Quality of life

Coming home after a long day's work is, needless to say, a relief. You have time to rest, or maybe to get on with some unfinished business but there are little things we do when we get home that can help make our days better or worse.

Is working abroad a good experience? No doubt about it. But it’s not always easy for professionals to bear the costs of living in a foreign city. The consultancy firm Mercer has compiled a ranking of the most expensive cities for expatriates and these are the results.

Porto, or Invicta (the Unvanquished City), as the Portuguese sometimes call it, is more alive than ever. The charms of Portugal’s second city weren’t overlooked by the British newspaper the Financial Times, which recently listed five reasons why living in the city of Porto was worthwhile.

According to a report presented by CNN, "Portugal is the best kept foodie secret in Europe" and it gives 10 reasons proving it.

Neither rent nor buy. That’s the reality for young people in Portugal, who are a long way off being able to afford a property at the current house prices.

What are the best cities to live in in the world? The most exciting, fun and affordable? There are loads of cities that compete for these titles and Porto and Lisbon didn’t want to be left out. They have managed to get a place on the Time Out City Life Index ranking this year.

As you might have expected, life in Portugal is very cheap. Nonetheless, it is important to spend some time looking up the cost of living before you decide to buy a property in Portugal, whether you plan to live there or just want to buy a holiday home.

Seems like the whole world and his dog are looking for a house in the Iberian Peninsula, if they haven’t bought one already. So what’s the big deal?