# What Do We Need to Survive??



## fraserjames1

Hi

This is my first post and I was hoping to get some guidance please. I am in the process of negotiating a job with a UK company based in Portugal. It has always been our dream to live there, so we are all pretty excited!

However, whilst I know that the cost of living is lower than in the UK, I am still not sure what level of income we would need to be comfortable. If I tell you a little about us, could anyone hazard a rough guess what we might need to ask for as a salary? The clues are:

- we won't need to pay rent or mortgage
- we have two children (6 and 7) who would, ideally, go to an International school
- we will need to run two cars
- we like eating out, maybe once or twice a week
- we have two small dogs
- we will need to pay service costs on a 3/4 bedroom house (electricity, water, etc)
- we will need broadband access at home

I realise that this is all a bit vague but if anyone could give me a ballpark target, that would really help us!!

Thanks and kind regards

Dave


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## MichelleAlison

Hi Dave and welcome to the forum.

I am sure there is somebody out there who can offer you some advice.

Good luck

Michelle


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## ketan

*ballpark figure*

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum. I have been living in Portugal for 8 years now, and I´ll be pleased to help answer some of your questions. However to start off need to know where abouts in Portugal you are moving to, and weather you and your wife will both be working or only you. 
This info will make all the difference in the world!!!!

Waiting to hear from you.
Regards.
Ketan


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## solarq

Just might give you a hint on some of your questions.

Yesterday I paid € 1,43 for one liter of patrol (95 octan).
I went out for dinner with some friends of a Forum and paid € 12,-.
Our 2 medium sized dogs cost us about € 100,- as they are on a special diet.
You might get broadband access starting from something like € 20,- depending on the traffic.


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## fraserjames1

Thanks Ketan and Solarq
We will be living somewhere near Luz/Lagos and, whilst my wife in multi-lingual (so may well get a job), I would prefer to budget on the basis that only I will be working.
I was really just wondering at what level of salary you think we would be comfortable?? Kind regards Dave


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## omostra06

Hi and welcome to the forum.


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## solarq

Although it is cheap to have a beer or a coffee some place, living in Portugal is not very easy. Living comfortably for a family, sending kids to a private school, I guess you would need at least about €3000.


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## Gillyann

In our experience we did find the cost of food at local markets very cheap and also fresh if that is any help.


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## Guest

I know that this thread goes back a number of months, but its got some good points in that i'd also like some information on.

for a semi-single person as in my partner would be working and she has a good job but for someone without kids who like to go out every now and again whats a good monthly income???


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## silvers

Where would you be living? Would you be renting or buying?


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## Guest

To start with i'd be renting, and living somewhere close in, in Lisbon


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## silvers

Andar/Apartamento - Arrendamento - Agualva, Sintra - Portugal,
This is a link to an apartment in Lisbon for 350 euros a month, just to give you an idea of whats available. I am not an estate agent and I make no money from doing this. I have no association to the agency involved, I am just trying to show you what to expect.
I would think that you would need a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 euros a month to have a good standard of living in Lisbon. Obviously, this depends on your habits too.


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## MASILVERCOAST

Hi Dave, I´ve been living in Portugal for almost 2 decades and my wife is Portuguese. To maintain the reasonable lifestyle you describe, you will realistically need to earn not less than € 4.000,- per month.If you put your kids in a local school instead(which I sincerely don´t recommend), you can get by with around € 2.500,-. BR, Marcus.


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## janethilton

fraserjames1 said:


> Hi
> 
> This is my first post and I was hoping to get some guidance please. I am in the process of negotiating a job with a UK company based in Portugal. It has always been our dream to live there, so we are all pretty excited!
> 
> However, whilst I know that the cost of living is lower than in the UK, I am still not sure what level of income we would need to be comfortable. If I tell you a little about us, could anyone hazard a rough guess what we might need to ask for as a salary? The clues are:
> 
> - we won't need to pay rent or mortgage
> - we have two children (6 and 7) who would, ideally, go to an International school
> - we will need to run two cars
> - we like eating out, maybe once or twice a week
> - we have two small dogs
> - we will need to pay service costs on a 3/4 bedroom house (electricity, water, etc)
> - we will need broadband access at home
> 
> I realise that this is all a bit vague but if anyone could give me a ballpark target, that would really help us!!
> 
> Thanks and kind regards
> 
> Dave


Hi welcome to the forum. Things are relatively cheap here except the electricity and the cars! Petrol has dropped to 1.14euro per litre diesel which is good. Fresh food and veg are quite cheap as is the beer but will cost more in the Algarve! Good Luck.


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## silvers

Hi Janet,
Try to find an Intermarche with a petrol station, diesel is 1.06 a litre.


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## janethilton

silvers said:


> Hi Janet,
> Try to find an Intermarche with a petrol station, diesel is 1.06 a litre.


Hi thanks for the tip, funny enough we filled up at Intermarche a couple of weeks ago and it was at 1.16 a litre but it has probably dropped again which is good news and we filled at Continente with the price quoted earlier. Cheers and thanks again, much appreciated.


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