boomerexpat
8/22/2015 00:23 EST
I'm a single male, early sixties from the USA. Have lived out of the country in 5 countries. Currently, I'm in Asia. I'm thinking of checking out Portugal as a place to retire and so far Porto and Lisbon are on the radar.
I'm looking for a place with some cultural buzz - music, art, etc.
Relatively inexpensive
Good public transport
Good medical
A decent size and welcoming English speaking expat community since it will take me a while to learn Portuguese.
Preferably other single people so I'm not the odd one out with all couples.
Thanks
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sunshine120
8/22/2015 05:42 EST
HI
I am also an American 60 years old who will be moving to Portugal soon. I am married. We live in London and have taken advantage of the close location to visit Portugal yearly for pass 11 years. The cascais is expensive however have much activity all year. We plan to move to the Algarve. Its beautiful however some parts get dull during winter. Like you I like activity all year. I suggest Albufreida in the Algarve. Big town with lots to do all year. Also a large British and American population. Everyone speaks English in the area. The Algarve was voted the best place in the world (again) to retire (check web-sites). Reason is its cheap (you can live comfortable on $1100 - $1500 a year. The people are friendly, cost of living cheap and crime rare. Another good area in Algarve is Amacao de pera and Vilimoura. Lagos is also good but a little far out.
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craigandmicki
8/22/2015 06:13 EST
Numbeo is a website that tracks cost of living, so you can compare with your current costs and compare between parts of Portugal. Lisboa and Oporto would be ideal bases for your original arrival, from which to explore other areas or discover one of them is exactly what you want. You'll probably look into Coimbra as well. English is spoken readily across the major cities and by anyone 30 and younger so language is not a problem.
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boomerexpat
8/22/2015 10:20 EST
Sunshine120
Thank you for the information. My concern with the Algarve was COL which I assumed to be higher so it is good to know that comfortable living can be had fo 1100 to 1500.
Do you think the Algarve is single friendly? Some expat havens are almost entirely married couples while others are mixed. I find married couples feel most comfortable hanging out with other married couples.
Also, I've found retirement zones range from people being reinvigorated and having new adventures to ones where people mainly vegetate. Where in that spectrum is the Algarve?
Thanks again,
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boomerexpat
8/22/2015 10:55 EST
Hi craigandmicki,
Thank you for the info. I've found Numbeo to be hit and miss. Sometimes it is amazingly spot on and other times under estimates the cost of living.
According to comparables I'm more familiar with Oporto should be 1341 USD for a nice middle of the road COL.
Does that seem right?
I was not aware of Coimbra. Thanks for the heads up on that town.
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sunshine120
8/22/2015 15:36 EST
The Algarve is a singles paradise. It has outdoors cafes and bars (often with live music) with pretty women ready to keep a conversation. A single person will do well in Algarve! I lived in Asia in the military (Thailand and Japan). The Algarve is different because modesty is a way of life. This means people are friendly but not looking for a handout. You will find women coming up to you to hold a conversation as they like to practice their English. Its normal for a girl to hold a conversation. I am happily married however noticed that everyone (married or single) or open to conversations in this friendly environment without being jealous and crazy or flirts. This is what I like about the Algarve (and Portugese) they are down to earth people. Visit the marina in Vilimoura or Old Town in Albufreida. You will leave with new friends.
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CascaisPortugal
8/23/2015 03:57 EST
.......by the way, I'm selling a cozy, refurbished, 1 bedroom apartment in Vilamoura for 110.000 Euros
If you know of anyone interested, let me know please, and I will provide all the details.
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Haythorpe
8/23/2015 08:00 EST
We have a house in Gale, near Albufeira. There is no way you can live on 1100-1500 dollars per year. Currently 1 dollar is 0.88 €. Maybe a month without rent.
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sunshine120
8/24/2015 16:17 EST
Sorry. I meant to say you can live on $1100 - $1500 per month (not per year). I sure most people realized the errors.
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sunshine120
8/31/2015 10:39 EST
Hi
Do a google search for long term rental in Algarve or other areas of Portugal. The cost of rental is listed.
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