7 Reasons Why Portugal is One of the Best Places to Retire

Are you about to retire? Have you ever thought about Portugal as a retirement location? Well, if you haven’t, then you are missing a great opportunity. Portugal can be a perfect place to retire offering some great advantages for those considering retiring there.

Let us take you through some of the reasons why to retire in Portugal in 2016.

Low Crime Rate

Having peace of mind is a key priority in your retirement. Portugal is ranked amongst the top 20 safest countries in world. Violent crime is relatively rare and crime levels outside the major cities are particularly low. Due to petty crime levels increasing during the peak tourist season, security is tightened during this period.

Great Environment

Portugal has some of Europe’s best beaches with over 100 miles of coastline. It is also renowned for its golf courses – so it’s a great combination for retirement. Portugal’s infrastructure has also benefitted from recent EU investment and its transport systems and airports are of a high quality and efficient.

Good Weather

You can rely on Portugal for good weather. It enjoys over 3,000 hours of sunshine per annum and Lisbon also ranks in the top 5 for most predictable climate.

Good Health Care

When it comes to healthcare, the World Health Organisation considers Portugal’s healthcare as better than that of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. You will qualify for state healthcare as soon as you get your residency permit and current statistics also indicate a high life expectancy for women – 84 years.

Read also: Safety and Security in Portugal

Language

Portugal is an established and popular destination for Brits, so you can easily get by speaking English. This takes away one of the worries about needing to learn the local language if you chose to retire here. Learning some basic phrases is always greatly appreciated by the Portuguese – who are friendly and good natured, however – due to the cultural and historic links between Portugal and the UK, you will certainly get by with English.

Tax Benefits on Your Pension

Did you know that moving to Portugal could enable you to keep your UK pension without paying any tax on it during the first ten years? Even if you decide to withdraw a large sum of money it will not attract tax charges. However, before you enjoy these benefits, you must meet all of the residence criteria both in Britain and Portugal. So do your research and plan accordingly to get the best out of your savings.

Enjoy Low Cost of Living

British expats love Portugal because of its low cost of living. You can live well on around £1,200 a month.

Average prices according to NUMBEO (last update April 2016):

• Rent per month (3 bedrooms) in City Centre - 634.22 £
• Buy apartment price (per square meter) in City Center - 1,369.76 £
• Utilities (basic + prepaid mobile tariff local + Internet) - 90.58 £
• Transportation (monthly pass) - 28.78 £
• Meal for a couple (three-course) - 24.22 £

Learn more about cost of living in Portugal.

So there you have it - the 7 reasons to choose Portugal for your retirement years.

Learn the detailed guidence from FCO about living in Portugal and the details of Globelink Expat Travel Insurance.

Find out more about Globelink travel insurance policies or call +44 (0)1353 699082 to talk to Globelink Travel Insurance Customer Service team.