Portugal has become an obvious consideration for expats, digital nomads, and retirees who are looking for somewhere sunny, affordable, and safe to settle down.
With over 300 days of sunshine a year and a 7th global ranking in safety, Portugal fits the bill and more. Many Portuguese, especially in cities, speak English well, simplifying initial integration and matters like healthcare, banking, and more.
In recent years, Portugal has seen massive growth in the expat population, which now makes up roughly 15% of the population.
The biggest expat community is the Brazilian one. As of 2023, the percentage of Brazilian expats was around 35%. For Brazilians, integration is relatively easy due to the shared language and similarly open culture.
There’s also a big European community in Portugal, including a high percentage of French and British expats. Britons make up about 4,5% of expats, while the French, German, and Italian make up the other big European groups.
The growing population of South Asians has also resulted in an influx of Indian expats in the past few years, now at around 4,2% of expats being of Indian origin.
Finally, North Americans – primarily US citizens – also have a big expat community in Portugal. That number was around 1.4% in 2024 but has been rapidly growing, in part due to the current political tension and rising costs of living in the US, causing Americans who have the option to look for alternative places to live.
So where can these expat communities be found? There are several hotspots in Portugal, each attracting its own type of expat and offering its own unique benefits.
The Lisbon Metropolitan Area is the capital region that concentrates 60-70% of expats. Lisbon is a good place for work, of course, and also offers international schools for families or students. Being a capital, Lisbon is also especially easy to get around in, even if you don’t speak Portuguese.
Lisbon has a lively nightlife with lots of variety. There are many bars, rooftops, and other colorful places to hang out at, and Portugal's most famous casino, Casino Estoril, is located near the capital.
But UK residents or other expats looking to have an active nightlife and casinos nearby don’t need to choose living in the capital. Other big cities also offer the same, Portugal featuring a total of twelve casinos. On top of that, there’s online access. Players wanting to enjoy casino games from wherever they are can pick a casino without KYC in the UK that lets them sign up instantly and start playing without further complicated verification. These casinos also offer a bigger assortment than any physical venue can offer – and the live dealer tables are reminiscent of playing at a physical casino, complete with social interaction.
For more laid-back expats, Porto is another popular option with an established expat community. It’s also a tech hub and has lots of universities that attract students as well as professionals.
And, of course, there’s Algarve! With beautiful beaches and mild winters, many expats – especially retirees – choose to live here. Besides the beautiful weather, Algarvean residents also get to appreciate the golf communities, seaside towns, and consistently affordable living costs.
For digital nomads, the archipelago of Madeira is a popular choice. New remote-work visas and the pleasant and mild weather all year long make it a particularly popular choice.
While an existing community of other foreign nationals is a great resource for anyone moving to Portugal, integrating into the Portuguese community should also be a priority for those looking to stay long-term.
As mentioned, Portuguese people generally speak English well, but there are also lots of language courses with different intensities available for those who want to learn the local language to better connect to the culture. Language exchanges are usually a good place to meet both expats and locals who are happy to meet new people.
