10 Tips You Should Know When Moving to Portugal

Why More People Are Moving to Portugal

Portugal consistently ranks in the top ten destinations for retirement or international living because it is one of the safest countries in the world. Living in Portugal offers many benefits, like a pleasant climate, hospitable residents, tasty food, charming cities, and stunning landscapes, not to mention world-class wines and mouthwatering cuisine.

Nevertheless, you should consider a few before moving to Portugal, getting carried away with excitement, and paying the down payment on your future house. You can live a wonderful life in Portugal if you have the correct attitude and are prepared.

Ten Key Things to Know Before Moving To Portugal

Cultural Knowledge

Many people decide to move due to the weather in Portugal. Portugal boasts of stunning sunshine, fine beaches, and pleasant weather. But many are completely ignorant of the country’s history and culture. If you’re moving to Portugal to reside, do yourself a favor and learn as much as possible about the country, its history, and culture. This will help you settle in and adapt as quickly as you can.

Health Insurance and Health Care System In Portugal

Fortunately, Portugal offers many possibilities for purchasing private health insurance. The Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS), a government-run healthcare system in Portugal, is structured similarly to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. While this can be somewhat perplexing for new and potential residents in Portugal, the system offers a consistently higher standard of care for citizens. While many foreigners migrating to Portugal are qualified for SNS care, some are not. For this reason, many foreigners who move to Portugal opt to purchase private health insurance. Many newcomers from outside decide to get coverage from a worldwide health insurance provider.

Educational System.

You should probably start planning for schools before packing if you are relocating to Portugal with your wards. Typically, you have the option of attending public or private schools. However, this will be significantly less expensive than, say, foreign schools, and it will also allow your children an opportunity to blend into the community. Despite being available to all Portuguese citizens, regardless of nationality, public education is naturally delivered in Portuguese.

Learn Portuguese

Although it may seem apparent, you should invest some time learning the local language if you consider moving to Portugal. You will undoubtedly need to speak Portuguese daily, whether shopping at the nearby market or interacting with your new coworkers, wherever you choose to call home in this wonderful country. Fortunately, there are other approaches to learning Portuguese, such as using user-friendly apps.

Accommodation

Imagine living in a beachfront apartment building in the lovely Algarve. Or perhaps a family villa in the breathtaking Portuguese mountains is more your style. Whatever the design of your ideal Portuguese home may be, you’ll likely need to find temporary housing during the initial weeks. Having a temporary residence will allow you to explore your new home while getting oriented in Portugal. Finding this accommodation is usually easy, especially if you travel abroad and make internet arrangements.

Renting a House

The cost of living in Portugal is still fairly inexpensive compared to the rest of Western Europe. Rents are relatively affordable, with a few outliers. Prices for a high-quality apartment in the chic downtown neighborhoods like Graça, Baixa-Chiado, and Principe Real are normally €1,000 per month. In small towns and the center of Portugal, a two-bedroom apartment can be rented for as little as €300 per month. Lisbon has the highest rents; a one-bedroom apartment outside the city center there costs about €600 a month.

Buying a Land Or Home

If you are considering buying land in Portugal, real estate purchases by foreigners are very simple. Both residents and non-residents of Portugal are capable of getting a mortgage (although rates and loan-to-value amounts may differ). You should search for your preferred place you would like to live, there are several regions in Portugal to explore. In general, eating out and groceries are very inexpensive. By purchasing items at neighborhood markets and dining on the Prato do dia (“dish of the day”) at restaurants, you can save even more money. A typical price for an espresso (bica), if you like the flavor of Portuguese coffee, is about 80 cents. Portugal also produces a ton of amazing wines. Any supermarket will have a wonderful wine that costs €5 or less.

Owing a Car

One aspect of life in Portugal that is expensive is owning a car. There are significant taxes on both gasoline and automobiles. The most basic small runaround would cost at least €5,000 in Portugal, while old automobiles can be had at extremely modest prices in the UK. Car leasing may be a wiser choice than buying one. For $200 to $300 a month, you may get reasonable leasing bargains on brand-new cars.

Same-Sex Marriage is Legal

Same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption are legal in Portugal. The country is also a step ahead of many other countries because it has laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in its constitution. LGBTQ immigrants to Portugal will generally find it a liberal, accepting, and inviting place.

The Portuguese Love Football

The Portuguese are passionate about football, and when a big game is on, the entire nation comes to a complete stop. Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best footballer of all time, is a native of Madeira in Portugal. He is renowned there and even has a statue on the island’s capital, Funchal.