A New Life in Portugal, Built on $2,000 a Month

Porto delivered what California never did: preventive healthcare, real friendships, and joy in the everyday.

DAILY POSTCARD  | SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2026 Dear International Living reader, After 40 years of nonstop grind and two full-time jobs, Kimberly Anne finally took a solo leap from Northern California to Porto.  What she found wasn't just a new country—it was a new life. Read on to discover how she found peace, purpose, and affordability—and never looked back… P.S. Portugal is the "Little California of Europe"—but without the sky-high prices, stress, or crime. Here, beachfront homes are within reach, healthcare is world-class, and life is simply better. Get the details here with our special membership offer before midnight tomorrow. I Left California for Portugal and Never Looked Back By Kimberly Anne I'd dreamed of leaving the US for at least 10 years before finally taking the solo leap into the great unknown—and landing in Portugal. The impetus for moving came after working two full-time jobs for 40 years, thriving on a go-go-go, do-do-do, drive-drive-drive mentality that propelled me forward in Northern California with little consideration for my health or well-being. Being stuck in the 24/7 hamster-wheel grind—and working to live instead of living to work—was all I knew. Perhaps my formative years growing up in Los Angeles shaped this workaholism and overachiever attitude. Jon Kabat-Zinn's quote, "Wherever you go, there you are," held true for me. When I moved to San Francisco in the '80s, I brought the frenetic pace with me. I thought it was a good enough life. After 20 years in the city, I moved to a gorgeous area of Northern California, with hiking trails outside my front door. I loved my work as an acupuncturist and novelist. For fun and exercise, I was a trapeze artist, attending circus school in San Francisco. But I never felt like I was home, truly home. Besides the relentless pace of my jobs, my community was lacking, my values were different, and important issues like preventive healthcare didn't exist. But most importantly, my heart was in Europe. Kimberly Anne found balance, community, and joy when she left California for Portugal. Learn how you can do the same here. Photo © Kimberly Anne Since my first visit to Europe at age nine—thanks to my sister, who was already fluent in French by 16—I was in love. I worked all those long hours in the US specifically to afford my yearly trips throughout Europe. After 10 years of researching possible destinations abroad, mostly by reading International Living articles, blog posts, and perusing digital nomad groups, I discovered Portugal. I chose Portugal for several reasons, but the primary one was that I qualified for the D7 passive income visa. I also learned that Portugal was widely considered the most affordable country in Western Europe at the time (although now, in 2025, housing costs in many parts of Spain have become more affordable). Back in California, I was struggling financially to keep afloat. Another attractive point was Portugal's ranking as the third safest country in the world. These factors motivated me to move—and I did, solo, sight unseen, and without a support network waiting for me. For two and a half years now, I've lived in Porto, Portugal's second-largest city, and I can report that the benefits have far exceeded anything I imagined. Affordable healthcare is now accessible to me for the first time in my life, including preventive care, which I hadn't even known existed. I've found my people, my community, and even a Spanish partner. Arriving in Porto as a vegan, I was delighted to discover a thriving scene of delicious vegan restaurants, with new ones opening regularly. Porto is vibrant, with countless events, beautiful parks, and spectacular museums. When I think about the differences between my life in the US and my life in Portugal, there's simply no comparison. There's a saying, "You can't miss what you never had." In retrospect, I felt stagnant and zombified in the States. I wasn't progressing professionally, socially, or personally. I was going through the motions, bending to societal norms, and working as much as possible just to afford traveling for one or two weeks each year. My social calendar was challenging in the US. While I consistently made plans with friends, I almost always had to drive an hour each way to meet them. Most did not come to me nor initiate plans themselves. In contrast, I'm thriving in Portugal. I finally have the work-life balance I'd always craved, and my friends here regularly go out of their way to connect. Each week, multiple friends—expats and locals alike—invite me out to events, lunches, or dinners. I set my own schedule, often pausing in the middle of a workday to meet a friend for lunch. Kimberly Anne found balance, community, and joy when she left California for Portugal. Learn how you can do the same here. Photo © Kimberly Anne One reason I left the US was because I could no longer afford to live there. Portugal certainly doesn't disappoint in that regard. When I visited Los Angeles last year, lunch or dinner for two was easily over $100. In Porto, spending €30 ($35) for two gets you a very nice meal, often including coffee and a drink. While I don't drink alcohol, a quality glass of wine in a restaurant costs just a few euros, and an entire bottle from the supermarket is similarly affordable. Groceries in America cost me about $1,000 per month in 2020 (and prices have risen since then), whereas here I comfortably eat well for around €250 ($235) a month. A major surgery cost me only €200, including an overnight stay in a private hospital room that rivaled many hotels I've stayed in. Pet care also highlights cost differences. Dog daycare in Porto, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., costs about €190 per month. In Michigan, half a day runs around $35, and in California, it's upwards of $50 per day. Not everything is cheaper in Portugal, but most things are. I initially budgeted $2,000 a month to live comfortably, though now I find myself spending slightly more. I can honestly say that my days here far outshine my previous life in the US. The most common question I get asked is, "Do you have any regrets—perhaps wishing you'd moved sooner?" My answer is no. I moved when I was ready, at the perfect time for me. Though I am glad I didn't wait any longer. The second most common question is, "Is there anything you miss about life in the United States?" Again, the answer is no, not a thing. Editor's Note: There's a reason we call Portugal Europe's Little California. Like California, it has golden beaches, perfect weather, vibrant surf towns, and a laidback, outdoor lifestyle. But unlike California, it's affordable, safe, and stress-free. Here, expats are trading sky-high costs for a simpler, richer life—one where beachfront homes are within reach, healthcare is world-class, and a three-course meal with wine costs less than a takeout order back home. More Americans than ever are making the move, and right now, there's never been a better time to join them. Find out why Portugal keeps topping the list of the world's best places to live—and how easy it is to make it your new home. Get all the details here when you join International Living. Recommended Resource: US Veterans Love These Islands Discover why US retirees, especially veterans, are flocking to a place we like to call: The New Caribbean. Click to learn more…   Inbox too crowded? 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