The (sad bat true) facts about Portugal

Is the cost of life that low here in Portugal? When, even if the medium salary is 24k, a research done in the US (see https://www.expertmarket.com/credit-card-processing/countries-that-save-the-most-money) found that a single person, with the average salary, won't be able to live in Portugal and save money, indeed would spend 900 euros more. In the picture how much you earn and how much you save per year in Portugal (Red circles). You see that if you would earn 10k more per year (which is not a bad salary in souther Europe countries) you won't save anything yet.

Preview

Because of the massive immigration from Northern Europe since 2017, and also immigration of whealty people from Brasil, Africa and so on (thans to an initiative called Golden Visa for people who bought a house for more than 500k in Portugal to get a portuguese passport and fiscal reductions) the cost of housing increased exponentially.

Here there is the cost of housing per squared meter in Costa da Caparica (south of Lisbon). Going in the inland does not change much the things.

Do not expect to rent a 50sq.m House for less than 600 euros per month, a room in apartment for less than 350 and a room in a hostel for less than 250.

Preview

Even exploiting all the fiscal discounts that are made available for foreigners, you will get a 15% incomes taxation.

There are several problems here. In touristic areas public transportation is essentially aimed to tourists. For example, where I live there is a shopping mall. People working there, up to 11 pm, won't get more than 1k per month salary. Yet, lately the public transportation was rescheduled to end up at 22.00 pm.

In non touristic areas outside of Lisbon, the public transportation is even poorer, with 1 bus per hour typically.

Healthcare is aright here in Portugal, thought private clinics are widely present and doing good. Indeed the public healthcare, very cheap indeed, has long waiting lists and lack of organisation. During summer there was lack of obstetrics due to summer holidays. There was a case in which a woman had to travel for 150 km in ambulance to find a hospital that could take care of her. This was in Lisbon area, not a desolate place.

Finally today my girlfriend went to the public health center to renew a prescription. It was 6.30 pm and the website of the center says it is open untill 8pm. Yes, but there are three floors and you are assigned to a floor according to where you live in the hometown... the third floor, the one to which belongs my girlfriend is open untill 6pm. No-one wanted to renew her prescription!!!