James Cave
While prior to March 2020 it was possible to move to Portugal and pay 0% tax on a pension through Portugal’s Non-Habitual Resident Tax Regime (NHR), that amount has now changed to 10%. This basically means that if you move to Portugal and you have a €20,000 annual pension, under the NHR scheme you’ll pay … Read more
The Algarve, Portugal’s southerly, coastal region, has always tempted a few digital nomads and travelling entrepreneurs, particularly those visiting Lisbon, but it’s never really taken off as a digital nomad hotspot. All that’s starting to change, however, with Lagos being the main place that nomads are flocking to. For a long time, Faro, the largest … Read more
Parts of Portugal like the Algarve, the Alentejo, and Lisbon are blessed with some of the mildest winters that Europe has to offer. Outside, that is. Inside a Portuguese house is another story altogether. Portuguese houses and apartments are typically poorly insulated and almost never have central heating of any kind. The result: temperatures so cold … Read more
In Portugal, estate agents typically charge 5% (or more) commission + VAT. For many expats living in Portugal — and an increasing number of Portuguese — that’s just too high to even consider. 5% of a €250,000 property is €12,500. If your property is more expensive, say €750,000, you could be paying €37,500 just in … Read more
Renting a house or apartment in Portugal can be complicated for non-Portuguese as most landlords not only request a deposit and at least one month’s rent in advance but a fiador as well. This normally isn’t required when you rent a room. A fiador is a guarantor, or someone who’ll pay the bills if you’re … Read more
Most people who move to Portugal end up renting for a period of time, even if their ultimate aim is to buy a place here. Others end up renting for their entire time here. It’s always tricky to find a good rental, both in Portugal and in other countries, but, along with all of the … Read more
As remote work becomes more and more of a possibility of people, more and more people are looking at Portugal as a destination to work remotely from. And, why wouldn’t you? Portugal, particularly areas like Lisbon and the Algarve, has great year-round weather with 300+ days of sunshine, a low cost of living, and is … Read more
With a well-educated workforce that speaks English to a near-native level, as well as Portuguese, obviously, and near-fluent Spanish in many cases, Portugal potentially has a lot to offer the startup world. It also has good connections to Brazil, as well as to parts of Africa and is in a good timezone for dealing with … Read more
Buying agents (sometimes called buyer’s agents or a buyer’s advocate) aren’t traditionally that common in Portugal*, but it’s a service that’s growing in popularity. And, it’s easy to see why. A lot of people want to buy property in Portugal, whether to live in or to invest in, but quickly realise that buying in Portugal … Read more
One of the big costs of moving to Portugal – both financially but also emotionally and mentally – is the cost of moving all your stuff here. The cost will depend on how much you want to ship, and where you’re located. Naturally, someone located in Spain, for example, would pay a lot less than … Read more