Dear International Living Reader,
Most international visitors don’t intend to stay permanently in Portugal. They often land here when their trans-Atlantic cruise docks in Lisbon, or stop over on the tail-end of a European tour. But once they arrive, many fall in love with the country that some call "Europe’s best-kept secret."
There are many selling points for the approximately 45,000 registered foreign residents who live here: the nearly flawless weather (this year it rained only about five days total, much to the farmers’ chagrin); the abundance of golf and water sports (the country’s entire west coast looks to the Atlantic); superb and abundant fresh food (king-pinned by the fresh fish brought in daily by fisherman up and down the 350-mile stretch of coastline).
The other factor that keeps many happy here is the relatively low cost of living. The introduction of the euro may have inflated prices here by almost a third, but compared with our European neighbors, goods and services are still bargains. A cup of coffee can cost as little as 85 centimos (about $1) in a local tasca (tavern) or café, while a full course lunch can be had for between 7 and 9 euro ($8 to $10), once you get away from the main tourist areas.
The locals in Portugal are warm and welcoming to foreigners, especially to those who have lived here for a while. But groups of foreigners also like to congregate among their own to discuss local happenings and to compare ways to save money, both here and at "home." Americans in Portugal (AmP), established six years ago, meets monthly for luncheons open to all Americans and their guests, taking place in the historic Cascais Cultural Centre, which has a rich history. The center was originally a 16th-century convent called Convento de Nossa Senhora da Piedade. After several owners, it was acquired as a summer palace by the Visconde da Gandarinha in the last quarter of the 19th century. In 1994, plans arose to transform the private residence into a cultural center.
Centro Cultural de Cascais was inaugurated on May 15, 2000. It now houses temporary art exhibitions, musical performances, and a restaurant for social events where the club meets monthly. The group has no fees or dues and luncheons include a speaker or panel discussing topics from "Fear of Flying" with a Continental Airlines Pilot based in Lisbon to "Medical care in Portugal" from a group of doctors, nutritionists, and dentists.
Last month, the group learned about "Money: where to invest it, how to save it, and how to spend it (wisely)." The speakers, American economists and bank experts, enlightened the audience with practical and professional tips gleaned from living on both sides of the Atlantic. One piece of good news is that banks here have loosened up lending policies and will now extend mortgages to foreigners who show adequate resources to pay them back (although most mortgages are tied to life insurance policies and many banks have a 65-year-old cut-off age for lending). For more information about these luncheons, see: http://amportugal.planetaclix.pt/.
Another piece of good news is that Portugal has a national health program. For those fortunate or crafty enough to get themselves onto the Caixa, prescriptions drugs can be bought for a third of the label price, while medical tests and appointments can be had for free (if you have the patience to wait for them). Recent innovations in the health care system sees major banks selling private health insurance (again, mostly to those under 65, but some plans do care for life once the subscriber enters under that age). Rates are comparatively low, compared to plans in the U.S. A couple at 60 years of age can pay 115 euro ($138) each monthly and have most lab tests for free, while a PPO-type medical care incurs a charge of about 12 euro ($14.50) a visit on the popular Medis plan.
Daily services run cheap here, too. An empregada (maid) charges 5 to 6 euro ($6 to $7)an hour, and the influx of East Europeans has brought those prices down for many. These people are here to work and send their money "back home," and they take their jobs seriously. Labor laws that require 14-month salaries for everyone from the maids to employees are overlooked by these relative newcomers to the Portuguese economy.
People may not come here to make their fortunes, but if you arrive as a tourist, or as an expat seeking a second country, life can be had inexpensively and very enjoyably…and at the Centro Cultural de Cascais, you’re bound to meet others who can offer advice on almost any aspect of moving here.
Pat Westheimer
For International Living
