One of the most recent darlings among the digital nomad and expat community, Portugal seems to have it all! Nice weather, great food, a lot of beautiful sights, a welcoming culture and a cost of living that 鈥� although definitely on the rise 鈥� can still de deemed affordable by most Western European and North American standards. That said, if you're getting ready to make the jump and move to this wonderful country, here are 10 quick facts to help you get acquainted with the nation you're about to call home!
Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world
Portugal is one of the safest countries to live in. Year after year, statistics show Portugal as a safe country, with low criminality rates and low violence levels. Even in major cities (where crime tends to be more evident), you can expect a fairly safe environment, and you might find that many locals are comfortable taking night walks (something that may feel very strange and unusual depending on where you are based on these days).
According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Portugal is the 7th safest country in the world. Official stats disclosed by the Home Safety Annual Report (Relat贸rio Anual de Seguran莽a Interna 鈥� RASI) recorded a 4.6% drop in crime reports in 2024, compared to 2023. Nonetheless, violent crime went up by 2.6%. Still, Portugal remains one of the safest countries in Europe (and the world), although crime perception among the population is getting higher and higher. This can be attributed to the over-sensationalism of news in papers, TV reports, social media and politics. As of now, no official data seems to point to the safety situation in Portugal getting any worse.
Football is a religion in Portugal
Football is by far the most popular sport in Portugal. I'm not joking 鈥� supporting your club is almost a religion around these parts! Needless to say, matches usually attract big crowds, with people who didn't make it to the stadium gathering to watch the games in pubs, restaurants or caf茅s. This is especially true for matches involving FC Porto, SL Benfica and Sporting CP, the country's top three clubs. In fact, most other clubs are quite small 鈥� with the honorable exception of Sporting de Braga and Vit贸ria SC 鈥� so it's usually quite easy to get tickets on the spot without having to worry about buying in advance.
Luckily, and though things can get quite heated in big matches, Portugal doesn't really struggle with hooliganism and violence among supporters. Sure, some of the chants against can be pretty offensive, but it very rarely develops beyond that. At the same time, football is the perfect reflection of the country's poor attitude towards sports, as it eclipses pretty much every other sport when it comes to media attention, fan interest and overall financial investment.
Portugal is facing a catastrophic housing crisis
Probably the single biggest challenge Portuguese people are facing right now has to do with real estate prices. Whether locals are looking into renting or buying property, they are often pushed out of the main cities due to prohibitive prices. Naturally, this is especially prevalent in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve 鈥� although other cities and regions are currently struggling with the exact same issue!
Sadly, Lisbon currently sits among the most expensive cities in Europe to rent. In fact, according to the , average rent prices for an apartment in the city in the first quarter of 2025 hover at around 鈧�1750, while a small studio will set you back 鈧�1056/month. Although rent prices went down by 2% compared to 2024, these figures are still higher than the likes of Paris, Berlin, Madrid or Milan. As for buying, the average square meter price in Lisbon has gone up from 1,300鈧� to a staggering 4,360鈧� since January 2015. In central Lisbon, in neighborhoods like Baixa, Bairro Alto, Chiado and Rossio, property prices have risen to 5720鈧� per square meter (May 2025 figures), an extraordinary 160% leap in just a little over 10 years! According to stats from , one of the country's biggest real estate portals, average listings in Lisbon cost 650.000鈧�, a 33% spike compared to 2024.
Moving on to Porto, things aren't looking much better. Average rent prices for an apartment in the first quarter of 2025 stand at 鈧� 1,200 (a 7.6% drop from 2024). This is a tremendous challenge for a city where the average wage stands at around 1,400鈧�/month (before taxes), as most locals find themselves priced out of the housing market. If you're looking into buying property in Porto, and though property prices may seem tame for most Western Europeans, Porto still boasts some of the highest in Portugal. According to the local real estate website Idealista, property prices in Porto have risen 10% since June 2024, currently sitting at 2,926鈧� per square meter. Naturally, prices are way higher in the city center, where the price per square meter reached a staggering 4.551鈧� in July 2025 (going up 10% from 2024). Imovirtual states that your average home in Porto is currently listed for 395.000鈧�, 14% more compared to last year.
You can fly across the country in less than 90 minutes
If you find yourself in Porto, home to the northernmost airport in Portugal, and wish to fly to the Algarve, in the far south, the flight will take just 1 hour and 20 minutes. Yes, Portugal is a tiny country!
In fact, the distance between the two regions is just 550 km, which can be covered in less than 5 hours if you're driving your own car. Sadly, the railway system is a bit outdated and suffers from chronic underfunding, so taking the train will take anywhere between 6 and 7 hours. Nonetheless, it's still better than the bus, which can take a staggering 8 hours to complete the same distance. On the other hand, catching a bus is definitely your cheaper option.
However, keep in mind we're only referring to the continental territory. If you factor in the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores, distances increase sharply. For example, if you wish to fly between Lisbon and the Azores, the journey will take 2h30, since the island territory is smack right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and North America.
The Portuguese borders are among the oldest in the world
Mapped out in the Treaty of Alca帽ices in 1297, the Portuguese border with Spain is considered among the oldest in Europe. In fact, only the micronations of Andorra and San Marino have had their borders established for a longer period! Interestingly, this is also the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union, stretching for over 1230 km.
The treaty was a great diplomatic play by King Denis of Portugal, who leveraged his support of King Ferdinand's uncle's pretension to the throne to convince the Spanish King to sign and accept the Portuguese borders. In exchange, King Denis withdrew his support and offered his daughter to marry King Ferdinand IV of Spain. In fact, this stands as a great example of Portugal's relationship with Spain throughout many generations, as the Portuguese always had to rely on diplomacy to guarantee their independence from their bigger, richer and more powerful Hispanic neighbor.
Portugal was once a huge colonial power
For better or worse, we used to be taught in school that Portugal once ruled half the world. Though this is obviously an exaggeration, it refers to the Treaty of Tordesillas signed between Portugal and Spain. According to the deal, each country's sphere of influence should be split for lands discovered outside Europe. Spain was to rule and explore all lands west of Brazil, while the Portuguese would do the same and expand to the east. As a result, Spain colonized most of the Americas, while Portugal had a lot of land in Africa and a huge influence in South and East Asia.
Needless to say, Portugal was once a huge colonial power, with an Empire stretching across all continents and a territory that included parts of present-day's Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Brazil, China, India, Sri Lanka, Oman, Japan, Malaysia and Iran, among several others. Naturally, a lot of legendary explorers and sailors actually hail from Portugal, such as Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator or Ferdinand Magellan. On the downside, the country played a leading role in the Atlantic slave trade, transporting millions and millions of Africans across the Atlantic to work on plantations in the Americas, a shameful legacy that has always been swept under the rug. Fortunately, things are slowly changing and the outlook on colonialism is now more diverse, with schools teaching about the nation's accomplishments but also its many heinous crimes against natives.
Portugal had the longest dictatorship in Europe
For 48 long years, Portugal was ruled by a fascist dictatorship called Estado Novo. Established in 1926, the regime was finally toppled on the 25th of April 1974, in what came to be known as the Carnation Revolution. For most of that dark era, the country was ruled by Ant贸nio de Oliviera Salazar, a man whose legacy still looms large over the Portuguese society.
For academics, experts and revolutionaries, the regime is responsible for the fact that Portugal still lags behind most of Western Europe. After all, with the honorable exception of the system's political elite and a handful of powerful families who hovered around them and had a monopoly over the country's most important industries, the large majority of the population lived in misery and deep poverty, with no education, no infrastructure and no prospects of a better future. At the same time, the political police (PIDE) persecuted, silenced and repressed all forms of opposition, causing everyone to live in fear.
However, as older generations are being replaced with people who have no recollection of the regime, we're starting to see a new form of speech that glorifies the Estado Novo, portraying it as a benevolent dictatorship where people were happier, safer and healthier, although all data points otherwise. For the foreseeable future, and as the political divide deepens, it is expected that more and more people will jump on the bandwagon and try to praise the longest dictatorship in Europe.
Portuguese food extends way beyond bacalao
If you know anything about Portuguese food at all, chances are that you've heard about egg custard tarts (鈥減astel de nata鈥�) and codfish/bacalao. There's no beating around the bush 鈥� the Portuguese are major codfish lovers! In fact, it is said that the Portuguese have over 1001 ways to cook bacalao, so you can find all sorts of recipes. Just keep in mind that the cod is not the same you might be used to. While other European countries usually eat fresh cod, Portugal's version is dried, which gives it a saltier, more pronounced flavor.
Be that as it may, there's a lot more to Portuguese cuisine than just bacalao! For starters, every region has their own thing going on, and though you can find excellent seafood and grilled fish all along the coast, the seaside towns of Setubal and Matosinhos are particularly known as the best destinations in Portugal to have fresh fish (sardines, seabass, sea brim, tuna, barnacles, mackerel 鈥� you name it). However, don't even think for a second that carnivores will be stifled for choice. For a nation with such a big coastline, the Portuguese sure are huge meat-lovers! In fact, some dishes definitely go overkill when it comes to meat, such as Cozido 脿 Portuguesa (a huge assortments of boiled meats, sausages, potatoes and veggies), Arroz de Cabidela (chicken and rice cooked in blood), Roj玫es 脿 Minhota (pieces of pork cooked in lard and served with potatoes and fried pork tripe), Tripas 脿 Moda do Porto (pork tripe cooked in a tomatoey bean stew), Francesinha (iconic sandwich filled with meat and sausages, covered in loads of cheese and drizzled with a spicy sauce), Leit茫o da Bairrada (roasted suckling piglet) and much more! Plus, if you fancy something simpler and more familiar, we are also quite famous for our barbecue chicken and piri-piri sauce鈥� after all, world-famous franchise Nando's was founded by Portuguese immigrants living in South Africa!
Portugal boasts 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites
Once an obscure and relatively unpopular country, Portugal burst in the tourist scene over the past decade and became an overnight sensation! Suddenly, everyone wanted to come to Portugal to enjoy the nice weather, good food and amazing sights. Though the Algarve had always been popular with Brits and Scandinavians for its beaches, people started to realize Portugal also had a lot to offer on a more cultural level. Naturally, Porto and Lisbon became the major tourist hotspots in the country, as its two largest cities and main cultural hubs, boasting picture-perfect downtown areas, extraordinary monuments and interesting historical sites. Within their metropolitan areas combined, there are 4 different UNESCO World Heritage Sites (3 in Lisbon and 1 in Porto).
However, there's a lot more to Portugal than 鈥渏ust鈥� these two cities. In fact, there are 13 other UNESCO World Heritage Sites (17 in total) scattered across the country, as well as a plethora of other places that 鈥� although unrecognized 鈥� are still beautiful and quite popular with visitors. As such, we recommend setting out to explore the districts of Braga (2 UNESCO Sites), Leiria (2), Coimbra (1) and 脡惫辞谤补 (1), as well as the Douro Wine Region (1). Moreover, do not forget that Portugal also encompasses the archipelagos of Madeira (1) and the Azores (2).
As for places that haven't been recognized by UNESCO, we recommend hitting the beach in Comporta; taking a road trip down Costa Vicentina; checking out small towns such as 脱产颈诲辞蝉 and Monsaraz, and visiting some of the most beautiful villages in the country, like 笔颈贸诲茫o, 惭补谤惫茫辞 or Monsanto.
Portuguese is not the only official language in Portugal
Did you know that Portuguese (and its respective sign language) isn't the only official language in Portugal? Hidden away in a rural northeastern corner of the country, the town of Miranda do Douro is the main center of the Mirandese language, a regional dialect that sounds like a mix of Spanish and Portuguese. Since this region used to be relatively isolated from the outside world and surrounded by rivers and mountains, the population developed its own language, culture and traditions. According to recent polls and studies, only around 3500 people speak Mirandese, a number that is shrinking as older speakers pass away.
Sadly, younger local generations aren't as keen on learning Mirandese, as the overwhelming majority of the content they consume is available in Portuguese and English. At the same time, Mirandese is highly associated with a poorer, more rural way of living, as older Mirandese speakers mostly lived off the land and had no study or work opportunities unless they either moved to Spain or to one of the larger cities in Portugal. Be that as it may, the language has enjoyed a special protection regime by the State since 1998, standing alongside Portuguese as one of the two official languages in Portugal.
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