don’t know.

I’ll expound on each of my reasons above after I answer the questions I know you want to ask.

Q: Now that you’re there, was it worth it?

A: Absolutely!

Q: Any regrets?

A: None.