Where to live in Portugal?

Living and working in Portugal

Are you interested in living and working abroad? Perhaps Portugal is the perfect destination for you! Portugal is a beautiful country in the South of Europe and it has a lot to offer to adventurers from all over the world. Not only can you enjoy the stunning nature and the impressive culture, but the Portuguese cuisine is also worth trying. In this blog we listed the 5 best places to live in Portugal. While reading you will notice why living and working in Portugal is perfect for all the adventure seekers! ☀️🤩

Living and working in Portugal

1. Lisbon

The capital of Portugal is the most diverse Portuguese city when it comes to nationalities. In total, you can find 90 different nationalities in Lisbon. The locals are very friendly and happy to welcome new people. They accept everyone exactly as they are and different cultures can easily coexist in Lisbon. For example, in Lisbon you will find several neighborhoods with people from India, China, Africa or Italy. They have all brought their own culture to Lisbon. As a result, you can find a wide variety of restaurants, bars and clubs in the city nowadays. 

Furthermore, the cost of living in Lisbon is lower than in a lot of other European cities. This way you have more money to enjoy everything this beautiful city has to offer. All in all, living and working in Portugal is not only fun, but also cheap. 

Living and working in Portugal

2. Cascais

Cascais is a popular city among expats. The beautiful beaches, the relaxed life style and the great weather are a few reasons why expats love living and working in Portugal. The small streets, alleys and squares (here you often find many cozy restaurants) form the character of Cascais. Moreover, you can easily travel to the capital with public transport. Here you can visit various museums, shows and parks. Sport and music are also very important topics in Cascais. Unfortunately, Cascais is not very cheap to live in. Due to its great location, the city is also very popular among tourists, which means that the prices are a lot higher here.

3. Living and working in Portugal: the Algarve

About 3 hours south of Lisbon, on the Atlantic coast, you will find the Algarve. This is one of the most popular beach areas in the country. However, many people would not necessarily recommend it, as there are always a lot of tourists. During the summer, a lot of young people from other European countries travel to the Algarve to party and then it becomes very crowded. Therefore, the locals often advise against going to the Algarve. Unfortunately, there is not much to do in the winter. 

The more northern villages such as Ericeira, Peniche and Foz Do Arelho are absolutely worth a visit, if you are living and working in Portugal. These are small fishing villages far away from all the hustle and bustle. For example, in Lagos you will find many different beautiful beaches such as Praia do Camilo, Praia do Porto de Mós and Praia Dona Ana. If you’re looking for the waves, then this is definitely an interesting area for you. You will also find many restaurants here where you can enjoy freshly caught fish. Tavira is a small town and many people call it the most beautiful town in the Algarve. The Gilão river flows through Tavira and Praia do Barril is the nearest beach.  

Living and working in Portugal (2)

4. The north of Portugal

Caldas da Rainha
This city is located near the beach “Foz do Arelho”. This beach is known for surfing. People like to come here and relax. The city has authentic restaurants, hotels and also cocktail bars. Living and working in Portugal is not so bad, right? 😉

Tomar
In this city you will be able to enjoy all the four seasons. It can even get cold in the winter. If that’s what you’re looking for, this might just be the city for you! Tomar is also very centrally located, making other places in the country easily accessible.  

Nazaré
Nazaré is certainly a lot cheaper than Lisbon. Compared to the capital, this village is 50% cheaper when it comes to renting a place or going out for dinner. The prices for groceries are quite comparable. You will also be able to find many local markets here, where you can buy local products for a low price. All in all, it’s a small and cozy village where people know each other and help each other out. 

Coimbra
Coimbra is a student city, but this does not necessarily mean that it’s an overwhelming city. On the contrary, Coimbra is a small and fun city that you can easily travel to with public transport, so you can discover other beautiful places in Portugal in no time. In this area you can find and buy many local products. If you are a sports lover, you will never get bored in Coimbra and there are plenty of stores and attractions as well. 

5. Living in Portugal: Porto

Porto is a medium-sized city, but it feels like a large international city. The city has a lot to offer, including beautiful architecture, several museums and fantastic food. In the summer, it’s really nice to rent a boat and cruise through the Douro river. You can also visit several vineyards here. Moreover, medical care is very well organized in Porto, which is good to know if you’re considering living and working in Portugal.  

Living and working in Portugal: jobs abroad

As you have read, the country has a lot to offer and this makes living and working in Portugal a very pleasant and fun experience! In every Portuguese city you are able to discover and experience new things, so it’s fairly easy to find a city that matches your interests. Are you thinking about living and working in Portugal? Please have a look at our jobs abroad and discover all the interesting vacancies in Portugal! Furthermore, you will be able to find a great variety of vacancies abroad on our website. Apply for your dream job in Portugal and before you know it you will be living and working in Portugal!