Thank you for this perspective about Portugal! It just makes me more excited about our upcoming move to Porto. This is the idea of "prosperity" I am looking for. I don't need "Extravagance" (with a capital 'E') :)
I'm looking for richness in community, generosity, comfort in peace, tone, and place. Your description makes me think we may have found it. Thank you!
Thank you, Rhetta. I think that is exactly the kind of prosperity many people are searching for now — not extravagance, but a richer daily life rooted in community, peace, and connection to place. Wishing you a wonderful new chapter in Porto. - CW
I think you’ve captured something important there, Casey. For many people, the appeal isn’t about extravagance. It’s about feeling like everyday life is a little more manageable, connected, and human-scaled. -CW
Portugal is one of those places people project fantasies onto very quickly. Cheap. Easy. Slow life. Eternal sunsets.
Then you actually spend enough time there and realize the real value was never “living like a king.” It’s the rhythm. The ocean. The space around ordinary days. And those are much harder things to explain to people who only look at exchange rates.
Well said, Mats. I think that’s exactly the shift many people eventually experience after the initial fantasy narratives begin to fade. The deeper value of a place often reveals itself in the texture of ordinary life — the rhythms, pauses, and small daily rituals that are difficult to quantify and almost impossible to explain through economics alone. - CW
We were just talking about this the other day. When friends moved to Portugal from the States a few years ago we had to politely have "The Conversation" in order for them not to alienate locals. Thank you so much for this well-expressed post!
Thank you so much for your comment, Tricia. I think many of us who have been here for a while eventually have some version of “the conversation,” often not because people mean any disrespect, but because it takes time to understand the local context more fully. Living abroad can be a gradual lesson in awareness, humility, and perspective, and Portugal has certainly taught me that too. - CW
Spot on Carol. It’s reassuring to find people who recognize & appreciate the genuine benefits of travel…absorbing & honoring other cultures. It really opens one’s world. Thank you for sharing your journey so eloquently.
Thank you for your comment, Ro. I think that’s one of the greatest gifts of travel and living abroad when approached thoughtfully — not simply seeing a new place, but allowing it to reshape how we understand daily life, culture, and even ourselves. I truly appreciate your kind words. - CW
One of the first things I tell people who ask, is that Portugal is not “cheap”. We are fortunate to be able to live here as guests of this country. Some costs are lower, the quality of life is certainly better (than in the US), and we owe the Portuguese people gratitude and respect for that.
Thank you for your comment, Marty. I think you expressed the spirit of it beautifully. Over time, I’ve come to believe that living well in another country begins with humility and an awareness that we are stepping into a place with its own history, realities, and rhythms already in motion long before we arrived. - CW
I so agree with everything you wrote. I wish Americans were more aware of their words. The Portuguese work so hard, often volunteering afterwards at food shelters or with animals. I have met and cherish the people in Porto and know that how other visitors view their country can be upsetting. Thank you, hope it makes more travelers aware of what they say and, as you said, the tone with which they say it.
Thank you, Jacquelyn. I think living or traveling abroad has a way of teaching us that words carry different weight depending on context and experience. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate deeply about Portugal is the quiet dignity, generosity, and resilience of so many people here, often in ways visitors may not immediately see on the surface. - CW
Love this. I definitely see it as a place you can live cleaner, quieter and safer life. It’s definitely a negative way to see something as “cheap” when it is a rich way to live. With nature, abundance of chemical free food, affordable healthcare, safety from mass shooters…. That to me is rich.
Thank you for your comment, Kate. I think you expressed beautifully what many people eventually discover after the initial focus on cost fades into the background. The deeper richness often comes from how daily life feels — the pace, the sense of safety, the connection to food, nature, and community, and the ability to breathe a little differently within it all. -CW
I understand your perspective. I think part of living thoughtfully in another country is recognizing that affordability is experienced very differently depending on someone’s circumstances, and that awareness can shape how we speak about place, value, and daily life. - CW
Nicely said. As we go into our sixth year here, I completely understand, and agree, with the quieter and gentler life. When we go back to the US for visits we are absolutely shocked by prices there, and maybe we're the ones with that "tone" over there, especially in a restaurant! We absolutely love our life here, for so many of the reasons that you mention. Obrigado!
Thank you for your comment, Bob. I smiled at your observation because I suspect many of us have experienced that same reversal after living here for a while. Over time, I think the shift becomes less about comparing prices and more about adapting to a different pace and relationship with everyday life. Obrigada for sharing your perspective. - CW
Wonderful article! I believe that there is grace in the ability to appreciate the richness of life that cannot be measured in financial calculations. Our experiences, the depth of meaningful relationships, the ability to appreciate where we are now relative to where we have been and how our lives have changed and evolved is what makes us whole. That grace is a gift that continues to strengthen the spirit. And you have it in abundance. Be well.
I look forward to seeing you and Paul in February! We will be on the Porto area for just one day in May so there is no time to venture off and visit but we look so forward to our time there next year when we have a few days!
We’re looking forward to it too, Barb! Porto in May will be beautiful, even if only briefly, and I’m glad you’ll have more time next year to slow down and really enjoy it. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to spend some meaningful time together then. - CW
Thank you for your comment, Barb. This touched me deeply. I think many of us reach a point where we begin measuring richness very differently than we once did, and your words capture that beautifully. I’m very grateful for your kindness and friendship. Be well, too. - CW
I personally cringe whenever someone claims something in Portugal is ‘cheap.’ It’s so tone-deaf given that wages are quite low here and yet the cost of living, particularly housing, is soaring in comparison.
I understand what you mean, Megan. I think language shapes perception more than we sometimes realize, and words like “cheap” can unintentionally flatten a much more complicated reality, especially for people whose lives and livelihoods are rooted here full time. - CW
Very well said ! What we’re noticing with our daughter moving here is that financially it is all relative - higher taxes, the exchange rate and the cost of housing being an even exchange or more expensive in their case. Financially they will not be any better off. They’re moving here for a culture rich in appreciating exactly what you have mentioned. Great article.
Thank you for your comment, Lauren. I think “financially it is all relative” captures so much of the reality people eventually discover after the initial fantasy narratives fade a bit. What many people seem to find here isn’t necessarily greater wealth, but a different relationship with daily life, time, and community — which can feel valuable in very different ways. It must be nice to have your daughter nearby. - CW
We are traveling in Spain for 2 months and you described our observations perfectly. Even with the nuts and bolts of accounting, I don’t believe Spain is ‘cheaper’ - considering the taxes the Spanish population pay and the cost of dining, shopping etc, but I do believe you get more for your money in both quality of products, quality of time and the peace of mind of a stronger social safety net. I’m no expert, that’s just my observation.
Thank you for this thoughtful perspective. I think you’ve touched on something important - that the conversation often becomes less about simple cost comparisons and more about what daily life feels like, what people value, and what kinds of tradeoffs different societies make. “More for your money” can sometimes mean quality of life as much as economics. - CW
Thank you, Laurie. I appreciate that very much. Portugal is a beautiful and deeply layered place, and I wanted to acknowledge some of the complexity that exists beneath the simplified narratives people sometimes carry with them. - CW
Thank you for your comment, Stacey. I appreciate that very much. It’s a complicated conversation, and I hoped to approach it with care and nuance. - CW
Thank you for this perspective about Portugal! It just makes me more excited about our upcoming move to Porto. This is the idea of "prosperity" I am looking for. I don't need "Extravagance" (with a capital 'E') :)
I'm looking for richness in community, generosity, comfort in peace, tone, and place. Your description makes me think we may have found it. Thank you!
Thank you, Rhetta. I think that is exactly the kind of prosperity many people are searching for now — not extravagance, but a richer daily life rooted in community, peace, and connection to place. Wishing you a wonderful new chapter in Porto. - CW
It turns out you don't need to live like a king when you can just live at a normal human pace in a safe community!
I think you’ve captured something important there, Casey. For many people, the appeal isn’t about extravagance. It’s about feeling like everyday life is a little more manageable, connected, and human-scaled. -CW
Portugal is one of those places people project fantasies onto very quickly. Cheap. Easy. Slow life. Eternal sunsets.
Then you actually spend enough time there and realize the real value was never “living like a king.” It’s the rhythm. The ocean. The space around ordinary days. And those are much harder things to explain to people who only look at exchange rates.
Well said, Mats. I think that’s exactly the shift many people eventually experience after the initial fantasy narratives begin to fade. The deeper value of a place often reveals itself in the texture of ordinary life — the rhythms, pauses, and small daily rituals that are difficult to quantify and almost impossible to explain through economics alone. - CW
We were just talking about this the other day. When friends moved to Portugal from the States a few years ago we had to politely have "The Conversation" in order for them not to alienate locals. Thank you so much for this well-expressed post!
Thank you so much for your comment, Tricia. I think many of us who have been here for a while eventually have some version of “the conversation,” often not because people mean any disrespect, but because it takes time to understand the local context more fully. Living abroad can be a gradual lesson in awareness, humility, and perspective, and Portugal has certainly taught me that too. - CW
Spot on Carol. It’s reassuring to find people who recognize & appreciate the genuine benefits of travel…absorbing & honoring other cultures. It really opens one’s world. Thank you for sharing your journey so eloquently.
Thank you for your comment, Ro. I think that’s one of the greatest gifts of travel and living abroad when approached thoughtfully — not simply seeing a new place, but allowing it to reshape how we understand daily life, culture, and even ourselves. I truly appreciate your kind words. - CW
Well said, the comments too.
One of the first things I tell people who ask, is that Portugal is not “cheap”. We are fortunate to be able to live here as guests of this country. Some costs are lower, the quality of life is certainly better (than in the US), and we owe the Portuguese people gratitude and respect for that.
Thank you for your comment, Marty. I think you expressed the spirit of it beautifully. Over time, I’ve come to believe that living well in another country begins with humility and an awareness that we are stepping into a place with its own history, realities, and rhythms already in motion long before we arrived. - CW
I so agree with everything you wrote. I wish Americans were more aware of their words. The Portuguese work so hard, often volunteering afterwards at food shelters or with animals. I have met and cherish the people in Porto and know that how other visitors view their country can be upsetting. Thank you, hope it makes more travelers aware of what they say and, as you said, the tone with which they say it.
Thank you, Jacquelyn. I think living or traveling abroad has a way of teaching us that words carry different weight depending on context and experience. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate deeply about Portugal is the quiet dignity, generosity, and resilience of so many people here, often in ways visitors may not immediately see on the surface. - CW
Love this. I definitely see it as a place you can live cleaner, quieter and safer life. It’s definitely a negative way to see something as “cheap” when it is a rich way to live. With nature, abundance of chemical free food, affordable healthcare, safety from mass shooters…. That to me is rich.
Thank you for your comment, Kate. I think you expressed beautifully what many people eventually discover after the initial focus on cost fades into the background. The deeper richness often comes from how daily life feels — the pace, the sense of safety, the connection to food, nature, and community, and the ability to breathe a little differently within it all. -CW
Absolutely! We cannot wait to be there full time. We both crave the pace of living in Europe again.
I abhor the word "cheap" to describe the way of life here. It is not cheap to a lot of Portuguese and it is insensitive to exclaim it loudly.
I understand your perspective. I think part of living thoughtfully in another country is recognizing that affordability is experienced very differently depending on someone’s circumstances, and that awareness can shape how we speak about place, value, and daily life. - CW
Nicely said. As we go into our sixth year here, I completely understand, and agree, with the quieter and gentler life. When we go back to the US for visits we are absolutely shocked by prices there, and maybe we're the ones with that "tone" over there, especially in a restaurant! We absolutely love our life here, for so many of the reasons that you mention. Obrigado!
Thank you for your comment, Bob. I smiled at your observation because I suspect many of us have experienced that same reversal after living here for a while. Over time, I think the shift becomes less about comparing prices and more about adapting to a different pace and relationship with everyday life. Obrigada for sharing your perspective. - CW
Wonderful article! I believe that there is grace in the ability to appreciate the richness of life that cannot be measured in financial calculations. Our experiences, the depth of meaningful relationships, the ability to appreciate where we are now relative to where we have been and how our lives have changed and evolved is what makes us whole. That grace is a gift that continues to strengthen the spirit. And you have it in abundance. Be well.
I look forward to seeing you and Paul in February! We will be on the Porto area for just one day in May so there is no time to venture off and visit but we look so forward to our time there next year when we have a few days!
We’re looking forward to it too, Barb! Porto in May will be beautiful, even if only briefly, and I’m glad you’ll have more time next year to slow down and really enjoy it. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to spend some meaningful time together then. - CW
Thank you for your comment, Barb. This touched me deeply. I think many of us reach a point where we begin measuring richness very differently than we once did, and your words capture that beautifully. I’m very grateful for your kindness and friendship. Be well, too. - CW
I personally cringe whenever someone claims something in Portugal is ‘cheap.’ It’s so tone-deaf given that wages are quite low here and yet the cost of living, particularly housing, is soaring in comparison.
I understand what you mean, Megan. I think language shapes perception more than we sometimes realize, and words like “cheap” can unintentionally flatten a much more complicated reality, especially for people whose lives and livelihoods are rooted here full time. - CW
Very well said ! What we’re noticing with our daughter moving here is that financially it is all relative - higher taxes, the exchange rate and the cost of housing being an even exchange or more expensive in their case. Financially they will not be any better off. They’re moving here for a culture rich in appreciating exactly what you have mentioned. Great article.
Thank you for your comment, Lauren. I think “financially it is all relative” captures so much of the reality people eventually discover after the initial fantasy narratives fade a bit. What many people seem to find here isn’t necessarily greater wealth, but a different relationship with daily life, time, and community — which can feel valuable in very different ways. It must be nice to have your daughter nearby. - CW
We are traveling in Spain for 2 months and you described our observations perfectly. Even with the nuts and bolts of accounting, I don’t believe Spain is ‘cheaper’ - considering the taxes the Spanish population pay and the cost of dining, shopping etc, but I do believe you get more for your money in both quality of products, quality of time and the peace of mind of a stronger social safety net. I’m no expert, that’s just my observation.
Thank you for this thoughtful perspective. I think you’ve touched on something important - that the conversation often becomes less about simple cost comparisons and more about what daily life feels like, what people value, and what kinds of tradeoffs different societies make. “More for your money” can sometimes mean quality of life as much as economics. - CW
I really appreciate this thoughtful reflection and truths about the reality.
Thank you, Laurie. I appreciate that very much. Portugal is a beautiful and deeply layered place, and I wanted to acknowledge some of the complexity that exists beneath the simplified narratives people sometimes carry with them. - CW
This is spot on! Thank you for articulating it.
Thank you for your comment, Stacey. I appreciate that very much. It’s a complicated conversation, and I hoped to approach it with care and nuance. - CW