We just celebrated our four-year anniversary of living in Lisbon and are happily settled in for the long run.  This surprises us as much as it does our family, but we are happy!  However, living in Portugal comes with many challenges.  I’m grateful we’ve found our way around some of these issues (or come to accept them as the trade-off for all we love about living here), and they aren’t driving us away from the Portuguese Expat Life for now.

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I love this excerpt from a featured article on the FB Group, “The Truth About Portugal: Why People Leave” from the founder Carla Reis:

“To all those who have made the decision to leave Portugal, I, as a Portuguese, want to acknowledge the challenges you may have faced and the personal reasons that led you to this choice.  Each person’s journey is unique, and it is important to respect and understand your decision.  However, I would like to take this opportunity to shed light on the idea that Portugal may not suit everyone and emphasize the importance of exploring the struggles, difficulties and reasons behind your departure, rather than solely criticizing the country and its culture.

“During your time in Portugal, you may have encountered certain aspects that made it stand out from other places.  The commitment to a no-gun culture and the relatively affordable healthcare system are just a few examples of what sets Portugal apart.  While these qualities may have resonated with some, it is important to remember that individual experiences encompass a range of personal, professional and social factors that influence one’s overall sense of belonging and satisfaction.

We all have different dreams, aspirations and expectations, making it challenging to find a place that aligns perfectly with our desires.  Portugal, with its distinct culture and way of life, may not have met your specific needs or fulfilled your expectations.  It is essential to recognize that this does not mean you are wrong or that the country and its culture are flawed.  Rather, it is a testament to the diversity of human experiences and the unique path each of us must follow to find our sense of belonging.

“Cultural adaptation is a multifaceted process that goes beyond the surface-level aspects of a country. Portugal’s rich heritage and traditions may have presented unfamiliar territory, leading to feelings of alienation or a sense of not fitting in. It is important to remember that adapting to a new culture takes time, effort and open-mindedness from both the individual and the host society.  If your experience of adapting to Portugal fell short of your expectations, it does not imply that either party is at fault.  It is merely a recognition that the cultural fit was not ideal for your unique circumstances.”

What a beautiful way to state this!  At the end of the day, our experience in a new place, be it travel or living there, is hugely influenced by many personal circumstances of our lives. 

Maybe you got sick on vacation and don’t want to visit that place again for a long time.  his has happened to me several times.   

Maybe your time in a certain city was extremely lonely, or someone was very mean to you and now you hate that city!  The same can be true of living in Portugal, and it does not mean the next person will have the same experience at all.

Why Do Other Expats Leave Portugal?

From what I’ve seen on the expat forums on Facebook, there are a few key points that other expats struggle with.  I’ve also acknowledged all of these things.  For us, personally, these things don’t drive us from Portugal, but they are definite pain points.  

Difficulties in Learning the Portuguese Language 

Portuguese is tough.  In fact, it is one of the few European languages in the Romance vein that has retained its antique verb forms.  French, Italian and Spanish have all dropped some of these verb forms, but our kids are still being taught them in school!  

This makes learning Portuguese as a second language as an adult tricky!  European Portuguese is not very common to find on language learning apps, such as Duolingo, which also makes it challenging.  There are some great websites to learn European Portuguese, but I had no success learning before we came.

Once I arrived, I found a fantastic school to attend.  I now feel very confident in my language skills (certainly not perfect, but I can communicate), but it took hundreds of hours of practice!  Thankfully, our church encourages a lot of volunteer work.  That volunteer work brought me into many conversations with many Portuguese women, making me feel like a child, which helped me develop my skills.

I heard that everyone needs a “language mother”, just like we call our native language our “mother tongue”.  I’ve now asked several friends to be my language mothers and correct me.  They do this every time we are together!  Like a child learning a language, it takes years and years to refine and for it to become second nature.

Cultural Isolation and Loneliness While Living in Portugal  

I underestimated how hard this is.  I don’t know that anyone can anticipate this if they have not moved abroad.  

You know it will be hard, but you have no idea how you will handle it.  There are strong expat communities, and I see those as successful for sure!  However, we really haven’t had the time or interest to dive into this.  

With five kids and still working full-time in our online businesses, where do we find the time?!  Many expats move to Portugal as retirees (they can still be very young or just taking some time not to work) and have loads of time to connect.  

If you do not connect with someone, you will likely flounder socially and feel immense loneliness.  Connecting with the Portuguese takes some time, even if they speak English.  

My experience is that Portuguese see a lot of expats come and go, and it will take some time and investment to prove you are there to stay. 🙂  Plus, Portuguese families are SO tight (having multiple meals on the weekends and even weekdays is common), it can be hard to get time from them to hang out!

Frustrations with Portuguese Processes and Government  

I’ll be frank with you: This is a major pain point.  I don’t see it getting better anytime soon.  There is a lot of reasoning behind this, such as how the boomers in Portugal sometimes didn’t even finish high school and are technologically way behind.  

Europe also moves at a much slower pace compared to the US on many things, such as opening a business, importing goods, buying a home, etc.

I dread anything to do with registration, process, etc, in which I have to go to a government office.  I can only recommend using a lawyer as much as possible to relieve this pain point, but that requires money.  

Government Corruption in Portugal  

What government isn’t corrupt, right?  Sadly, this is part of the world we live in.  However, the issues with corruption in Portugal are very serious and have no end in sight.  The mismanagement of tax funds results in a lot of suffering, and it’s difficult to stomach.

Lack of Career Opportunities in Portugal 

If you want to move to Portugal and get a new job, think again.  The wages in Portugal are drastically lower, and the population at large is highly educated.  The best option is to work remotely (like us!) or not work at all.  

We have some close friends who started a business in Portugal, and it was one nightmare after another.  From customs problems, difficulty in hiring and employment contracts, and lack of business, the problems were intense.  They ended up shuttering it all and heading back to the US to start over.  

Low Salaries and High Taxes in Portugal

If you are also American, you might be as shocked as we are at the tax rate being around 48 percent in the top bracket.  Whoa!  That’s staggering!  However, for Europe, it is not that uncommon.  France is even higher in the top brackets.

However, pair this with some of the lowest salaries in Europe, and the pinch is real.  Most talented Portuguese workers go elsewhere to earn a higher wage. 

Nearly an entire generation has basically left Portugal and can only return if they can bring back a remote job with them.  It’s heartbreaking, really, as we see many come for long summer breaks to be with family.  They long to live in Portugal, but cannot cut back their earnings that drastically.

While Portugal is still affordable to live in, that differential is closing quickly, especially in Lisbon.  Housing prices continue to soar, and the cost of living is increasing much quicker than salaries are increasing (which is not at all from what I hear!). 

There isn’t a good standard of raising compensation in Portugal, and work hours can be very long (unfair, really).  Nights and weekends are sometimes expected with no extra pay.

Family Needs Back “Home” 

Due to aging parents or family shifts, some people have to leave out of necessity.  If the extended family has no interest in moving to Portugal (as in our case), this is a big concern as the years go on.  I know of many expats who have family members also moving to Portugal, which is beautiful!  However, that’s definitely the exception.  

Being so far from family is tough, no matter how you cut it.

Missing US Amenities  

Let’s be honest: If you don’t have a strong reason to be in Portugal, you’ll likely not have a good reason to stay, and you’ll leave.  This is a costly lesson to learn.  Our move to Portugal cost us around $40-50kUSD (between visa and lawyer fees, furnishing a house, paying rent and deposits upfront, etc) and we wouldn’t recoup that cost if we left.

As stated in one FB group, “My fellow Americans, the only thing you have to fear in Portugal–and this is not a small matter–is inconvenience.  The conveniences Americans demand are only made possible by their maniacal work ethic and their worship of market efficiency, that is, the American religion derived from English and northern European Protestant sensibilities.”

When we visit the US now, it all feels soooo easy!  We can set up a business in a day?  What?!  We can find anything we want to buy and have it almost immediately!  Food is easy to navigate, and we resonate with all our friends.

It can be hard not to feel the pull back!  Kids going to school adds another level of complexity… Many expats are paying for private schools (us included), and sometimes expats wonder why they are paying for what they can get for free back in the US.  

As I said already, without a strong reason to stay, it’s hard to stay!  For us, that reason is a few-fold.  We believe this is where God wants us, which provides a strong foundation for us to stay.  We also love the lifestyle, the food, the access to European travel, safety in schools, the costs and many more things!

Lack of a Good Infrastructure in Portugal

While we live in Lisbon and our kids enjoy public transport every day, Portugal is behind the rest of Europe in many cases when it comes to infrastructure.  It’s a fairly poor country overall, with graffiti plastering walls everywhere you go.  

It’s not hard to be tempted to move somewhere else in Europe, where you can earn more money, pay less tax and have a better-developed city.  Eastern Europe, for example, provides a lot of these things!

Getting a visa if you are not an EU resident can be tricky, and Portugal offers an attractive visa option (not why we chose it, but I’m grateful!).  Many expats use Portugal to get that EU visa and then move elsewhere in the EU.

Discrimination and Bias in Portugal

Although we have not personally experienced this, there are real issues with bias and discrimination in Portugal.  These tend to be less common among Americans than other cultures, but can happen to anyone, anywhere.  Some people feel poorly treated, cheated or outright targeted.  

I know several Brazilians who deal with this on a daily basis, and it’s tough to hear about.  

What To Do If You Are Considering Moving To Portugal?

I hope these points give you things to consider before moving.  I am in no way discouraging you!  Our experience has been beautiful and I’d love more expat friends. 👏  However, go into it with all the knowledge you can!  

People moving to your home country have many similar things to consider!  Part of moving to a new country means discomfort and change.  I hope you can navigate your needs and find the best solution for you!

Save It For Later

Additional Readings

What We Import to Portugal (As an Expat Family)

Social Life in Portugal: How to Make Expat Friends

Banking in Portugal: A Quick Guide for Expats