5 Reasons Why My Family and I Moved from the U.S. to Portugal • Part 1

I've lived in Portugal for 3 months now. I was hesitant to share about my life here because I didn't want to sound braggy, but I've been getting so many messages from people who want to know how I was able to leave the U.S. and what life in Portugal is like. I've decided to share this aspect of my life to hopefully encourage other people to go after what they want. 💗

1 • Safety

According to the Global Peace Index, Portugal is the 4th safest country in the world.

Gun violence and lethal racism in the U.S. on top of my kids nearing school age were more than enough reasons for me to figure out how to move — even if it was temporary. My husband and I needed the space to breathe and feel safe. And yes, we do feel safe here.

Behind my son and I is the famous 25th of April Bridge.

2 • High Quality and Affordable Healthcare

Portugal ranks 22 out of 89 countries in the world when it comes to healthcare (the U.S. ranks 30th).

Since moving here, my daughter and myself have had to go to the emergency room. My experience both times were good. The doctors and nurses were great and kind, and everyone spoke English. I paid out of pocket for all services, and I spent $220 total for BOTH emergency room visits with no insurance. Medications have also been really affordable.

This has taken a huge amount of stress off my plate. I’m no longer worried about being one medical emergency away from being bankrupt.

3 • Lower Cost of Living

For a family of 4, living under $4,000 a month is doable (includes private school tuition). My family eats out 1-2 times per week, we eat a lot of fresh produce, and we live in a 2-bedroom apartment with a sunroof and an ocean view. My apartment is $1,300 a month with utilities and brand new furniture included, and I’m a 20-minute walk from the beach. In California, my monthly rent was $2,500 and my view was my neighbor's apartment.

Because of the low cost of living, for the first time in my life I’m not busting my ass to make ends meet. I’m able to work on passion projects and work fewer hours. My husband and I have one-on-one dates with our kids in the middle of the week now because of the extra time in our schedules and less financial stress.

4 • Family-Friendly Culture

It’s common at malls, parks, and other public places to see signs that reserve parking for disabled people, the elderly, pregnant people, and people with kids so that they get the closest access to where they’re going. The airport even had strollers you could use for free, and I was able to skip the long customs line at the airport because I have a small child.

In addition to this, several times on public transportation, people have gotten up and

offered me their seat to sit down with my kids. Strangers helped me carry my bags in and out of trains. My daughter was about to throw up in an Uber, and the driver said, “Don’t worry about unloading your stuff, you just take care of your kids, and I’ll unload everything.” I literally wanted to cry. I have never had strangers be so accommodating and helpful. I’m usually just wrangling my kids on my own while people stare at me.

My husband two crazy kids who were extremely excited to mini golf. 😂

5 • High Quality Food

A lot of food additives that are legal to use in the U.S. are illegal here in Europe.

When I first started going to the grocery stores in Portugal, I was surprised by the fragrance that the fruit had. Strawberries smelled like strawberries. Melons actually taste sweet. And there are large gluten-free sections with so many gluten free foods to choose from. Food does spoil a lot quicker here, probably because of less preservatives, but the quality is worth the extra mid-week grocery trip.

Curious about how I moved to Portugal?

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