Harry Styles is returning to Portugal on July 18, 2023, performing at Passeio Maritimo de Alges in Oeiras. Tickets go on sale today, September 2, at 10 AM local time for Harry Style’s performance for Love on Tour 2023.
The concert’s promoter Everything is New has said that only tickets bought at official sale points are considered valid. The promoter warns against buying tickets on secondary market websites.
Although during the 2008 economic crisis, the Portuguese real estate market was hit hard, today, buying property in Portugal won’t only provide you with a home but arguably a sound investment.
The real estate market has been growing in value all around the country. Unfortunately, it is getting harder for locals to afford to own their own homes, particularly young people.
If you are coming from another country, buying a home could potentially even land you permanent residence or even citizenship if you are eligible to apply for a Portugal Golden Visa!
However, if you have never visited Portugal or do not have knowledge of the property market, figuring out where to buy can be a struggle. To help you out, we have selected the 5 best places to buy a house in Portugal.
Lisbon and Porto are not the only options, and in fact, these are expensive places that no longer qualify for the Golden Visa. Our top picks are mostly affordable and offer you an incredible quality of life.
But first, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of buying a house in Portugal so that you can make the right decision.
Become eligible for a Portugal Golden Visa and obtain citizenship after 6 years (Property in Porto, Lisbon, and Algarve no longer apply)
Solid investment, Portugal has excellent rental potential
Affordable cost of living (outside large cities)
300+ days of sun and moderate weather
In 2019, Global Finance magazine ranked Portugal fourth amongst the safest countries in the world.
High-quality education and healthcare services
Cons
No central heating in most houses in Portugal
Bureaucracy, process might take longer than expected
Top 5 Places to Buy a House in Portugal
1. Leiria
As of July 2022, buying property in Leiria costs an average of 1.384 €/m2. This isn’t the lowest price out there, but it is still extremely affordable. A 120 m2 house would cost an average of less than €170,000.
Leiria is located in central Portugal and has not yet been overrun by tourists. Getting a well-paying job here is difficult and the commute to Lisbon or Porto would be too long.
However, this small city of less than 150,000 is perfect if you can work remotely or even better, are looking to retire.
The city has great train connections to the rest of the country for travel and is incredibly affordable. It also features outstanding beaches, rivers, forests, and ancient architecture.
If you’re looking for extremely affordable property, a home in Beja goes for an average of 849 €/m2. A 120 m2 home cost you a little over €100,000.
Beja is located in the region of Alentejo and has a population of under 50,000 people. Sitting on a 900 feet hill, Beja offers gorgeous views of the Baixo Alentejo. From Roman ruins to medieval castles, this city provides a quiet escape from the stresses of everyday life.
Again, its affordability is connected to its remoteness and the fact that it is located more in the interior of the country. Due to its location in southern Portugal, temperatures tend to be a lot warmer than in the rest of the country.
However, Beja is only a 1.30 hour drive from Algarve, a region with some of the best beaches in the country.
Want a quiet life but still want to be close to the Portuguese capital? Then you will need to pay a bit more! As of July 2022, a house in Setubal costs 2.173 €/m2. A 120 m2 house costs around €260,000.
A 40-minute drive from Lisbon, Setubal offers you the opportunity of working in Lisbon and living in a relaxing area with some of the beach beaches in the country.
Located on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary, Setubal is also connected to the nearby coast of the Arrabida hills natural park. Living here, you can enjoy hikes in the natural park’s astonishing nature and spot some dolphins at the beach.
You can also get a ferry to the Troia peninsula from Setubal, a well-known spot for quiet beaches with clear water.
Photo by Jose Losada – FotografÃa (Flickr)
4. Pico
The Azores archipelago housing market has been growing in recent years but remains affordable. A house on the island of Pico costs an average of 1.028 €/m2 as of July 2022, meaning a 120 m2 house costs around €120,000.
Pico is the second-largest island in the Azores and home to Portugal’s highest mountain at 2,000 meters high. Pico is known as the Hawaii of Portugal and is covered with exotic vegetation and beautiful dark blue sea views. It also features black volcanic soils and UNESCO-designated vineyards.
Pico is perfect for those wanting to live a slow-paced life, surrounded by nature and natural beaches. If you are looking to buy to invest in a tourism property like Airbnb, Pico is also a great spot. While its year-round population is small, thousands travel yearly to the island.
If you’re okay with spending a lot more money for a more cosmopolitan life, Porto is an amazing option. While many expats flock to Lisbon, Porto is not second best. And it is a lot more affordable!
A home in Porto costs an average of 2.341 €/m2, making a 120 m2 cost around €280,000. In Lisbon, a house that size would cost you an average of €400,000.
Porto is home to a large international community with a wider range of jobs available than less popular places. The city lies along the beautiful Douro river and features unique architecture, street art, as well as exceptional food and wine.
TAP Air Portugal has confirmed to CNN Portugal that it is aware of the hacking allegations circulating the deep web. In a post, the hacker group Ragnar Locker says it has stolen the personal data of over 400,000 TAP clients.
This allegation comes after TAP confirmed it had been the target of a cyberattack last Thursday.
Ragnar Locker said, “A few days ago, TAP Air Portugal made a press announcement confidently affirming that it has successfully solved a cyberattack and that data was not compromised (but we have reasons to believe that hundreds of gigabytes could be compromised).”
TAP was the target of a cyber-attack, now blocked. Operational integrity is guaranteed. No facts have been found that allow us to conclude that there has been improper access to customer data. The website and app still have some instability. Thank you for your understanding. pic.twitter.com/zQASbpNtXx
TAP told CNN Portugal it is aware of the online post and is investigating the situation.
The hacker group alleges this could be “one of the largest information leaks” in the history of the aviation industry.
Such a data leak could prove costly to TAP if this is true. For example, Easyjet is facing a 180 million euro fine for a data leak of 400,000 clients in 2020.
Another image in the Ragnar Locker hacking blog exposes personal information stolen in the cyberattack, including the names and addresses of TAP’s clients.
TAP Air Portugal is the state-owned airline of Portugal and the largest in the country, accounting for more than 50% of arrivals and departures at the Lisbon Airport.
Like fado and wine, soccer is vital to Portugal’s cultural heritage. Some of the best soccer players in the world have come out of Portugal and played for the national team.
While worldwide, Cristiano Ronaldo is most well known, there are plenty of Portuguese players that have, throughout the decades, put Portugal on the map. Let’s take a look at our 5 best Portuguese soccer players.
Bear in mind, this list is very debatable. You might disagree with the order or even feel like we left someone out. Let us know in the comments below who your top 5 Portuguese soccer players are!
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is not just the best Portuguese soccer player, but perhaps the best in the world (Sorry, Messi fans). Originally born in Funchal, Madeira, CR7 is the captain of the Portugal national team and a forward for Manchester United.
Scoring over 807 goals in his career, Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in the history of men’s soccer. He is also one of the fastest soccer players in the world.
Along with winning 32 trophies in his career, Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’ors. He was also ranked the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2016 and 2017, as he is the first footballer to earn 1 billion dollars in his career.
But where did Cristiano Ronaldo start his career? He began his soccer career in Sporting CP at a young age and then signed with Manchester United at only 18 years old.
Photo by Jan SOLO (Flickr)
2. Eusebio
Also known as “the Black Panther” Eusebio was a Portuguese soccer player born in Maputo, Mozambique. Many know him as the best Portuguese soccer player of all time, as well as the best player in Benfica.
Throughout his career, he scored 733 goals in 745 games. He helped Portugal reach third place in the 1966 FIFA World Cup and won a Ballon d’Or in 1965. Eusebio was also named European Footballer of the Year In 1965.
Eusebio only retired in 1979, playing until the age of 37 years old. After retirement, he remained an ambassador of football.
He was even elected the 9th best footballer in the 20th century by IFFHS. In 2003, he won Gold Player of Portugal by the Portuguese Football Federation.
Eusebio passed away on January 4, 2014, of heart failure at 71 years of age. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho, and Greg Dyke paid tribute to him. The Portuguese government even declared three days of national mourning!
Photo by Erik Cleves Kristensen (Flickr)
3. Figo
Luis Filipe Madeira Caeirgo Figo, known only as Figo had to be in our top three. He is said to be the leader of Portugal’s “Golden Generation” in the 1990s.
Figo has an incredibly successful career, winning multiple trophies such as the Portuguese CUP, one UEFA Champions League title, and more. He scored 32 goals for Portugal and helped the team reach the final of the Euro 2004.
Figo started his career at Sporting CP, but has also played for Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. He announced his retirement in May 2009, playing his final game for Inter Milan against Atalanta that same month.
In 2015, Figo announced he wanted to run for the position of FIFA president, endorsed by David Beckham and Jose Mourinho. He promised to invest in grassroots football. However, he later withdrew his campaign.
Photo by El Hormiguero (Flickr)
4. Fernando Peyroteo
While less known by young people, Peyroteo was one of Portugal’s best soccer players. He spent his entire career with Sporting CP, which is unusual today. Peyroteo scored 544 goals in his career and won 11 major titles.
He was born in Angola and first played at Sporting CP in Lisbon in 1937. In his first year, he scored 57 goals in 30 games, winning both the Lisbon Championship and the Taca de Portugal.
At 31 years old, Peyroteo retired and opened a sportswear shop. He later moved back to Angola but then returned to Portugal to coach the Portuguese national team. After losing his second game in the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg, he was fired.
Peyroteo then quit the world of soccer altogether. However, after a veterans game in Spain, he was injured and taken into surgery. Due to complications, one of his legs had to be amputated.
He died at age 60 in Lisbon.
5. Rui Costa
Rui Costa is to many, one of the best midfielders in the world. He has a vast career playing for Benfica, Fiorentina, and AC Milan. He was also the 34th president of Benfica, his home team.
Rui Costa started his soccer journey early when he joined a football team in Portugal at 5 years old. He then played for youth squads up until the 1990s. He made his first debut for the Portugal national team in 1991 where he helped beat Brazil in the World Youth Cup.
He then went to Benfica where he helped the team win two trophies, as well as Florentina and Milan, where he played for five seasons.
Costa has many awards under his belt, including the Top Assists Award in the UEFA Champions League 2002 and the Footballer of the Year in 2007.
On May 2008, Rui Costa announced his retirement, playing his final game against Vitoria de Setubal for Benfica.
After retirement, he remained in the football world. He was almost immediately made an administrator of Benfica and was elected president in 2021.
Leonardo DiCaprio has expressed his support on Instagram for the movement of Portuguese climate activists suing 33 countries in the European Court of Human Rights.
DiCaprio took to Instagram to celebrate the six Portuguese children, saying, “Young people in Portugal are fighting against powerful European governments to protect their homelands and livelihoods that have been destroyed by extreme conditions.”
The six activists are a part of the movement Youth 4 Climate Justice and are between the ages of 9 and 22. The young people from Portuguese have sued 33 countries in the European Court of Human Rights for their inaction in tackling climate change.
The activists believe “the climate crisis interferes with their right to life, respect, and even their right not to be discriminated against,” says DiCaprio. “The goal is to legally bind governments to increase emissions cuts locally and internationally,” his post reads.
DiCaprio also reminded his followers of the Pedrogao Grande wildfires in 2017. In 2021, DiCaprio launched a documentary about the tragedy in Portugal. These wildfires were the deadliest in Portuguese history, with at least 66 deaths.
The six youth applicants first filed this case in September 2022. They are now preparing for a hearing before the 17-judge Grand Chamber against the 33 countries. We do not yet know the date for this.
The six Portuguese activists suing 33 countries over climate change are Mariana (9), Andre (13), Sofia (16), Martim (18), Catarina (20), and Claudia (22). Three of them are from Leiria, a region that has been hit by an increase in wildfires in recent years.
Although the positives outweigh the negatives, living in Portugal is not perfect. While many travel bloggers out there only highlight the pros of living in Portugal, this does not reflect the whole reality. The thought of 300+ days of sun and incredible food might have made you forget to consider the downsides of moving to Portugal.
Whenever making such a life-changing decision, it is vital to consider the possible struggles you might face in a new country. Luckily, we have selected our top 9 downsides to living in Portugal to help you prepare accordingly.
1. Low wages in Portugal
A major downside to living in Portugal is finding a well-paying job. Whether you are making minimum wage or the average salary, do not expect to make a lot of money.
In 2022, the national minimum salary in Portugal is €705 a month before tax. This value refers to 14 salaries, including the two extra payments on Christmas and summer. If you look at 12 salaries, it amounts to €822.50.
If you receive the minimum salary, after paying income tax, you receive around €630. Those working in restaurants, hotels, stores, cleaning, and more tend to receive the minimum wage.
Photo by Roman Wimmers (Unsplash)
Although Portugal has a relatively low cost of living, this salary makes it impossible to rent an apartment in cities such as Lisbon and Porto and live comfortably.
According to the National Statistics Institute, the average gross monthly salary is €1,361. As Portugal has progressive tax, those receiving the average salary will pay more. After paying income tax and social security, you will be left with €960.
However, if you are getting a top-level job, you can still make very good money. The best salaries are given to top management positions in Lisbon. For example, a general manager can make between €110,000 and €170,000.
Don’t get me wrong – Portugal has recently improved in this space in the last five years. However, if you have lived in places like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, don’t expect the same quality.
While major cities like Lisbon and Porto have a more modern subway and tram system, many others only rely on bus routes. These often only come in long intervals and arrive late. If you live in the interior of the country, waiting for an hour for the bus is commonplace.
Unfortunately, you might also be shocked that a lot of information is unavailable online. In many cities, you can’t purchase tickets online or check schedules in English. Always make sure to carry cash with you as the bus driver might not accept an ATM card.
While many argue transport is cheap in Portugal, this is not always the case. For example, in Cascais and Sintering, buses tend to be a lot more expensive with 15-minute one-way rides costing almost €3 sometimes.
Photo by KK70088 (Flickr)
3. Competitive Portuguese housing market
Property prices in Portugal have been rising since 2014, with many areas seeing a 10% rise between 2020 and 2021.
According to Bloomberg, the increase in property prices can be attributed to strong demand and a housing shortage. This is true, particularly in Lisbon, where there is a high demand from both local and international investors.
Due to high demand and a housing shortage, houses are more expensive today. This can make it difficult to purchase a home in Portugal’s competitive housing market. Getting a mortgage could be tough if you are on minimum or even the average wage.
While negotiation is always on the table in the Portuguese housing market, the margin for negotiation is becoming smaller.
Expats often overpay for real estate in Portugal – driving prices further up. If you are looking to buy in Portugal, you must do some market research to establish whether the price is fair. Don’t compare the house prices in Portugal to your country of origin and argue they are affordable.
However, this downside is also an upside for those with capital looking to invest. The strong growth of the housing market means that investors are prone to getting a safe return on their investment in the long term.
House in Portugal. Photo by Pablo-Foggakis (Flickr)
4. Shady landlords: Lack of rental contracts in Portugal
Just because something is illegal does not mean it’s not socially acceptable in Portugal. Unfortunately, many locals and expats get tricked into not signing an official rental contract.
Landlords do this because they do not want to declare their rental income with the tax authorities. Without a contract, they do not need to pay tax for non-tourism properties, which is set at 28%. The tenant will usually also get a nice discount on the property.
It might seem like a win-win situation initially, but trust us, the extra money is not worth it.
Without a rental contract, tenants are left with no legal protection against rent increases and will technically waver their tenant rights (although this is not always the case legally). It’s also especially bad for foreigners who need a rental contract for their residency permit.
The Portuguese slow pace of life is not always rainbows and sunshine. With this relaxed mindset comes bureaucracy and long waiting times. If you have ever been in contact with SEF for a visa, we don’t need to remind you.
Especially in public services, it can take a while to get things done. If you are at an SNS health center, expect to wait a few hours to be treated. Waiting for an important document such as a driving license? It will arrive when it arrives – the Portuguese way of thinking.
Even if you are taking care of a simple task, expect to have to fill out useless forms and having to call various entities. Bureaucracy is a part of Portuguese society, although it is also present in other European countries like Spain.
6. No AC in Portuguese houses
If you’re an American moving to Portugal in the summer, time to purchase some fans. Most houses do not come equipped with air conditioning. Only 7.9% of homes nationwide have AC.
Temperatures can get quite high, particularly during the recent heat waves they reached over 40 degrees Celsius.
However, homes in Southern Portugal have the most AC units. 13.2% of homes in the Algarve have air-con, followed by Lisbon and Braga.
While more common than AC, many houses in Portugal do not come with central heating, particularly older homes. You will have to add heating yourself, which can be very expensive depending on the size of your home.
Photo by Carlos Lindner (Unsplash)
7. Toxic work culture in Portugal
Point #7 is debatable and depends on your country of origin. Too many Portuguese, the work culture is just fine. However, for those coming from countries like Finland and the Netherlands, the work culture is beyond toxic and unhealthy.
This might come as a shock as Portugal has been celebrated in the media for its incredible labor laws. Unfortunately, these are not always enforced.
Although companies are oftentimes lenient with punctuality, employees tend to work long hours. Despite a maximum 40-hour work week, it is many times expected that employees work longer hours. Many only arrive home after 7 PM or later, losing time with their families.
In fact, Portugal is the top European country where employees are experiencing the most burnout, with Greece and Latvia coming next.
Employees work more hours compared to other European countries, and the percentage of reporting risk factors affecting mental well-being at work is 38.6%.
One thing is if you are relocating for a year or two, but if you are planning a long-term move to Portugal, learning the language is essential. While in Lisbon and Porto you will be able to navigate everyday life in English, this isn’t the case everywhere else.
You’ll have a hard time outside the main cities if you don’t speak Portuguese. Even if you live in Lisbon and Porto, you could get charged more for certain products if you only speak English, even though this is illegal.
Portuguese is complex. As a highly gendered language with difficult verbs to memorize, you must put in the time and effort.
Although Portuguese is a hard language to learn, it will be useful even if you move away. Over 215 million people speak Portuguese worldwide, making it the 6th most spoken language.
9. Expensive phone data in Portugal
Portugal is known for its relatively low cost of living. However, this isn’t the case for all products and services. If you’re used to enjoying unlimited phone data for a cheap price tag, you won’t find this in Portugal.
Most people opt for limited data packages due to the high cost. 1GB will cost you around €10 which, let’s be honest, isn’t enough if your favorite pastime is scrolling through TikTok.
An unlimited data package could cost you anywhere between €30 and €40 a month. This is quite high in comparison to other European countries like the Netherlands where it would only cost you around €20.
Marta Temido, the Health Minister of Portugal, presented her resignation letter to the Prime Minister this Tuesday as she “no longer has the conditions to remain in the position.” PM Antonio Costa has accepted her resignation request.
The announcement by the Ministry of Health was sent to the media in the early hours of Tuesday morning but did not add any other explanation.
However, her resignation came only a few hours after the report of the death of a pregnant woman on Saturday, after being transferred to another hospital due to a lack of vacancies.
Antonio Costa’s office also sent out an announcement at 1:29 AM saying that the PM “respects her decision” and thanks her for her hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The government will proceed with the reforms in place to strengthen the National Health Service (SNS) and improve the health care provided to all Portuguese people,” says the announcement.
Marta Temido became Health Minister in October of 2018, succeeding Adalberto Campos Fernandos.
While many praised her role during the Covid-19 pandemic, she has been recently criticized for the closure of emergency services around the country. These closures have particularly impacted services related to gynecology and obstetrics.
Miguel Pinto Luz, the Vice President of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) said in a press conference that “this resignation represents the failure of the health politics led by the Socialist Party and PM Antonio Costa.”
Speaking about the current issues in the SNS, he said that “the cost has increased, we have never spent so much on health, but the quality has decreased.” “Millions were spent, but emergency services are closed, and appointments are postponed…”, he continues.
Pinto Luz criticized the government, saying that “a mother had to die who did not have access to emergency services in the largest hospital in the country for Temido to resign”.
On Saturday, a pregnant Indian woman that was vacationing in Portugal died after being transferred from Santa Maria Hospital to Sao Francisco Xavier in Lisbon. The woman had to be transferred due to a lack of vacancies in neonatology.
She needed an urgent c-section to save her life as she was suffering from severe preeclampsia and uterine growth restrictions.
The baby survived after an emergency c-section and is currently hospitalized at Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital.
A pregnant Indian woman that was vacationing in Portugal died last Saturday after being transferred from Santa Maria Hospital to Sao Francisco Xavier in Lisbon. The woman was transferred due to a lack of vacancies in neonatology. The baby survived after an emergency c-section and is hospitalized at Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital.
The woman was 34 years old and around 30 weeks pregnant. According to the University Hospital Center Lisbon North (CHULN), she was first admitted to Santa Maria Hospital last Tuesday, August 23, at 2 AM and transferred to Sao Francisco Xavier that same day.
CHULN explained that “after normalization of arterial tensions and a significant respiratory improvement, she was transferred the same day to Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital, due to a lack of vacancies in neonatology, accompanied by a doctor and nurses.”
The Director of the Obstetrics Services at Santa Maria Hospital, Luisa Pinto, told CNN Portugal that the hospital only had two vacancies. The hospital allowed a mother pregnant with twins to remain, as the pregnant woman that eventually died was stable at the time.
She needed to be transferred as the largest unit in the country did not have a vacancy to hospitalize the baby after labor was induced. The labor needed to occur to save the mother’s life as she had been diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and uterine growth restrictions.
During the transfer, the pregnant woman suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest that lasted 17 minutes. The medical staff tried to revive her during the trip, but when they arrived at Sao Francisco Xavier, she was in a profound coma.
Doctors were able to perform an emergency c-section when the pregnant woman arrived at Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital. The baby was born with 772 grams and is in intensive care for premature babies.
The mother remained in a coma for a few days until cerebral death was detected, and her death was then officially declared on Saturday afternoon.
Press conference at Santa Maria Hospital
In a press conference at Santa Maria Hospital on Tuesday morning, Luisa Pinto and Clinical Director Luis Pinheiro said that the pregnant woman was stable at the time and that all the right conditions were in order for it to take place.
They also said that it was safer to transfer her rather than allow her to give birth at Santa Maria. Andre Graca, the Director of Neonatology of Santa Maria Hospital said that “the best transport is the mother’s uterus.”
Without vacancies, the baby could have arguably been born in Santa Maria and later transferred for care. However, Andre Graca argues this would be extremely risky in the first hours of the newborn’s life.
When asked whether the mother would have survived if Santa Maria had more vacancies, Luisa Pinto said, “Probably not. Probably the same would have transpired. Although trying to revive someone in an ambulance is different than in a hospital…”.
She went on to say that it is not common for those with preeclampsia to go into cardiorespiratory arrest, so the situation was unexpected.
However, she says that due to the pregnant woman being foreign, the staff did not have her medical records about any previous pathologies. They will be investigating what happened.
Luisa Pinto also said that the pregnant woman could not speak English or Portuguese but was accompanied by her husband.
A few hours after this report was released in the media, the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, formally presented her resignation. Prime Minister Antonio Costa accepted her resignation request and informed the president.
Temido has not mentioned the death of the pregnant woman in her resignation request. However, she has been recently scrutinized for the closure of emergency obstetrics services in various hospitals due to a lack of doctors.
Faro is located in the Algarve region in southern Portugal and is home to a vibrant expat community. Known for its year-round sunny weather, Faro has some of the warmest weather in the country and the best beaches in Portugal.
But is it expensive to live in Faro? Portugal has a lower cost of living than major European countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, and France.
Although Faro is not the cheapest city in Portugal, it is more affordable than the capital Lisbon. Rent is around 20% cheaper, and day-to-day costs such as restaurant prices are also more affordable than in Lisbon.
If you’re considering Faro as a permanent or temporary home, let’s take a look at the average monthly budget for expats without children, families, and digital nomads.
The monthly budget for an expat in Faro is less than €1400.
A one-bedroom apartment costs around €750. However, you can save here by renting a room for less than €400.
A monthly transportation pass is around €50 or less for buses. You can also get a train to many cities from Faro, such as Lisbon and Porto.
Utilities cost around €150, including phone data and cable TV.
For exploring Faro, eating out at your favorite restaurants, and exploring the nightlife, budget around €200 a month. You can easily spend less or more, depending on your lifestyle.
Groceries for a single person average out at around €50 a week.
Health care could add to your monthly budget in Faro. EU citizens with a valid European Health Insurance Card can use the National Health Service (SNS) for free for up to 90 days in Portugal. This allows them time to get registered as legal residents to continue using the public health system.
However, non-EU citizens are only entitled to use the public health system if they are employed and pay social security in Portugal, having to be registered as legal residents as well.
Even if this is the case, they must purchase private health insurance to cover medical care before arriving in Portugal and becoming a legal resident.
Cost of Living in Faro for a Digital Nomad
The cost of living in Faro for a digital nomad is at least €1000 a month.
If you are looking to stay at a private Airbnb, this could almost triple your budget as it will cost anywhere between €1500 and €2000 a month.
A shared room in a hostel starts at around €15 a night, and a private room is around €40 a night.
Renting a desk at a co-working place in Faro can cost between €100 to €250 a month. Transportation costs around €50. There are plenty of buses in the city and a train station connecting you to other main Portuguese cities.
Budget at least €200 for leisure such as eating out, nightlife, and trips to nearby beaches and attractions.
If you are looking for a full tourist experience and looking at tours, you will need more than this for the month.
Food can easily max out your monthly budget. If you want to save and have a kitchen at your disposal, a weekly shop shouldn’t cost more than €50.
However, if you plan to eat out, an affordable meal is around €10 nowadays.
Cost of Living in Faro for a Family of Four
Kids are always more expensive. However, Faro is can be an affordable alternative to other European cities. Expect to spend at least €2600 a month for a family of four in Faro.
A three-bedroom apartment in Faro will set you back around €1400. However, prices can go up to €1900 or more, depending on the apartment type and amenities.
Budget around €200 a month for monthly transport passes. However, it is definitely more convenient for a family of four to own a car and drive. Fuel will cost you anywhere between €150 and €250 a month.
Utilities cost around €150 and include electricity, heating, water, etc. However, this can be much higher in the winter or depending on your family’s consumption.
Groceries for a family of four in Faro should cost around €125 to €150 a week, so budget at least €500 a month.
If you need to purchase health insurance for the whole family, this will cost you at least €200 a month.
However, you might be eligible to use access to healthcare for free. EU citizens with a valid European Health Insurance Card can use the National Health Service (SNS) for free for up to 90 days in Portugal. After becoming legal residents, they can continue to use the SNS.
However, non-EU citizens are only entitled to use the public health system if they are employed and pay social security in Portugal, having to be registered as legal residents as well.
If you want your kids to attend an international school, this will cost you! While public schools are free, private international schools can cost between €6,000 and €20,000 a year. You could pay around €2000 a month for two kids just for education.
The skeleton of a possible sauropod dinosaur was discovered back in 2017 in a man’s backyard in Pombal, Portugal. The skeleton is now reported to possibly be the largest dinosaur skeleton ever found in Europe at 12 meters high and 25 meters long.
Five years ago, a man noticed fragments of fossilized bones in his backyard in Pombal while carrying out construction work. Since then, an international research team has been studying the findings and conducting excavation campaigns on site.
In August of 2022, Portuguese and Spanish paleontologists realized that the remains could correspond to the largest sauropod dinosaur discovered in Europe.
Dr. Elisabete Malafaia, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Lisbon, has said that this finding is incredibly rare, as such preservation is unusual for large-sized dinosaurs.
She said in a statement, “It is not usual to find all the ribs of an animal like this, let alone in this position, maintaining their original anatomical position. This mode of preservation is relatively uncommon in the fossil record of dinosaurs, in particular sauropods, from the Portuguese Upper Jurassic”.
Parts of the skeleton have been collected, including vertebrae and ribs. The researchers found “the largest ribs of a sauropod that are currently known in Europe” and one of the largest worldwide. Each rib measured about three meters in length.
The skeleton is thought to be of a possible brachiosaurid sauropod dinosaur, a large species that lived from the Upper Jurassic to the Lower Cretaceous around 100 million years ago.
The preservation characteristics of the fossils indicate to the researchers that there might be other parts of the skeleton around. This hypothesis will be tested in future excavations this year.
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