Retirement is a new phase of your life; it’s not just stopping work and sitting around waiting for the end. With a little luck you might well have twenty-five years or more in front of you. For the first time in your life, your time is your own and you can choose how and where to spend it. Moving abroad for your retirement is not the easiest option, it’s always easier to stay put, but it will certainly be the most invigorating one. So, if you’re up for a challenge and a whole new exciting way of life, here are some reasons why Portugal should be at the top of your list.
It’s a beautiful country
It may be small, but this is a country of rich variety. Its thousand-mile coastline is home to some of the best beaches in the world and that includes some of the best surfing beaches you’ll ever see. The landscape is equally varied: there are hundreds of square miles of unspoilt national parks, dramatic mountain landscapes and vast wetlands, home to abundant wildlife. Once the heart of a great empire, Portugal also has a rich architectural heritage with stunning buildings which date from antiquity to the modern day.
You won’t pay tax on your pension
If you are a ‘non habitual resident’ you will not pay tax on your foreign pension for the first ten years of your stay, after which time tax is phased in progressively.
Glorious weather
The south of the country enjoys around 300 days of sunshine a year, meaning that fuel bills are low, and you can enjoy an outdoor lifestyle all the year round.
Low cost of living
Portugal has one of the lowest costs of living in Europe and that means that you’re going to find everything way cheaper than in the U.S.A., giving you more of that pension to spend on doing things that you really enjoy.
Affordable property
Despite the fact that Portugal has become a European property hotspot in the last ten years, housing in Portugal costs almost half of what it does in the U.S.A. According to Imovirtual’s recent barometer report, the mountainous region of Guarda is the most affordable district in the country.
Good quality health care
As you get older, feeling confident that you are within a competent and efficient health care system is particularly important for peace of mind. Portugal’s health care system is widely recognised as being one of the best in Europe.
Safety
Portugal is currently rated as the third safest country in the world, which is just one of the key factors as to why the country is so popular with ex-pats from around the globe.
An attractive lifestyle
A gentle pace of life, outstanding, locally produced, food and wine and friendly, welcoming locals. As you sit in the sunshine at a quayside café, watching the boats on the water and the locals chatting as they go about their business, you may find yourself wondering why anyone would want to live anywhere else.
