Collaborative post. The travel restrictions of the past couple of years have caused chaos with everyone’s travel plans. We’ve had to content ourselves with roaming the world on devices and contemplating how lovely it would be if we lived in a warmer country. Despite the constraints of the pandemic, over 13,000 Brits were granted Portuguese residency permits last year. The short distance from the UK and 300 days of sunshine a year draws people to its shores. A trend that shows no sign of slowing down. In this post, we will look at What You Need to Know When Moving to Portugal.
What You Need to Know When Moving to Portugal
Portugal is a beautiful country. The beaches of the Algarve are some of the best in the world. Having seen them I can certainly agree. This is a stunning country where the pace of life is far more relaxed than in the UK and one of my favourite places to visit. What’s better then sun, sand, friendly people and great food!
But, before you grab your suitcase and run to the airport, here are a few things to consider.
Visa Requirements
Since Britain left the E.U. British citizens no longer have the right to visit Portugal without a visa, unless you also happen to hold an Irish passport. Short stay visas are available. But, if you intend to live in Portugal, you will need a Residency Visa. This visa must be applied for at least 60 days in advance of your arrival and costs 90 euros. You will need to provide proof of health insurance, accommodation, and finance. If you are purchasing property in the interior of the country and its value is in excess of 500,000 euros, you will be eligible for a ‘Golden Visa’ which will entitle you and your family to residency rights and a full Portuguese passport after five years.
Housing Costs
The past few years have seen a property boom in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, although prices still remain low when compared with cities like London and Paris. The Portuguese government is keen to shift foreign property investment away from the popular coastal areas to the fine ancient towns and cities of the interior. Imovirtual publish a monthly online report on the average house prices of each municipality, enabling you to watch trends and spot a bargain. Currently, the most affordable region in which to buy property is the medieval city of Guarda.
Living costs
Living costs in Portugal are around 33% cheaper than those of the U.K. Of course, that depends on where you live. In fact, the cost of living here is also one of the lowest in Europe. This makes it a great place to retire to.
Job Opportunities
Twenty percent of the country’s GDP comes from tourism and as a consequence, the economy has been severely hit by the pandemic. There is, however, a strong tech sector in the country and tech giants have moved into Portugal in order to capitalise on the skilled and inexpensive workforce. The government is particularly supportive of foreign entrepreneurs and start-ups but it’s best not to assume that you will just be able to walk into a job.
Cultural Differences
In Portugal, family loyalty is very important to the extent that nepotism is considered a good thing. There is universal respect for hierarchy and authority and decisions are made from the top. Behaviour in business is formal, conservative, and polite and appearance is regarded as important. Initial greetings are reserved, and you should never use first names until you are invited to do so.
If you are considering moving then make sure you have visited the country and stayed in a few different areas to see which suits you best.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my post What You Need to Know When Moving to Portugal. Have you ever visited Portugal? Would you consider moving abroad in the future?
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That’s interesting to know that it’s much cheaper to live in Portugal than in the U.K. I have always wanted to visit Portugal!
This would be a nice spot to live. You have some great tips to keep in mind. I am all about it being a cheaper place to live.
It is such a beautiful place with a great climate.
This is really interesting to hear about- thank you for sharing. Thankfully, my husband is Irish, so travelling freely around the EU isn’t quite as tough for us, I’m so grateful for that!
Good information compilation here. It will be of great use for folks planning to go to Portugal and seems like a great place to visit.
Portugal is one of the few countries I have never visited in Europe. Would love to go there when the pandemic is behind us. Good to know the many details you have shared.
I`m glad to know that their living cost is cheaper. Portugal is a great option to live in.
Some of our relatives live in Portugal and they say family is a priority. There can be other cultural differences but it`s an amazing place to live in
Portugal is such a lovely country, I can certainly see the appeal of moving to the med. It seems like a slower pace of life.
Wow living costs that are 33% cheaper. That would definitely be a big bonus and I am sure a big sway for many people.
Would love to experience Portugal one day and I can imagine it’ll be a great place to love with beaches and year round great weather. Bliss!
I’d love to visit Portugal. I hear it’s such a beautiful country. I’m hoping to visit Europe in the next few months.
It really is lovely there. There are loads of amazing beaches and don’t get me started on the food.
I’ve only been to Portugal once but it was beautiful, although I don’t think I could live there as I’m not built for so much heat haha. But a friend of mine lived there for a while and loved it x
Honestly, once you get used to the slower pace and heat you’ll wonder why you waited x
What a great place to live! I visited several cities of Portugal during my 5 days road trip through the country.
It certainly is a beautiful country.
Portugal sounds like a lovely place. We watched a lot of travel shows on Portugal, and it would be lovely to move there.
These are great tips for anyone considering visiting Portugal! I would love to visit someday.
This is such a really great post! I really wanted to go to Portugal It is a really wonderful place!
It is lovely there. The beaches are amazing!!! A far more relaxed way of life.
This is such a very helpful and informative post! I will share this to my friend who is planning to live in Portugal .
Oh wow, that’s wonderful. I hope you will get to visit her Rose x
I’m tempted to get the heck out of this country and go move somewhere else. Maybe Portugal is the place!
Go for a holiday first, see what you think but I’m sure you’ll love it.
Portugal is a beautiful country. It is nice to read these guidelines for people who want to move there for good.
It is lovely there. I’ve been a number of times over the years. It’s got everything.
We loved Portugal when we holidayed there a few years ago and I can see the appeal of moving there. Really useful tips about moving there.
I have heard such lovely things about Portugal. I would love to visit there in the near future. I’m not sure if I’d want to live there though.
I want to leave the UK for a European country. This is a great guide to Portugal.
I don’t blame you. I think loads do and the way of life is supposed to be so much better.
I am not sure we would move to Portugal, however, these are great things to know for when we are visiting next year
I have to admit that I have never considered moving abroad, probably because I’m not very good with languages, but I did love Portugal when I visited there a few years ago. It’s lovely to dream of a different future.
I’ve never been to Portugal before but it sounds like a great place to live and work if you are looking for good weather!
There is so much more complexities when it comes to leaving the EU. It is such a challenge to move abroad now!
Very thoughtful and detailed post. I really enjoyed your insights even though I have never really thought of Portugal as of personal residence
What a great guide for tips and advice . I don’t think I could ever leave my home town but I can definitely dream 🙂
Such an informative post. It would be my dream to up sticks and move abroad to a warmer climate. Im far too scared though!! Maybe one day.
It is nice to know that living costs are relatively cheaper in Portugal than in the UK. We still do not have plans on where to retire but will surely consider this place. Thank you for sharing.
I would love to visit Portugal someday. No sure about moving there. sounds like great place to live.
It is a lovely place to live. I think it depends on what stage of your life you are at and what connections you may have with the country too.
Great tips. I would have finding a job at the top of my list so I wouldn’t have to drain my savings during the move.
I’ve never been to Portugal but it is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. Never thought about living there though.