Lisbon Cost of Living REALITY CHECK | Exactly how much we spent in a month in Portugal
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- Ever wonder how expensive it actually is to live in Lisbon? We're sharing exactly what we spent in 30 days of living in the Campo De Ourique neighborhood of Lisbon, including rent, groceries, private health insurance, and more.
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Dan and Michelle are the owners of HoneymoonAlways.com, a honeymoon and couples travel website, as well as CabinCritic.co. Dan is a former SEO specialist, and Michelle recently left her job as a digital product manager. We recently sold our home in Austin Texas to live in Portugal and work full time on our travel website.
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What else are you wondering about being an expat in Portugal? What topic should we cover next?
I'm really looking forward to seeing what the second month expenses are like. Kim and I are looking at moving to Lisbon next summer, so I'm gearing my development contracts towards being not just remote, but able to work outside of Canada.
Good luck!
I would say a normal day/week in Lisbon? Just to give us a feel what it would be like for actually living there.
I'd really like to learn more about the mechanics of the Non-Habitual Tax Regime (e.g., what office to sign up, paperwork, deadlines) - assuming you're both going down that route. My understanding is sign up must be done soon after arriving in PT. Thanks.
You need to sign up by the March after you arrive. That is next on our list to figure it out.
I'd just like to had that most COUPLES are working with values around your rent for the appartment (~1500€), and people really do live of these amounts, even with children.
Your lifestyle is VERY comfortable, and very close to the top percentile of the Portuguese reality.
I really like you both, and you come from a different reality, but you kind of need a reality check.... People around you (even in your neighbourhood) are probably spending close to everything they earn to live there, at least that's the reality of most of the people I know.
In Portugal most people work to survive, its really hard to save money, and a great deal of people can't put aside money (as in actually 0€). We have quality of life but we are always fearing the next day, and what it may bring (specially in the current COVID situation).
When people told you that you would have a "kings" lifestyle with 4000€, they were not lying, but they were comparing to the PORTUGUESE reality. I'd live like a king with that budget but, as with everything, It depends on the person using the money.
Great video, and thanks for sharing :)
Hi Ivo, thanks for your comment! We understand that compared to most Portuguese residence we live a very comfortable lifestyle, the comment about living like kings is more directed at other foreigners considering moving. A lot of people talk as if you can move to Portugal and everything is going to be super cheap and you can live in a super lux apartment for very little. We just want to make it clear for other people looking to move that it is not the case.
well with 4000€ for 2 I can say you would not live like kings...but I know what you mean , I am Portuguese have 50 years old and am like middle class but having some difficulties here and there, I live well with 2500€ for me my wife and dauther, lower than 2000€ for a family of 3 considering that we are paying house and car would became survival for us.
just a term of comparasing
Thanks for the comment, that definitely gives context
There is another CZcams couple (our rich journey) living in Portugal and they left Lisbon because it was to expensive. I also found a channel that mentioned other areas other than Lisbon because that’s the most expensive place to live. Other places were of course further out of the way. This couple is definitely living the good life over there. What is I giving to most people is living considerably cheaper than the US in a nice, livable apartment and live nicely on a lower budget. And by nice I just mean not check to check or struggling like you might have been in the U.S. most Americans will live in Lisbon probably because its nicer and feels more touristy and safer.
Thank you for sharing Ivo!
Don't feel guilty about eating out, you guys are young and in a brand new city!
You helped the local economy and had a good time.
Thank you, we have to agree with that!
Thanks for sharing, as this was on my mind. Y’all are doing a great job of keepin it real. We look forward to seeing you explore and assess livability of some hidden gems in Portugal.
Thank you! We're looking forward to that too. So many places we haven't seen yet
Thanks for sharing the reality! Even though rent is low, but every thing else adds up. Definitely helps on our budget planning. Look forward to the half year or even 12 month spending summary.
I'm SO GLAD to see this video! Finally some real information about Lisbon's monthly costs. Of course, the context is that my wife and I probably fall in the same lifestyle band and hence identified with this video so much. Thanks for sharing you guys, and keep going, your videos are great so far!
Glad it was helpful! When we make our videos we ask ourselves, what would we want to have known, so glad you can relate to them!
Wow! This was music to my ears! We lived in CA, OR, ID, NC, GA, and now SC and this is WAY LESS than we were spending monthly in The States, living a frugal and minimalistic lifestyle. I am SUPER excited about what life would be like in Europe....being able to see and experience more without feeling like we are sacrificing simple pleasures. I am literally bursting with fruit flavor! 😃
I’m in LA , just crazy rent here
First months are always more expensive when getting settled. Thanks for the info.
Definitely a bit more expensive to start. It will be good to check in again when we're a more settled
Love it! Thanks for the breakdown. Looking forward to more videos on the differences yall have experienced as you've been there longer. ❤
Thank you for all your support!
One thing worth mentioning is the differences between Lisbon, or even Porto vs other places around the country which are much cheaper.
Minimum monthly sallary in Portugal is about 700€ a month, average sallary is probably around 1200€. It is possible but of course each family has diferent standards of living and needs. But yeah, you guys definitely live in one of the most expensive spots in the country.
1300€ for rent feels really high btw, I assume you're living right in downtown Lisbon, hence the cost but you could consider moving somewhere else once you get an good grasp of the area. For that money, you can easily rent a multiple bedroom house with a gigantic yard or land in many areas of Portugal, and I don't necessarily mean rural areas, even in outskirts of Lisbon like Caldas da Rainha, or somewhere along the silver coast like around Leiria.
Thanks for sharing too, I haven't lived in Portugal for more than 10 years now, it seems to have gotten a bit more expensive since then, but nothing crazy if you compare it to other American cities.
Thanks for the video, I'm always interested in living costs values. Do you guys use any app to track your expenses? Something like mint? (I don't think mint works over there tho)
I was hoping to hear the party and bar budget so maybe I will have to find that out for myself! Thank you for your video!
All I can say is that I feel so lucky...I cannot even relate to your expenses partly because I lived in France and could still live in a castle on 4 hectares for less and I have just learned how to cut costs over time and never want for anything!! I always feel out of touch in these vlogs because I have 13 years of experience navigating life in a very expensive country...For me Lisbon is cheaper and nothing surprises me! We live near Campo d'Orique and have a huge terrace but 1 less bedroom...Half the price! Our utilities are less than 100/mo but our 4 phones are with Free in France and medical there is nearly free...35€/mo! We go out all the time so for 1,50 per day (40€ viva card) we go all over Lisbon when and where we want...To dinner across the river or just to see the sunset! We love our neighborhood, but venture out to discover all of Lisbon and we surely could not do that on 64€!! We still walk a lot, just don't always stay close to home! In order to cut costs eating out we go where the locals go...Better food and way cheaper!! I think you will do better next month, but your reality is not the reality of most Portuguese...
But 40 euro is just one viva per person though? So it's 80 eu a month for a couple and they spent less than that at 64.
How lucky you get to have medical and phone expenses elsewhere in Europe! That's great for you, but harder for us non europeans.
I agree and that's why I said I always feel lucky!! Our move to Lisbon sure was made easy due to already being a citizen and resident! My point about the viva card was that for us it's so worth it because we would spend way more than 64€ because we go out all the time and not just within walking distance! With the card we go wherever and don't worry how many times we get on and off public transportation...At 1,50 each time it would surely add up!!
Can I ask which area do you live in?
Sete Rios near the Jardim Zoologique! Our place is small, but we have a large terrace...I feel we got lucky!
Hi, so good to see you. Glad you're settling in well and enjoying life . Eating out is a joy in Portugal. Wish I was there! Have a fabulous weekend. Ennoy the sunshine 🌞 💛
Thanks Carol!
I am so thankful that you guys post the more realistic and down-to-earth advice about moving to Lisbon compared to some on YT! Kudos! I was beginning to wonder about this "super-cheap" portrait of moving to Lisbon that I'd heard about again and again--especially when I started my own research. For example, the rent prices I researched are NOT super-cheap, and I wondered why so many were posting about living in Portugal as being the go-to, super-cheap, "you can live here for practically nothing" lifestyle as a generalized portrait. This video you posted here was a welcome reality check, and I can't thank you enough for calling out some of the exaggeration out there. What you described in this video I would consider a typical, average American middle-class lifestyle, and it is what many perspective ex-pats would be wondering about if they were to move abroad. And I loved the fact that you pointed out that you both have made adjustments to your lifestyles as you have settled in as new Europeans. Yeah, it's going to be different, of course, and one must embrace that change---that's part of the reason to be an ex-pat!!
Hi guys!! 😊 Great video!! 👍 3:43 yes, I'm Vodafone and yes, I agree, best service and customer experience. ✌️
Income and expenditure appear more than balancing out for you guys to afford Lisbon life! Thanks for publicly sharing your monthly expenses all! $125 private insurance, $34 for fitness club and for a few other items that are pricey and way above here, still Lisbon seems worth it for all its razzle dazzle and loads of fun! Great info👍💐
I too have been skeptical of proposed low budgets to live in Portugal. This is a much more realistic picture for us. Thanks as always for the great detail. Your channel is our favorite as we are planning our early retirement and relocation for summer 2021. Would love a video of how much the move actually cost (if you have kept track), so that we can have an idea of what kind of "chunk" we would need to start with. Thanks!
Great video idea! Overall, we didn't spend much on our move because we only brought 3 bags each. But we sold so much stuff we ended up making a lot of money on the move. haha
We love your channel! We just did a trip to portugal and spain together. We are working on our d7 for portugal, but i did notice that homes are expensive there (compared to spain) and i feel your budget is spot on to what we had figured out for living in areas of portugal that we liked. I am very glad you made this video! Thanks so much for helping others on their journey! You guys rock!
Thanks Sunny, helping people out like you is our goal!
The information was helpful and thanks so much for sharing.
I find this a very lavish lifestyle to be honest. No hate. Live the life you want to live 100% but I love living more frugally and having more experiences because I want to retire by 45.. That being said, it is your first month so I do understand the higher bills.
Totally agree on focusing on experiences!
The rent of your apartment is quite expensive for portuguese pocket. What I do it's to check if I can spend only 1/3 of my salary on rent then I can enjoy 2/3 for the rest of expenses. But in Portugal, who gains minimal wage it's impossible to rent any house anywhere (even outside of Lisbon!)
Nice video! Getting it real. Definitely very helpful for us planning to move to Lisbon sometime soon. Muito obrigado!🤤
Glad it was helpful!
Hi guys, I watched you before I went to Portugal, I wish I had remember to meet you in Lisbon. I was three weeks and had a wonderful time in Portugal. I loved Lisbon and enjoy every town I visited. From Porto, Narsare, Peniche, Baleal, Coimbra, guiñares, ,Obidos, Fátima, cascáis, Belem, Lagos was the tcherry on the top for the end of my trip. All, wonderful. Best life, and enjoy your living in Lisbon, keep the good advice.
Thank you!
Great video, my husband and I will be moving to Portugal next summer, we are from Austin too. Thanks for all the work you put into your videos.
Hope they are helpful!
@@HoneymoonAlways Yes, thank you for this video. Central Texas is our home, too. I will definitely be following you as your adventure unfolds.
Thanks guys for the content, I have been in Portugal (Central) but would like to make the move closer to the sea and Lisbon. You have really broken it down and gives me a great idea of what I need to make the move. Also if you are still around I could definitely show some authentic Portuguese places food wise where you can save. Keep it going!
Thanks, Gareth!
Thanks for sharing your budget, it's more realistic than some other budgets I've seen for the lifestyle we have as well. I expect that we will spend more on food and eating out. What is the energy certification and m2 of your apartment for the utilities?
I don’t know our energy certification or m2 but I expect we run our AC more than most, especially since most do not even have AC.
Thank you for your content. Your concerns and life style are
similar to mine.
Thank you, this is really helpful and informative. We plan to move to Portugal in a year. Same kind of lifestyle, + a kid (which should be around 500 euros more)...
Thank you for this video.
I appreciate your honesty, especially as I think my husband and I will be living in a similar neighbourhood with a similar lifestyle, it was good to get a realistic idea of where we would be $ wise.
Though I will probs spend more eating out because I love FOOOOOD.
And there is so much good FOOOD here!
Segway now makes an electric scooter called the C80 that you might enjoy, they are inexpensive and sold in Lisbon
Just seeing this video now, but you mentioned you'd make a new one in a few months. DId that happen? I didn't see a newer one on this topic.
Love your videos!
Thanks Nicole!
I just got done watching our rich journey with their budget for one person in Portugal at $740 month and I watch your video hahaha big difference. Of course there is a lot of difference in lifestyle, location and experiences.
They have some great videos that we watched before we moved, but I just wouldn't want to live like that. They only budgeted $100 for entertainment for $90 for food. That just doesn't seem like the type of lifestyle I want to live.
Finally an honest video on this subject!!
Great info! I’d love to hear about what you guys do remotely for work/income etc 🙏🙏
We have a video on that. 😁czcams.com/video/fGm68TXvChU/video.html
Seeing your groceries+restaurants spent I didn't feel so bad about our spending in Mexico for our exploratory 30-day trip there. We spent 1,200 USD on those items, going to recommended restaurants from FB expats groups, and just being out and about all day we got hungry so we would eat out.a lot...
We found out the same thing: before going for the trip we had budgeted $2000 a month for both of us (based on watching youtube) but after coming back and knowing how much apartments cost + food + insurance etc etc - we adjusted to $3500-$3700!
I really believe many ppl on youtube try to romanticize the costs abroad... for us to live comfortable we would need more than $2000!!!
Thanks for this .How do support your stay in Lisbon? Largely from Online work or savings? Expenses seem high, even without the external monitor as as part of monthly expenses. But of course this for two persons. But totally get it that it is tempting to eat out. And of course, the expenses would be lower for someone who is retired and can afford a house without a mortgage. I think this is what some mean by living cheaply in Portugal.
That’s a good point about owning a home vs renting.
Yes, you did the right thing. Vodafone is the best Internet provider, for both fiber and mobile.
Glad we are doing something right 😊
@@HoneymoonAlways NOS is by far the worst, they have a very bad service. So stay away from them like they are the plague 😄
Great video. I’m surprised how much you did spend considering how much lower the cost of living is there. Although I guess when it was just me and my husband we had a very similar lifestyle to yours and shopped/dined out a ton more so I all lines up when I think about it.
Curious-does the restaurant costs include alcohol? No judgement here just wondering as that does increase the price often substantially. At least in the States. Thanks for sharing!
Good question, they do not include alcohol but some alcohol is cheap, so while we may order a lemonade, a beer or glass of wine are usually similar in price or just a few cents more. If you are looking for regular cocktails then it will make a difference.
I loved your fancy restaurant video more than I thought I would, though not one I would do often. I guess I find the price of your activities very impressive and I would like to see how cheap attractions and activities are. I'm also curious, do they have stadium seating in the theaters?
I have only been to one theater so far and it was stadium seating. Not sure about others. Glad you liked our other video :) Our video of Belem shows the cost of attractions. Anything specific you are wondering about?
Most movie theaters have stadium seating.
Thanks Michelle and Dan! Although we don't plan to live in Lisbon, it's nice to know that we could. I keep forgetting to ask about dryers and air conditioning! I understand that dryers aren't the norm for Portugal (neither is air conditioning) BUT if you want them, expect to pay a pretty penny for each!
What do you think?
Thanks for keeping us informed! Hopefully we'll see you in January! 👍👍
Yes, apartments with AC and heating are a little more expensive, but not a lot.
Hi Loquita. I'm also focused on the dryer issue. Having lived in Italy I can say dryers are not too "common." However, based on other YT videos on PT, looks like the answer concerning dryers is a mixed bag. Specifically: (1) Hang it out the window, (2) Some apartments have a combo washer/dryer unit (either in the kitchen or bathroom). I understand these combo units work "well." Trick here is the exhaust vent. I hear some combo units don't require an exhaust vent. Personally, I don't get how that would work. Maybe someone else knows about that. (3) On Algarve videos some supermarkets have a stand-alone shed with washer/dryer units in the parking lot. I wouldn't think this option exists in Lisbon per se but that's only a guess on my part. This option may exist elsewhere in PT--not sure. Hope this helps a little since the dryer issue was high on my list as well. Cheers.
@@lucchese20 Thank you so much for your reply! 👍
I'm in my 60's with some knee problems, so I don't see me hanging my laundry outside on the line at all. We have an awesome set of Samsung W&D, that we've owned for almost a decade. I can't imagine living without a dryer in my home, (although I did exactly that in Argentina in the mid 90's) I'm so excited about moving to Portugal that we are donating, selling, or handing down to grandkids approximately 95% of everything we own. It's scary and intimidating, but fortunately not the first time that we've moved overseas. We hope to buy a home w/ a garden in the Northern part of Portugal, so heating will be a must, while AC is something we'll have to check into. (We haven't needed AC for the past 5 years because we live at 9K elevation and it's always chilly at night) In fact, we had our first frost last week!
Like I said earlier, we might be able to live without AC, but a dryer is an absolute must have! 😁
Have a lovely evening and thank you again for your reply! 👌
@@ladyloquitavida148 No worries Loquita. We're the same age so we're also keen on the dryer issue. When I lived in Italy, my aunt's apartment was blessed w/a terrace that went almost completely around her apartment so drying clothes in the Italian sun was never an issue. We'll probably rent a bnb in a few PT locations until we figure out where we want to live--so the drying options will be high on our list. Best of luck to you on your move to northern PT. 🇵🇹
@@lucchese20 You too friend! I would have loved to see your Aunt's apartment! Italy is such an incredibly beautiful country. I've only visited, (like a good tourist), we went to Rome to see the Vatican and possibly the Pope. The best meal of my entire life was in Italy. We went to someone's private home and they cooked for us. I'll never forget that lovely woman in the kitchen explaining to me that restaurant food was trash and the REAL Italian food could only be found en casera! (Forgive me if I misspelled!)
Thanks again for your kindness. I hope we run into each other in Portugal!
Hey guys- thanks for sharing your perspective. Do you have any recommendations for what path to use when looking for an apartment in Lisbon? We are likely to move this coming year and will be renting for the first 6mo to year before buying. Oh and hi from texans (from Austin) who are living currently in Singapore
Do you need the lease for your visa?
Hi, thanks for the video. What do you mean about private schools? Do you mean grade school? We are thinking to move from the USA with our 2nd grader. any information will be appreciated. Thanks agine.
Thank you! Looking forward to those 25 Euro manis. 😃
New subscriber😊👏🏾
💖💖💖💖💖
Thanks
I just subscribed
How did you get jobs? is it like online?, Im in San Antonio
No matter your kind of lifestyle. Portugal will be cheaper than the US. For exe. a shot of spresso coffee is around 70 cents Euro. I used to pay $2.50 for a shot of coffee in Florida at this not fancy italian Caffe! Starbucks is cheaper but I didn't like it. As long you don't owe money at the end of the month you're doing fine!
Is your apartment a one bedroom or two guys? How big is it?
I grew up in the neighborhood.... You picked the best place in lisbon in my opinion
Great video once again!👍🏼 Ive been wondering how others are living on 2,000 € a month….I’ve been scouring Idealists pretty much every day for the past 2 months trying to figure out where we want to live. It doesn’t seem like we will find the type of house with the amenities that would be ideal for us at €2000🤷🏻♀️ your budget in this video sounds more realistic if you are living close to the lifestyle you lived in the US. How was your manicure? Do you like the way your nails turned out?? I’ve had gel nails for the past 20 years and I just took them off because I didn’t know if I would be able to keep them up once we move.
Gel nails are very common here, but they were a little painful to put on the gel extensions. Is that normal to you?
I've been looking at listings in Idealista, Lisbon is for sure one of the most expensive cities in Portugal, I've found beautiful apartment buildings in the north side of the country at cheaper prices. Around (and some below) 1000 euros.
Thank you for sharing your spending , this is very similar to our experiences so far. Two questions for you : 1) can you share more details about the swimming lessons and gym classes, as we are interested in enrolling . 2) what vpn are you using to get Netflix to work ?
Thank you !
Swimming is at Campo de Ourique pool. Michelle found the work out group at Jardim da Estela, we use Surfshark vpn
@@HoneymoonAlways Thank you ! Does the pool has swimming lessons ? We also use surfshark VPN and we are not able to watch Amazon prime video anymore. Any particular connection works for you?
You can chat with Surfshark on their website, they helped me with Hulu. Yes they have swim lessons at the pool.
Thanks for sharing
You bet!
Im curious, could you guys do a video on portugal Taxes and health care payments for D7/freelancers?
I just got home from visiting Lisbon and my friend Tammi for 3 weeks and had the best time of my life ‼️
Saw Sintra , Cascais and my favorite was two days in Obiedos ♥️
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Can you tell us a little more about Obiedos? What did you love about it?
Just as a comparison, can you share what your total monthly expense was in Texas vs. Portugal? Thank you 😊
@@HoneymoonAlways how in the world you could spend 6k$ every month?😳
I really appreciate that they are sharing the information. Max, would you care to share yours?
Thank you Dan And Michelle for this video. We were just wondering if you would make a cost of living video as you both are in similar age group with us and lifestyle. My husband and I currently live in Denver, previously Dallas. We are moving to Portugal at the end of next year; we’ve been planning it for a while. In a couple of weeks, 9/23 specifically, we’re taking a two weeks trip to Portugal just to check things out. Would you be able to meet with us for coffee? We would love to meet you in person and hope to learn more from you.
We love Denver! Message us on Instagram to meet up. We will be in Porto for some of that time but we will see how things line up.
Oh, that would be so helpful!
Hi! Seattle resident here, looking to move to Portugal with my partner in 5 years. Out of curiosity, what was your monthly budget in Austin (no judgment)? I feel like that will give me a much better frame of reference as to how many % off living in Lisbon might be compared to a fairly expensive US city.
It’s so hard to say what we spent in Austin because our travel budget really skewed things. But overall, it’s about 20-30% cheaper here.
@@HoneymoonAlways thanks for the reply! I’m assuming about 40% off from Seattle then since it’s slightly more expensive even compared to Austin. Thanks!
The differences that I’ve seen in other people’s videos tend to rest in the location: typically those narratives are - Lisbon is relatively expensive (compared to the rest of the country) and if you want to spend €2K a month, you need to live in a smaller town, probably away from the coast. The CZcamsrs I’ve seen have been pretty clear about that and not misrepresented the situation. I find people hear what they want to hear.
Yes, we see the same thing and noticed the differences, we just wanted to share a different perspective for people who want a lifestyle like ours.
you need to show us more around portugal
Deal! Now that we are more settled we are ready to do just that!
Do you have a hotel recommendation for a first time trip to Lisbon? We would be traveling with a teenager, so we would need extra room. Also, what area would you recommend? Our friends who will be with us need a flat walking area. Thank you, if you can help.
Hi Tami, we are working on putting together some recommendations!
Would love to see a whole travel video. Like which airline to take from the USA. Where to stay, hotel or vacation rental? It's hard to tell just from doing a search. Would love to know from actual travellers. 😁
I think for 2 people just settling into a new home in a new city, most of your expenses are reasonable compared to what you would spend in America. Except of course for groceries and restaurants (yikes!). You didn't mention how much (or if) you're adding to savings, investments or paying off debt. You mentioned a budget of US$4000/mo. but I would encourage you to try for US$3000/mo. and put at least 25% of your budget towards creating a cushion. Saving as much as you can now will make life a lot easier down the road.
Hi Linda! For debt, investments, savings and all that, we wanted to keep some privacy. We set $4000 as an idea of what we would spend, but that number doesn’t really relate to our actual income.
Ilike your hair lowlights!
Thank you!
The price of Living is half that in Leiria. Our rent is $650 we live off of $2100 a month.
And it looks like a beautiful town!
Sooo, as a couple in Figueria da foz we live on €2000 a month - really good quality of life!
Teach us your ways! Is it just really cheap in Figueria da Foz, or is it more your lifestyle?
I'm interested about food options as I am vegan, try to eat organic as much as possible and have some food allergies. Do you see lots of organic food in the markets? Do restaurants have vegan options? Do packaged foods list food allergens like they do in the US?
We aren’t experts on this, but there are organic options. Vegan is a bit challenging, but is growing in popularity. I have seen mentions of allergens on the food packaging.
In my experience traveling in Portugal people were always really kind about food allergies when eating out. They seem better about labeling things on the menu and making adjustments. I did go to one vegan restaurant in Lisbon and it was good but I didn’t see a whole lot of places that specifically catered to vegans.
Your viewers may be interested to know or should research if they plan on buying a car. The cost of cars in Portugal is high compared to other European countries. I find insurance costs low but there are road taxes quarterly as well as toll highways. I've been here 3 years and am from Canada. I live in a rural area though in central Portugal.
Hi Laura, what is the road tax? I have never heard of that.
@@HoneymoonAlways there are 2 + tolls: Imposto Único Circulação this is yearly and ISV one time when you buy the car. I was caught by surprise as I didn't know about the IUC until I registered as NHR for income tax and my lawyer advised I had all these road taxes outstanding. That said it's probably a good idea to research ahead tax standing based on one's personal situation. It can be daunting especially if you don't speak the language.
At 1st your costs are high. Mine were thru the roof cause I purchased a home and had all kinds of expenses, especially with new appliances. Eventually the budget balances to much more affordable amounts.
I imagine getting a home ready to move into would be expensive!
For a portuguese with that kind of rent actually would better to buy a home. I understand that for you is only a experience living here for the moment.
We are considering that, maybe one day.
U guys are awesome 👌
Thank you Henry!
how's it like with locals ? do they speak english generally? what's the expat/social scene like? is it easy meeting people
Very easy meeting people, locals are great. Many speak some level of English to make it easy to get by.
Full cost breakdown
czcams.com/video/FMMmVteqi50/video.html
Thank you for your candor! The viewing public takes away what it finds useful: good/bad/indifferent.
As for me, I find the information you impart invaluable. I use it to flush out my PT budget.
Could you please tell me the number of bedrooms in your apartment? It’ll help me get a better idea of how much to spend for housing. Thank you!
-Patricia
P.s: We’re still waiting on our passport renewal. Once we get it, I’ll make good on that promise I made to you on FB. We look forward to treating the two of you to lunch at Eleven.
You are so kind! We are in a 2 bedroom apartment.
Since people have different lifestyles, and different definitions of “lavish”, I wonder how your monthly costs in Portugal differ from your monthly costs in Austin? There are obvious differences (renting vs owning, city center vs. suburbs, no car), but the common factor is you two and what is your baseline lifestyle.
It's hard to compare to our Austin living because so much has changed. In Austin, we had very average cars, average homes, spent more on personal care and travel. Here we don't have a car, rent a much smaller apartment and spend more eating out (even though that has gone down a lot since this video). Overall, when it balances out, I think our quality of living is the same but at a 20%ish savings.
With 1300€ of rent, could live in a luxury apartment or in a house with a backyard or in a condominium. With the total spent per month, you could live as a king in the Parque das nações or on the outskirts of Lisbon.
We still haven't visited there yet! Added to our list!
Meant high healthcare cost here in the U.S., for a comparison
Healthcare makes such a difference!
yes in Lisbon 4000€ wont give you "live like king" quality of life, rent's are way up and generally everything is costing a a fair bit more. But say in a smaller town money will stretch way more rent can be 1/3 of that. restaurants will also be cheeper etc etc...
nothing new here its the same in the US right?
Yes, it’s the same, the difference we saw in planning is several resources only share the numbers from the more affordable places so we wanted to share another example.
I think this number is really high. First months are always more expensive as naturally you want to eat out more, see and do more. I honestly believe this number could be cut in half easily. I appreciate you explaining why it’s higher and letting us know it was your first months, but I’d really be interested in COL after say your 6th month. $4500US is basically what is spent at home without even really even thinking about it too much but I think this is pretty high for even Lisbon, and you guys are definitely top 10%ers if not 1%ers. But again every one has a different style of living. Not knocking you. Good vid
We agree that it is high compared to many people, but we want to give an honest and transparent view for Americans who are middle class or upper middle class to see what a similar standard of living will be. We will be updated this soon with a budget we think is more in line with regular monthly spending.
@@HoneymoonAlways yes it makes sense. For me If I leave I’ll take a significant cut in pay. So I think do i really wanna go live in some crap area and be on the bare minimum? I think however it’s probably doable and with some dignity for about €1800/month. But yes if you’re upper class you probably don’t want to move to a foreign country and be lower class.
Cost of moving and setting up a household expenses, perhaps?
That is definitely part of it.
Even tho I'm single its good to get an idea of what the finances would be in Portugal. I want to make my way there for the first time and perhaps stay there for good. I imagine it would be cut in half or even lower maybe ? lol Thanks for the 🇵🇹 content !
Yes, especially if you find a roommate
You certainly live and eat well on this budget. It'd be really interesting to see what your monthly expenses are once you're more settled in. Thanks for sharing!
grocery store?do you mean super/hyper market?
Grocery store can be anywhere we buy groceries, so yes a super or hyper market.
Indeed. No place is free and a lot of things in Europe are more expensive just by default due to high taxes.
I don’t know what living like a king means, but from what I am seeing in your vlog you are leaving comfortably. Is there a higher level of leaving? Maybe, but that would be without real substance. I am sure that, after you settle down and find out a few unknowns to you at this time, you will lower your cost considerably. Anyway, I am pleased to see that you are two intelligent people leaving in a dream country.
I think you are right, that we will find some savings along the way. We are already seeing it. As far as a higher standard of living, this budget didn't include any additional travel and we would like a better apartment, closer to the ocean. At least with some outdoor area. So not too much more of an upgrade.
This is a lot considering that the wages in portugal are very low...
Yes, it would be impossible to afford on the average Portuguese salary, interesting thought is everyone else in our building is Portuguese so some are able to afford.
You can shave off lots of money from that rent if you move out of lisbon; You might want to get a car then, but some caveats - You will need a PT drivers license, and you better know how to drive with manual gears!
Seems your utilities were sorta high, can u break that down more ?
Surprisingly tin eared video from you guys. Your money is yours to spend as you like but it would be decent in London for living. I get the desire to share your experience but the sneering at the idea a budget of 2000 euros for a country were the minimum wage is just over 600 came off as entitled & I'm not surprised Portuguese people are challenging you.
We understand, this video is more targeted for other people looking to move to Portugal and think that 2000 euros is going to give you the same quality of life as a middle class income in the US for a couple.
@@HoneymoonAlways Can I suggest that if you want a middle class US life the best place to do that is in the US
Did we give the impression that we don’t want to live here?
@@HoneymoonAlways I think I've watched most of your videos and I like them, its you now telling me that they're aimed at informing middle class Americans about maintaining that life. My point, which should be self-evident, is that Portugal is different and the vast majority of people live full and rich lives on a fraction of what you do and if you expect to "live" in Portugal (I'm never sure what expat-ing is) you need to respect that in your videos and I didnt think you got the tone of that right. You're completely entitled to ignore my view but reading some other comments below I dont think I'm miles off. Boa sorte
@@midlifecrisistheportugalye6682 Well we appreciate your comments and sharing your perspective.
I’m only paying €1400 with bills included. Surprised you are required to pay extra
Things have to be cheap here, otherwise people can't afford living, average wage ranges from 700 to 900 euros. Also, you are living in Lisbon which is an inflated city due to its recent sudden internationalization..
great video, I would say I find it strange 280€ on utilities, but has u do not say what is considered there so its a bit obscure. I would say living in Lisbon area, if utilities is TV , PHONE , WATER, ELECTRICITY and GAS, I pay around 120 up to 160€ in the worth month bills, and its a family of 3 persons inside the house , I am an IT guy so plenty of electric devices and we make all meals inside cooking and a girls with 6.
All the rest was a bit explained , yes restaurants well you can easily lower by knowing with time the best places not so expensive and maybe eating even better but takes time.
I can see you are a couple that yes wants to have a good life and are in a prety good place, well I have a shop in Campo de Ourique, the neihborhood is good, but I not for me, I like it better house more calm place like you can find near "marginal lisboa to cascais, some places there", and lowering the rent , for example my place is just like your or biguer and I pay 340€ per month but I buying it so the money stays with me , renting is going out... traveling there is where it goes up in spending that is just normal.
I will always comment on some specifics that you put on videos for sure!!! cheers
Good point! For us it breaks down with 30€ for a hotspot, 50€ for 2 cell phone plans. Gas was 45€ electric 122€ water 33€
@@HoneymoonAlways You are severely overpaying for internet and cellphones. For a 3P with 500Mb internet+tv+landline = 30€. Adding phones with 6Gb of data should go to around 50-55€. If you have Edp as the electric company, go for NOS and you will double the data plan and get a discount on the electric bill. Ping me if you need help on this.
With what we do for work, we need a lot more than 6gb…
@@HoneymoonAlways yes this breakdown tells me that well everything is more or less correct but what is out is 122€ electric something is not right , if it was prepare for the double on winter…122€ is more than I payed my entire 50 years living in Portugal in one month even on winter…check this out something is not ok I am telling you
We would be more worried, but we plan on moving to another apartment soon. But we like the cold so we think we will use less in the winter, we will see…
Just found you guys! Ever think of changing your channel name? Seems very limited. I think you may get more viewers if had a different name.
It's probably because you are in the capital city, they are always more expensive.
Yes, the idea of moving to a smaller city is definitely on our mind.
Lol, Campo de Ourique is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the whole country
£1300 rent ? Soon Portuguese people won't have a chance to live in their own country....the country is being slowly sold in exchange for golden visa and tax free benefits. So sad to see but hey it's capitalism. I hope you enjoy your stay in Portugal :) but that's not real Portugal/Lisbon. It's more like a holiday resort or theme park where most of Lisboetas are being forced to move out and be completely dependent on tourism or expats. Expats...because if Portuguese go to the USA they're called emigrants....not expats.. I apologise for the rant - it's not your fault - good luck.
Hi Maria, we appreciate the comment. It’s a complicated situation and we understand that not everyone wins. We know the government is incentivizing people to immigrate and we are taking advantage of that opportunity. We hope our spending which we know is more than the average citizen will help the country economically to make it worth any negative effects. It is interesting that the rules for golden visas and taxes on pensions for the nhs system are changing. I bet they will continue to change until they are completely phased out.
@@HoneymoonAlways you are completely right in taking advantage of our "socialist" government and their unfair, blinked, short term measures. I'm not judging you or any of the people who are lucky enough to have this opportunity. Just commented to alert that foreigners are not coming to Portugal because of its beauty, culture and the Portuguese. They come because it's cheaper and on top of that they have fiscal advantages. Again good luck and happy stay in lovely Lisboa.
@@MariaSantos-rv5kh I only will correct one thing in that we 100% came to Portugal for its beauty, culture, climate. We could have gone to other places, but it is the easy to achieve visa, cost of living, and NHR tax scheme that made it possible. And when our 10 years on the tax scheme runs out, a change in the tax scheme won't cause us to leave because of how wonderful this county is.
@@HoneymoonAlways I will have to agree with Maria. Foreigners come here mainly for the tax benefits. If you were forced to pay 40% of your wage in taxes, you would not be here, as simple as that.
It's so ridiculous that as NHR you only pay 20%, which is less than a citizen in its own country. Does that make sense to you?
@Lorraine Clark Hi Lorraine, the NHR is still available. They now tax retirement funds at 10% so maybe that is what she was referring to. There are also changes to the golden Visa, so that might be what they mean as well. With pre-existing conditions, private health insurance will likely not cover them but they are always covered by public health care.
I'm Portuguese, live in Finland and the wife and I spend HALF of what you guys spend... Geez...
Dude acts like he's being forced to participate in this. Blink twice if you need help bro
🤣🤣🤣 it was my idea (Dan here)
@@HoneymoonAlways I hope to get there one day, minus the youtube. Keep it up yall.
Hi Guys! Thanks for sharing. Any “first month,” “version 1 software,” “first grand opening,” etc. will not be representative as you know. So appreciate the honesty. BTW-you mentioned the possibility of getting a Vespa. YEEEES! So far, you’re the only YT’bers that I know that’s even considering it. Thinking about it myself vs. purchasing a car-which I’d rather avoid. Decision will depend on where we’ll live, transit options, distance to grocery store, etc. If you get one 👍🏻 🛵 👍🏻 I’d be VERY interested in knowing if a license is required and the rigamarole around that. Here in California, a license is required based on the motor size. No idea what rules in PT might be since rarely (if ever) mentioned on YT. Good luck and looking forward to future videos. 🇮🇹
We will let you know if we go that route!
@@HoneymoonAlways Sounds good. Thanks.