The True Cost of Living in Portugal (Might Shock You)

[@lokimikko3516]

Wife and I were soooo looking forward to this video after having our consultation with Kalie this Wed!! Incredibly informative and high quality. The thing everyone needs to understand: this video is to show the overall cost of goods and services. In all likelihood, you're not going to Lisbon every month...but you want to see how much a trip costs. You're not getting your teeth cleaned every month, but (hopefully) will get them cleaned at least once a year. For married people like us (no kids, but pets), we took out and/or adjusted costs at the end of the video.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

What an awesome comment! Thanks for incapsulating the reason we do these videos once a year. You've got it! - Josh & Kalie

[@tinglestingles]

We've been in Portugal for about 13 months. For us two - in Setubal, 3-bed apartment rental, €1060. In total, it has been €2,500, each month for us on average - (needs and wants - so everything!). We do not miss out on anything.

[@alexsalamah7140]

Hi currently my wife and I currently live in Dallas Texas. We seriously considering retiring early to Portugal with no kids. Does D7 visa qualifies us for Portugal’s health system or do we need to account for buying health insurance? If so, do you happen to have a range or an estimate for health for 2? Thx for your response in advance.

[@tinglestingles]

@@alexsalamah7140 hi, once you’re a resident you can use the health system. We have purchased health insurance but will probably cancel at renewal. The cost of a years insurance - we’re both over 60 was around €1000 each per year. My wife joined a doctors surgery and had high BP and high cholesterol - she was given over 24 tests including mammogram, chest x-ray, ultrasound and blood tests - all on the public health service. All without cost. Yes, free. She also got a prescription which she had to pay for which was less than €4. Dentistry and prescriptions or not free but are reasonably priced. And she pays for spectacles these tend to be a higher price than the UK, where we are from. When she takes a trip back to the UK she normally buys them there.

[@tinglestingles]

@@alexsalamah7140 She also had to see a chiropodist (as we call it in the UK), she had some foot issues, and this was handled privately. She had a 50-minute appointment which cost €50, the issues were corrected, and she would certainly visit again, should she need to.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Nice! Good stuff. Thanks for sharing. - Josh & Kalie

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

If you can afford private health insurance, it can really come in handy if you need it when the public system gets overwhelmed. Alex on a D7, you're going to need some coverage initially. You'll need an insurance that meets the current requirements according to SEF/the consulate you need to go through. - Josh & Kalie

[@SirJackOcean]

Thanks!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much as always for the awesome channel support! You're a rockstar. - Josh & Kalie

[@Take5North]

Thanks! Great to see a REAL budget happen in real time and compare to California prices

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you 🙏 That was our approach so people could get an idea and say “No way we’ll go out to eat as much as them and our rent is definitely going to be higher”. We felt like numbers on a blog only tell you so much. You’ve gotta see a glimpse of the lifestyle those numbers represent.

[@estevaocunha5302]

Now just imagine that most of us Portuguese live on a minimum wage. So this is very out of the ordinary.

[@diogorodrigues747]

I mean, that's not true. Only like 20% of the Portuguese live on minimum wage. However, indeed, wages are very low.

[@sportinguista09]

@@diogorodrigues74720% where you get those numbers from? Almost everyone I know makes minimum wage in Portugal ..

[@diogorodrigues747]

​@@sportinguista09 It's literally coming from the National Statistics Bureau of Portugal, and it's data from 2023.

[@Hdio99]

I am a Portuguese that follow your channel, I am 51 live near Lisbon (Cascais) work in Lisbon, so everyday commute with my car, similar to Josh and Kalie, we are a couple me and my wife 47 and my dauther 8 and a cat, the difference is we live in a 3 bedrrom apartment being purchased to the bank and for that I pay 385€ to the bank instead of the renting , we normally spend between 1800€ and 2000€ at the higher end per month, BUT differences compared to this month displayed by Josh is we dont travel so much , we dont go out to eat a lot , I think Josh and kalie go out a lot at least this month , we dont eat so much in coffees compared with them taking so much expensive cakes, pasteis de nada are not so often , A RECOMENDATION is that JOSH your insurance is way to high you dont need that you are still a young couple very healthy and your dauther is not a baby any more so out of that worry zone...you have a lot of insurances that cover you as much as you need on private for far less... BUT yes in General if you go out more than normal , if you dont take back a little , if you GO TO SPORT EVNTS and the like, its easy to spend more 1000€ easily with the abundace of offer...and the great weather that invites you to go out!!! BUT SUPER WELL DONE VIDEO ( ha and we dont have a video editor... :) )

[@tinglestingles]

We travelled to Cascais and Estoril yesterday. Lovely place! Easy for us to travel from our home in Setubal.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your budget! We're shopping for a new insurance. :-) - Josh & Kalie

[@cookmaster3626]

Cascais was a great place to visit and the festival of lights during christmas time, the giant wheel, the street cafes outdoor dining etc was great. Loved that place. Lucky you to be living there.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@Ivan Ivanov it's possible. www.idealista.pt/en/arrendar-casas/lisboa/com-preco-max_1000/?ordem=precos-asc

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@Ivan Ivanov not sure what you mean by realistic prices now. Are they baits? That's something that you're going to have to vet and discern yourself (or with the help of a company or friend to visit the apartment if you're trying to do this remotely).

[@divegirl4811]

Love the info and the format. I think you guys live your life to have fun, be social, and aren’t crazy extravagant but also don’t hold back. Sure you could spend less, but your quality of life might suffer too. And believe me - your costs are pretty reasonable for a middleclass lifestyle.

[@PaulStrizhevsky]

Amazing video! You have no idea how helpful your transparency and realistic costs are to families planning to live abroad. Thanks so much, guys! P.S. The burger Kalie ate looked divine!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Paul! We appreciate hearing that. We're happy to do it! - Josh & Kalie

[@karadizon4299]

We were in Portugal for three weeks last moneth traveling through algarve, Lisbon, Porto, nazares, madeira island and aviero, we had so much fun. Food and grocery was not too expensive. Pingo Doce is definitely my favorite grocery store in Portugal as 6L of water was under €3. We walked a lot in Lisbon and Porto. Bolt was inexpensive

[@mameira]

Total month expending: 3500 euro Total without coffee: 70 euro

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

HAHAHAHA - Josh & Kalie

[@roxane1237]

I noticed that some cultures outside of Europe tend to eat out a lot (Americans, Asians). Don't do this in Europe. Eat at home. Eating out is for special occasions. Bring your own lunch at work (if your workplace doesn't have a cafeteria like in France for instance). Don't have coffees all the time. Also the tipping. A couple of euros is more than enough. When you move to another country, you will have this feeling of being on holidays so of course during your first months your bills will be off the charts. Once you settle in a more integrated lifestyle you'll have bills that are closer to the average bills of the locals. A Portugese family would probably spend half of what you guys are spending. That being said, really good video with a good break down and honest recap on all the spendings. Wish you well in your adventure !!

[@Mr.DJones]

Really true about Americans. It is interesting how videos are presented in an American standard (way of life) for other countries. I've found this out no matter what country it is. One reason why prices go up where Americans start to gather. :)

[@chuckmurray1825]

We stayed at Mamas Shelter in Lisbon when we visited in 2022. It was our favorite hotel in our four weeks in Europe. The rooftop bar was amazing. The restaurant was good and apparently very popular. The rooms were small but very well done! It was quirky but fun. Also, very close to a Metro station and easy to get anywhere.

[@cheersfromginnysteve8725]

Great information throughout the video! Very realistic assessment at the end allowing for extra expenses, but you did an excellent job illustrating how much to expect if you live your life to the fullest. Thank you, and keep up the great work!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you all! You saw the heart of the video! - Josh & Kalie

[@pablobulldog]

Crazy amount of detail! Thank you so much for the work you put into this. Cannot tell you how useful it was. Blessings.

[@georgd3013]

Thanks for sharing your COL, i love how often you go for coffee, pastries, and beer!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome, Gerog. Honestly, it's part of the reason we moved. We wanted to be in a culture where it's normal to pause life and have a coffee, pasty, beer or all 3. We did notice that this month we went to more non-traditional places, which is a super accurate look at our life 365. - Josh & Kalie

[@marksherwood5241]

Thanks guys. I really enjoyed this video. I've been watching for 9+ months now. This video was not just about finance... it was also about your lifestyle. As always, I appreciate your sharing. Mark & Joan (we are in the early part of our Golden Visa process) :)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome, Mark! Thanks for following us for 9+ months. We appreciate it. You hit the nail on the head with the intention of the video. If you disconnect the lifestyle from the finances meaning is lost. It's like when people say, "I pay €350 for rent." But you don't know what city it's in, if it has been renovated, how big it is or other important factors that affect price and impact ones lifestyle. - Josh & Kalie

[@seamusp5991]

You rock!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Seamus! Thank you for the support. - Josh & Kalie

[@lbr7248]

Thank you for sharing this great info. It is very helpful in researching costs for living in Portugal.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome. Our pleasure. - Josh & Kalie

[@mikeabbott8521]

Great info as always. I appreciate the data-driven aspect of your videos; too many expat-oriented content is subjective and hard to relate to. The big takeaway, however, came at 5.54 mins into the video: there is at least one good Mexican restaurant in Portugal.

[@sarahann530]

What's the difference between an ex-pat and an emigrant ?

[@mikeabbott8521]

@@sarahann530 Three letters and a hyphen. Seriously though, to me an emigrant is leaving his old country behind forever; an expatriate maintains closer ties to his place of origin. Semantics. If/when we move to PT it will involve becoming citizens, so we'll be more immigrants than expats at that stage.

[@sarahann530]

@Mike Abbott So an ex-pat doesn't embrace the culture or integrate . They just want to take advantage .

[@sarahann530]

@F S So the UK passport would now be weak and they would be emigrants .

[@imeandmyself525]

@@fs5775Better saying, the power of your bank account, and your credit card. In Portugal there are Angolan expatriates and immigrants, the passport is the same, the economic power very different

[@Skyflakes-q7c]

What a great video! Thanks for the transparency, and invitation into your financial lives.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you, Eric. We've got to be vulnerable to be authentic. - Josh & Kalie

[@sandyp4821]

Awesome video! Love the daily play by play. Thanks for the realistic outlook on expenses. Keep it up ❤

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Sandy! We appreciate the love. And we'll definitely keep it up. - Josh & Kalie

[@abirmaliyanker4740]

Thanks! We, a couple, one 2 yo and a dog live in private house in Aveiro in the last year after we lived in Lisbon for a year. We spend around 2500 a month with a car and rent similar to yours. You are paying way to much for private health insurance, to the bank which I would recommend to change and for the hair cut;). Nice video though. Thanks again

[@CGsYTChannel]

Great video! Realistic, and happy that you itemized it near the end to make it easier to figure out my cost. Appreciate you guys doing these videos for us!!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Carlos. We're glad you didn't skip to the end. :-) We appreciate your comment. - Josh & Kalie

[@congruent-thoughts8781]

Interessting to watch and lots of usable information in between. Thank for not being shy, showing your life at the as an example how much things cost. I remember we had exactly same bad habits with our kids and obisity was the result when our doughter did start highschool and my wife got the same problems and her body, especially the hips could not deal with all the junkfood and sugar anymore. A early dead was the result. Shifting livestyle could be a much cheaper living in the short and especially in the long run. 🥂🙈😘 Cheers❣️

[@Nordkapp65]

Thank you for this, you just made me reconsider my retirement expenses. Seriously I would have expected much lower expenses given Portugal is a lot cheaper than many other European States but it gave me food for thought as I would like to be similarly carefree in spending when I retire. I really need to up my savings or buy another property to rent out! Your mission if you choose to accept it, is to spend less than €5,500 per month with a similar spend but here in Dublin Ireland!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome and thank you for the comment. In Dublin?! I'm not sure we could even do this in Cork. :-) Even the Guinness there is more expensive than here in Porto. - Josh & Kalie

[@uuuuttta]

Thanks enjoyed that- Josh comment about Kalie spending is perhaps rich ...given his spend on the sports lol! We have been in Portugal for 7 weeks, all over and I don't know how your grocery budget is just 388 euro's. The two of us eat a lot of veggies, with some form of protein (not too expensive) and admittedly enjoy a decent bottle of red wine each evening (5-7 eurp's each) - but we eat our very seldom- due the home cooking being so good. Our food bill is about 20 EU a day for all three meals.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

What you didn't see is that Kalie was at all the sports events with me. We have season tickets to FC Porto but on day 1 the kickoff was late and we didn't have a sitter so we couldn't take Cia and Kalie stayed back with her so I took friends in their place. Regarding groceries, €388 was our 30 day total and if you cost that out per day, it's about €13/day for 3 people so your numbers sound pretty good despite 25 to 33% of your grocery budget going to a nice bottle of wine. - Josh & Kalie

[@uuuuttta]

For anyone considering living in Portugal your monthly costs are really valuable to consider. Thank you! Your dinner, drinks coffee snacks budget is just shy of being 160% more than your grocery budget. Thus the comment about being 'rich' when all is taken into account I am guessing you both have an equal hand in general food, drinks etc budget- its probably more equal then you may realise. My 2c :-) thanks for a great channel! @@ExpatsEverywhere

[@Hide_and_silk]

Wow that's a lot! We're expats in the south of France, retired with pets but still running two homes and we spend way less than half that each month.

[@vanhalen45]

Amazingly lower cost for you out there in France...and with two homes as well. I wish I could learn more about how you pull this off.

[@cal9112]

I think this couple a big spenders😮

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Great job! How do you spend your money? How big are houses, where exactly are the located? Are they on mortgages? How much are the mortgages? How often do you go out? - Josh & Kalie

[@MAKunle]

Am coming to Portugal by October am very happy to take this bold step

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Congratulations. All the best! - Josh & Kalie

[@ApenasUmSenhor]

Hey, being a european, I am really curious. Why is it that so many people are trying to leave the US, which for centuries was the deram destination for refugees driven by poverty and government oppression from all over the world? Isn't there something fundamentally wrong if people from that country, which has literally everything to offer in terms of natural resources, flock in troves to a tiny country on the south-western edge of europe? If you look at it realistically, the type of migration we are talking about here is mostly that of people who have a decent amount of money at their disposal and are either retirees or "digital nomads". Both are not types of people with which you can build or uphold up a country, and portugal's own population is shrinking. Even though they bring money with them, this effect does not matter much as it goes into the pockets of the already rich, while the poor often get even poorer (think of rising rental cost in Lisbon). The native portuguese are often not fond of these developments at all, and their interest should come first. Regarding the health system: the phrase "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" counts in portugal as well as everywhere. My experience is that the state system is chronically underfunded and difficult to access for foreigners. I look at it as the refuge for poor natives (there are a lot of them, be sure of that. Even though they may not look like it, many are "living" on pensions of a few hundered euros ) who cannot afford an insurance. In our case, the "centro de saude" (local health center) is simply not assigning "family doctors" to foreigners. And without the assigned doctor, all you can do is come to the center on sundays for the "free-for-all" service hour, waiting easily 4 hours, or go to the hospital emergency in the next town (also waiting). Even our (well-to-do) portuguese friends don't bother with this and rather go to a private doctor or hospital instead (still affordable). And one final remark: if europe goes down economically, which IMO is anything but unthinkable (cracks are already showing) portugal, being largely dependent on external funding, will go first and end up where it once was, or God knows where... just my 2 cents.

[@yumyumkitty2104]

Mass shootings are becoming more frequent; political and racial divisiveness is stressful and draining; healthcare costs & medical deductibles are through the roof; homes & rent and EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.

[@ApenasUmSenhor]

@@yumyumkitty2104 uh. Something is telling me that like almost all trends in the past decades, these issues will also spill over to the old continent before too long. In fact, they are already here, with portugal being the least affected for now. Health insurance costs, for example have already risen by 40%, which is most likely due to the increased influx of high-risk customers. If we keep running from the problem, it will eventually catch up with us. Sooner or later we have to face it head on

[@ApenasUmSenhor]

@@yumyumkitty2104 funny that so many people mention the mass shootings, although hardly anyone has been affected by one. My guess is that in reality, it is high taxation, rampant street crime, homelessnes and drug abuse that are driving people out. At least that is what I hear from many US cities. The reason everybody blames the mass shootings is that this is more fashionable as it can be passed on to right wing politics (and, most importantly, orange man) and weak arms control. But in reality, it is the left (or "woke") wing's "defund the police" and identity politics nonsense that is most detrimental. Not?

[@kathykaz3027]

It's so funny that Pincho's haircut costs 3x as much as Josh's lol. Great video. Would love to see the travel costs and comparisons (flight vs train to Lisbon etc)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Now that you mention it, you're right! That is crazy. I don't bite Thiago though so that could be part of the price. When we did the plane v train vlog, the prices were about the same for the first class train and the budget airline plane. Had we all flown, it would have been a lot more because of the cost to take a dog in cabin plus paying individually for cabin bags. - Josh & Kalie

[@APV2013]

My wife and I (in our early 60s, just recently moved to Braga) enjoyed and appreciated this video, a great comparison tool for us. Terrific work, please keep it up!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Awe, thank you very much. We appreciate hearing that. :-) We create videos for people it you. - Josh & Kalie

[@alexsalamah7140]

Hi my wife and I live in Dallas Texas are planning to retire early, when I turn 60, two years from now. We are considering Portugal as a potential retirement country. Since you guys are very close to our age and I hope you don’t mind me asking this question, but I wanted to ask what do you guys spend a month on the average? And what are you doing for health insurance. Do you have any trusted resources we can consult with regarding visas, taxes, and health care? Thank you very much ,

[@APV2013]

@@alexsalamah7140 Hi, We are only 2 months into this adventure so we haven't settled into a firm budget yet. We are estimating 5-700 euros for groceries and restaurants. Utilities are far cheaper than in central Texas and that is acknowledging we have not gone through a summer and winter yet. With internet, phones, TV, electric/ gas, and water figure another 200. We have military insurance but supplemented it with a cheap policy with Medis (Millenium Bank) in order to cover us for our SEF appointment. A one year policy was 924.00. A complete one year auto insurance policy was 632. Otherwise, it all depends on your lifestyle (and how big your social circle is) to measure whether Portugal is really cheaper than where you are coming from, (If it's Dallas, then definitely!)

[@alexsalamah7140]

@APV2013 thanks for your response! I really wish you the best in Portugal!

[@JenShea]

Thank you for sharing so honestly. You had a the trip to Lisboa & Aveiro & the two football games. They add up and like you mentioned, you don't take Pincho every month or have dental work done every month. This is good for people to get an 'idea' of the costs and they can determine what they likely would or might not have done themselves. Cheers ~

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome. Thanks, Jen. We feel like people can gauge how their cost of living might be using the suggested prices we show here. We know not everyone has our lifestyle. We know some people spend more and others spend less. That's normal. We're so glad that you get the heart of this video. - Josh & Kalie

[@chriskasprzyk6235]

Repping the HEB bag in Pingo Doce. Nice. Take it you have done some grocery shopping in Texas? We just returned to Texas from a 3 week scouting trip to Portugal. Can't wait to get back.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hey Chris, some friends of our brought us some goodies from their favorite grocery store in Texas and we gladly took it and have been reusing the bag ever since. It's a sturdy bag! - Josh & Kalie

[@jsoxendine]

Great video. Very helpful and instructive in understanding monthly costs.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Johnny. We're glad it was helpful. - Josh & Kalie

[@AkishaAnthony]

This was very helpful. I am moving with my daughter so having this kind of statistics is really helpful.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned. We'll do another update in Feb or March. - Josh & Kalie

[@portuguesetraveller]

Great video, really shows random expenses that show up every month+ the main expenses that are guaranteed. Life in Porto is expensive but its still much cheaper than in Lisbon.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you, Helder. Yes, those guaranteed expenses like for like are higher in Lisbon. - Josh & Kalie

[@user-vx2wp1ez5s]

Nearly choked when I saw the bottle of wine for €2.29. Overall, that looks like a pretty good deal.

[@LNHOUSE]

and you would be even more choked if you tried that wine, because its quite good!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

It's dangerous. :-) - Josh & Kalie

[@milancollin1819]

Great video. I believe you have many options to spend or to save. In your video is food covering almost the whole video (probably around 1000euro) and I believe also your transportation cost more because your using public transport for everything (probably around 750euros). We live in Setubal and spend around 4500euros with two boys in private school, rent 1500euro, a car and a dog. The beginning in a country is mostly more expensive as you have to find out all the steps. Your videos is a good reference for people to look at.

[@samanthafromme]

Awww! This video makes us miss you even more. Miss hanging out with you guys!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Awww, we miss you and love you guys too. Where in the world where we hang out next? - Josh & Kalie

[@samanthafromme]

@@ExpatsEverywhere That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@samanthafromme Surely it's a couple thousand dollar answer. - Josh

[@sharondurant3273]

€3600 a month is about €43k a year. Living reasonably! You couldn’t do that in a Porto-like city in the US! Muito bom!

[@jw841]

There are many places in the world you could live like a king on that amount. For example my girlfriend and I live well in Osaka Japan on about $2000 a month. And we eat out most nights. Medical care is also excellent and pretty affordable. We were considering Portugal but I think we get a lot more bang for our buck in Asia and life in general is pretty good here.

[@sharilove8780]

@@jw841 how hard is it to learn Japanese? My husband loves all things Japanese and I have heard wonderful things about living in Japan....I just assumed it was super expensive to do so.

[@jw841]

@@sharilove8780 I found learning to speak and understand Japanese fairly easy. It took me less than 6 months to be conversational. What is very difficult is reading and writing Japanese. This can take a longtime to learn. Yes Tokyo is expensive but Japan is not. There are lots of great places to stay in Japan thats very affordable. We are in Osaka and the cost of living is differently lower than Portugal and most European countries, except maybe for some Eastern Europe countries and the Balkans. But what we have is a fantastic quality of life here in Osaka. We are always doing something and haven't gotten bored yet. I spent a bit of time in Lisbon to check it out and found it very expensive to do much there. Once you've seen the old architecture and done a few walking tours and visited a number of cafes. It gets boring pretty quick. Whereas for us there is always something to do and see in Osaka and the surrounding areas. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

[@imirim]

Excellent video. It encourages me still. Although the trend/uptick in strikes of various kinds has me concerned, not gonna lie. We are tracking to arrive on D7 in May next year. Having another trial run in September this year after two months there last year.

[@danielsemyck7683]

Love your cost of living videos - great detail!!

[@faithbee1878]

Loved this. Please do more of these👍🏼

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you! We have been doing 1 update per year 3 years in a row now. How's that sound? :-) Any more frequent and Kalie might kill me. - Josh

[@davidmartinspresents]

Question: Kalie mentioned it's free delivery for online ordering of groceries iff total is over 100EUR. If you order a total of 105 EUR but ends up being 98 EUR because they did not have all the items, will they still give you free delivery?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yes, it's still free delivery. - Josh & Kalie

[@2minutes2travel]

Hello! Love the content! I’m curious when you were apartment searching, was it difficult to find pet-friendly options? Did you have to settle in something you’d rather not be in, due to having a pet. Thanks!

[@jennifermello8063]

You did eat out a lot, enjoyed quite a few snacks, the games, and travel. All extras. It seems like bolt was used quite a bit. The good news is you can balance all that out with your low cost of rent. Thank you for sharing.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for watching. - Josh & Kalie

[@filipegodinho]

Hey, thing is I think it could be half of that amount to upwards that total. Spot on were the variables 1-eating out 2-health insurance(people here use the public system or some alternative provided by the employer)

[@markrodgers9527]

“Eating 🎉and Dinking 🍷with Josh & Katie!! Great video, very helpful and realistic expense tracking! Thanks Mark ❤️

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

It did feel that way, didn't it, Mark. Whoops. Thanks for your feedback. - Josh & Kalie

[@scottsorenson1859]

Very useful information. A couple of points to clarify. €750 for rent in Porto seems quite low. Would the same apartment rent for that price today after the dramatic increases in recent years? For example we rented a nice unfurnished two bedroom in Lisboa (Avenidas Novas) three years ago, on a three year lease, for €1500 (though our gracious landlord is raising it now to only €1650). Similar apartments now rent quickly for over €3000. Also with regard to grocery prices I've read that the one year increase has been 25% and that has certainly been our experience. Still groceries are much cheaper than the US though.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Scott. The thing about our rent was discussed at the end. We got our contract in 2021. Our rent has gone up €50 in that time, which is fine by us, but we fully acknowledge and have discussed on the channel about how a T1+1 like we have would be closer to €1,000 in today's current market. Regarding grocery prices, I would be interested in reading what you read. Our grocery bill was slightly lower than last years, but it's also due in part to eating out more and therefore, we cooked a bit less in these 30 days. The best thing we could do from a like for like perspective would be to go back to a video we did in 2021 when we compared prices in 3 grocery stores shopping using the same list and we go back to maybe one of them and see what the price difference is. I'll have to think about how to shot that video and see if people are interested in seeing that. That gives me some food for thought. - Josh

[@scottsorenson1859]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Thanks for the information Josh. It looks like real estate prices in Lisbon have increased quite a bit more in Lisboa than Porto. The information on food prices came from an article I read in The Portugal News citing a monthly survey of 63 essential food item prices conducted by Deco Proteste. This was a couple of months ago. I just checked with them and they now say food prices have dropped a little since then (the last two months). As of now since the war in Ukraine began (February last year) the basket has increased by 19.86%. NB We've been here for three years but still get a lot of value from watching your videos. Keep up the good work!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@scottsorenson1859 Hey, thanks for the reply! Yeah, definitely prices have increased more there by percentage than anywhere else. We were recently quoted for a renovation project from a company based in Lisbon. I'm sure the number quoted would work in Lisbon no problem, but here it would be tight. You know? The quote came in a good 50% more than a bid with a really good company based in Porto. We're happy to hear that you're still getting value out of our videos. That's cool. We'll definitely try to keep it up. We're blessed to be able to do this full-time. - Josh & Kalie

[@mufana1]

O_o When i left Porto in 2017, i was paying 325€ for a T1+1 right in the city center....

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@mufana1 was it fully renovated?

[@kathyw9439]

A popular FB group recently published a "realistic" middle/upper class budget in Lisbon in excess of $6000 (maybe even $7K, I don't recall). Relieved to see your figures. Thanks for continuing to present your budget once or twice a year!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome, Kathy! You know that budget seems high for middle class but not for upper class. Upper class to me says €3000 apartment (or a lot more) and international school fees around €1,000 per month per kid and in that regard, it could be €6,000 no problem. - Josh & Kalie

[@username42]

I enjoyed watching the video that detailed daily expenses. I'm curious to know how much it would cost for someone who doesn't eat out often, cooks at home, and uses either a bike or public transportation to commute to work. This is especially relevant for recent graduates who may not have a high salary as expat non eu citizen.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you. If you're living alone in a city like Porto, rent can be pretty pricey. For basic cost of living think about €1,500-2,000 if you're having to get a rental right now because prices are so high in the city. If you live somewhere else that's cheaper, it can be much, much less. Public transportation could cost you around €35 per month. - Josh & Kalie

[@username42]

@@ExpatsEverywhere thanks for the answer so having an offer of about 35 to 40k gross annual salary as usual for a eng salary, it won't be enough to survive after taxes by living alone?

[@ciprianoneves7246]

Very informative video. How do the portuguese making the minimun wage make it?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you. They surely don't eat out like we do. They might own their house or got a mortgage at a time when they bought at a very low price. When they go out to eat, they'll eat Portuguese food. - Josh & Kalie

[@TigasFMS]

We don’t. We leave our home country because it’s not for us, it was sold.

[@Mr.DJones]

Many people make it on minimum wage in other countries. They do not have the habits that Americans do.

[@lawrencep.5230]

I think there is a slight mistake in the video, how much was the hotel on the trip to Lisbon????

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

It wasn't a mistake, we had booked the hotel outside of the 30 days of logging so it wasn't included. The Mama Shelter varies a lot but on this particular day it was €125. The rates can really range from €115-300. - Josh & Kalie

[@Applelikesme]

3000 basically 1500 each lol, Portugal is becoming or rather has become a country for foreigners not us Portuguese because ain't no way we're spending 1500 every month, I mean we can but basically that means we're saving 0€ every month. Ridiculous.

[@Mr.DJones]

The American way... :)

[@PedroLamyLaranjeira]

Sorry, but for coffee in Portugal ask for a "galao" instead of 'Latte". You save money and is better.

[@johndecastro6639]

Hey Josh, when you take Valencia in a bolt to school, do u have to bring a car seat with you?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

No, many of them have a seat in their trunk that we can use. - Josh & Kalie

[@johndecastro6639]

Thats awesome news. My wife and i and 2 young kids are most likely moving to portugal soon. Coming on friday for 2 week trip. Home base is aveiro area but we are gonna come to porto for a few days and going to lisbon as well. We wont be moving to lisbon when we do come but porto is a potential landing spot for sure. P.s. love some of your videos. This one is an amazing help. My wife and i would live a lifestyle like yours. A few sporting events, very social with nights out and coffee and drinks. 🤣🍻🍷☕

[@MamaLlama007]

Great info!! Love the details!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you! - Josh & Kalie

[@mitchellaudritsh8939]

I would also be interested in HOW you made your transactions. Did you have to carry much currency or could you use debit or credit cards for some ordinary transactions? I am spoiled in the USA and can put most transactions (in person or online) on plastic.

[@robinbailey55]

Super useful as usual

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Robin! - Josh & Kalie

[@Mr.DJones]

Thank you very much for your time and posting. Thinking about Portugal. I didn't like Equador, too much graffiti, petty theft, and smog, and the food was pretty bland. :) I freeze-framed on the wine prices, 2EUR - 8EUR, great prices, and I happen to love port. :) I'm by myself; no kids, pets, or exes, and I don't like coffee or sweets (just lucky?). :) For me, my US$2,700 should be enough. I live a pretty simple life. Thank you again for your time, really good quality videos. PS. The editing is excellent and you should take out your part-time editor to dinner next time. ;)

[@CamandRenae]

My wife and I just started researching about possibly moving to Portugal. Thank you for the great videos. What do you guys do for jobs? We currently are Americans living in Florida

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thank you very much, Cam. Both of us are now fully working on ExpatsEverywhere. - Josh & Kalie

[@LegionofPhoenix]

What neighborhood of Porto do you live in? I was really surprised by your low rent. We just visited for research purposes and we are planning our move for next year. Likely in Porto.

[@rezzob]

that cost correlates with top 10% of earners (ie you need to make €90k to live like that) and without any saving or investment or retirement included. that’s a lot for an average family.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We make half of that. 😉 - Josh & Kalie

[@rezzob]

@@ExpatsEverywhere I promise you that you guys make closer to €90k than €45k ;) But I should be more clear, I meant gross amount. If you don’t pay income tax then maybe €70k could work

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@rezzob We each take $2,000 distributions each month. 🙂

[@rezzob]

@@ExpatsEverywhere hey mate, I appreciate the content as someone who wants to live in Portugal (just came back from a scouting trip to Portugal). So I hope I didn't come across the wrong way. I was trying to say that figure is a lot vs Portuguese median income for an average family or retiree (more than 5 times minimum wage). Probably you are running a business (in form of a trust or incorporated) and of course it doesn't make sense to draw more contribution than your average living cost (tax rules etc.). Again thank you for the excellent content (trust me I have watched a lot of other channels on Portugal too. Only other one comes close imho is David in Portugal).

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@rezzob Hey. I didn't take any offense at all. Thank you. We appreciate the support and viewership. Dave's been producing some nice stuff and we hope to catch up with him at some point. We haven't reached out to him yet. Yes, statistically, we're making more than the average Portuguese. Thanks for connecting, Rex. Take care. - Josh

[@wendylmorris3872]

Interesting video! Thanks for being so honest, .. I'm not good at budgeting either! 😆

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Wendy! How about construction budgeting?

[@martinc1228]

Thank you both. What is the name of the all you can eat sushi restaurant in Porto please?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome. It's called Fuji. We also have it on our Atly Map go.steps.me/jXiXSM5E5zb - Josh

[@clago57]

@17:06 You took an HEB bag to Portugal??? OMG You got my subscription!

[@bascujorge9900]

looking as portuguese, u have some very different spending style....very low rent,very high eating out spending, no retail consumption at all. transportwise u are probably at same cost of owning a half decent car. I do own health insurance, you dont want to spend 10 hours in the emergency room just cause u dont know if u have a strained ankle or a broken one :) cool video, cheers

[@RussellT1304]

I love this video so much! But as a parent my favorite part was “Valencia’s in there somewhere.” 😂😂

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

LOL Thanks for the love, Russell. - Josh & Kalie

[@mdavis8093]

You mentioned a 10 earlier tip for the Mexican food. I thought tipping was not normal in Portugal. In fact my Portuguese friend said do not tip. Do not bring that part of American culture here. We're you just "rounding up"?

[@Hdio99]

I am Portuguese, well yes we dont tip often, but when you go out to more expensive restaurants I will say that 70 to 80% of Portuguese will tip...between 1 to 4, or 5€ when the bill is high....I never tip above 2,3 € and I tip like that once in every 2 month I would say, I am not a tiping guy....I never tip in cofee places, never...

[@sarahann530]

Just raise the price of real estate instead so locals can't afford it . Typical arrogance

[@mdavis8093]

@Hdio99 Thanks for clarifying. I appreciate it. I am going to a nice restaurant this evening so now I know! Obrigada.

[@imeandmyself525]

@@mdavis8093 and there will probably be a "suggestion" on the bill to add a 5% tip, which is already included in the total, pay attention to what you actually want to pay

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We were out with friends and they like to tip. We knew that so since they offered to pay, we offered to tip. The service at this place was exceptional. The recommendations and attentiveness was outstanding. I probably could have tipped €5 and everyone would have been cool but a €10 was my smallest note. It was probably 10-15% of the bill due to amount of food and drink for the 5 of us. - Josh & Kalie

[@picklepragginz7687]

At these restaurants and cafes, are you guys ordering in English or Portuguese? Just curious, from a Portugal tourist and future resident, likely in October.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Always in Portuguese but it's not because they don't speak English. It's because it's a chance for us to practice our Portuguese. - Josh & Kalie

[@vanhalen45]

I support the idea of getting that monthly figure down to around $2400 to $2600 range. To folks here in the U.S. this would sound like a bargain. $3600 seems a bit steep to me,...oh well.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

€3,600. It's more than I would have liked to spend, but it's usually around €3000. - Josh & Kalie

[@PrtyNeal]

For a family of 3 that's a bargain here in the US

[@wendywilliams8739]

Blimey, that's a huge cost of living for Portugal. Nearly twice the average monthly salary here.😮

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

How much do you spend here? - Josh & Kalie

[@homyce]

Wow Americans do eat out a lot! Luckily for me, I love to cook. I also don't drink, I hate sports, and I actually enjoy cleaning. I think I should be fine budget-wise in Porto. Can't wait!

[@Mr.DJones]

Same here, I don't do half the things most Americans do, and I'm American. I'm thinking about Portugal, not sold yet. Tried Equador but didn't like it. Best of luck.

[@homyce]

@@Mr.DJones thank you! How about Mexico, or maybe Uruguay? There are many options in Europe as well like Spain or Croatia.

[@user4name]

is it possible to find the similar house or smaller one for single with similar price since i can not see anything below 1k not even for a shared house or a studio in bonfim or similar distint now , so having a job offer about not more than 2k monthly which will be less as net salary, is it possible to survive as single ? ofc it depends on life style but living as decent with basic needs still after high inflation renting prices with compared to still low wages, does not seem to be so easy, right?

[@dcole6328]

Just came back from Lisbon and Porto. Loved Porto and loved this video. I could not find an evangelical church there that was at least partly in English.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for the love! English speaking churches do exist in Porto. - Josh & Kalie

[@PawsomePlanet-1]

It is a catholic country!!!! Oh please stay in America....

[@silviarojas8542]

Geat Video! Where do you live in Porto?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Silvia. We live in the city center. - Josh & Kalie

[@fragilechords5118]

I was interested in seeing the cost of the hotel. It wasn't listed in the hotel part of the video.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We had booked the hotel outside of the 30 day tracking window so that money was already spent. - Josh & Kalie

[@fragilechords5118]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Oh I meant I was interested as a possible place to stay when I visit. Depending on the price.

[@discoverlight]

Haven’t finished the video but I have one question, what do you guys do for a living aside from KZbin?

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Just content creation now. ExpatsEverywhere is a media company. - Josh & Kalie

[@mkoschara]

Still an amazing life for less than 4000 dollars a month :) Thanks for sharing.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Truly amazing life and to be fair most months we do it for less. :-) You're welcome and thank you for watching. - Josh & Kalie

[@mkoschara]

@@ExpatsEverywhere Yes, Diana and I are 4+ years in Costa Rica (San Jose area) and our costs are remarkably similar. We've had significant inflation and a recently weak dollar (Against the colon, which is hard to believe) so costs have really jumped up in the last 12 months. I absolutely love Portugal but making Costa Rica permanent was much easier. Pura Vida!

[@jroar123]

Interesting following you guys around in Porto. I lived down in Morocco a few years back and I saw my monthly costs at about $800. That was with myself and my wife at the time. We moved to Las Vegas and while I was working in Saudi Arabia, she dumped me for an Italian man. As an expat, these things happen. So, I am on my own and thinking about moving to either Portugal (in the countryside) or Ifran, Morocco. The Portugal countryside from what I have heard is much more affordable than Porto. Ifran is a college town up in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. It's affordable and the place looks like a European German town that sees lots of snow to ski.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear about your wife at the time. For sure, outside of the cities it's cheaper. We've also got private insurance, which isn't necessary per se and we have a kid in school. - Josh & Kalie

[@AO-jm5ep]

If you are old and alone, Portugal is not the right country. Portugal is characterized by family. You need a country that has surplus young people to help support the foreign elderly. Money doesn't replace people. Then there are not enough family doctors in the interior of the country. You must be able to drive a car very well until you die. The roads inland are often narrow and winding. There are no Uber drivers there and of course no one speaks English there. If you're lucky, French.

[@jroar123]

@@AO-jm5ep I sort of thought the same thing. I once lived in Kenitra Morocco for a few years and it had everything I needed including doctors, rides, restaurants, banks, entertainment, and affordable housing. I wish I had stayed there instead of moving back to the States. Live and learn I guess. I also happen to be looking at Italy as they have one of the best medical systems in Europe and housing is very affordable although you will have to invest some money to get them up to a livable quality. there only problem I see there is that most homes in Italy are on multiple floors which means stairs. I'm sure there is someplace out there that might be on one level but you do have to hunt for it. Other than that, the food is great and the wine is the best. I would stay in the States however the cost of living is so high that a single-bedroom apartment (safe and nice) starts at about $1000 per month and up. I see so many older people selling off their furniture and moving into RVs (recreational Vehicles) or boats and paying docking fees per month. To say the least, it's challenging to grow old these days and I feel sorry for so many that are struggling just to make ends meet.

[@AO-jm5ep]

@@jroar123 Do you know "Prepper Princess"? She gives inspirations to live in the USA with two dogs. If you watch her, it is quite interesting how she changed her life through the years.

[@joywiggins]

Where are yall finding 750€ for rent? We’re looking to move to Lisbon but private international school and housing will likely really put us over the edge. Any advice? My daughter is in middle school. 8th grade

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Joy, market conditions have changed for sure. We contracted our rental in September of 2021. It is a relatively small T1+1 and we have built a great rapport with our landlord so he's not interested in increasing rent but just likes our stability and has literally said as much. Lisbon is really high priced right now so you might want to look at other locations of the country to be near an international school. Porto has a couple and there are more than a dozen in Algarve. Not sure if you've seen this site but it could be a useful resource. www.international-schools-database.com/country/portugal - Josh & Kalie

[@Drjoywiggins]

Thank you so much!!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

@@Drjoywiggins you're welcome. - Josh & Kalie

[@USagainstTHEM85]

Great video guys! Love that you're UFC fans as well! 🇧🇷🥋 Wow, Cia is so big now! 🤯 #AmazingExPatParents

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Thiago! We do love UFC. MMA is our 2nd favorite sport. Cia is getting big. - Josh & Kalie

[@pures1n]

In contrast I wonder how much it would cost you to live where you came from in America. Every restaurant for instance, add tips 20%. Health care coverage would drastically change. Safety drastically change(no price on this

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We would have to live in a different way for sure. One thing is certain, Mexican food would be cheaper in the US where I'm from. LOL - Josh & Kalie

[@stevenmarcus8933]

Considering how often you ate out, had coffee and snacks, went to sporting events, etc., $3,600 for a family of 3 and a pet seems very reasonable. You are enjoying your lives as you should. How much would that month have cost in a major U.S. city? My only suggestion: Stop going to Starbucks. There has to be better coffee there. 😃

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Yeah, Steven, we're not shocked by it. We did realize during this 30 day window that we ate at foreign restaurants a lot compared to Portuguese. We're definitely enjoying our lives. I'm not sure how much it would cost in a major US city. We've never lived in a major US city. The Starbucks thing is a funny one. The reason for it happening so often is it's in a central area where several ladies commute to for their meet up and it's right by a metro. SO is where we go for good coffee. - Josh & Kalie

[@honeybeejourney]

I think to have that lifestyle in my city in the central coast of CA would easily be $5,000 or more.

[@ToniaHighers]

May i ask where you got your jewelry cleaned? I need to have mine cleaned! Also any chance you know of a place to get jewelry appraised? I need a piece of my grandpa's i just inherited for insurance coverage ;)

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Email Kalie at [e-mail] Maria (our part-time video editor) put us in contact with this person that cleaned her rings- Josh & Kalie

[@spiveyg89]

Have you guys done videos for people single unmarried people

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We haven't because it's been more than 14 years since we were single and unmarried people. :-) We have a podcast episode with a single guy, Veronica (American in Portugal) has been on our channel, and I'm sure there's a few others that we've spoken to on videos. - Josh & Kalie

[@spiveyg89]

@@ExpatsEverywhere ok cool! I only ask cause it's something that I'm really looking into. I'm active duty military and looking to live overseas especially in Portugal. I will check out those resources

[@Mr.DJones]

@@spiveyg89 Side Note spiveyg89. I'm a Vet, have been retired for 6 years, and am on 60% Disability. My suggestion to you is to make sure every time you go to the doctor or clinic, keep a copy of the report. And go to the clinic if something is wrong. I have some problems now that are from the service, but didn't go to the doctor so can't prove it is service-connected. Just saying. Best of luck. 1973-77 Army.

[@PrtyNeal]

This video has hell sell me on moving to Portugal.

[@ricktoews1145]

Josh & Kaylie! Thanks for the data! Not just the grand total but totals by category. I need to get my ducks in a row and figure out how to make this happen.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hey, Rick. You're welcome. We felt like this was the "best" way to get this information out instead of just putting grand totals on a screen and then talking about it. - Josh & Kalie

[@thjoth6915]

How is 750 rent possible in Porto? Is it outside of downtown in a smaller suburb? Was it a 4 year lease agreement made in 2019? I can’t find 750 anywhere

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

We rent a T1+1 very close to Trindade station. The contract was made in 2021. We made a video about it. Our place could probably go for €1,000-1,200 on the open market right now but shhh don't tell our landlord. - Josh & Kalie

[@cookmaster3626]

@@ExpatsEverywhere - During our 5 day trip to Porto in Nov of last year we stayed near Trindade Metro in a Air BnB at the intersection of Bonjardim and Fernandes Tomas, next to the Monteiros store. Man i wished we had bumped into you guys during our several walks in and out of that place. We loved that area and it was so walk friendly, close to all attractions and in the center of city (2 min walk to Trindade Metro with a direct train to the Airport!) and practically walked everywhere all the way up to the Luis bridge and had a great time. I will visit Porto one more time and plan to stay in the same area and hopefully bump into you guys and say Hello in Person.

[@allia6374]

Yeah, the food is not cheap there... unfortunately, it's almost same like in USA, or maybe more priced!!

[@2clarityin30]

Great video content. Thanks. Just curious, did you mention your monthly internet charge or did I miss it? I pay roughly 59€ a month for 1 cell phone and my internet combined. Thanks as always.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks, Michele! Rent includes internet and TV through Vodafone so that's probably a €50-80 depending on when our landlord signed up because of the bundle pricing. Our phones are still pay as you go. - Josh & Kalie

[@kathygrieve8416]

Just found your channel I’m interested in how you find a reasonable place to rent for a long stay

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Kathy, it's a good question. The biggest thing is that we got our apartment in August of 2021 when rates were very different. If you watch some of our real estate videos for rentals, you'll see the progressive raise of the rental market over time. Things are around 50% higher than when we moved. We were fortunate to rent from a Portuguese couple that wanted stable long-term tenants. We conducted a house hunt in a day (6 apartments) and we pulled the trigger on getting this one. It's not the perfect apartment but we've grown to love it. - Josh & Kalie

[@csd1449]

Now a realistic view: a couple with no children earning the minimum national wage and renting a one-bed flat can live comfortably in Portugal. This is the case for so many people. If you are retired you are exempt of pay for a lot of stuff, so can't manage on a similar income you're doing something wrong. It may be harder for a single individual, but that is the case in any country.

[@anam708]

Kalie - I think you are awesome and brave for sharing into these open forums. Ignore the negative comments directed your way. Josh’s included!

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Awww, Ana, I'm going to share this comment with you. We really appreciate it. It's really sweet of you and it's nice for us to read. Much love! - Josh & Kalie

[@isabeloliveira2165]

Can I ask a question you still didn't manage find a house to buy ? Sometimes what happen with USA people that I know in Sintra many times despite they be in Portugal long time they lose the opportunity of buying complete And other times they continue trying to find a house and never buy anything and continue renting . I hope that both of you manage to find a place to call home.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Hi Isabel, we're working on closing on a property. There will be new episodes rolling out more frequently when we do. We have a short updated schedule for Saturday. Thanks for taking an interest in the Vertical Community Venture. - Josh & Kalie

[@Lion-fj3wp]

Thanks for sharing 👏 Cia is adorable 🌎

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

You're welcome. Thank you. We love her. - Josh & Kalie

[@marinagarcia8524]

As a português citizen who grew up in Massachusetts. Trust me when I say you do not need private health insurance.

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing. We're not sure that we agree with that absolute but appreciate your opinion. - Josh & Kalie

[@jtp1984]

Was thinking of Portugal originally but now Spain is my preference to retire. Better infrastructure, more options of living areas & comparable or even lower costs.

[@natalias8305]

Yes. Portugal not an attractive choice any more. We need to wait till the war in Ukraine is over and all those Russian and Ukrainian back to their countries. Prices will drop .

[@bradhansen2065]

What about TV and Internet cost?

[@dickielarue1451]

Greetings from Estoril...Been a legal resident of Portugal since 2016...Orginally from Texas...Rented in different areas of the country...Ponte de Lima, Alcantara and now Estoril...Pre-pandemic between my gal and I we kept are budget of around €2k euros a month...That is with rent, utilities, groceries and some travel within Portugal...The biggest factor in saving money is not owning a car...The public transport for us is good enough, not perfect but affordable to do almost anything you need...Post pandemic are budget has gone up to between $2,500 and 3k euros a month between 2 people including the cost of inflation...Coming from Austin, Texas I could not live in the areas I want to live in for 3k a month period...It's been a blessing to call Portugal home...Cheers from Beautiful and Sunny Estoril! 🇵🇹🌞😉🐶

[@ExpatsEverywhere]

Thanks for sharing, Dickie! Enjoy the sun. - Josh & Kalie

[@roybrooks2684]

@dickielaris1451 how about owning a scooter, is that cost efficient or you still incur costs like owning a car??

[@dickielarue1451]

@@roybrooks2684 Greetings from Beautiful Braga, today...A lot of folks I know, own scooters some even motorcycles...Very economical in the cities...However for me, I do not own a car...I took the AP train to Braga and used my Taxi driver to take me to a small village in Geres which is a beautiful place to hike and explore...as an example. The cost benefit vs. having transportation is cheaper in the long run, saves time and let's me get on with life so to speak...I do not miss having a car...Boa fim de Semana! 😉👌🇵🇹😉✌️

[@joywiggins]

I’m moving from Austin too! Going to contact you if that’s ok!