Who wouldn't want to live in Portugal? If you go on holiday to Portugal more often, we are almost certain that you have dreamed about living in Portugal at some point. We certainly have! The wonderful weather, the nice and sweet people. It is just very nice to be able to live so quietly and simply. You will make new friends during such a new adventure anyway, so why wouldn't you go for a happy life in Portugal?
Are you going to live in Portugal temporarily or permanently? We have carefully put together this article for you so that you get a good idea of your emigration to beautiful Portugal. Enjoy reading!
Portugal, a country with beautiful beaches
Who doesn't know Portugal? It is the country in the south of Europe with a rich history that only borders Spain. The Azores and Madeira also belong to Portugal. These are beautiful islands that are definitely worth a visit. Both islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean and are also both an autonomous region of Portugal. The capital of Portugal is Lisbon and a number of other well-known large cities are Porto, Coimbra and Funchal. Furthermore, you can always enjoy the miles of beaches on the beautiful Portuguese coast. The beaches of Portugal win prizes in the tourist sector almost every year. They often win the prize for their beautiful beaches.
The Portuguese are friendly people
When emigrating, it is very important to prepare yourself well for their language and culture. The Portuguese are friendly people who are known for their hospitality, port wine and the delicious Portuguese cuisine. It is always fresh with lots of meat and fish dishes. The Portuguese also love to get together with family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal with a glass of port. The after-dinner chat is also an important part of this. They will continue to enjoy and drink together until late in the evening. The Portuguese like to involve newcomers in their way of life. This way you will quickly be invited for a meal or a drink.
The Portuguese language
Portuguese people speak Portuguese. Portuguese is a Romance language that is of course spoken in Portugal. For some it can be a difficult language. Before you leave for Portugal it would therefore be wise to make sure that you have a basic knowledge of this language. A fun fact is that Portuguese is also spoken in other parts of the world. Think of South America, Africa, but also Asia! This is of course due to the fact that the early Portuguese sailors colonized many parts of the world.
Mirandese has been the second official language of Portugal since 1999. Mirandese is spoken in the northeast of the country. However, it is only spoken in the village of Miranda do Doura and a few other smaller villages in the area. This language is difficult for a foreigner to learn, because it is not spoken outside these villages. In the villages themselves, it is only taught in the last years of primary school and the first years of secondary school. The Portuguese government does try to promote the language through cultural events. Mirandese is also sometimes used in official speeches.
Can Portuguese speak English?
Unfortunately, most people in Portugal do not speak English. So it might be a good idea to learn the beautiful language first, because English will not help you very much. In the larger cities maybe a little, but if you are going to stay in the Algarve, for example, it is a different story. If the Portuguese speak another language, it is often Spanish or French, so do you have a basic knowledge of these languages? Then you can get far with that too. But do not assume that you will get far with English, because unfortunately this is not the case.
Living in Portugal: Cost of Living
The Cost of Living Index shows that Portugal is not expensive, but not very cheap either. Daily life in Portugal costs us Dutch people a lot less money. But this also means that if you go to work there, your income will be a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The Cost of Living Index mainly compares the general costs. These are things like eating out, grocery shopping and the costs of public transport in a country. We must say that eating out in Portugal is very cheap. Even when you compare this with countries such as Spain or Greece. These countries are often experienced as cheap by people, so let alone what they will think of Portugal after a few visits to the local restaurants. Your groceries and the terraces in Portugal will also be a lot cheaper when you emigrate.
Checklist before you emigrate
As you have read, the weather in Portugal is wonderful, life is cheaper and more beautiful. This way of life also ensures that you have a lot of money left for the nicer things in life. Of course, you have to think carefully about certain things if you really want to live there permanently.
Your residential location
Maybe you have been on holiday in Portugal before and know exactly where you want to live. Maybe you have only visited Lisbon or Porto a few times, but you still want to live somewhere else. Maybe you have never even been there and have no idea where you want to live! Of course, this is still possible. However, we advise you not only to think about this carefully, but also to experience it yourself first. This way you can see and feel with your own eyes what it is like to live in Portugal. Also try to visit the country in other seasons so that you also know what it is like in autumn and winter, for example. Sometimes we have an image of a country, but once we live abroad, the adventure only begins.
Residential facility
Do you want to buy a house in Portugal right away or do you want to rent first? Many people choose to rent a house first so that they can see if they really want to stay there. There are also people who take the plunge and buy a house right away. This is a very personal choice.
Working in Portugal
In Portugal, as in other Southern European countries, unemployment is quite high. It can therefore be quite difficult to find work. The wages are also a lot lower than what we are used to in the Netherlands. However, many Dutch companies have established a number of their offices in Portugal. As a Dutch person, you can often find a higher salary here.
Traveling by car
In Portugal it is quite expensive when you have the Dutch registration papers converted to Portuguese. That is why many people choose to buy a car in Portugal later and not take their Dutch car with them.
House prices
If you want to emigrate to Portugal, it is also nice to know that the house prices in the country are a lot lower than what we are used to here in the Netherlands. If you stay in Portugal more often, for example during holidays, you may have noticed this. So why wouldn't you actually exchange your old home in the Netherlands for a new home in Portugal? Of course, the price of a house also largely depends on your personal wishes. Think of the size of the house, the land area and the location is also important. Just like in the Netherlands, houses in the big cities are a lot more expensive than when you buy a house in the countryside.
Authentic Portuguese homes
In Portugal, many houses are built in a Gothic style. This is especially the case in the big cities. The reason that the prices for these houses are so low is because these old houses are rather poorly maintained. This is certainly the case in the small villages of the country. The prices may sound attractive, but you should orient yourself well and be well informed, because if you have to invest a lot of time and money in these houses, it may not be as advantageous as you initially thought.
Modern Portuguese homes
You can also move to Portugal and live in a modern house. These houses are more expensive than the authentic Portuguese houses. This is because these houses are built according to today's standards. After all, they used to have different rules. This means that the energy consumption of these houses is now low and the higher costs for raw materials also have a lot of influence on the price. But if you compare it with the Netherlands, it is really a lot cheaper.
Practical tips and nasty pitfalls
Also always make sure you pay attention to other things. Paying attention is the best thing you can do and this is especially true in the case of tourists. Because at the beginning of your emigration you are of course still a tourist and you may not speak Portuguese yet.
Of course you want to move to Portugal to enjoy the Portuguese life and climate. However, you have to pay attention to the annoying pitfalls when buying a house in Portugal. There are complicated laws that you do not know as a foreigner. If you do not do this, you may run into major problems.
Hiring a real estate agent
In another country it is always difficult when you have to arrange things. This is also the case with regard to a real estate agent. The best thing is to look carefully at the real estate agencies and see if they have the right certificates. In Portugal it is the case that real estate agents are required to have a real estate diploma. Often the local population can help you and tell you about the offices in their area. It is also the case that the municipality in Portugal is now less difficult when issuing building permits. This makes it easier for us Dutch people to buy a house there.
Law of subrogation
In Portugal there is a big pitfall for foreigners buying a house. This is called the 'law of subrogation'. This law gives debts to the property, instead of to the person who borrows it. This means that if you are not careful and therefore not cautious you could be liable for e.g. 5 years of unpaid taxes, bills, mortgages or even personal debts connected to the property.
Hiring a lawyer
Due to the law of subrogation, it is therefore very wise to hire a lawyer as a buyer. As you have read, you buy the house with all the additional debts. If you hire a good lawyer for this, he can help you with the process of purchasing your new home. This way, very little can go wrong, because the lawyer will check everything for you.
The law of subrogation also applies to cars. Therefore, make sure that when you buy a car in Portugal it is also debt-free. You can easily check this online at the Car check.
Be realistic
A final important tip is that you should try to remain realistic. Sometimes things abroad do not meet your expectations. Taking this into account is the best thing you can do. This means that you may have completely different expectations, but that when you live in Portugal you will notice that you do not like some Portuguese customs or that the Portuguese culture turns out to be very different than expected.
If you give yourself enough time after emigration, it will change your life in a positive way. Therefore, try not to worry too much about the emigration process, but try to enjoy it. One day it can rain very hard and the next day the sun shines brightly! Literally and figuratively.
Facebook groups
You can join various Facebook groups. Some examples of these are 'Dutch in Portugal' or 'Belgians and Dutch in Portugal'. It is relatively easy to join these Facebook groups and in this way you can discover the country yourself with 'fellow citizens'. On these pages, for example, tips are shared about living and working in Portugal. You can also get in touch with people who have been living in the country for a longer period of time. So you can not only go to them with questions about your emigration, but you can also build new friendships in this way.
Have fun blogging!
Maybe you can start your own Facebook page? Or maybe you can start a blog about living in Portugal and the adventures you experience? Many people who are going to emigrate to Portugal or people who have already emigrated often contact blogs because of various questions they have. This is also a way to keep your family and friends informed when you are going to live in Portugal!
Hiring International Movers
When you emigrate, you will of course want to move your belongings with you. Therefore, make sure that you hire an international moving company. They have the necessary experience with moving abroad and can therefore help you well with this.
Moving to Portugal: the average costs
Let's get straight to the point: the average costs for a move are almost impossible to estimate. This is because a move, whether it is within the Netherlands or abroad, is very different. These moves differ so much from each other, because everyone has his/her own wishes and also his/her own belongings. When we have some background information, we can estimate it. By background information we mean what your wishes are, the size of your belongings and whether you have any special objects such as a piano that you want to move.
Receive free moving quotes
The best thing to do is to request multiple moving quotes. You can do this from different moving companies. We understand that you do not have the time to contact all moving companies and that is why we have found a good solution for this.
At Moova you can request free moving quotes from various moving companies in one easy step. After this, you will receive the quotes and you can take your time to see which moving company appeals to you the most and you can make your choice calmly. How easy is this!?
Finally..
When you are going to emigrate, there are many things you need to take into account. In addition, you need to prepare yourself well for your move to the country. What is good to know is that emigration always involves 'ups and downs'. That is why it is very important to give yourself time to get used to the new country with its new rules and way of life. If you do this, everything will definitely be fine.
Do you have any other questions?
Do you have any other questions regarding your migration to Portugal? Then it might be wise and fun to also take a look at our other articles on the website. In these articles we have tried to summarize everything regarding an emigration to Portugal for you. In this way we can hopefully help you on your way!
