She Packed Four Suitcases and Moved Abroad Without Ever Visiting the Country. Five Years Later, She Has No Regrets

Retirement is supposed to be the reward for decades of hard work. For many Americans, though, rising housing costs, expensive healthcare, and inflation have turned that dream into something that feels increasingly out of reach. After spending years planning for a comfortable future, one former California teacher realized that the retirement she had worked toward simply wasn’t going to provide the lifestyle she wanted. Rather than settle for less, she made a decision that most people around her thought was completely unrealistic. She packed up her life, boarded a plane to a country she had never visited, and hoped everything would work out.

Five years later, Paula Dreyfuss says she hasn’t looked back. The Texas native, who now lives in Portugal’s coastal city of Porto, has traded financial anxiety for a lifestyle filled with dinners out, weekend adventures, and frequent trips across Europe. Although her move involved plenty of uncertainty, she believes it gave her something she never expected to find again: the freedom to actually enjoy retirement instead of simply trying to afford it.

‘I have a lot more life here’: She couldn’t afford retirement in the US, so she relocated from California to Portugal | CNN https://t.co/wlutuECtSE

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When Retirement in America Stopped Adding Up

For years, Dreyfuss believed she was doing everything right. After working in corporate finance, she switched careers to become a teacher, expecting that years of steady employment would provide enough income to support a comfortable retirement. But as living expenses climbed across California, she realized her retirement savings would no longer stretch as far as she had imagined.

She first looked for alternatives within the United States. According to Dreyfuss, she drove north toward Seattle, stopping in different cities along the way in search of somewhere that offered a lower cost of living without sacrificing quality of life. Despite her efforts, every destination seemed to come with the same problem. Housing costs and everyday expenses remained too high to convince her to make the move.

At the same time, she had another dream that seemed equally out of reach. She had always wanted to spend more time traveling throughout Europe, but frequent overseas trips simply weren’t realistic while living on a retirement budget in the United States. That realization eventually led her to ask a different question. Instead of visiting Europe occasionally, why not make it home?

Choosing Portugal Without Ever Visiting It First

After researching several European countries, Dreyfuss discovered that Portugal offered a practical pathway through its D7 visa, which allows non-EU citizens with stable passive income to live in the country. It was the only visa she qualified for at the time, making Portugal stand out from the other destinations she had considered.

There was one major catch. She had never actually been there.

“I’d never been to Portugal. So I had no way of doing a scouting trip or anything,” Dreyfuss told CNN Travel. “I thought, ‘I’m going to go over there. And if I don’t like Portugal, then I’ll move to Spain or France.’”

Although she had considered the move for some time, the Covid-19 pandemic finally pushed her to act. She says the political climate in the United States also influenced her decision to leave permanently, convincing her that it was time to begin a completely new chapter overseas.

Once her visa was approved in 2021, everything happened quickly. She sold her townhouse in California, parted with many of her belongings, packed four suitcases, and brought along her dog Charlie before boarding a flight to Portugal with no guarantee that the country would feel like home.

A Short Stop in Lisbon Changed Everything

Dreyfuss initially landed in Lisbon, expecting to spend time exploring the Portuguese capital before deciding where to settle. It didn’t take long for her to realize the city wasn’t what she had imagined. The busy streets, heavy traffic, and crowds reminded her too much of the large American cities she was hoping to leave behind.

Instead of staying, she rented a car and began driving north along Portugal’s coastline. That road trip unexpectedly led her to Porto, the country’s second-largest city, famous for its riverside views, historic neighborhoods, and world-renowned port wine.

The difference was immediate.

She says Porto felt warm, welcoming, and far more manageable than Lisbon. Within hours of arriving, she met a real estate agent and quickly found an unfurnished apartment. What was meant to be another stop along her journey soon became the place she decided to call home.

One of the moments that convinced her she had made the right decision came during her first weeks in the city. Whenever she felt overwhelmed or unsure of where she was going, strangers regularly stepped in to help.

“Every time I’d be in a situation where I’d think, ‘I’m just going to sit here on the curb and cry,’ somebody would say, ‘Can I help you? Are you lost?’” she recalled.

The Lifestyle She Says She Could Never Afford in America

Dreyfuss quickly discovered that her retirement income stretched much further in Portugal than it ever had in California. She says she now enjoys a lifestyle that once felt financially impossible, eating out several times a week, meeting friends for coffee or wine, and taking regular vacations without constantly worrying about every expense.

“My daughter came to visit one time, and asked, ‘Well, what do you guys do all day?’” Dreyfuss recalled. “And my friend holds up a glass of Champagne and goes, ‘You’re looking at it.’”

Her social calendar also filled up far faster than she expected. What began as casual conversations with locals soon turned into lasting friendships. Dinners, game nights, coffee meetups, and day trips became part of her routine, giving her a sense of community that she says developed naturally after arriving in Porto.

Another major benefit has been the opportunity to explore Europe with ease. Since relocating, she has visited London four times, Paris three times, Seville twice, along with Vienna, Marseille, and Toulouse. She hopes Italy and more of Europe’s Atlantic coastline will be next on her growing travel list, something she believes would never have been realistic had she remained in the United States.

Safety and Healthcare Became Unexpected Bonuses

While affordability was one of the biggest reasons behind her move, Dreyfuss says two other advantages quickly stood out after settling into life in Portugal.

The first was safety.

Portugal consistently ranks among the world’s safest countries, and Dreyfuss says she immediately noticed the difference. Unlike her experience in San Diego, she feels comfortable walking around Porto alone after dark without constantly looking over her shoulder. The city’s walkable streets and slower pace have also meant she rarely needs to use her car.

Healthcare has been another pleasant surprise. Portugal operates a tax-funded healthcare system with universal coverage, and Dreyfuss believes the standard of care has exceeded her expectations.

“I find the health care to be astronomically better in Portugal than the US, not just because of the cost, but the quality of the care,” she said.

She also appreciates that everyday life feels less stressful. Even driving through Porto, something visitors often describe as intimidating, feels easy compared with decades of navigating traffic in Los Angeles.

Life Abroad Hasn’t Been Perfect

Despite her positive experience, Dreyfuss is careful not to present Portugal as a flawless destination. She says there have been challenges, particularly when dealing with bureaucracy and adjusting to systems that operate differently from those in the United States.

Buying property proved more complicated than expected. Portugal does not require sellers to provide the same type of property disclosure documents that American buyers are accustomed to receiving, making the purchasing process feel unfamiliar.

Learning Portuguese has also tested her patience. Although she can communicate well enough for everyday conversations, she jokes that she still sounds like a young child when speaking.

“I can make myself understood,” she explained. “But I sound like a three- or four-year-old.”

Cultural differences required some adjustment as well. Dreyfuss says she quickly learned that conversations in Portugal often begin with polite greetings rather than getting straight to the point. Today, those customs have become second nature, making her feel even more connected to her adopted home.

The Biggest Changes She Credits for Her New Lifestyle

According to Dreyfuss, several factors have transformed her retirement:

• Lower living costs, which she estimates are still around 40% to 50% less than in many parts of the United States.
• A stronger sense of personal safety, especially when walking around alone.
• Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
• The freedom to travel throughout Europe several times a year.
• A welcoming community that helped her build new friendships quickly.

Why She Can’t Imagine Moving Back

Although she still returns to the United States to visit family, Dreyfuss says Portugal has become the place she now considers home. She has purchased property in Porto, including an apartment she rents to a friend, and has begun the process of applying for Portuguese citizenship after spending several years living in the country.

She acknowledges that Portugal has become more expensive since she first arrived, but she believes it still offers far better value than the life she left behind in California. For her, retirement is no longer about carefully stretching every dollar. Instead, it has become a time to travel, enjoy new experiences, and spend time with friends without constant financial pressure.

“When I get back here, I feel like, ‘Oh it’s so good to be home,’” she said.

As more Americans question whether they can afford the retirement they once imagined, Dreyfuss’s story highlights a growing trend of looking beyond national borders for a better quality of life. Her leap into the unknown carried obvious risks, but five years later, she believes it was one of the best decisions she has ever made.