There is no doubt that Portugal has been gaining more and more attention from tourists over the years. But it also raises concerns among people considering relocating. Living in Portugal since the beginning of 2021, we are pleased to provide some answers to the most frequently asked questions about life in portugal these days. See for yourself.
Is Portugal really cheap?
Like many other places, prices in Portugal are rising steadily. Whether buying or renting, housing costs have seen the biggest increases. There are a number of reasons for this, including Portugal’s attractiveness for investment, extremely low available housing stock, and the slow progress of new construction. Everyone will have different experiences related to the cost of housing where they currently live. Location, size, and amenities have a big impact on pricing. Check out some popular websites for price comparisons. idealist, Cairoand imo virtual will get you started.
The cost of private health insurance has also been shocking last year, with major insurers increasing premiums by 50% or more. However, even with the increase, our insurance prices are slightly lower than what we pay in the US and are more comprehensive. Our plan includes vision and dental benefits, will cover our trip in Portugal and Spain, and will cover us if we travel in another country for up to 60 days. Plans and companies vary, and there is a common system to help in emergencies or other situations.
Prices for other items have also increased, but since many of them are priced lower than elsewhere in Europe or North America, they may still be considered quite affordable by comparison. Some pricing is driven by world events, such as a drought in Spain that has pushed up the cost of olive oil, as well as market forces affecting energy and utility prices and gasoline prices. Even so, you can still have a great meal at a local restaurant for less than 20 euros, paired with wine or beer. Farmers markets offer high-quality produce, meats, fish, dairy products, breads, flowers and more at affordable prices.
Of course, there are many other costs to consider, but these tend to be the top three costs people want to know about. Our honest opinion is that while Portugal is a beautiful country with lots of diversity and other benefits, if saving a lot of cash is your top priority for moving, you will be disappointed unless you live in a major urban area where costs are extremely high ,
Is Portugal really safe?
Safety is one of the other factors that people considering moving rightly care about. Portugal has long been regarded as a safe country that is particularly welcoming to people who are different. Our experience is that this remains true.
In a country of about 10.5 million people, about 1 million are immigrants. Portugal received nearly 27 million tourists last year. With so many people coming and going, there’s bound to be a lot going on, especially in major cities like Lisbon and Porto. We hear about petty crimes such as theft, but not very often.
Portugal ranks seventh global peace index The safest countries in the world in 2024. Falling unemployment rates, increased economic activity and relative government stability add to the positive environment. Although protests, strikes and other disturbances do occur from time to time, we feel that personal safety in Portugal is high.
How difficult is it to get a visa?
This question may be a moving target, as changes seem to happen frequently. However, the current process for people from the United States to obtain a long-term visa has simple requirements. By filling out the application form correctly and adhering to all documentation and process rules, we can say that getting your visa should be just around the corner.
The immigration administration has changed since we arrived. The governing body of the original SEF has been changed to AIMA. There is a significant backlog of applications during the transition, but we believe this will be resolved in the future and the process, while still a bit slow, should become more efficient. The Portuguese government has been working on simplification and automation, so problems in the system will hopefully decrease over time.
There are many changes to the process of obtaining a visa, but it can be done. We hired someone to help make sure we had crossed our t’s and dotted our i’s on the application. It went really well and we got approval about a month later. Now the process may take longer, but we still believe that if your application is completed correctly, well organized, and you meet all the qualifications for the type of visa you are seeking, it should go smoothly.
How does it cope with different languages and cultures?
Depending on your point of view, this question will either fill you with excitement and adventure or fill you with fear and trepidation. For us, it was and still is. Learning a new language is always a challenge, let’s be honest. Portuguese Very tricky. But there are tons of resources available, including online courses, apps, government courses, in-person classes, and more. If you plan to apply for permanent residency or citizenship, you will need to achieve a basic level of competency, so be prepared if this is your goal.
In fact, we hear more and more people speaking English. In major cities and resort areas, almost everyone speaks English. Where we live, when we first moved here, it was mostly Portuguese that we heard in all the shops and restaurants. Now, English is equally common. Most people around the age of 40 have also learned English in school and are eager to practice it. This can be challenging when you want to practice Portuguese as they will quickly switch to English to adapt.
We’re also starting to see some cultural adjustments. Portuguese people enjoy family and holiday celebrations. Football matches are well attended and parties and get-togethers are frequent. Most of them are deeply rooted in Portuguese culture and customs.
Recently, we have noticed an increasing amount of influence from other countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. This is reflected in the availability of products such as merchandise in grocery stores and in the celebrations throughout the year.
For example, the first year we were here we saw almost nothing that was considered Halloween decorations or treats. This year, the bakery not only has treats celebrating ghosts and jack-o’-lanterns, but there’s also plenty of home decor, apparel and mixed bags of individually wrapped candy perfect for handing out. We’ve had Halloween parties and now the kids and parents go trick-or-treating on the night of October 31st.
We believe it is important to fully participate in our new country, speak the local language and understand the culturally significant aspects and events here. But as the world continues to become more interdependent, we believe there will also be more of the things we recognize intermingling.
at present, learn language Adjusting to Portuguese culture has been enjoyable, although it is definitely an ongoing process. And, we’re starting to see signs of other cultural elements being incorporated to make it even richer and more interesting.
Is it difficult to make friends? are you alone?
Portugal is generally a warm and welcoming country. But when you’re starting from scratch, it can be difficult to find your “tribe.” However, when you decide to move, you need to be your most outgoing self and do things that may be uncomfortable in order to meet new people. Joining Facebook groups, attending meetups, learning about clubs or events that interest you, and taking other steps to differentiate yourself can go a long way.
Before we actually moved, we were lucky enough to have some Facebook friends in the area we were moving to. We went to lunch and dinner with new friends, went on picnics, went hiking, and listened to music. In a short period of time we met some great people who introduced us to their friends and our circle of friends expanded. As we learned more about the language, we added Portuguese friends who had lived here their entire lives.
We have a very active social life and many good friends. We also created a Facebook group Queer women in Portugal and those interested in moving to Portugal to chat, make friends, learn about events and parties. Maybe we made friends faster because there were a lot of foreigners in the area we lived in and we were willing to put in the effort to make new friends when we moved here. But if we can do it, anyone can. It just takes desire and effort to make a connection. There are many good people waiting to meet more good people.
Are you excited to move to Portugal?
We are often asked this question. We’re always surprised at how powerful our answers are. That’s a resounding “yes”! Let’s face it, the world around us is changing every day. In some ways, we can’t imagine not moving to Portugal. We like the slow pace and friendly environment. We love exploring the food scene and traveling around the country to discover new places. We are learning more languages all the time, which opens up more cultural doors and introduces us to new people.
The world is unpredictable, and in the wake of the U.S. election, we know many people are more interested than ever in taking action. If you find that moving to Portugal is indeed possible, we want to encourage you with a realistic perspective on what needs to be done and what to expect.
What’s next?
If you’ve done some soul-searching and decided that Portugal might be for you, our first suggestion is to get a copy of our newly updated and expanded e-book 101 Tips for Moving to Portugal (and After You Arrive). We’ll walk you through the entire process and all the decisions and actions you need to take, providing you with reliable resources and helping you avoid some of the most common pitfalls when dealing with such an important and emotional part of your life.
We also offer private consultation For those seeking more bespoke information and advice. Please feel free to contact us directly by emailing [email protected] The title is “Consultation Inquiry.”
If you want to move to Portugal after the US election, we welcome you!
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