Why Portugal Is a Top Destination for Expats Looking for a Home

Less stress, more time outdoors and a stronger sense of community: discover why people choose to live in Portugal, and how to find a home that makes the most of it.

By Benjamin Seide, founder of Lagos Homes

 

For many people, the decision to move to Portugal begins with a holiday. What turns that idea into a serious plan is the possibility of a different everyday life.

More time outside. A home with a view that gives you room to breathe. Familiar faces in town. A beach walk that fits into an ordinary afternoon.

Portugal's appeal combines outdoor living, welcoming communities and a sense of personal safety with the practical ability to stay connected to family and work abroad. For prospective buyers, those benefits raise an exciting question: where could you build that life, and what kind of home would support it?

The InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey puts Portugal 8th overall out of 31 destinations. Its separate Quality of Life Index position is 11th. The recognition is encouraging, but the reasons behind a move are often much more personal.

From Berlin to Lagos: why I chose a different way of living

When I moved from Berlin to Lagos, I wanted less stress and more time outdoors. The warm weather and beaches were part of the attraction, of course. But I also wanted to look towards the horizon instead of the next building.

What I have come to value just as much is the scale of the community. You can walk through town and randomly meet four people you know. You have your favourite cafés, familiar faces and the local farmers' market at the weekend. Over time, those small encounters give a place a sense of belonging.

Lagos also gives me a balance I appreciate: the services and convenience of a town, with the wilder west coast close enough for a change of scenery. There is space for surfing, coastal walks and adventures in nature without having to organise a major trip.

As a parent, I value what that means for family life too. Being outside can be part of a normal day, rather than something saved for a holiday. And with Faro Airport within reach, choosing a smaller community does not mean losing touch with the wider world.

That experience now informs my work at Lagos Homes. When helping international buyers, I want to understand the life they are hoping to create as well as the property they are hoping to buy.

What makes Portugal appealing to expats?

The InterNations results offer a snapshot of how foreign residents experience the country:

Source: InterNations Expat Insider 2026: Portugal.

The survey reflects participants' experiences rather than every resident's circumstances. It is a useful invitation to explore Portugal, alongside your own assessment of income, location and practical needs.

An outdoor lifestyle that extends beyond summer

Climate changes how you use your time. A morning walk, lunch outside or a visit to the beach can become an ordinary habit when conditions allow.

For a regional reference, IPMA's 1991–2020 climate normals for Faro show average daily maximum temperatures of 16.3°C in January and 29.4°C in July. Faro is a reference point rather than a forecast for Lagos: wind, exposure and distance from the coast affect the experience of individual locations.

This is one reason outdoor space deserves careful thought when buying a home in the Algarve. A sheltered terrace with useful shade may add more to daily life than a much larger area you rarely use. Orientation and indoor comfort matter just as much when you intend to live here throughout the year.

A community you can become part of

Moving abroad means rebuilding familiarity. Knowing where to go for coffee, recognising the people behind the counter and making friends nearby can make the transition feel more natural.

In Lagos, the Saturday Mercado de Levante is one example of that everyday rhythm. The municipality's market guide lists local producers selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, honey and regional products. It gives a weekend morning a purpose beyond another trip to the supermarket.

An international community can help you find your feet, while Portuguese lessons, local activities and regular routines help you become involved in the place itself. The aim is to build relationships you want to maintain long after the first excitement of moving has passed.

Space for family life

For parents, the appeal can be wonderfully simple: more opportunities to be outside together, a beach afternoon and a town where familiar faces become part of the routine.

Those benefits work best when the practical arrangements fit. School choice, childcare, work and daily journeys should shape the location search from the beginning.

One local option to investigate is Vale Verde International School in the Luz area, which describes a bilingual primary programme incorporating Portuguese and Cambridge International learning. Speak directly with schools about the appropriate year group, places, fees and language support before narrowing your property search.

A school that suits your child and a manageable journey can matter more than an extra bedroom or a larger garden.

Living in Lagos: town convenience with the west coast nearby

One of the western Algarve's attractions is how easily you can change your surroundings.

Lagos offers a base for everyday life: shopping, cafés, restaurants, a marina and services. Beyond it, the landscape opens into beaches, cliffs and countryside. For buyers who want both convenience and access to nature, that combination deserves a closer look.

The protected coastline nearby belongs to the Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park—a natural park, rather than a national park. Turismo de Portugal describes a coastal stretch extending from Burgau towards Porto Covo, characterised by dramatic cliffs and distinctive wildlife.

The Rota Vicentina walking network offers another way to explore the southwest coast. Around the west-coast beaches, surfing and coastal adventures can become part of how you spend your weekends.

For people moving from a large city, access to that landscape can be a powerful reason to choose the region. The property decision then becomes how close you want to live to town, the beach or the countryside.

Which part of Lagos might suit your lifestyle?

Use this as a starting point for viewings. Walking access, noise and convenience need to be assessed street by street and property by property.

For wider regional context, explore our Algarve guide. To see the types of homes available, browse Lagos Homes properties.

Staying connected: Faro Airport, Lisbon and Seville

A move feels more achievable when visits to family, international work and city breaks remain practical.

Faro Airport is roughly an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes from Lagos by car, depending on your starting point and traffic. Its official airline and destination directory includes European cities such as Berlin, Amsterdam and Dublin. Check schedules for the months you intend to travel, as availability and frequency can vary seasonally.

Lisbon and Seville also make appealing city escapes. Allow roughly three hours by car from Lagos as a planning guide; published route estimates are around 2h55 for Lisbon and 2h44 for Seville, before stops or delays.

For frequent travellers, think about the property too. Convenient access, manageable maintenance and reliable arrangements while you are away can make a home easier to enjoy.

Cost of living in Portugal: budget for your lifestyle

Portugal's financial appeal depends on both what you earn and how you choose to live. An established overseas income or pension creates a different starting point from finding a local job. The survey places Portugal 29th in the Working Abroad Index, a reminder to research employment before relying on it.

For property buyers, the useful calculation is the total cost of the life you want. A villa with a pool and landscaped grounds has different obligations from an apartment, even at a similar purchase price.

Build your budget around three separate categories:

• Buying: the price, applicable purchase taxes, legal and registration costs, and financing expenses where relevant.
• Owning: property taxes, condominium charges where applicable, insurance, utilities, maintenance and any garden or pool care.
• Living: transport, healthcare arrangements, schooling where relevant, travel and the activities you want to enjoy.

Allow room for repairs and furnishing rather than committing every available euro to the purchase. If you also plan to earn rental income, assess permissions, restrictions, management costs and realistic demand separately.

The aim is a home that leaves you enough financial flexibility to enjoy being here.

Healthcare and everyday services: know what is nearby

A coastal lifestyle feels more sustainable when you understand the practical support around you.

For example, CUF / Grupo HPA's regional directory lists healthcare facilities in the Algarve, including Alvor and the Lagos area. Use provider directories to check the services relevant to your household, appointment access and any insurance arrangements directly.

If you need ongoing specialist care, establish where it is available before choosing a location. Apply the same approach to internet connectivity, transport and other essentials: check the specific service at the specific address.

These details deserve attention early, so that your eventual choice supports both the lifestyle and the ordinary demands of living here.

Buying a home in Portugal: turn the lifestyle into a clear brief

Once you know what attracts you to Portugal, translate it into property priorities.

If you want less driving, investigate walkable locations. If you want to host family, consider the layout and guest space. If the horizon matters to you, assess the outlook from the rooms and terrace you will actually use. If you work remotely, give the workspace and connectivity proper attention.

For a home you intend to occupy throughout the year, look closely at insulation, glazing, ventilation, heating, cooling and signs of moisture. Ask about maintenance history and obtain the professional inspections appropriate to the building.

Then test the neighbourhood as a resident. Buy groceries, walk the routes, spend an evening there and visit outside your usual holiday season if possible. Would you enjoy an ordinary Tuesday here in February?

Before committing, have your lawyer assess the property documentation and transaction terms. Discuss your relocation and tax circumstances with the professionals responsible for those areas alongside the property search.

Portugal's lifestyle appeal is a reason to explore buying a home. The choice of property still depends on its condition, legal position, price and suitability for you.

What to expect when settling in Portugal

Even a well-planned move brings unfamiliar systems and moments when a straightforward task takes longer than expected. Allow time for administration, keep organised records and establish who is handling each part of the process.

Learning Portuguese also makes the experience richer. Start with everyday exchanges and let confidence grow through practice. Having favourite places helps: repeated visits turn introductions into familiarity.

For some people, renting first provides a useful way to test locations. Others arrive with a clear brief after several visits. Whichever approach you take, leave enough space to understand how you want to live before committing to a home.

Find a home that gives you more of the life you want

My move from Berlin to Lagos began with a wish for less stress, warmer weather and more time outdoors. What made it meaningful was the life that developed around it: the horizon, the familiar cafés, the chance encounters and the freedom to head towards the coast with my family.

Your version of living in Portugal may look different. That is where a good property search begins.

At Lagos Homes, we help international buyers compare locations, identify suitable homes and coordinate the buying journey with the relevant professionals. We start with your plans, so that the properties you see reflect the life you are aiming to build.