I Moved My Family to Portugal in 2025. Here's How Much We Saved.

On a rainy October morning in 2025, Mark and Sarah Thompson packed up their suburban Chicago home and flew to Lisbon with their two children. They had sold most of their belongings, rented out their house, and taken a leap of faith. "We were terrified," Sarah told YEET Magazine. "But we were also desperate. We couldn't afford to stay in America."

The Thompsons were a typical middle-class family. Mark, 42, was a marketing manager earning $110,000 a year. Sarah, 39, was a part-time graphic designer earning $45,000. Together, they made $155,000. But in Chicago, that wasn't enough to live comfortably.

"We were barely saving anything," Mark said. "After mortgage, taxes, healthcare, childcare, and groceries, there was nothing left. We were one emergency away from financial ruin."

In 2024, Mark and Sarah started researching options abroad. They discovered Portugal's D7 visa, which allows foreigners to live in the country with passive income or remote work. The cost of living in Portugal was significantly lower. Healthcare was affordable. The quality of life was higher.

They made the move in October 2025. Today, they live in a three-bedroom apartment in Lisbon for €1,200 a month — about $1,300. Their monthly grocery bill is €400. Healthcare is free through Portugal's public system, and they pay €50 a month for private insurance.

"We're saving over $3,000 a month compared to what we were spending in Chicago," Sarah said. "We're able to travel. We're eating better. We're less stressed."

The Thompsons are part of a growing trend. In 2026, thousands of Americans are moving to Europe. Trump says Europe is dying, but many Americans see it as a lifeline. Affordable healthcare, better work-life balance, and lower cost of living are attracting US citizens to countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.

"I miss my family," Sarah said. "But I don't miss the stress. I don't miss the fear of medical bills. I don't miss the feeling that everything was falling apart."

Would they ever move back to the US? "Not a chance," Mark said. "We've found a better life here. We're not giving it up."

What You'll Learn in This Article

• A real story of an American family moving to Portugal
• How much they saved by leaving the US
• What the D7 visa is and how to get it
• How healthcare, housing, and groceries compare
• Why more Americans are moving to Europe

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