Living in Portugal Guide

Planning a move to Portugal? Our Living in Portugal Guide offers practical advice on everything from visas and healthcare to cost of living and daily life. Discover in-depth articles about living in key locations across the country, including Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and the Silver Coast. Whether you're retiring, working remotely, or seeking a lifestyle change, get the insights you need to settle in with confidence.

Is Portugal Europe’s most liveable country in 2026?

With rising living costs, political uncertainty and fast-paced urban life across much of Europe, more people are asking the same question in 2026: has Portugal quietly become the continent’s most liveable country?

Como é viver em Coimbra: a cidade de encanto, sonho e tradição

Living in Coimbra: cost of living, neighbourhoods and quality of life

Living in Coimbra means choosing a historic Portuguese city with a strong academic identity, a slower pace of life and property prices that are still lower than Lisbon or Porto. Set along the River Mondego in central Portugal, Coimbra blends medieval streets and student energy with practical ad

UK nationals moving to Portugal triple in a decade: families and professionals lead the way

The number of UK nationals living in Portugal has almost trebled in ten years. According to Portugal’s immigration authority, Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA), there were 16,559 Britons officially resident in 2014.

Living in Silves: costs, property, pros and cons for foreigners

Tucked into the hills of the central Algarve, Silves is a small historic town about 15 kilometres inland from the coast and roughly 45 minutes from Faro Airport.

Living in Guimarães: everyday life in Portugal’s birthplace

Living in Guimarães means settling into a northern Portuguese town where daily life still runs very much on local terms.

Living in Vilamoura: organised Algarve living by the marina

Living in Vilamoura often feels very different from the rest of the Algarve.

What is Segurança Social in Portugal? A guide to Portugal's Social Security system

If you’re moving to Portugal or planning to work there, you’ll quickly come across the term Segurança Social. But what exactly is it, and how does it affect you?

Living in the Azores: the perfect getaway in the middle of the Atlantic

Living in the Azores: pros, cons, costs and best places to live

Life in the Azores feels a bit like stepping sideways out of mainland Europe and landing somewhere quieter, greener and far more slow-paced.

How to get a NIF in Portugal: a complete guide for expats and foreigners

If you’re planning to live, work, or invest in Portugal, one of the first things you’ll need is a NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal), Portugal’s tax identification number. Whether you’re buying property, opening a bank account, or signing up for utilities, the NIF is essential.

Buying a house in Portugal? What you need to know about property registration

If you’re planning to buy a house in Portugal, understanding property registration is essential. It not only makes your purchase legally official but also protects your investment from potential disputes.

How to make the most of a property viewing trip in Portugal

Portugal’s real estate market has long attracted international buyers seeking stunning coastal villas, charming countryside homes, or stylish city apartments. If you’re planning a property viewing trip in Portugal, preparation is key to making the most of your visit.

Smart ways to save money when moving to Portugal

Relocating to Portugal has become increasingly popular thanks to its warm climate, welcoming lifestyle, and comparatively affordable cost of living. Even so, moving abroad can be expensive if you don’t plan carefully.

Living in Alentejo: life in Portugal’s laid-back heartland

Alentejo spans a vast swathe of southern Portugal, with rolling cork oak estates, olive groves, and whitewashed towns.

Living in Faro: life in the Algarve's centre

Living in Faro means easing into the laid‑back capital of the Algarve, where a compact old town meets the lagoon. With a population of around 60,000, life feels refreshingly local.

Living in Olhão: on Portugal’s Ria Formosa

Olhão is a low-key fishing town in the Algarve with flat-roofed “cubist” houses, working boats in the marina and ferries sliding out to Ilha da Armona. Living in Olhão means you get proper year-round town living here rather than a manicured resort.

Living in Évora: Portugal’s heritage heart

This town in Alentejo, less than two hours from Lisbon, feels like sun on whitewashed walls, cool church interiors, and cork‑oak country rolling to the horizon.

Buying property in Portugal as a foreigner: complete guide 2025

Portugal has become one of the most popular destinations for international property buyers. With its stunning coastline, vibrant cities, and attractive lifestyle, investing in Portuguese real estate offers both a high quality of life and promising financial returns.

Living in the Algarve: costs and best places to call home

The Algarve, located on Portugal's south coast, is a proper picture-postcard spot, with gorgeous beaches and a wonderfully laid-back atmosphere. But if you’re thinking about living in the Algarve, there's so much more to it than just the lovely holiday vibes you see in the brochures.

Living in Costa da Caparica: Lisbon’s laid-back surf town

Just a short drive across the 25 de Abril Bridge from Lisbon lies Costa da Caparica, a coastal city with a distinct, relaxed identity.

Living in Tomar: life in the Templar city

Tomar feels as if it’s been plucked from a medieval epic and set down gently on the banks of the Nabão River.

Living in São Miguel: life on the Azores' Green Island

As the largest and most populated island in the Azores, this speck of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic offers a life quite unlike any on the mainland. It’s not hard to see why it earned the nickname ‘Green Island’.

Living in Ericeira: Portugal's World Surfing Reserve

Just a short drive up the coast from Lisbon lies Ericeira, a traditional fishing town that has earned its place on the global map. As Europe’s only World Surfing Reserve, it's a spot where cobbled streets and blue-and-white houses meet a deeply ingrained, laid-back surf culture.

Living in Funchal: Madeira’s gentle capital

Located between Atlantic waves and green hills, Funchal is Madeira’s easy-going capital with a distinctly local flavour. Life unfolds at a comfortable pace, with daily routines shaped by the sea, mountain air, and a city centre full of markets and friendly faces.

Living in Caminha: Portugal’s green border town

Right up in the green corner of Northern Portugal, where the wide Minho River meets the Atlantic, sits the market town of Caminha. With one foot on the coast and the other practically in Spain, this scenic spot offers a unique slice of Portuguese life.

Living in the Douro Valley: life beyond the vineyards

When you picture the Douro Valley, your mind likely goes straight to the terraced vineyards and world-famous Port wine. But to get to grips with this part of Northern Portugal means looking beyond the bottle on the shelf.