International Living Community

There are so many great destinations for singles these days. I lived in Panama’s capital, Panama City, for 17 years. It’s a truly cosmopolitan, international city—perfect for new arrivals eager to network and make friends. There are dozens and dozens of organizations that host fun events here.

Check out websites and social media for the Alliance Française, the American Society, and Internations.org for starters. Whether you go to the theater, a gallery, or a sporting event, you’ll have opportunities to meet other singles.

I walked, drove, took the metro, and used the Uber rideshare app to get around. I felt safe going out during the day or at night. When you see just how rich the nightlife and cultural landscape are, you’ll understand why.

In August of 2021 I found a beach apartment with stunning views at a great price, so I moved. The beach town of Coronado—just an hour’s drive away—is one of the most welcoming places on earth. I’m 46 years old and already have friends of all ages and backgrounds. Some have weekend homes in and around Coronado, while others live here full-time, like me. Some are Panamanian, and some are expats. It’s a dynamic town, and it’s packed with restaurants and services that make life super convenient.

I’m really glad I chose Panama, but I’ve spent time in Mexico, Spain, France, and several other countries with singles-friendly destinations. I’m certain I could’ve been just as happy in Playa del Carmen or Madrid. I tell you all about these places (and many more) in my Single and Ready to Move Overseas report.

From one (very happy) single to another: yes you absolutely can live your best life overseas. I am!

Hola Roger!

This is a great question, but one that is always subject to so many personal choices that it makes it difficult to answer precisely. However, let me see if I can give you some general ideas that will help you decide about your specific situation.

Let’s begin where you ended—healthcare. If you are coming here to become full-time legal resident, you’ll be enrolled in in the government social medicine program (affectionately called the CAJA) as part of that process.You would have full coverage, with no exclusion for pre-existing conditions. Think of it being sort of like the Veterans Administration medical system in the USA. Cost varies as a percentage based on your reported pension income. (We currently pay about $85 per month.)

There are definitely two camps of expats—those that believe living here is more costly than the U.S. and those of us who find that we live on much less. What’s the difference? Primarily it comes down to two main choices.

The first is where to live. Just like in the States, some areas of the country are much more costly to live in than others. As you might expect, tourist areas and beach areas are much more expensive than the mountain areas. And the rural areas are even more economical. For example, the rental price for a similar apartment on the beach versus a mountain area just outside the urban zones could be $1000+ per month vs. $300 per month.

The second is adapting to the culture and buying local. Many expats of the “costs more” group only buy products that they already are familiar with—in other words, the products they used in the States. Those all carry a high import tax. Why buy laundry detergent made in and imported from the U.S. when there are similar Central America products that cost less?

I can tell you that we and many of our friends all report living on less than half (closer to a third) of what we did in the States.

You can find more information about the cost of living in Costa Rica on the International Living website’s dedicated resource page.

I hope these general ideas will give you a better idea of what it would cost you to live in Costa Rica.

I would rather advise you on the safest “communities” than countries. Every country on the IL beat is safe for single women, though ideally you will want to read about towns in the country you like best and choose one that has a good size expat community.

It is also important to note that safety is relative. Latin American countries don’t tend to rank among the top 20 safest in the world, according to indexes compiled by organizations like Mercer or The Economist. Neither does the U.S. Generally, Canada and European countries take the top spots—but there is no country on earth that’s completely free of crime.

Long-term expats typically choose a town rather than a country. This makes sense. If you read about border towns, you could get the impression that the vast country of Mexico is unlivable. In fact, there are towns like San Miguel de Allende where that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Even in smaller countries like Panama and Costa Rica, there are safe areas and not-so-safe areas.

Occasionally, we meet idealistic singles who inquire about living in remote destinations where they can “really connect” and integrate into the local community. “I don’t want to live in an expat enclave,” they say.

We get where they’re coming from. But we also encourage you to learn from IL’s cadre of seasoned expats, many of whom have learned their lessons the hard way and who share their experiences so you don’t have to. And one of the first lessons you’ll learn as a single abroad is that the happiest transplants tend to have at least a small expat community they can turn to.

With that in mind, I think you’ll find the resources below, created by our globe-spanning network of correspondents and contributors, very useful:

Hi Debra,

The short answer to your question is yes, I do think that a single can live in Portugal for $1,600, which at the current exchange rate is around €1,485, depending on your lifestyle.

Your largest expense will be rent, unless you plan to purchase a property outright. Depending on where you choose to live, rent prices vary. Lisbon, Cascais, Porto, and the Algarve are the higher-priced areas.

Check out the mid-sized city of Caldas da Rainha, one hour north of Lisbon, which should have some affordable housing options.

To give you an idea of what you can expect to pay for rent, I suggest searching on the property website idealista.com. You can change the filters to location, number of bedrooms, city center, etc…

Here you will see terms like T1, T2—the T stands for apartment and the number indicates how many bedrooms. If the T is replaced with a V, it’s a freestanding house.

You would probably want to live in a small community so there is no need for you to have a car, as gasoline is expensive—currently as much as $7.75 a gallon.

As part of the resident visa for Portugal, you would need to carry private health insurance, which will add to your budget. Depending on your age and health condition, the prices of insurance will vary. But you will also have access to the public healthcare system to use if necessary, which will help keep your medical costs down.

You can find more information about the cost of living in Portugal in Chapter 6 of the Escape to Portugal guidebook—available on the IL Bookstore here.

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for your interest in Portugal and for writing to International Living. Although Portugal is a compact country, it does offer different options for living. From vibrant cities like Lisbon and Porto… to charming coastal towns along the Atlantic Ocean… to rural landscapes where sheep graze amid orange orchards and cork oak forests.

Since 10 days is not that much time for a scouting trip, I would suggest that you first think about what type of environment you wish to retire in. If you are a city person, then I think you should concentrate on one of the two cities mentioned above. Do you prefer a climate like Florida, with hot summers and mild winters or are you ok with warm summers and rainy winters?

For the best weather in Portugal, and perhaps all of Europe, the Algarve is the place to be. The southernmost part along the coast offers hot, dry summers and less rain in the winters than the rest of Portugal. Here you will find expat havens like Lagos, Tavira and Albufeira, a bit of a larger city where English is widely spoken and there are plenty of expats to hang out with.

For more affordable living check out the Silver Coast, one hour north of Lisbon near the mid-sized city of Caldas da Rainha. Here the pace of life moves slowly, there are still expats, but most are from Europe or the UK and there is plenty of history and charming areas to explore. Winters here receive much rain with cooler temperatures and summers are not as hot as they would be in the south.

To make the most of your 10 days, I do suggest that you rent a car to make exploring that much easier and quicker.

If you’d like a detailed scouting trip itinerary, including links to trusted websites and contact information you’ll find immensely helpful, then you should consider our Portugal Scouting Trip Itineraries and Travel Guide. If you’d like to spend one week, two weeks, or up to four weeks in Portugal, this guide will show you how to have the trip of a lifetime while you’re there.

Happy exploring and safe travels to you!