Living in Portugal as an American is ANYTHING but easy.

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Hello I'm some guy named Dave in Portugal.

In this video I explore why living in Portugal can be so difficult for an American.

If you're interested in more videos about Portugal, subscribe to this channel and follow my journey!

-Dave

To Support Dave:

[daveinportugal]

Use the coupon code: DAVE for free shipping!
As an added bonus, you can start a 30-day free trial of MyHeritage's best subscription for family history research - and enjoy a 50% discount if you decide to continue it.

[RicardoSantos-owju]

"Living in Portugal as an American is ANYTHING but easy." Yeah.... It ain't easy for us portuguese either🤣🤣🤣

[TaavP]

As a portuguese myself, this is all true. Yet, I've visited many well developed countries, different continents and I still wouldn't move elsewhere. yeah the salaries aren't as good as in germany and yada yada, bureaucracy is a pain in the asx, but... the way of life, the tranquility, the freedom, the safetyness, the sun, the sea, the landscapes, the people, ... you can't buy that.

[mikemasters]

when living overseas you run into people who weren't happy where they came from, and after a while you realize they brought there own problems with them. no country can fix that

[enewberg]

I like your honesty. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and met my wife in Portugal in 1985. We were married in Lisbon, where she was born and raised, a year later. We have spent the last 37 years living and raising our family in both countries. My situation is unique in that I’ve never known anyone but Portuguese people in Portugal. My wife’s family and friends, etc. I learned the language early as my wife learned English. Without mastering the language you will always be a tourist and even when you speak fluently you will always be a “estrangeiro”. It’s the same for my wife in the US. It’s not a big deal because we are both fluent in both languages but it is what it is. If you move to Portugal for love or love of the country then great but if you move, like most people, because you think it will be cheaper you are just doing yourself a disservice, a disservice to Portugal and will never assimilate. Just move to Arkansas if you want cheap. Um abraço

[jaanaprall]

I am originally from Denmark, but lived in Northern California for many years and I would say for Americans the things to be aware of are you cannot get a 30 year mortgage if you are older. Also the mold and lack of modern insulation, heating and aircon comes as a shock to many. Be aware of this and make sure you have the money to either rent or buy a newer place if this will be a concern. And, of course when renting in Europe you need to remember that you likely will not have a dryer, just a washer. I love Portugal! I feel safe as a woman walking pretty much anywhere, the food is great, proximity and ease of travel to other places is great, and the Portuguese people are very relaxed and I find it to be a very welcoming place.

[dmatmor]

Some comments from US citizen settled here. A) Transportation is way better then the US ! Trains, buses, cheap Airline tickets if you wish to fly. US lacks by far ! Here, I don't even own a car. Bought a Scooter for whenever I need to, that's it !) B) Health care cost & services which are extremely important, especially for retirees is WAY BETTER then the US even under Medicare. C) Food is way better and fresh !!! nothing like in the US D) US is in a spiral mode down for the last few years to an unbearable mode (For me and many others that I know, ) ... so am happy to leave the crap out there and relax here.

[jt]

Good overview. I recently spent nine days in PT, to do a proof of concept in Porto for retirement. I will not retire there, but it has nothing to do with Portugal or her people. Portugal and the Portuguese are extraordinary. I could rave on for paragraphs, but I realized I could not be that far away from friends, family and familiarity. I add I would been entirely willing to learn Portuguese (one of the most musical and lyrical languages I've ever heard.)

Bottom line for Americans - do extensive homework, go there and observe, and please be a gracious guest or new resident. Portugal is not going to conform to your ideas or expectations, nor should it.

Keep up the good work Dave :)

[peergerber]

I came from California and settled in the Silver Coast after living in the Algarve for a year and a half. Overall, almost everything is cheaper in Portugal.
From rent to food to healthcare, etc., I am saving about 50% monthly. The key is to live in an area not frequented by tourists and to get to know the locals because they can help you save money (there is a double market system in Portugal, one for locals and another, much more expensive, for tourists and foreigners).
Regarding car prices, the key is to not buy new because of the 23% VAT tax (not applicable to used vehicles) and the already high MSRP price to begin with. I bought a 2019 Ford Focus ST-Line (assembled in Cologne, Germany, by the way) with 10K kms, 7-year extended warranty and saved over 5, 000 euros (paid 18K euros).
Also, good used cars do not depreciate in value quite as fast as in other countries due to Portugal's strict car import regulations and new car affordability issues.
Regarding petrol prices, Portugal does have some of the highest prices in Europe but, compared to the average U.S. owner who drives a big SUV or truck over longer distances, the average monthly cost can be lower, especially if you drive a diesel-powered economy car which is very common in Portugal.
Yes, highway toll fees are very high, but one can take a train or to just about any faraway destination, which usually ends up being the cheapest and most relaxing option for me (for example, I recently took a bus to Lisbon from the Algarve and the one-way ticket price was 8 euros!)
Bottom line is that, with a little research and chatting with locals who know the ins and outs of living in their area, anybody can learn the culture and assimilate.

[hemlock]

As an American that moved to Portugal in 2021, I appreciate this kind of video. "Moving to Portugal" can be vastly different experiences based on where you want to live, what lifestyle you desire, and what your budget/income is. Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto have become crowded with inflated costs. But the interior of Portugal is a completely different world. Videos should deal with the cities as a completely separate thing on its own. Costs are vastly lower in the countrysides. Not mentioned in Dave's video here is the challenges of making friends, finding one's tribe as an immigrant. In places where a lot of people speak English this is easier of course. Learning a new language is a huge challenge but ultimately worth it.

[BenvanBroekhuijsen]

Thanks for painting a more realistic picture of how living in Portugal is. I myself am Dutch, I moved from the Netherlands to Portugal, have a Portuguese job, and I pay Portuguese taxes from day one. And yes it hurt to go from 32 hours to 40 hours a week. And when I got my first pay check I almost cried. But that is my choice and I get a lot of sunshine back for that.

I can't help but strongly dislike Americans that put up videos about how to get a cheaper life in Portugal but maintaining their income and standards of the US. And I didn't even know you had a 10 year tax advantage which is even less fair to Portuguese inhabitants ( I believe they are going to change that but I am not sure ).

I am all for a world without boundaries and everyone should be able to live wherever they want. But not by exploiting the situation. There is one general rule of thumb: If you are not paying for it, someone else is. In this case it is the Portuguese inhabitants just like me, that cannot afford to live in Lisbon because the prices that they are asking, are simply impossible to pay if you work here. But also the ridiculous prices you pay in the city for a drink and some food because of tourism. There is no way one can pay a 2000 euro rent per month if he or she only get's a thousand on their bank account. And if you get a 1000 you are lucky because the minimum wage 760 euros BEFORE TAXES.
There is a health system that I have been paying tax for for over 12 years now and will continue to every month until the day I retire. I think it is simply not fair, that I pay tax, but then for a "digital nomad" they pay relatively much less and still get to reap the benefits. But hey at least you will have to go through the same horrific waiting cueues to even see a doctor.

Don't get me wrong, again I think everyone should have the right to live wherever they want. And if you are lucky to maintain your US income and benefit a tax advantage, good for you. I would do the same if I had the chance. But it is another thing to see people create videos and praising and advertising how great it is that you can get more quality of life for your money here in Portugal, making money of that video, and completely ignoring that part of that extra value is achieved over the back of others.

[LeonardWaks]

Funny. I have lived in Portugal for five years. All my trouble melted away and my life is perfect. And I don't make YouTubes about it, or sell anything either.

[mlengefeld]

Hey! My husband and I love your videos and the perspective you add! We are Americans living in Portugal for the last 3 years. We agree with you on all points. For us, we are flexible people who came into our experience with no real expectations. We just wanted a safe, warm place to live and explore. Having patience and a sense of humor is essential for life here. After that, life falls into place. You have mentioned this in previous videos but I would also advise to anyone considering a move to Portugal, please take some languages classes. Although the Portuguese are friendly and many speak English, you will feel the language barrier preventing you from enjoying like and making Portuguese friends - and without speaking Portuguese, the bureaucracy will feel even worse!

[OhMyPortugal]

I think there was a huge piece of context are currently 7k-10k Americans actually living in Portugal. That is only .001% of the countries population at most. So to make statements that Americans are driving prices higher on their own is misleading.
Regarding the statement about NHR, you say you have to have a "skilled job AND qualify for the NHR". It is true that in order to qualify for NHR you cannot have been a resident for the previous 5yrs. However, you do not have to have a skilled job to qualify.

[frederickkrewson]

Dave - Regarding Taxes - you failed to mention that..."for US expats there is a treaty between the USA and Portugal that prevents double taxation" - so if you are paying taxes in the USA your tax in Portugal will basically be ZERO.

[Sassari]

Excellent video as always. Speaking from my experience of emigrating to Italy 30 years ago, I would add: 1. You must want to actually live in the new country and not just treat it as an extended holiday, moaning about all the things that are different; 2. You really need to learn the language in order to understand the history and culture - I've met too many people who have lived here in Italy for years, sometimes decades; who have never bothered to learn the language (something very prevalent among couples who "only speak English at home"). This year my wife and I discovered Portugal and fell in love with the place (especially since my wife is Brazilian), so we've become regular viewers of your channel. Keep up the good work, Dave!

[josedasilva]

I'm Portuguese. I agree totally about your video, hope US citizens understands what you explain. Have fun and enjoyng

[skullgirdlerip]

I started working to move to Portugal in 2019 and plans fell through due to the pandemic. I decided to come to Porto because my Portuguese needs a lot of work. My cost of living did not go down, my rent is higher than I had planned. My apartment is almost double of the comparable apartments I looked at in early 2020. I feel like I have had it pretty easy so far with my documents and getting registered. It took a while and I got smacked in the face with beauracracy and trying to figure out processes and delays but it is worth it to me. I have not had people hate me often for being from the US. I try to speak the language, I wait patiently in queues, and I come back to whatever official organization for the 3rd time to get that last bit done. The food is good, the people are lovely and I can walk to almost anything I need. However, emigrating to a new country causes a lot of isolation and loneliness. I get sick of doing everything by myself and feeling like an idiot every day.

[jonhyhobbes]

The guy from Sintra here. Man, you could have named the video "living in Portugal as a Portuguese". We also hate all those points, but you are right. We have such beauty and richness in plain sight, that we sometimes forget to enjoy what we do have. Thats why we have the word Saudade, because Portuguese that do leave the country, often miss it intensely and come back often on vacations. Thanks for the clip!

[anthonybutler]

I hear you. My wife and I have been retired here for 5 years. We have had challenges but all have been surmountable. Living in a welcoming village has helped us navigate and endure the cultural confusions. Have not encountered a backlash against American s probably because we are seen as immigrants not investors. Keep up the good content.