Finding Happiness in Lisbon: An American Expat’s Journey to a Low-Stress Life

When Kaitlin Wichmann said “olá” to Lisbon in 2021, she wasn’t just greeting a new city – she was embracing an entirely new lifestyle. The 31-year-old American had grown increasingly disenchanted with her marketing career in Los Angeles, where each day felt like a carbon copy of the one before. “Every day going into my job, parking in the same spot, going to the same desk, staring at the same wall — I was just like, ‘There has to be more to life than this,'” she told CNBC. That persistent feeling of unfulfillment eventually pushed her to make a dramatic change. Rather than continuing down a path that left her feeling empty, Wichmann took a leap of faith, quitting her full-time job to pursue freelance work. But the Kansas native didn’t stop there – she decided to completely reimagine her life by relocating across the Atlantic to Portugal’s coastal capital.

The decision to move to Lisbon wasn’t random. Wichmann was drawn to the city’s pleasant Mediterranean climate and its cultural emphasis on active, healthy living – quite a contrast to the high-pressure environment she had experienced in Los Angeles. Since relocating four years ago, she’s transformed not just where she lives but how she lives. Now working as a freelance digital marketer, Wichmann helps both American and Portuguese clients with their online advertising efforts. The most striking change, however, is in her work schedule: she now works no more than 20 hours per week, a dramatic reduction from the typical American full-time workweek. Despite this significant cut in hours, her financial situation has remained strong. Most months, she earns around $7,000 USD – more than enough to support her new lifestyle in a city where the cost of living is substantially lower than in major American urban centers.

The impact of this lifestyle shift on Wichmann’s wellbeing has been profound. “I definitely feel happier and more at peace here,” she shared with CNBC. The contrast between her former life in Los Angeles and her current reality in Lisbon couldn’t be more stark. “When I was living in Los Angeles, pretty much my life revolved around work,” she reflected. “[Now] my life revolves around my life with work scattered in.” This fundamental reframing of priorities has allowed her to reclaim time for personal interests and hobbies – aspects of life that often get sacrificed in high-pressure career environments. Rather than structuring her days around professional obligations, she now has the freedom to prioritize the activities and relationships that bring her genuine fulfillment, with work taking a secondary role in her schedule.

The financial advantages of Wichmann’s move are clear when examining her monthly expenses. In June, she spent just $3,457 – less than half of her average monthly income. The cost breakdown reveals why Portugal has become so attractive to American expats: her rent and utilities totaled only $1,296, while her food expenses for the entire month came to a modest $500. These essential costs, which often consume the majority of income in American cities like Los Angeles, take up a relatively small portion of her budget in Lisbon. This financial breathing room allows Wichmann to spend freely on enriching experiences like travel, tennis lessons, and shopping without the financial anxiety that often accompanies such discretionary spending in higher-cost locations. The math is simple yet powerful – by earning an American-level income while living in a place with a significantly lower cost of living, she’s able to work less, spend less, and enjoy more.

Wichmann is far from alone in discovering Portugal’s appeal. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the country has seen a significant influx of expatriates drawn by its affordable lifestyle and welcoming visa policies. In 2022, the Portuguese government further cemented this appeal by introducing the D8 Digital Nomad Visa specifically designed for non-EU citizens working for foreign companies. This official embrace of the digital nomad lifestyle has made Portugal one of Europe’s most accessible destinations for remote workers seeking an international experience. However, this popularity has not come without consequences. The surge of foreign residents with higher spending power has contributed to rising costs in cities like Lisbon, creating tensions with local Portuguese residents who sometimes find themselves priced out of their own neighborhoods. This gentrification effect has sparked debates about the impact of digital nomads on local communities – a complex dynamic playing out in popular expatriate destinations worldwide.

What sets Wichmann apart from many digital nomads, however, is her commitment to Portugal as a permanent home rather than just another stop on a global journey. “When I moved to Lisbon, my plan was to live here at least five years and then decide where I wanted to go after that,” she explained. But after experiencing the quality of life the city offers, her perspective has evolved. “[Now] I don’t see myself moving anywhere else, at least outside of Portugal. I just really like it here.” This sentiment reflects the deeper satisfaction she’s found – not just in the affordability or pleasant climate of her adopted home, but in the fundamental reorientation of her priorities. By trading a work-centered existence for a life-centered one, Wichmann has discovered what many seek but fewer find: a sustainable balance that allows for both professional contribution and personal fulfillment. Her story serves as a compelling reminder that sometimes the path to a more satisfying life requires questioning established norms and being brave enough to create an alternative – even if that means saying goodbye to the familiar and hello to a new language, culture, and way of being.