Portugal

In 2015, Alex Trias quit his six-figure job and retired early at 41 in Portugal. Now, he and his wife live off their retirement savings and passive income ...

I try to build downtime into my day and spend a lot of time in nature. Plus, our property tax bill in Portugal is a fraction of what we paid in the U.S. He and his wife and daughter have been living in Portugal since 2015. And we never bother with hats or gloves in the winter. In Lisbon, we rarely use an air conditioner in the summer. Living abroad has completely changed our outlook and priorities in life. I once had an overnight emergency room visit that involved multiple tests and consultations; the entire cost was covered by our insurance, and I paid nothing other than my co-pay. "Bem educado" means "polite" in Portuguese, which comes as very high praise. One of our biggest monthly expenses is dining out at restaurants. Our favorite Portuguese bargain: Multiple bags of fresh fruits and vegetables. We've been living here for about six years now, and we're nowhere near ready to leave. My wife joined me in retirement four years later after quitting her job as a nurse.