IL Mailbag

Welcome to the International Living mailbag, your repository of questions posed to our expert expats by your fellow subscribers.

We’ve spent over 40 years digging deep on the best places in the world to retire. In that time, our editors, correspondents, and longtime contributors have built up a wealth of expertise.

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Take a look below at the questions we’ve been asked, and the expert responses.

And remember, if you’ve got a question you’d like answered, simply send it to mailbag@internationalliving.com and you could see it featured right here.

IL Mailbag Archives

Can I Move to Portugal on $27,000 a Year?

Can I Move to Portugal on $27,000 a Year?

By |
December 8, 2022

I have lived in Minnesota my entire life but toured Europe for four months when I was just 18. I need to explore and be happy again, and so I would like to move to Portugal. I have a small, but steady source of income about $27,000 a year for the next 18 years. I would like to move to a community that is comprised of some American folks. I am looking to visit Portugal in about a year’s time to check it out. I would like to have some contacts before I come to visit. Could you possibly help me?

What Exactly is a Scouting Trip?

What Exactly is a Scouting Trip?

By |
December 7, 2022

It might be tempting to simply pick a location you’ve researched or once traveled to…and pick up and move there. But before you sell your home or unload most of your possessions, it pays to test the waters. There have been many people who always dreamed of living at the beach…because that’s where they’ve always vacationed. But once they stayed more than a few weeks, they discovered they didn’t like the heat and humidity…or the sand that always seemed to be getting in the house…or all the tourists. You want to find this out before you move.

How Does a German Second Passport Compare to Others?

How Does a German Second Passport Compare to Others?

By |
December 6, 2022

Germany has a very strong passport—it ranks joint third in the Henley Passport Index, along with Spain. (This index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum.) A German passport allows you visa-free travel to 190 destinations around the world. That’s four more than the U.S., which comes in 7th in the Index at 186.

What is it Like to Live in Portugal?

What is it Like to Live in Portugal?

By |
December 5, 2022

In the north winters are cold and rainy with highs averaging between 35 F and 45 F depending on location. Lows can dip below freezing but only in the extreme north or mountains. Summers in the north can be warm to hot, depending on the year with highs around 75 F to 80 F and lows in the 60’s. The only place that gets snow in Portugal is in the mountains and we even have one ski area.

Is Belize Less Expensive Than the U.S.?

Is Belize Less Expensive Than the U.S.?

By |
December 2, 2022

There is a lot of debate about the cost of living in Belize, which is probably what you are picking up on, because there is such a vast range of ways you can live there. If you want to live a North American lifestyle—enjoying the same wines, brand-name foods, and North American-style accommodation you’d expect at home, you will find that Belize is just as expensive Belize, possibly more so. But there are also many ways to save money in Belize.