Thinking About Moving to Portugal? 15 Things We Wish We Knew
So You're Thinking of Moving to Portugal
There is a big difference between visiting Portugal and living in Portugal. We know because we’ve done both.
Our relationship with Portugal started with research, then a scouting trip, then the paperwork, and eventually the decision to make Portugal our home. What began as an idea became a reality, but along the way we discovered that moving to another country (for the second time) involves far more than finding somewhere sunny to live.
There are visas, accommodation, banking, healthcare, taxes, transport, paperwork and a seemingly endless list of small decisions that you don’t necessarily think about until you are faced with them.
And then there is the biggest decision of all: Where in Portugal should you actually live?
Our own answer eventually became Figueira da Foz, not hat it was on our radar, but by fate.
If you’re considering doing something similar, here are 15 things we think you should know before moving to Portugal.
Visit Portugal Before Deciding to Live There
This sounds obvious, but a holiday isn’t enough. When you’re on holiday, you’re probably staying in a nice hotel or apartment, eating in restaurants, visiting attractions and spending your days exploring.
Living somewhere is different. You need to know what the supermarket is like, where the nearest healthcare facilities are, what the neighbourhood feels like at night, how easy it is to get around and what the area is like outside the tourist season. We actually took a road trip around Portugal as part of our research.
We deliberately traveled during winter because we wanted to see Portugal when the weather wasn’t perfect. We wanted to experience the country as it really was rather than fall in love with it during two weeks of sunshine. That trip took us through Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Nazaré, Figueira da Foz, Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto and Braga. It was one of the best things we could have done.
You can read the full story of that trip in our guide to Exploring Portugal.
Don't Automatically Choose Lisbon or the Algarve
When people first start thinking about Portugal, they often focus on Lisbon or the Algarve. There’s nothing wrong with either.
Lisbon is an incredible city with history, culture, restaurants, nightlife and plenty to do. If you’re considering spending time there, our Lisbon in 3 Days guide is a great introduction to the city.
The Algarve, meanwhile, offers beaches, warmer weather and a large international community. But Portugal has much more to offer. The central and northern parts of the country can provide a completely different lifestyle, and in some areas you can find better value than in the most popular expat destinations. That’s one of the reasons we started looking beyond the obvious choices.
Exploring Smaller Portuguese Towns
One of the biggest surprises for us was how quickly Portugal changes as you move away from the major tourist destinations. Smaller towns can offer a slower pace of life, local markets, traditional restaurants and a stronger feeling of community. You may not have all the conveniences of a major city, but you might also discover that you don’t need them. For us, that eventually led to Figueira da Foz.
Figueira da Foz gave us many of the things we were looking for: the Atlantic Ocean, enormous beaches, restaurants and shops, a lively summer season and a more relaxed pace of life. We wrote about why we fell in love with it in Figueira da Foz: Portugal’s Coastal Secret Worth Discovering.
Don’t assume that the place everyone else recommends is necessarily the right place for you.
Rent Before You Buy
This is something we feel strongly about. Don’t rush into buying a property simply because you’ve fallen in love with Portugal. We decided that renting initially made more sense for us. That gives you time to learn about an area before committing a significant amount of money to it. We physically drove and saw 35 properties (sprawled all over Portugal), made offers on 3, only to be successful on the 3rd. Finding the right home is like finding a unicorn! Give yourself time. The right thing will come along.
A place can look perfect when you’re visiting for a few days but feel very different when you’ve lived there for several months. You might discover that the road outside your dream home is incredibly busy. You might find that winter is much quieter than you expected. Or you might realize that another town nearby suits your lifestyle much better.
Understanding Your Residency Options
If you’re not an EU citizen and want to live in Portugal for an extended period, you need to understand which residence visa or immigration route applies to your circumstances. One of the routes we researched was the Portugal D7 Residency Visa, particularly because of its relevance to people with qualifying passive or regular income and retirees. We documented our own experience and research in our Portugal D7 Residency Visa guide.
But there is an important warning here:
Immigration rules change. Don’t rely on a blog post, Facebook group or YouTube video as your final authority when preparing an application. Use current information from the Portuguese authorities and your relevant consulate or visa provider, and consider professional advice where appropriate. Our own experience is useful for understanding what the process was like for us, but it shouldn’t be treated as legal or immigration advice.
The official website for Portuguese immigration is AIMA, but you are most likely to use your local Portuguese embassy to do the application.
Moving to Portugal - The Paperwork
There is no escaping paperwork when you move countries. You will probably find yourself dealing with documents you didn’t even know existed. Depending on your circumstances, this can include identification documents, proof of accommodation, financial documents, criminal record checks, tax numbers, banking information, insurance and various certificates.
We did our application ourselves, it wasn’t as daunting as most had made out. But if you don’t have the time or the patience, there are immigration services that can handle everything for you.
Some documents may need to be apostilled or translated. Our advice is simple: Start early.
Create a digital folder for your documents and keep physical copies of important paperwork as well.
You will be very glad you did when somebody asks for a document that you haven’t thought about for six months.
The Importance of Where You Live
Choosing your town is only part of the decision. Choosing your neighbourhood can be just as important.
Do you want to walk to cafés and restaurants?
Do you want to be close to the beach?
Do you need public transport?
Will you have a car?
Do you want to be surrounded by other expats or would you prefer somewhere predominantly Portuguese?
Are you happy living on a steep hill?
These questions sound trivial until you have to live with the answers every day. One of our favourite things about Figueira da Foz is the ability to enjoy the beach, promenade, restaurants and everyday amenities without needing to live in one of Portugal’s biggest cities.
Learning The Language
You don’t necessarily need to speak fluent Portuguese before moving here. In many areas popular with foreigners, you’ll find plenty of people who speak English. But learning Portuguese will make your life easier.
Even basic phrases can make a difference when you’re shopping, dealing with tradespeople, talking to neighbours or navigating everyday situations. And there’s another benefit.
Making an effort to speak the local language shows that you’re interested in becoming part of the country rather than simply creating a little bubble of your home country somewhere else. You don’t need perfect grammar. Start with: Bom dia. Boa tarde. Obrigado/Obrigada. Por favor. Desculpe. Then build from there.
Working Out the Cost of Living
One of the easiest mistakes to make is to look at a few online articles about the “cheap cost of living in Portugal” and assume that you’ll automatically spend less than you do at home. Your situation may be completely different. Housing costs can vary enormously between Lisbon, the Algarve, central Portugal and the north.
Your lifestyle also matters. If you eat out several times a week, travel frequently, drive a large car and rent an expensive property, your monthly expenses will obviously be very different from someone living in a small inland town and cooking at home. Before moving, create a realistic monthly budget.
Include:
- Rent or mortgage
- Electricity
- Water
- Gas
- Internet
- Mobile phone
- Groceries
- Eating out
- Car costs
- Insurance
- Healthcare
- Entertainment
- Travel
- Taxes
- Professional fees
- Unexpected expenses
Then add a little breathing room. Because unexpected expenses don’t stop just because you’ve moved to Portugal.
Understanding Your Tax Position
This is another area where you shouldn’t rely on something you read in a Facebook group. Moving to Portugal can have tax implications depending on your circumstances, income sources and residence status.
If you are receiving a pension, working remotely, running a business, earning investment income or receiving rental income from another country, your situation may be more complicated than simply becoming a resident in Portugal. Get professional advice before making major financial decisions.
And remember that immigration, residency and taxation are separate issues, even though they can overlap.
Healthcare Needs to Be Part of Your Plan
Healthcare is something you should investigate before you move, particularly if you’re retiring or have regular medical requirements. Find out what healthcare access you’ll have under your circumstances and whether private insurance is appropriate for you.
Also think practically. Where is your nearest health centre? Where is the nearest hospital? Are there private medical facilities nearby? Does your chosen town have the services you need?
These are questions that are much easier to answer before you sign a long-term rental contract or buy a property.
Do You Really Need a Car
A car can be incredibly useful in Portugal. It can also become an unnecessary expense if you live somewhere with good public transport and most of what you need is within walking distance.
When we explored Portugal, having a rental car gave us the freedom to travel between towns and see what different areas were like. But your eventual needs may be very different.
If you’re living in central Lisbon, for example, you may find that a car is more of a burden than a benefit. If you’re living in a small rural community, the opposite may be true. Think about your actual lifestyle rather than what you’re accustomed to at home.
Portugal Isn't Just Sunshine
We love Portugal. But Portugal has weather. Yes, there are beautiful sunny days and a generally attractive climate, but the country isn’t one giant year-round summer resort. Our winter scouting trip was deliberately designed to show us the other side.
Travelling through the country in winter helped us understand that climate varies considerably from north to south, and from the coast to inland. The Algarve tends to be warmer and drier, while northern Portugal generally experiences more rain. That doesn’t mean winter is bad. In fact, we enjoyed seeing Portugal when the streets weren’t filled with summer tourists. But if you’re moving here permanently, you need to be comfortable with normal life, not just perfect weather.
The Slower Pace of Life
One of the reasons people move to Portugal is the lifestyle. Things can feel less rushed. Lunch can take longer. People spend time talking. Families and friends gather. Evenings can stretch out.
For many people, this is exactly what they’re looking for. But if you’re used to everything happening instantly, it can take some adjustment. You may occasionally find yourself thinking: “Why isn’t this done yet?” The answer may simply be: “Because this is Portugal.” Learning to slow down is part of the experience.
Don't Forget The Reason You Moved
The paperwork can become overwhelming. There may be appointments, documents, bank accounts, applications, property searches and endless small tasks. At times, it’s easy to become so focused on moving to Portugal that you forget why you wanted to move here in the first place.
For us, it was the lifestyle. The food. The people. The coastline. The ability to explore (Portugal and the rest of Europe). The slower pace. And ultimately, the feeling that Portugal could (or has) become home.
That’s what kept us going when the administrative side became frustrating, and then of course there is the reason WHY we left South Africa in the first place. It only takes a second to overcome my doubts about moving to Portugal (not that I don’t love my homeland of course).
So, Should You Move to Portugal?
Only you can answer that. Portugal isn’t perfect, and moving to another country isn’t a decision that should be made because you enjoyed a two-week holiday.
But if you’ve visited, explored different areas, considered the financial implications, researched your residency options and imagined yourself living the ordinary day-to-day life here—and you still can’t stop thinking about it—then perhaps it’s time to investigate the possibility seriously.
That’s exactly what we did. We researched. We travelled. We compared countries. We explored Portugal. We found Figueira da Foz. And eventually, we made the move.
Want the Practical Tips We Learned Along the Way?
Others are tiny details that you don’t even think about until they become a problem. That’s why we put together 120 Tips for Immigrating to Portugal: Relocating to Portugal. It’s not intended to replace official immigration, tax or legal advice. Instead, it’s a practical collection of the things prospective expats should be thinking about before they make the move.
We have made some expensive mistakes and have been given the runaround, so trust me when I say we have paid our school fee’s.
If Portugal is becoming more than just a holiday destination for you, it may be worth having a copy beside you while you plan. Not only have I shared 105 more tips than what I have given you here, but I also give you practical money saving tips that most expats don’t know about. So the little you spend on buying the eBook, paperback or hard cover, will pay you back time and time again.
And if you’re still researching your future home, keep exploring Two Guys Abroad. Start with Exploring Portugal, take a closer look at Figueira da Foz, or spend three days getting to know Lisbon in our detailed itinerary.
If the D7 route is relevant to your circumstances, you can also read our Portugal D7 Residency Visa guide.
Do your research, take your time, explore the country, and then decide where your Portuguese adventure takes you.
