Portugal Property

  • Today is Tuesday, January 06, 2009   |  Select language

You are at: Home News

News

Portugal Property: A Little About Living in Portugal

Date: 3/11/2008

The Portuguese have a tradition of savouring life slowly!

And if you are thinking about living in Portugal you will soon find that the best elements of Portuguese life are humble. 

From traditional Portuguese folk festivals to their simple, wholesome food, from traditional fado music that will pull at your heart strings to local markets overflowing with fresh fish, fruit and flowers - Portuguese life will charm you.

To help you settle into your new life in Portugal you may find the expatriate communities in Portugal can help you with the practicalities of day to day life.

Particularly in the beautiful Algarve region there are many British, German and Scandinavian expats who will happily help you with questions you might have about housing, employment, education services etc.

But never be afraid to ask the local Portuguese people for assistance if you have a particular need for a service or if you’d just like to find out more about their way of life.  The Portuguese are friendly welcoming people, most of whom will gladly help you settle into your new life in Portugal.

Housing

One of the initial concerns you will probably have when thinking about a new life abroad will be the cost of housing. 

Rental prices in Portugal are wholly dependant on the location, size, and quality of the property you are after and it is fair to say that rental accommodation is generally very easy to find and on the whole, reasonably priced.  Though longer term deals may be difficult to find in the main resort areas particularly during peak season, and they are likely to be expensive.

Cost of Living

In terms of the cost of day to day life you’ll be happy to learn that Portugal is one of the cheapest countries in the EU...though costs are beginning to increase as Portugal falls into fiscal step with the rest of the EU. 

You’ll find your food and wine bills are low and on the whole dining out is inexpensive, but if you are interested in imported goods you will find them to be quite expensive.

Working

If you move to Portugal and intend on working in the country all employees require a tax card and a fiscal number - called numero de contribuinte.  You can get this from your local tax office.  The tax number you are assigned must be given in any taxable dealings you undertake - e.g., taking employment, property purchase etc.

Portugal has a monthly PAYE (pay as you earn) system of income tax and rates are from 15% - 40%.

Portuguese residents are taxed on their world-wide income with non-residents liable for tax on any income received in Portugal.

Employment conditions in Portugal are fair to good with extensive labour legislation in place to protect employee rights and to provide equal rights for women in the workplace.

Lifestyle, Food & Entertainment

If you are looking for entertainment, you will soon find that Portuguese life abounds with religious pilgrimages, festivals and fairs that bring whole towns to a standstill! 

The further north you live the more traditional and less touristy these celebrations are.  From carnivals, dances, riding contests and bullfights - the Portuguese way of life includes many celebrations and community events.

After entertainment and quality of life, food is probably the next most important thing to the Portuguese!

Meal times are very important in Portugal and are family occasions.  Interesting facts about the Portuguese and food include the fact that they eat more fish than any other country in Europe and also more rice and there is still a strong tradition of a specific area or village having its own dish.  In fact the Portuguese will travel to eat the speciality of that village in one of its restaurants.

Health System in Portugal

You may be interested to learn about the public health system - in Portugal it is stretched to breaking point and it is a good idea to invest in private medical care if you can afford it.  If you discuss the health care system with the local population you’ll hear all sorts of horror stories including hospitals sending letters to patients notifying them of appointments when the patient in question has long since died of his ailment!

Recently though the Minister of Health called the system a "national shame" and measures are being put in place to improve matters. Source: Shelteroffshore

News

top