Living and working in Portugal or Spain

Many people dream of working in a sunny country where you always feel like you are on holiday. Living and working in Portugal or Spain means you can enjoy this holiday feeling while earning money and taking your career to the next level. Great landscapes, endless sunshine, fresh fruit and vegetables and a relaxed pace of life. What more could you want?

The cost of living in Portugal and Spain

Although Portugal and Spain are both relatively cheap compared to other Western European countries, the cost of living in Portugal is lower than in Spain. The cost of living in Spain is approximately 8.57% higher than in Portugal. To give you an idea of the differences between the cost of living in Portugal and Spain, here are a few examples:

• Monthly utility costs for an 85m2 apartment (electricity, water, heating): Portugal €109, Spain €117
• A three-course meal for two: Portugal €35, Spain €45
• Monthly internet subscription: Portugal €33, Spain €37

Learning the language

Although the Portuguese language is not very different from Spanish, some people find it more difficult to learn. This is because Portuguese has more silent letters and phonemes. However, the Portuguese generally speak better English because they started learning the language at a very young age. This means you will probably not have too much trouble communicating with the local population in Portugal.

Building a house

Are you considering working remotely in Portugal or Spain? And would you like to build a (holiday) home in one of these countries? If so, it is certainly important to consider your options carefully and find out in which country you can realise your wishes.

It is fairly difficult to build your own house in Portugal and there is a high demand for new construction projects. The big difference with Spain is that Portugal has very strict rules when it comes to building a house. This makes it a lot more difficult to build your dream house in Portugal. The nice thing about these strict rules is that many nature reserves are preserved, allowing you to optimally enjoy the peace and quiet in this country.

The labour market

Portugal

In recent years, many international companies have established themselves in Portugal. This has led to a sharp increase in the number of jobs in Portugal, making it easy for expats to find work in Portugal. For example, it is easy to get a job in a call centre because customer service experience is not usually required. In addition, call centres in Portugal are always looking for people who speak certain languages, such as German, Dutch, Swedish and Italian. Jobs in tourism and the hospitality industry are also common in Portugal.

Keep in mind that the minimum wage in Portugal is lower than in most other Western European countries. However, if you work for a start-up, your salary can grow quickly. And fortunately, there are many start-ups in Portugal. If you live in Lisbon, for example, you will find a job at a start-up in no time.

Spain

The Spanish labour market is particularly interesting for multilingual talent in the tourism sector. This is the most important sector in Spain. Spanish companies are forced to look for talent outside of Spain because there is a shortage of people in Spain who can speak multiple foreign languages. Other large industries in Spain include customer service, agriculture and IT.

The minimum wage in Spain is lower than the minimum wage in most other Western European countries. Madrid, the Basque Country, Navarre, Asturias and Catalonia have the highest average gross monthly salaries in Spain.