Why this 53-year-old American retiree, family are happier in Portugal

In February 2015, Alex Trias, 53, and his wife Noki took their daughter Evie on vacation to Lisbon, Portugal, and never looked back.

Trias, who retired from her career as a corporate tax attorney in 2011, lived with her family in Washington, D.C., where Noki worked as a nurse and her daughter attended school. Since his retirement, Trias has worked for himself, investing in real estate and stocks.

He told CNBC Make It that he came up with the idea of ​​early retirement just two weeks into his career as a lawyer. “I quickly realized that there was a limit to how long I could sustain the 90-hour work weeks that my job required,” Trias says.

“As a result, I saved like a fan and continued to do so for many years.”

After just four years in business on their own, the family had an investment portfolio that paid them enough dividends to live on (an average of $152,000 a year).

Just two days into their vacation in Portugal, the family began planning their move to Lisbon. During their trip they toured apartments, and when Noki and Evie returned home, Trias stayed for a few more weeks.

He found a two-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot apartment in Bairro Alto.

“It reminded me of Old San Juan, one of my favorite places on earth,” said Trias, who is of Puerto Rican descent. “When you walk there, it smells like mahogany, the sea, palm trees. It’s the same in Lisbon. I thought it would be great to live in a place like that.”

A June report from Moving to Spain named Portugal the best country in Europe for retirees. The low cost of living makes it one of the cheapest countries in Europe.

According to , the average cost of living excluding rent is almost 29% lower than in the United States. smart assets.

To retire in Portugal, U.S. citizens must apply for a residency visa.according to Solutions for global citizensthe process is relatively simple and requires applicants to submit a valid passport, proof of income, health insurance, and a criminal background check.

Trias says the ease of the process made the idea of ​​living in Portugal even better.

The Trias family bought an apartment in Portugal for $533,554 (not including brokerage fees and taxes), waited for Evie to graduate from middle school, and moved to Portugal in June 2015 with only six checked bags. I emigrated.

Trias says he feels happy just knowing that he is living with his family in a country like Portugal. She said, “I wake up in the morning and do whatever I want to do, and I don’t really do anything I don’t want to do.”

Alex has a habit of writing down his plans for the day in a diary for fun.

“The fact that you can get in the car and see the ocean or the mountains 20 minutes later is just priceless. I think my happiness comes from the decision to sit on the beach and do unpleasant work,” he says. say.

“I look forward to the day and every now and then I am reminded that we live in Portugal, of all places.”

While Alex keeps busy with investing and freelance writing, Noki finds herself with enough free time to join a local tennis group and focus on her health. Couples go on dates and explore new things together, including different activities and places around Europe and Portugal.

Now, the family is in a period of transition as Evie is in her final year of high school and considering attending university outside of Portugal.

“There’s still time to do something else. If you want to move to Thailand and volunteer at an elephant conservation center, you can still do that,” says Trias. “I’d like to think we still have some chapters left.”

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