10 Things to know before moving to Portugal from the UK

Here at Propuno, we are experts in helping people relocate around the world, no matter if this is your first time moving to a different country or your 5th we are here to help your move to Portugal. With its breathtaking scenery and glorious weather, it's no surprise that many people fall in love with the country before even moving there. Whether you thinking of retiring or just emigrating from the UK, one of the most popular destinations to invest in a property is Algarve; with its climate considered to be one of the best in Europe and its hot summers and its wet winters, it gives people a relief at the end of the year to take a break from the glorious summers. Other popular destinations include the Silver Coast, Lisbon and Porto. Portugal has one of the largest expat communities in Europe and with an excellent opportunity to gain a golden visa it has become a hotbed for the digital nomads that are the cryptocurrency community. Wanting to live aboard can be daunting, here at Propuno we understand that this decision is not one to be taken lightly and therefore have put together a list of essential things that you should think about before moving.

View all of our Properties in Portugal here.

The Cost of Living

Portugal is regarded as the most reasonably priced country in Western Europe and therefore everything around in Portugal is affordable. Whether it's the food shop or property in Portugal, the average couple's living costs in Algarve is $2,100. The cost of living is also completely dependent on the area you decide to live in, for example living in Lisbon or Algarve is going to be more expensive per month than living in a quiet area of Portugal such as Marvao.

Learn Some Portuguese

While it is not essential to learn the language before you go, learning the basics so you can make the effort to greet people and say please and thank you when ordering food is greatly appreciated by the locals. The more Portuguese you learn the more chance you have of being able to meet people and make friends with the locals, it also makes your day-to-day life a lot easier. Although many of the locals can speak English so do not be worried about not being able to pick it up it would definitely benefit your stay in Portugal long-term.

The Relaxed pace of Life

Portugal is well known for being a very laid-back country, with many places taking at least 2 hours for lunch. This is seen as a massive pull factor when it comes to people wanting to reside in Portugal. Public institutions move slowly and it is often seen as impossible to book an appointment for places as it is simply known to just turn up and wait your turn. Holding residency in one of Europe's best climates means regular trips to the beach or some sightseeing in the beautiful country of Portugal. 

Health Insurance in Portugal

While the cost of living in Portugal is low compared to the majority of Europe, things like Prescriptions can be a lot more expensive than you are used to. Prescriptions are charged based on the price of the drug rather than a flat price like in the UK, however, medicines for terminal or chronic illnesses are subsidized. Whilst you're thinking of moving you'll probably need to price up health insurance in Portugal if this is something you wanted to be covered for before you make the move. 

Children are Warmly Welcomed

If you're moving as a family this will be a massive pull factor as you couldn't have chosen a much better place. Children are warmly welcome everywhere from restaurants to celebrations by the Portuguese people. People moving to and wanting to live in Portugal will be happy to know that Family life in Portugal is paramount. 

Public Transport

As with everything in Portugal public transport is very affordable, with trains and buses usually costing around $1 each, public transport is seen as the way to get around as driving in Portugal can be quite expensive. With high petrol prices, lots of toll booths and on top of that the road conditions aren't very good either.

The Climate

Holding the reputation of having the best climate in Europe with a yearly average of 10 months of sun, Portugal is seen as the perfect place to move to fully take advantage of the summer sun. Although Portugal still has winter months, with the average temperature in the Western and Southern parts of Portugal being around 9/12ºC, the temperatures in central and northern Portugal get close to freezing. 

Use a trusted Estate Agent for buying property

There's a large number of estate agents in Portugal but finding the right one is crucial. Buying a property abroad is not like buying a house here. A good estate agent will help explain all of the mortgage rates for expats and what taxes and fees are required. To make this easier for you, here at Propuno we have a wide range of properties from trusted estate agents in Portugal, and they will do all the hard work for you.

Do your research

By reading this article you've already made a good solid start to your research prior to arriving in Portugal but it'd be good to find out about other people's experiences of moving to Portugal from the UK. You will probably get some advice that you won't find on the internet or something you would have never thought about before speaking to residents in Portugal. It would also be a good idea to read about the area you want to move to, this will give you some more local knowledge on the type of place you are moving to so you know what to expect when you get there before buying property. Work out whether you want to move to the countryside or the southern expat community in Portugal Algarve.  

Read our guide on the Golden Visa in Portugal.

Get a Bank Account before you move

You will need to open a Portuguese bank account to pay your Portuguese utility and tax bills. If possible, sign up for a bank account before you get there so it is easy to transfer funds from your current bank account. Many banks have English-speaking representatives so you will not be alone.

This article should have given you everything you need to know before moving to Portugal. Now you've found out all things to know it's time to find your dream property. We understand that finding an estate agent in a different area might come across as an intimidating thing to do, so here at Propuno, we take that worry away by working only with reputable estate agencies all over the world and making it our mission to find you the perfect home.

If you have already satisfied this list of considerations and are ready to move, get in touch with us today to start your journey in Portugal.