If you’re thinking of moving to Portugal, you’ve probably been reading about the incredible weather, the “low” prices, and the wonderful food and wine. However, I doubt that you’ve read up on things like the 7pm traffic jams, the struggles of finding a parking spot, the hidden costs, learning new words and phrases, and how hard it can be to make new friends. There is a lot that people don’t tell you about moving to Lisbon. I’ve lived here for some time now (a little over 5 years), and although I love it here, I will share with you my list of things I was surprised by when I moved to Lisbon.
Things You Wish You Knew Before Moving To Lisbon
18.
The Drab, Wet Winters:
To be honest, it’s nothing like those hideous winter days in NYC. That being said, winters here can be somewhat depressing.
The weather ranges between 47° in the morning, 65° during the day, and back down to 47° at night.
There is no snow, but there is so much rain, in December it averages 14 days, in January 14 days, and in February its another 14 days. This combined with the slick stone sidewalks makes walking your dog a challenge.
As for sunshine? You’ll definitely need vitamin D supplements. The average days of sun are as follows: December, January, and February each get on average 6 days (181 hours).
17.
Poorly Insulated Buildings:
With climate change, Summers are getting warmer and Winters are getting colder. Homes in Lisbon were not built for winters. Most are not insulated, most don’t have good windows, and most don’t have heaters. My first electric bill in Portugal was insane.
Our first solution was to get a HotSpot gas heater. It was cheap, but it was bulky, ugly…and I can’t imagine it was too safe. We recently got a Mi heater that works wonders, but we definitely were used to central heating and this was a big surprise to us.
16.
Houses in Lisbon Have Mold Issues:
Not all homes and apartments do, but most do. Even my apartment which was built in the ’90’s has a humidity and mold issue. As I mentioned earlier, homes were not built for winters. They are not properly insulated, and the wet climate (we’re a lot like San Francisco – cold foggy mornings, beautiful days, colder nights) make a perfect environment for black mold. You need to keep on top of that to prevent the situation from getting bad. I also recommend getting a humidifier.
15.
How Expensive Electronics Are & How Crappy The Selection Is:
Let’s take an iPhone 13 Pro. At El Corte Ingles, it starts at 1.179 € (1240.31 USD). In the US, it starts at $999. That’s $241 extra. This ads up.
Once you get used to paying 20% more on electronics, you’ll be incredibly disappointed by the choices. These are first world problems here…but there isn’t even an Apple store in Lisbon, so you have to go to authorized dealers such as El Corte Ingles, Worten, GSM or FNAC in order to purchase apple products.
Refrigerators are – for the most part – tiny. It is hard to find “American” refrigerators and even harder to find them at a good price.
Don’t even get me started on TVs.
In case you need it, here is a list of stores where you can buy electronics and appliances in Lisbon.
14.
Cars Are Extremely Expensive In Portugal:
There are many reasons why cars are so expensive in Portugal. These are a few:
Any car that has less than 6 months on its registration, or has fewer than 6000 km falls into the new car category. “New cars” are taxed 23% of its value (Imposto Sobre Valor Acrescentado). This is applicable on both cars purchased in Portugal or brought from another country.
- ISV (Imposto Sobre Veículo): this is the fee you pay to register your car for the first time. Both new and used cars are subject to this tax.
- IUC (Imposto Único de Circulação). This tax is paid yearly when you own a car as long as it is registered. What you pay for this tax changes yearly and is related to the year it was registered and the engine displacement.
- Fuel: fuel is extremely expensive.
- Extra Costs: Insurance, warranties, parking, inspections and repairs will cost you a pretty penny.
13.
The Cost of Gas in Portugal Is Incredibly High:
In Portugal, the price of gas is about $8.354 USD per gallon. In the US, a gallon will cost you $5.004 USD. Portugal ranks as the 5th most expensive place to buy unleaded 95 in the EU.
12.
How Hard It Can Be To Make Portuguese Friends:
Don’t misunderstand me. Portuguese people are friendly. But coming from the states (yeah, even me – a New Yorker) I was used to people being friendly and open. It was always easy for me to make friends.
I have a feeling it has to do with the past dictatorship, but that’s just me making conjectures.
To give you an example, in France, I have tons of friends. I met them while traveling, and many of them would invite us over for lunch or dinner after knowing them for a few days.
Here, I know plenty of Portuguese people, and they are all nice and friendly; but I know most of them superficially. Even those I see on a daily basis.
And yeah, I speak the language, so that’s not the issue.
Other friends have told me the exact same thing. I think this will change with time, but it is one of those cultural differences that I was not expecting.
11.
American Brands We Think Of As Basics Are Crazy Expensive Here And Hold Cache:
A pair of Gap High Rise Cheeky Straight Jeans With Washwell cost 64.95€ (68.33 USD) in Portugal and in the US, the same pair costs $41.00. Kinda crazy, right?
Portuguese people also fetishize some American clothing brands. Brands that I think of as basics give off a feeling of a higher status within Portuguese culture.
What Are The US Brands That Portuguese People Find “Fancy”?
- The Gap
- New Balance (Everyone & their mother wears NB here). George Constanza would fit right in.
10.
The Bureaucracy:
OMG! The bureaucracy in Lisbon is insane. Whenever you go to handle some sort of governmental task (renewing your license, renewing your visa, getting a marriage license, whatever else), it is always at least a one day task. Sometimes, tasks are drawn out for months. You will be told you need a document. You’ll come in with the document and they will tell you it needs to be apostilled. You go get the apostille on the document, and then they tell you that you need a second document from another entity. It’s insane. Getting things done also depends on who is taking care of you. It is truly a mess.
9.
How Little Money Portuguese People Make:
The average salary in Portugal in 2021 was €1,361. If you make this much, you would be taxed at 28.5%. This would leave you with around €973 per month. This would barely cover rent. It is really hard for locals to make a living here. It is quite shocking once you crunch down on the numbers.
8.
Lisbon Can Be Loud:
Most of downtown is loud. There are tons of tourists, bars, and this means noise.
Above Marques de Pombal you have to worry about airplane noise and if you are not blessed with good windows, you will need to get some good ear plugs.
7.
It’s Not What You Do, But Who You Know:
This is fine for the most part, but Portugal is stuck in a lifetime where who you know and what your last names are makes a difference in what you get done, what jobs you get, and if you can succeed. You will notice that for the Portuguese, it is very hard to climb out of their societal rung. Speaking of last names, don’t be surprised if people you meet have 4 -6 names. It’s the way they trace their ancestry. Titles are also big here. We have a doctor who gets upset when someone calls him doctor. He likes to be called Professor since that is a more prestigious title. Go figure!
6.
The Ocean Is Cold:
I’m not a fan of the ocean in Portugal. It is cold and rough. The beaches are nice, but the Atlantic waters make it more apt for surfers than sun worshipers. I miss the water in Croatia.
5.
The Hastle That Is Getting Something Out Of Customs:
If a friend sends you a package, it is most likely going to get stuck in customs and you are going to have a hell of a time getting it out. On top of that, you’ll most likely have to pay a pretty penny for it. I have told all my friends and family not to send me anything. In case you need it, this is a tutorial on how get a package out of customs from the CTT.
4.
Deliveries Suck:
I have Amazon prime. Even with that, getting deliveries stinks. They usually tell you the day you need to be at home, but the window of delivery is the entire day. Other companies like Prozis who handle their own delivery are great, but anything coming from the CTT is a pia. I ended up getting a box at Mailboxes Etc because I missed deliveries EVEN WHEN I WAS HOME.
3.
How Fast & How Exponential The Increase In Housing Pricing Is:
I would say that the price of housing will be the most expensive thing for you when you move to Portugal. 2 bedrooms start at 1400 euros and go way above 2000. While the monthly payment for purchasing a home is low, the initial investment is quite large.
2.
Tolls Are Expensive:
First off, if you’re visiting and renting a car, get the Via Verde (EZ Pass). Going from Lisbon to Porto will cost you around €22.20.
1.
There Is An Active Communist Party:
Portugal went through a fascist dictatorship. Before the dictatorship, few families owned land and the people who worked for them were pretty much like share croppers (they worked hard and got nothing for their work), so it makes sense that they would become Communists. The Communist party was key to taking down the dictatorship (the military was also involved). In any case, the party still exists, it still influences politics and throws a huge festival in September across the river from Lisbon which is usually attended by 40,000 people.
If you have already moved to Portugal, take a few seconds to comment and let us know the things that surprised you about moving to Portugal.