Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Tom shares how he decided to retire early during COVID and, after researching several countries, chose Portugal for its safety, lifestyle, and natural beauty. A visit in 2021 convinced him to settle in the Algarve, where he bought land and built a home with the help of professionals to navigate local rules. He highlights Portugal as an excellent retirement destination, especially for outdoor living and a relaxed lifestyle. He also reflects on challenges in the building process, including finding trustworthy builders and managing costs.
🎙️ Welcome to the ExpatsEverywhere Podcast!
Join us on the journey of learning about Portugal and expat life around the world. Each week, we bring you expert interviews, insightful commentary, and real-life stories to help you navigate your move abroad with confidence.
💼 Green Ocean Global | Financial Advisory for Expats
Schedule a free 15-minute intro call with John, our trusted financial advisor:
calendly.com/johnoceansgreen (Choose the ExpatsEverywhere Intro Call)
WorldPost - Mail Forwarding and Virtual Mailbox
worldpost.io
Slate and Key | The Key to Your New Life in the Iberian Peninsula
slateandkey.com
🎉 Love what we’re doing? Join the movement.
Be a part of our community on Patreon and get early bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and connect with fellow expats moving to and living in Portugal:
👉 patreon.com/expatseverywhere
🌍 About Us
We’re Josh and Kalie, and we’ve been living abroad since 2009. Our expat journey has taken us through Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and now Portugal. We share what we’ve learned to help you move abroad smarter and live abroad better.
📌 Portugal Visa Help
We created two step-by-step courses to help you DIY your D7 or Remote Worker visa for Portugal. Podcast listeners get $10 off any course with code: PODCAST
👉 D7 Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com
👉 Remote Worker Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com/courses/remote-worker-visa
🛠️ Useful Expat Resources
Here are tools and services we use and recommend. Some links are affiliate links that support our work—thank you!
💸 Transfer Money
Wise (formerly TransferWise): https://transferwise.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lfsFy/ar:channelwide/destination:https%3A%2F%2Ftransferwise.com%2Fc%2Fexpatseverywhere
Spartan FX (speak to a specialist): spartanfx.co.uk/fx-partner.php?sfxtrack=expatseverywhere
📺 Watch Your Shows Abroad
SurfShark VPN – Get 40% off: get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=5969
🛡️ Digital Security
Aura – 2-week free trial: aura.com/expatseverywhere
🏦 NIF & Bank Setup in Portugal
Bordr – $10 off NIF and/or bank account: bordr.com/?via=expatseverywhere
🌐 Insurance Abroad
SafetyWing – Travel & expat health insurance: tinyurl.com/ykt5e73w
🗣️ Learn Portuguese
Ling App – Yearly subscription offer: ling-app.com/offer-yearly-subscription/?affiliateId=expatseverywhere
Portuguese with Carla: journey.portuguesewithcarla.com/offer-collab/?ref=7
Mia Esmeriz Academy: school.learn-portuguese.org/courses?affcode=206686_p6olvjck
📬 Mail Forwarding
World Post: worldpost.anytimemailbox.com/signup
💰 Taxes for Expats
Taxes for Expats – Get $25 off: taxesforexpats.com/ref/239
📬 Get in Touch
Email: info@expatseverywhere.com
Website: expatseverywhere.com
Instagram: instagram.com/expatseverywhere
Facebook: facebook.com/expatseverywhere
Twitter: twitter.com/expert_expat
00:00 Intro
00:30 Podcast sponsors
02:47 Interview starts
05:39 Researching the Move to Portugal
08:13 Choosing the Algarve for Retirement
10:45 Buying Land and Building a Home
16:29 Navigating the Buying Process
22:03 Finding the Right Builder and Architect
27:08 The Construction Process
#ExpatsEverywhere #MoveAbroad #portugalpodcast
Tom shares how he decided to retire early during COVID and, after researching several countries, chose Portugal for its safety, lifestyle, and natural beauty. A visit in 2021 convinced him to settle in the Algarve, where he bought land and built a home with the help of professionals to navigate local rules. He highlights Portugal as an excellent retirement destination, especially for outdoor living and a relaxed lifestyle. He also reflects on challenges in the building process, including finding trustworthy builders and managing costs.
🎙️ Welcome to the ExpatsEverywhere Podcast!
Join us on the journey of learning about Portugal and expat life around the world. Each week, we bring you expert interviews, insightful commentary, and real-life stories to help you navigate your move abroad with confidence.
💼 Green Ocean Global | Financial Advisory for Expats
Schedule a free 15-minute intro call with John, our trusted financial advisor:
calendly.com/johnoceansgreen (Choose the ExpatsEverywhere Intro Call)
WorldPost - Mail Forwarding and Virtual Mailbox
worldpost.io
Slate and Key | The Key to Your New Life in the Iberian Peninsula
slateandkey.com
🎉 Love what we’re doing? Join the movement.
Be a part of our community on Patreon and get early bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and connect with fellow expats moving to and living in Portugal:
👉 patreon.com/expatseverywhere
🌍 About Us
We’re Josh and Kalie, and we’ve been living abroad since 2009. Our expat journey has taken us through Spain, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and now Portugal. We share what we’ve learned to help you move abroad smarter and live abroad better.
📌 Portugal Visa Help
We created two step-by-step courses to help you DIY your D7 or Remote Worker visa for Portugal. Podcast listeners get $10 off any course with code: PODCAST
👉 D7 Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com
👉 Remote Worker Visa Course: expatseverywhere.thinkific.com/courses/remote-worker-visa
🛠️ Useful Expat Resources
Here are tools and services we use and recommend. Some links are affiliate links that support our work—thank you!
💸 Transfer Money
Wise (formerly TransferWise): https://transferwise.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lfsFy/ar:channelwide/destination:https%3A%2F%2Ftransferwise.com%2Fc%2Fexpatseverywhere
Spartan FX (speak to a specialist): spartanfx.co.uk/fx-partner.php?sfxtrack=expatseverywhere
📺 Watch Your Shows Abroad
SurfShark VPN – Get 40% off: get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=5969
🛡️ Digital Security
Aura – 2-week free trial: aura.com/expatseverywhere
🏦 NIF & Bank Setup in Portugal
Bordr – $10 off NIF and/or bank account: bordr.com/?via=expatseverywhere
🌐 Insurance Abroad
SafetyWing – Travel & expat health insurance: tinyurl.com/ykt5e73w
🗣️ Learn Portuguese
Ling App – Yearly subscription offer: ling-app.com/offer-yearly-subscription/?affiliateId=expatseverywhere
Portuguese with Carla: journey.portuguesewithcarla.com/offer-collab/?ref=7
Mia Esmeriz Academy: school.learn-portuguese.org/courses?affcode=206686_p6olvjck
📬 Mail Forwarding
World Post: worldpost.anytimemailbox.com/signup
💰 Taxes for Expats
Taxes for Expats – Get $25 off: taxesforexpats.com/ref/239
📬 Get in Touch
Email: info@expatseverywhere.com
Website: expatseverywhere.com
Instagram: instagram.com/expatseverywhere
Facebook: facebook.com/expatseverywhere
Twitter: twitter.com/expert_expat
00:00 Intro
00:30 Podcast sponsors
02:47 Interview starts
05:39 Researching the Move to Portugal
08:13 Choosing the Algarve for Retirement
10:45 Buying Land and Building a Home
16:29 Navigating the Buying Process
22:03 Finding the Right Builder and Architect
27:08 The Construction Process
#ExpatsEverywhere #MoveAbroad #portugalpodcast
