Is Portugal right for you?

Portugal is close, mild for much of the year and on the same clock as the UK, and the number of British residents has nearly trebled since 2014. But since Brexit you need a visa to live there, pay is much lower than at home, and everyday life runs in Portuguese.

Who it tends to suit

Portugal had 1,543,697 foreign residents at the end of 2024, according to AIMA’s Migration and Asylum Report. The largest group is Brazilian (484,596). The British community is much smaller but growing fast, and is no longer centred only on the Algarve: Buyers increasingly look at Lisbon and Porto as well, for schools, healthcare and jobs: at the Moving to Portugal Shows, interest in Porto and the North rose from 28% of visitors in 2022 to 35% in 2025.

Climate in six places

Average daily highs and lows from IPMA, Portugal’s weather service (1981–2010 normals):

Inland places get the most heat: Coimbra averages 37 days a year at 30°C or more and Braga 34, against 12 in Porto and 2 in Funchal. The FCDO warns that wildfire risk rises from April to October, that starting a fire, even by accident, is illegal, and that earthquakes are a risk. See How do we cope with, and enjoy, a Portuguese summer? and What are the cooler months like, and how do we make the most of them?

Costs compared with the UK

Portuguese pay is much lower. In June 2026 the average gross regular pay was €1,436 a month (about £1,217), before the two extra payments most workers get each year (INE). The minimum wage is €920 a month on the mainland in 2026, paid 14 times. The UK median for full-time employees was £39,039 a year in April 2025 (ONS). Rents in Lisbon are the highest in the country: new leases averaged €17.42 per m² a month in early 2026, almost double the national median. Try the cost of living calculator and read How much does it cost to live in Portugal?

Language

Portuguese is the language of forms, contracts, doctors, schools and most jobs. Some international employers work in English, but you will need Portuguese to deal with officials and to make local friends. Free certified courses for immigrants exist (see What people wish they’d known).

Visas since Brexit, at a glance

• Visiting: up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) now takes fingerprints and a photo at the border. ETIAS isn’t running yet; the EU had aimed for the last quarter of 2026, but later reports suggest 2027. Check the official ETIAS site before you travel
• Living there: a residence visa from the consulate (through VFS in the UK), then a residence permit (autorização de residência) from AIMA after you arrive
• Main routes: a job with a Portuguese employer, highly qualified work or the EU Blue Card, D7 for pensions and passive income (at least €920 a month in 2026), D8 for remote workers (4 times the minimum wage, €3,680 a month), entrepreneurs and students
• Family reunification now usually needs 2 years’ lawful residence first, under Law 61/2025, with exceptions such as minor children and Blue Card or highly qualified permit holders
• If you lived in Portugal before 1 January 2021, you have Withdrawal Agreement rights and should hold the Withdrawal Agreement residence card
• Full detail: Which Portuguese visa do I need?

Healthcare

You need proof of health cover for your visa. Once you are a registered resident, you can register with the national health service (SNS) on the same terms as Portuguese citizens. You ask for a health user number (número de utente) at your local health centre (centro de saúde), showing your residence certificate, passport and tax number (NIF), plus your social security number (NISS) if you work. Health centre appointments have been free of user fees since 2020/21. A&E visits cost €14 to €18 unless you are referred first, for example by the SNS 24 line on 808 24 24 24. Dental care is not usually covered. If you draw a UK State Pension, you may get a UK S1 form so the UK pays. See How does Portuguese healthcare work for Brits?

Pace of life

• The law sets a lunch break of 1 to 2 hours in most jobs, so the working day often runs later than you expect
• There are 13 national holidays, plus Carnival and a municipal holiday in many places. Lisbon’s city festivals fill June. See How do public holidays and school holidays work?
• Neighbourhood noise is protected between 23:00 and 07:00, when police can order it to stop
• Official steps take time and paperwork. See How much tax will I pay in Portugal?

Questions to ask yourselves

1. Which visa route fits us, and do we meet its income or job conditions?
2. Can we earn enough in Portugal, or bring income with us?
3. Will we learn Portuguese?
4. Can we cope with damp, cold homes in winter and hot inland summers?
5. How will healthcare be covered from day one?
6. If it doesn’t work out, what is our plan to come back?