While the American dream attracts millions with promises of opportunity and comfort, the reality of its steep healthcare costs often tells a different story. For Christina Kantzavelos, a therapist from California living with chronic illness, that price was too high, both financially and emotionally. After years of struggling to stay healthy in a system that drained her completely, she decided to look elsewhere for a better life and fell in love with a European city.
Speaking to Business Insider, Christina revealed she had no idea that a short vacation to Portugal would turn into a life-changing decision. Two years on, the 37-year-old says she has found a calmer, healthier rhythm of life in the quiet town of Óbidos, about 80 kilometres north of Lisbon.
Escaping America’s costly healthcare system
Christina told Business Insider that the high cost of healthcare in the US was one of the main reasons she left. “I know people who had to start GoFundMe pages just to pay their medical bills,” she said. “It breaks my heart that in America, people have to crowdfund healthcare while paying sky-high insurance premiums.”
She added that, in her line of work, she often sees insurance companies deny essential treatments. “It’s depressing,” she said. “It shouldn’t be this way. We shouldn’t have to leave our country to be able to afford to be healthy.”
“Nervous system dysregulation is tied so closely to our health,” she explained. “When we don’t feel safe or supported in our environment, our body reacts. Here, I feel calm and secure.”
Left US for better health
After leaving California in late 2022, Christina spent months travelling across Europe before deciding in the summer of 2024 that Portugal would be her permanent home. “I’ve been to many countries in Europe, but Portugal feels the most comfortable,” she told Business Insider. “People are open, welcoming, and it’s easy to feel like part of the community.”
In Portugal, she also noticed a big shift in attitude toward work-life balance. “People here work to live — not live to work,” she said. “That’s something I truly appreciate. It feels like people value their time and relationships more.”
She’s also found that the cost of living is far more manageable. “I try to eat mostly organic, and here it’s affordable. In the US, I’d be left with very little at the end of the month.”
Between trips to the grocery store and the local farmer’s market, her weekly groceries for two cost about 125 euros — roughly $145. “In California, the same organic food would easily cost me $300 a week,” she added.
Her three-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot apartment in Portugal costs her 1,300 euros a month, around $1,450. “In San Diego, something similar would cost at least $5,000 a month,” she said. “And here, I can walk to town and still have access to everything I need.”
The chronic illness advocate now loves the country’s balance between nature and city life. She’s close enough to Lisbon to catch live concerts, yet far enough to enjoy peaceful surroundings and clean air. “It reminds me of California — the good weather, the sunshine, the beaches,” she shared. “You can drive a short distance and find yourself at the beach or even in the snow. The air feels so much clearer here.”
Her favourite part, though, is how her body responds to the change. “My nervous system just feels safer here,” she said. “I’m less inflamed, more energised, and generally more vibrant. I feel healthy again.”