Living in Portugal as an American is ANYTHING but easy.
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
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www.daveinportugal.com
Hello I'm some guy named Dave in Portugal.
In this video I explore why living in Portugal can be so difficult for an American.
If you're interested in more videos about Portugal, subscribe to this channel and follow my journey!
-Dave
To Support Dave:
paypal.me/daveinportugal
Learn Portuguese through the best Online Master Class that I personally use myself : www.portuguesewithanita.com/D...
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Use the coupon code: DAVE for free shipping!
As an added bonus, you can start a 30-day free trial of MyHeritage's best subscription for family history research - and enjoy a 50% discount if you decide to continue it.
to me the idea of sending my fricken dna to anyone is totally ludicrous
like you, my DNA has 32% Iberian (Basque & Valencia from Spain & Azores, Portugal) 😊
i show you Portugal ! you know nothing !!
hey Dave, where did you send your sample to? Assuming you had it sent to you in Portugal.
Haha if you're looking for a real life challenge then Portugal is the place for you! filling out paperwork for documentation wil be like piecing a puzzle 😂 together
"Living in Portugal as an American is ANYTHING but easy." Yeah.... It ain't easy for us portuguese either🤣🤣🤣
Right in the bull's eye 😅😂😂
There's a reason why so many of us leave, that's for sure😅
@@Sedafo11You could not pay me to liv in US with 😢 the insane Rethuglian people’s party! Portugal is not perfect. No place ticks all the boxes, but it’s dam close! Military veteran.
As a portuguese I completely agree!!!!! 😅😅😅😅😅
As an American, i found Portuguese people the nicest people you would ever meet, if anyone having a hard time being away from their home country they should consider moving back!
when living overseas you run into people who weren't happy where they came from, and after a while you realize they brought there own problems with them. no country can fix that
I couldn't agree more
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Agreed.
So true!
AMEN. This is sounding more and more like any other white US American who migrated elsewhere in the globe, just moping about over how things don't go as they expected. We get a lot of these types in the Philippines too.
As a portuguese myself, this is all true. Yet, I've visited many well developed countries, different continents and I still wouldn't move elsewhere. yeah the salaries aren't as good as in germany and yada yada, bureaucracy is a pain in the asx, but... the way of life, the tranquility, the freedom, the safetyness, the sun, the sea, the landscapes, the people,... you can't buy that.
Completely agree!! I lived there for 30 years and I really miss the way of life but moved to Toronto few years ago and I absolutely love it here and going back now is out of the question besides vacay couple times a year
tranquility and bureacracy - oxymoron
The people? They are actually the worst thing about the country, I mean, they’re not all bad, but the vast majority … could use some kind of improvement.
freedom? portuguese are fascist by nature
@@Nunov103 bingo
I like your honesty. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and met my wife in Portugal in 1985. We were married in Lisbon, where she was born and raised, a year later. We have spent the last 37 years living and raising our family in both countries. My situation is unique in that I’ve never known anyone but Portuguese people in Portugal. My wife’s family and friends,etc. I learned the language early as my wife learned English. Without mastering the language you will always be a tourist and even when you speak fluently you will always be a “estrangeiro”. It’s the same for my wife in the US. It’s not a big deal because we are both fluent in both languages but it is what it is. If you move to Portugal for love or love of the country then great but if you move, like most people, because you think it will be cheaper you are just doing yourself a disservice, a disservice to Portugal and will never assimilate. Just move to Arkansas if you want cheap. Um abraço
Portugal changed drastically in the last 7 or so years, i wouldnt be surprised if Portuguese people were a minority in Lisbon right now
@@knightheaven8992 I agree. I still spend half the year there and unfortunately it doesn’t even resemble the beautiful Portugal of old. Back in the 80s we had our problems but overall it was great. The world in general has changed a lot in the last seven years and not for the better.
Good for you and your wife! You both sound like awesome people.
My aunt married a Portuguese man back in the 60's and has lived in Porto ever since Salazar went to his eternal reward. I asked my cousin if her mother spoke "correct" Portuguese- she kind of laughed and just said no. Apparently she still gets tenses and declensions or whatever wrong- I'm glad we don't have those things in English! Anyway, yes, you will always be “estrangeiro”
Ta tudo dito!
Some comments from US citizen settled here. A) Transportation is way better then the US ! Trains, buses , cheap Airline tickets if you wish to fly. US lacks by far ! Here , I don't even own a car. Bought a Scooter for whenever I need to, that's it !) B) Health care cost & services which are extremely important, especially for retirees is WAY BETTER then the US even under Medicare. C) Food is way better and fresh !!! nothing like in the US D) US is in a spiral mode down for the last few years to an unbearable mode (For me and many others that I know,) ... so am happy to leave the crap out there and relax here.
And you are welcome here.
You came, you live here, you pay some taxes here, including in every purchase you make. What you use from our society is probably less than what you contribute with, unless you use our public health care with some difficult health issue. But I guess that won't be the case, as most likely you'll have private health insurance.
The only only problem is the now lack of housing affordability. But that's not a problem of who's coming here. The problem is the lack (or insufficiency) of new construction, to keep up with demand. The americans, or others, are not to blame. They are just seeking a better lifestyle, like we all do.
The housing (now distopic) prices are hurting many people here (specially renters), but at the same time are benefiting home owners who are selling houses to forigners at doble or more the price they would get 5 years ago. It gets also to be a problem to young portuguese who are trying to buy their first home, and got completly priced out nowadays.
I remember 10 years ago, I used to rent a bedroom in Lisbon for 150€/m. Nowadays the same kind of room is going for 400/500€/m. It's unbeliaveble.
But I reafirm, the problem is the lack of construction. Not the forigners.
From a portuguese young man.
Thank you! Thank you! This is one of the most helpful bits of information about Portugal I’ve seen thus far! Transportation and food happen to be a priority in my life. 🌞
@@kikoempis lack of new construction is only part of the problem. The othe big problem is the lack of transparency and due diligence on the part of real estate agents, especially the ones catering to foreigners. No system in Portugal to check actual prices of sold properties, no appraisal or thorough inspections of properties before purchase, agents pressuring foreigners to buy at full asking price, etc.
I dont blame agents, it's just that real este regulations are severely lacking in Portugal.
Also, the vast majority of properties need major renovations and many foreigners have spent a lot of money to bring them to modern standards. Naturally, the asking price is much higher when they sell and many foreign buyers like me are looking for the same type of property (high energy efficiency rating, open floor plan, light/neutral colors, A/C, no sign of mold/humidity inside, etc.)
So true. US is now a third world country. Half the population has revealed itself as fascist. Everyone on the left is at the throat of everyone else on the left. The front page news is about the number of mass murders the night before. In the cities one is surrounded by homeless drug addicts. The party t hat controls the House of Reps thinks the biggest problem is the dirt on Hunter Biden's laptop. I truely wonder why anyone would want to live there. And I have been a lifelong patriot and scholar of American culture. Pols from both parties somehow kept the ugly underbelly of the nation under wraps at least since the 1960s. Now they dominate.
Complete bs
I am originally from Denmark, but lived in Northern California for many years and I would say for Americans the things to be aware of are you cannot get a 30 year mortgage if you are older. Also the mold and lack of modern insulation, heating and aircon comes as a shock to many. Be aware of this and make sure you have the money to either rent or buy a newer place if this will be a concern. And, of course when renting in Europe you need to remember that you likely will not have a dryer, just a washer. I love Portugal! I feel safe as a woman walking pretty much anywhere, the food is great, proximity and ease of travel to other places is great, and the Portuguese people are very relaxed and I find it to be a very welcoming place.
>=20Litre p/d capacity €150 dehumidifier, strategically used, can relieve a lot of issues.
@@imnolte I found that many houses in Portugal use dehumidifiers instead of air conditioners, and I found that that works well.
You didn’t mention anything about the Portuguese women and their attitude towards American men.
@@DonAntoniodetucumCan you explain a little more?
@@Srcccfy Dave was asking for input for his future videos and I was curious about his and other single men attempting to settle there and find mates or just dating. There is resentment towards foreigners coming to Portugal and causing property values to rise as well as services. And problems of poor communication because of not being fluent in Portuguese. So what is the experience with finding mates or dating. And what are Portuguese women like compared to USA women? That’s it Christian.
Good overview. I recently spent nine days in PT, to do a proof of concept in Porto for retirement. I will not retire there, but it has nothing to do with Portugal or her people. Portugal and the Portuguese are extraordinary. I could rave on for paragraphs, but I realized I could not be that far away from friends, family and familiarity. I add I would been entirely willing to learn Portuguese (one of the most musical and lyrical languages I've ever heard.)
Bottom line for Americans - do extensive homework, go there and observe, and please be a gracious guest or new resident. Portugal is not going to conform to your ideas or expectations, nor should it.
Keep up the good work Dave :)
Oh great comment! Thanks for your kind words about my country, language and our people ❤
Thank you Justin,
Thanks for painting a more realistic picture of how living in Portugal is. I myself am Dutch, I moved from the Netherlands to Portugal, have a Portuguese job, and I pay Portuguese taxes from day one. And yes it hurt to go from 32 hours to 40 hours a week. And when I got my first pay check I almost cried. But that is my choice and I get a lot of sunshine back for that.
I can't help but strongly dislike Americans that put up videos about how to get a cheaper life in Portugal but maintaining their income and standards of the US. And I didn't even know you had a 10 year tax advantage which is even less fair to Portuguese inhabitants ( I believe they are going to change that but I am not sure ).
I am all for a world without boundaries and everyone should be able to live wherever they want. But not by exploiting the situation. There is one general rule of thumb: If you are not paying for it, someone else is. In this case it is the Portuguese inhabitants just like me, that cannot afford to live in Lisbon because the prices that they are asking, are simply impossible to pay if you work here. But also the ridiculous prices you pay in the city for a drink and some food because of tourism. There is no way one can pay a 2000 euro rent per month if he or she only get's a thousand on their bank account. And if you get a 1000 you are lucky because the minimum wage 760 euros BEFORE TAXES.
There is a health system that I have been paying tax for for over 12 years now and will continue to every month until the day I retire. I think it is simply not fair, that I pay tax, but then for a "digital nomad" they pay relatively much less and still get to reap the benefits. But hey at least you will have to go through the same horrific waiting cueues to even see a doctor.
Don't get me wrong, again I think everyone should have the right to live wherever they want. And if you are lucky to maintain your US income and benefit a tax advantage, good for you. I would do the same if I had the chance. But it is another thing to see people create videos and praising and advertising how great it is that you can get more quality of life for your money here in Portugal, making money of that video, and completely ignoring that part of that extra value is achieved over the back of others.
The problems your dealing with are happening everywhere that’s nice in the world. You should see how expensive houses have gotten in Canada. Especially on the west coast were I came from. You now need about 2 million dollars to buy a house in Vancouver and the wages are low. It takes about 11 x the average income to qualify for a mortgage. The wealthy are buying up everything globally.
@Ben: Did you leave The Netherlands because of too many people moving there?
I’m happy you also believe that people have the right to live anywhere they want. He are humans after all.
Funny. I have lived in Portugal for five years. All my trouble melted away and my life is perfect. And I don't make CZcamss about it, or sell anything either.
Us too.
As an American that moved to Portugal in 2021, I appreciate this kind of video. "Moving to Portugal" can be vastly different experiences based on where you want to live, what lifestyle you desire, and what your budget/income is. Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto have become crowded with inflated costs. But the interior of Portugal is a completely different world. Videos should deal with the cities as a completely separate thing on its own. Costs are vastly lower in the countrysides. Not mentioned in Dave's video here is the challenges of making friends, finding one's tribe as an immigrant. In places where a lot of people speak English this is easier of course. Learning a new language is a huge challenge but ultimately worth it.
I came from California and settled in the Silver Coast after living in the Algarve for a year and a half. Overall, almost everything is cheaper in Portugal.
From rent to food to healthcare, etc., I am saving about 50% monthly. The key is to live in an area not frequented by tourists and to get to know the locals because they can help you save money (there is a double market system in Portugal, one for locals and another, much more expensive, for tourists and foreigners).
Regarding car prices, the key is to not buy new because of the 23% VAT tax (not applicable to used vehicles) and the already high MSRP price to begin with. I bought a 2019 Ford Focus ST-Line (assembled in Cologne, Germany, by the way) with 10K kms, 7-year extended warranty and saved over 5,000 euros (paid 18K euros).
Also, good used cars do not depreciate in value quite as fast as in other countries due to Portugal's strict car import regulations and new car affordability issues.
Regarding petrol prices, Portugal does have some of the highest prices in Europe but, compared to the average U.S. owner who drives a big SUV or truck over longer distances, the average monthly cost can be lower, especially if you drive a diesel-powered economy car which is very common in Portugal.
Yes, highway toll fees are very high, but one can take a train or to just about any faraway destination, which usually ends up being the cheapest and most relaxing option for me (for example, I recently took a bus to Lisbon from the Algarve and the one-way ticket price was 8 euros!)
Bottom line is that, with a little research and chatting with locals who know the ins and outs of living in their area, anybody can learn the culture and assimilate.
I am portuguese with 51 yes, last paragraph is the key, all human should be observers and that requires habits, patience and knowledge, I would even say Portugal has a triple system, the foreigners route, for the ones who just think cheap is enouph and they rent super prices from the point of view of almost any Portuguese, who can pay per month more than 1000€ that is crazy but I see all the time americans and others thinking 1500 is allright, then the other layer is the normal Portuguese who knows Portugal and knows what is average prices, and then you have the Portuguese or people who are very systematic and really looks to get the better prices and avoid the LOOKS...if u research and talk with a multitude of people and look for you will find that Portugal is the cheaper to live and eat in EUROPE, even in big cities you can live ok and affordable but easy it is not to find solutions takes time and take a lot of will for sure....
Can you expand on the "there is a double market system in Portugal, one for locals and another, much more expensive, for tourists and foreigners" part? I didn't quite get it
I will also had one bit for those frustrated with bureaucracy, Portugal is with everyday more and more dominated by Political machines, if you know the right people you dont have to deal with a lot of things, it is so bad for a while now that some public workers have the very peculiar experience of creating exceptions to a certain law, with orders that come directly from the very top in Government. These are not powerful people they are nobodies that know powerful people, and those are the ones running the political machines and only if you are involved with party politics in Portugal you know who they are.
@@marianasantos2179 Different prices for locals and for tourists. Happens in other countries as well.
Portugal does not have a double market system. The prices are exactly the same for Portuguese and foreigners. It’s just that if you go to places that cater to foreign tourists you will pay more. Portuguese would also pay more if they went there but they don’t because prices are high and quality low. That simple. And, by the way, how does a foreigner chat with the locals in a small town unless they speak the language? And if you are chatting in English you will be treated as a foreigner and rightfully so.
Hey! My husband and I love your videos and the perspective you add! We are Americans living in Portugal for the last 3 years. We agree with you on all points. For us, we are flexible people who came into our experience with no real expectations. We just wanted a safe, warm place to live and explore. Having patience and a sense of humor is essential for life here. After that, life falls into place. You have mentioned this in previous videos but I would also advise to anyone considering a move to Portugal, please take some languages classes. Although the Portuguese are friendly and many speak English, you will feel the language barrier preventing you from enjoying like and making Portuguese friends - and without speaking Portuguese, the bureaucracy will feel even worse!
@@phillipbanes5484 There were over 40 mass shootings in America in August.
I'm Portuguese. I agree totally about your video, hope US citizens understands what you explain. Have fun and enjoyng
Excellent video as always. Speaking from my experience of emigrating to Italy 30 years ago, I would add: 1. You must want to actually live in the new country and not just treat it as an extended holiday, moaning about all the things that are different; 2. You really need to learn the language in order to understand the history and culture - I've met too many people who have lived here in Italy for years, sometimes decades; who have never bothered to learn the language (something very prevalent among couples who "only speak English at home"). This year my wife and I discovered Portugal and fell in love with the place (especially since my wife is Brazilian), so we've become regular viewers of your channel. Keep up the good work, Dave!
Olá Dave! Thank you for telling the truth about what it's like to live in Portugal. I've been here in Porto for 9 months and so far it has been fairly smooth, but I am keenly aware of the pushback by locals (understandably) and I'm doing my best to be respectful and aware. Watching your videos earlier in my process has been quite helpful! I look forward to meeting you in person. I'd love to have you on my upcoming show (The Visionary Voyager) as a guest to talk about your experiences. I LOVE living here and feel quite welcomed by the Portuguese people in my neighborhood and the new friends I am making. I'm proud to say I live in Portugal!
The guy from Sintra here. Man, you could have named the video "living in Portugal as a Portuguese". We also hate all those points, but you are right. We have such beauty and richness in plain sight, that we sometimes forget to enjoy what we do have. Thats why we have the word Saudade, because Portuguese that do leave the country, often miss it intensely and come back often on vacations. Thanks for the clip!
Dave - Regarding Taxes - you failed to mention that..."for US expats there is a treaty between the USA and Portugal that prevents double taxation" - so if you are paying taxes in the USA your tax in Portugal will basically be ZERO.
Wow! Thanks for mentioning this extremely important point! 🌞
Not necessarily - Portuguese taxes are higher at most levels of income, so you'd still pay the difference - the treaty allows for each country to have different rates, and the taxpayer gets a credit if they pay higher taxes to one country - e.g if your income is taxed at 20% in the US, and Portugal's rate is 30, you'd still pay 30 total, not 20 - the treaty prevents you from paying 50 (20+30). NHR relieves this for 10 years by not taxing foreign income and providing a 20% max rate for Portuguese income. But after the 10 years, your income will be subject to both US and Portuguese taxes.
While there are tax treaties in place, saying you'll pay zero taxes in Portugal is just bullshit. After living here for 183 days, you will become a tax resident of Portugal. Portugal will expect you to pay taxes on your income. The NHR scheme could provide some breaks on that, but you will have to pay taxes on any Portuguese sourced income. So, if you work remotely for a US company or have clients in the US, and are sitting at a desk in Portugal, that is Portuguese sourced income, subject to Portuguese income tax. The good news is that the US IRS has the FEIE which could eliminate your US tax bill (depending on how you earned that money, the amount, things like that). But, you will be subject to Portuguese taxes, no matter what.
I started working to move to Portugal in 2019 and plans fell through due to the pandemic. I decided to come to Porto because my Portuguese needs a lot of work. My cost of living did not go down, my rent is higher than I had planned. My apartment is almost double of the comparable apartments I looked at in early 2020. I feel like I have had it pretty easy so far with my documents and getting registered. It took a while and I got smacked in the face with beauracracy and trying to figure out processes and delays but it is worth it to me. I have not had people hate me often for being from the US. I try to speak the language, I wait patiently in queues, and I come back to whatever official organization for the 3rd time to get that last bit done. The food is good, the people are lovely and I can walk to almost anything I need. However, emigrating to a new country causes a lot of isolation and loneliness. I get sick of doing everything by myself and feeling like an idiot every day.
I’m currently living in a small town in India and feel like the village idiot, although most Indians love foreigners. That’s definitely a positive about India. I don’t speak the local language and in this particular location English isn’t as common amongst older generations. I’ve lived in Delhi, Hyderabad and Agra and it was easier regarding English. I’m looking to live in Portugal part of the year and in India, another part. Hopefully in Portugal you can find some expats and/Facebook groups that connect you to some real people there who speak English and are willing to befriend you! Best of luck 🌞
@@justinbieber12373well that is for sure another issue.
An important part of the growing to a human is being alone, by and with oneself.
That's the way i lived it...
J. Krishnamurti may help to realize it...
@@superpoodleheadyou will find so many people speaking english in Portugal.
Just come and have a look gor 2/3 months
You are welcome 😊
@@carlosfigueira5076 Thank you! I’m planning on it! :)
@@carlosfigueira5076 Only near bigger cities, go where it's cheaper, and not many speak English.
I think there was a huge piece of context missing.....there are currently 7k-10k Americans actually living in Portugal. That is only .001% of the countries population at most. So to make statements that Americans are driving prices higher on their own is misleading.
Regarding the statement about NHR, you say you have to have a "skilled job AND qualify for the NHR". It is true that in order to qualify for NHR you cannot have been a resident for the previous 5yrs. However, you do not have to have a skilled job to qualify.
We have in Portugal about 5% foreigners living. Blame tem for the spiking house prices is totally unfair, blame the lack of new construction and greed of speculators instead! I have seen houses for rent in Algarve for over 10k/month. Ridiculous. It is completely unbearable for a normal family, and we are not talking about Monaco or Dubay!
@@jmbpinto73 great point and overlooked by most.
I think you are missing the point. The percentage of Americans does not matter as it is a fact that restaurants is starting to add percentage for tips etc. I have been living in Portugal for quite some time and can attest to that being a fact.
@@elizabethventer7534 no, not missing the point at all but numbers don't lie. An immigrant population of one one thousandth of a percent (.001) will not dictate what is occurring. Additionally, it is occurring in all developed countries in the world due to many contributing factors. Just for giggles, the top 5 immigrant populations in Portugal:
Brazil 183,993
United Kingdom 46,246
Cape Verde 36,609
Romania 30,052
Ukraine 28,629
These top 5 countries will do far more to influence inflation and behavior in Portugal than the very small number of Americans which is currently somewhere between the 17th - 20th position of the list of immigrant countries to Portugal. All done, enjoy Dave's videos as I do!
@OhMyPortugal thank you for clarifying that the issue around higher prices is not soley related to Americans, but related to the influx of immigrants on the whole. Immigrants in Portugal largely come from Eastern Europe, and Latin America.....and far less are from the US. I have not lived in Portugal, but have thoroughly enjoyed the times that I have visited.
I hear you. My wife and I have been retired here for 5 years. We have had challenges but all have been surmountable. Living in a welcoming village has helped us navigate and endure the cultural confusions. Have not encountered a backlash against American s probably because we are seen as immigrants not investors. Keep up the good content.
I am 20 years in Portugal, have a Portuguese wife, absolutely love Portugal... Your video was pretty spot on, even Portuguese get frustrated with the endless paperwork, waiting, more paperwork and on and on. Cars a crazy expensive. We drive a 1994 Opel Corsa, it old, beaten, battered and, when it comes to the end of its life, probably at inspection time this year, we will look for another sub 2000 Euro car. With the roads and the tracks we drive there is no point in blowing big bucks on a nice car! This week I saw a property for rent. 11,000 Euro per month, yes, thats correct 11,000 Euro. The Algarve is way too touristic for us though we do visit once a year, on the way back from spending Christmas in Spain 🙂 We live in Coimbra district, in between Lisbon and Porto, Coimbra, a beautiful historic city with easy access to beaches and mountains! From where we live we can be at the ski resort in 90 minutes and on the beach in 90 minutes! Yes, I love Portugal and all its frustrations! LOL
Great video Dave!! Informative and creative. We can't wait to discover Portugal for ourselves.
Dave, your channel is filled with important details and facts that many will learn from. PT is lucky to have you.
Hey Dave !
We really love your videos special for the reality of Portugal , Nothing is perfect and we start to develop more and a more patience, we used to be right on the schedule but now is a game change and We love it
Keep up with the excellent insides and Saudade for the family
I'm a Portuguese immigrant in the UK and missing family and friends is definitely the hardest part. Wish I could go back home but unfortunately, like I said... I'm Portuguese. 😉 Enjoy some pastel de nata and bacalhau à Brás for me. Cheers 🤜🇬🇧🇵🇹🤛
Sorry if you are a Portuguese living in the UK in 2 hours you can fly there very cheaply, I am from Mexico living in England ,married to an English man 4 children. I cannot go often to see family although they have come to visit me but is nearly 11 hours and a very expensive ticket.
@@lorenaledger6547 No one told me it was a competition. I guess I win then...
We used to have a cafè here in Oslo, called "Pastel de Nata", run by a Portuguese-German couple. Everything authentic ,made from portuguese ingredients. Loved the cake with the same name as the cafè. I tried bacalhau once at their place, and I had three servings.. so good. Muito obrigado.
Love your videos mate, you're spot on life's an adventure we shouldn't expect a different culture to be the same as to what we leave behind. Also the point of it all is to step outside the comfort zone that's how we learn and grow within ourselves.
Moving to Portugal from the UK (don't ask) next month
Keep up the great work👍
have been following your channel for a while, and love the different perspective you share about Portugal. I was ordering a 23and me DNA kit today, and remembered you shared a promo in this old video for a competitor, so decided to contribute to the channel and use it. win win. thanks.
Thank you Dave for keepin' it real! Love
, love this video!
I appreciate this “reality check” account of moving abroad. I’m currently based in Barcelona and relate to the imbalance of the “all rainbows” vlogs saturating CZcams. There are very practical things to consider (taxes, cost of housing, population density, bureaucracy, transportation, integration, etc) and I’m happy to see you addressed this. Enjoy your work. Hopefully I will see you on my exploration trip this year.
I am a part of that statistic, and im not too happy about it. But Portugal is almost 1000 years old and we still are here! In hardships we strieve. We will Prevail. So, just be happy and become Portuguese if you want.
LOVE your attitude! 😍
Á parte disso o Benfica foi campeão 38 SLB
Cringe... estamos na velocidade Mach 5 para a extinção. Os estranhas vêm cá para viver do nosso serviço nacional de saúde. Não põem nada no sistema dos quais são parasitas.
Having lived in other cities, different countries, at different ages I can say my experience has always been positive to great. You get from others what you first offer them and what you expect. "Challenges" is life for everyone everywhere no matter what.
Btw American "locals" have been priced out of our own communities for years. Portugal is 25%-35% less than the U.S. Dumb to live in other countries thinking it will be just like home.
Good video Dave, even after all those things that make it hard, I hope you still enjoy it here.
You will never find an American who doesn’t complain. Expecting American way of living while not in America is childish. I have also found that sense of entitlement among Americans is so high that they complain wherever they go. Every American expects a red carpet welcome, which they get in most countries, and when there’s a bit of hiccup they act like Kim kardashian.
I couldn't agree more. I would add that most of them are ignorant of other cultures and even basic geography
@@micheleparadis2808both of you are wrong!
I think the actual issue is that most have been fed this illusion that America saved the world , when in fact most Europeans have little or no time for Americans. The average American tourist is a brash animal.... I found the ones who stayed home to be great people 🤣
@@juliawitt3813 😂
I think part of that isn't really entitlement it's that they're having their reality shattered see in the states we're presented with the view point that if you go to these parts of the world who have x standard of living then they're just like you but with some cosmetic upgrades or cooler historical add ons
otherwise there is always a McDonalds & starbucks on the corner, everyone has spacious grocery stores but you now get the added luxury of being able to have it within walking distance of anywhere you stay at or live near, and so on
We're presented with the idea that everyone speaks English well & if they don't you can google translate with them to figure it all out, and so they get on the ground and learn no it's not like that at all, tons of people lied to them & they're wrestling with where is the American ways I was told was both present and apparent how can this not be so? Why? Did I do something to alter this somehow? Really it may take a lot of time, repeated exposure, and patience for them to have the two disparancies click this that this isn't the US and that's OK.
Thanks for you candor Dave. Love your videos. Damn it, I'm still coming there when I retire in 6 years from Charlotte. LOL
This is good info, thank you for the rounded views.
This was actually beautiful to watch. Good job!
Thank you for being honest. Immigrating is truly hard but can be awesome as you said it simply DO NOT COMPARE. As an immigrant myself from the middle east I totally understand the rewarding experience, extreme hardship in most cases especially in the first year . For me and millions of others moving to US not only it was brutal also culture shock. I am blessed that I am here 💯 I want to thank you again for your great videos. I sold me my next first trip to Portugal. I hope to be able to meet you there .Who knows 🙂👍👍
Didn't see anything different from others countries, and the legislation and permits to live in Portugal are a lot easier than in U.S. Every one complains about the queues in the DMV and other services in the U.S., in Portugal is the same. If I go to another country, I learn what I need. Never had any problems.
Thank you for this video. I moved to Portugal from Toronto during pandemic I must say your video is well done, fair, and accurate (per my experience).
Thank you for your straight up and clear information about living in Portugal. Much appreciated.
Having lived in Ireland and Germany, here's my 2c:
* Bureaucratically, Portugal is better than Germany in general, Ireland is the Wild West (but usually very rapid)
* Healthcare wise, Germany and Portugal are very good, Ireland was a joke when I lived there, kinda like the US; to the point where I demanded an exam, but the doctor didn't allow it because I didn't have insurance so he wasn't getting a commission
* Transportation wise, Portugal is very good, Germany's excellent, Ireland is again a joke
* Communication? Portugal is better than Germany in that regard we accept other languages *cough* *cough*. I take German lessons every week because you can't live forever inside a gentrified block in Berlin, for the rest your life; Germany is a beautiful place to explore, but you might need to sharpen your German for it
* Gentrification? Everywhere is just as bad. Berliners complain about the rise in rents, but if they took a look at Dublin they'd cheer up because it could be worse.
I might be wrong, but I believe it is especially bad in Portugal, because it's such a poor country and most American, Canadian, Irish, German, and even some Brazilian expats (yes, I've seen you walking around Porto and even around my grandma's backyard in bumfuck nowhere) arrive with already accumulated wealth and most times work remotely for American companies (I know I do) and further creates an environment of unfairness; I have a bus driver friend that has to live with his parents because the closest he can afford to live is a 1:30h trip away from his job in the Porto city centre.
Boohoo right?
But if the people cleaning the streets, serving your table and pumping your gas can't live there or have to be extremely poor to live in a city centre project, then this creates some of the imbalances I've seen in Dublin and Berlin. I'm an emigrant and I can't complain, but I have to accept that I'm propelling a very greedy and corrupt wheel (and so are other "expats") - that unless there's better policy to favor people that are trying their best to get out of lower class or even remain at middle class level, that wheel will just keep on turning.
You didn't have health insurance in the US? That's nearly impossible because of Medicaid. And Medicaid is the best Socialized medicine anywhere.
great summary. german here now living in portugal, after 3 years in beijing - and yes I share your views entirely and even dislike the additional tax advantages foreigners are granted, whilst Portuguese with the one of the lowest salary levels have to deal with one of the highest income taxes - that alone creates imbalances hard to overcome for people living here all their lives…
Such a poor country?! 😂😂😂
Eow your so lucky!You are German!Why would you leave Germany for Portugal,that makes no sense!So many nice old cheap Farmhouses at the Schwarzwald area!Always happy times at Aldi!Its luke paradies!
Dave, still a bit exagerated in some topics.
The most important part you spoke is the final resume, of course.
My advise is that as a foreigner should live some 2/3 months and see for yourself than decide for yourself!
Don't forget that strike is a right, that maybe you know litle about...
And that's it! It's not a big country, but it's a great country. You don't need to live in Lisbon or Porto, you can choose the interior if you're not fond of the beach. Also there are some vilages or cities midway to the beach.
As someone said here choose another smaller town, learn portuguese and you'll be like in heaven.
Just try it.
You are all welcome to Portugal, that's one of our traditions.
Dave, another great video! Thank you
Thanks Dave, great vid here with good honest content. Plan to visit in October for my 60th Birthday.
NOTE: "Costed" is NOT a word. 06:45
The past tense of 'cost' is simply... "cost'.
I agree. I have seen real estate prices double to triple the price. It's detrimental for the Portuguese way of living.
Greart video. I am a subscriber now. You said the truth about Portugal.
However, it is for me the best place to live. Peaceful and beautiful. Friendly people and a great countryside.
Great information Dave thanks
Good video, and good to have you here Dave!
The most expensive things in Portugal is to buy a new car and housing.
How to solve this?
Buy a second hand car, you will save a lot of money. If you buy a new car, the moment that car leaves the auto stand right after you bought it, it will loses 40% of it value.
Buy the house instead of renting it, it will come cheaper, even with the interest rates rising.
Great Video and highly informative. I was wondering why all American's moving to Portugal. I am personally moving to Spain in a few years and looking forward to this move, but this video gives me information that I need to check on before my move to Spain.
Spain is great.
Good , honest reporting. Thank you for this 😊
Man that last part was really beautiful, truly appreciated ✨️
another great video Dave., thank you. Yes, there are a ton of Americans (likely others) who want exactly what they just left. Not sure why they travel but they do. No place is perfect and few have rainbows and kittens on the same menu.
I first came to Spain when I was 20 to practise my Spanish. If you are not interested in the Portuguese language or culture, I dont understand why you are there. As someone else said, if you just want somewhere cheap to live, you can find that in the USA.
Good job Dave. The exact same thing can be both the source of happy surprises or bitter disappointments... All depending on the expectations of the bearer. Happens with all in life from the stock market to a birthday present to moving to a new country. Thanks for helping on that!
dave great video you hit it right on point love the quote at the end of the day DONT compare places and enjoy the right keep up the great videos maybe someday i will make it to the algrave
Good to know! I think many Americans underestimate the challenge of living in any foreign country. I've never been to Portugal, but I lived in Japan for a few years. It was wonderful in many ways, but it eventually drove me crazy.
I lived in Lisboa for 6 months. Portugal is a great place, nothing to fault about it in my opinion but I feel sorry for the locals.
The government is definitely prioritising foreigners over Portuguese people!
Oh yes, and please learn Portuguese, it’s Portugal after all, not California !
Excellent message. Excellent attitude... on my way to Portugal !
Dearest Portugal, I’ll be back soon! Thanks, Dave for the information. It’s super helpful. 🇵🇹
You mentioned that you miss your family alot. What made you decide to move to Portugal? By the way, great videos! Very informative and helpful. My wife and I are Azorean, but we have never visited the mainland. We are planning to go there for 10 days next summer. Thanks again Dave! Keep it coming
The mainland isn't as beautiful as the Azores, the food isn't as tasty as in the Azores either, the Azores are extremely difficult to beat, but you won't be disappointed.
@Paulo Castro Garrido I totally agree. The landscape and the food is amazing. We have been there about 5 times in the last ten years. Just curious to see the mainland. It's a bucket list destination
@@lennymedeiros6118 I am a mainlander by the way.
I work in Food deliveries Part-time in Lisbon and Greater Lisbon, and I have been meeting more and more Americans recently, I live in Loures, it's beautiful and recently met a very nice Christian Missionary ✝️ Family, it was a nice chat with them as I am Hindu 🕉 and We exchanged information and experience about portugal 🇵🇹 I told them I am hear for Half a decade and I have learnt to love portugal, because it has it's flaws but no land or culture is perfect 😅
You love what you love and you can't force it. You deserve to live in a place that you love. I lived in Portugal some years back. I'm from the US. Oh, yeah, and I'm black. I find it strange that people can criticize the US all day, every day, but the moment you say that you don't like Portugal, people think there is something wrong with you. I had some awful experiences in Portugal as a black person. They hate for anyone to criticize them for any reason. I personally love for people to tell me what my flaws are, that way I can work on them and improve. That is something that Portuguese do not like. They can be very racist, but they even have a problem with that. They enslaved black people for more than 400 years. The facts are there, but they can't even accept that. They lie and say that they were the first Europeans to abolish slavery, but they were the last. My point is, if you want people to love you, respect them. Regardless of race or background, everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
@teddydavis2339 I agree with you. What you said, I once told my ex-girlfriend, who is portuguese. That when portuguese ruled India they used hot metal clamps to burn and melt the breasts of Hindu Women of Goa and other occupied regions in India. She told me it's all fake stories, nothing like that took place and next thing she told me was, if you don't like it here you should go back... 🤣
Well I dumped her afterwords, because it was little too much for me.
But I have very nice amazing Portuguese friends who are mature and we always have healthy discussions about flaws of portugal and India too
broo im portuguese and you are now my favourite youtuber to watch, keep up the good work!
Thanks, Dave, for the very pragmatic video...
You are lucky to be/live in the best country in the world. This is Portugal!
Lol as a Brazilian, I died of laughter from the strikes and misspelling errors! We obviously inherited that 😂
That’s why I love “Our Rich Journey” they give the entire picture and more.
All true... Great vídeo Dave!
I hope to move to Portugal from CA. Hopefully to an area without Americans and tourists. My ancestors are from the Spanish Islands. Way too touristy there!
Thank you for making this video. That first point of the cost of living is so real. It's heartbreaking to see how many of my friends and family are being pushed out of our home because we just cannot live there. 😢 homelessness is also increasing substantially.
Another great video. Warts and all.
I’m an expat living in Paris for the past 15 years. Not to one up you, but bureaucracy is a French word. It is unbelievable here. But you have to sometimes take the negatives to live in a place you love. If it’s any consolation locals have to deal with it too.
We've been there twice and loved it even more the second time. If we move there, I definitely don't want to make life harder for the Portuguese people by driving the price up. The Portuguese people were lovely and welcoming and we don't want that to change. Thanks so much for the video!
Your demand and excess income does contribute to driving prices up though. It's the inevitability of economics...
@@joaocosta3374 Thank you. I'm sorry to hear about the heat. We have the same problem in the U.S. I hope it cools down soon.
Hello Dave. I am portuguese and I am from Lisbon. I really love your videos. I think you just got our lovely and unique way of living :)
Great story telling dude! :D
I was born in Portugal, speak fluent Portuguese, but lived elsewhere most of my life, some 40 years in the States, so I am American (dual citizen, actually). I can tell you that even speaking the language and having a good understanding of the culture, it has been pretty tough. It took months to get my container release (and 3,000 Euros) because they were looking for some document that had always been there), it took me 6 months to get my US drivers liense recognized here, 8 months to get my car and motorcycle licensed ($$$), dealing with weird things about setting water and electricity accounts, more paperwork, and on and on... I can only imagine how it would be like dealing with all this stuff if you do not speak Portuguese... As for costs, you are absolutely right, prices are getting pretty high for most things here, there are the tolls, the fees, the taxes. As for the Non habitual tax resident, I was denied that because I had a Portuguese ID card with a Portuguese address!.... could I prove I lived in the States? sure, how about 20 years of IRS receipts? no, that was not enough so I was denied. It is a nightmare indeed. So, yes, do come prepared. If you can put up with all this c***, this is still a wonderful place to live.
In other words ,nothing like our crib, were we started everything...
As a brazilian, I can say that even for me adapting to Portugal is difficult. I imagine that for an american it is a nightmare.
Great content! 💕
Hi Dave, I will be going to Portugal in the beginning of July. I was born in the U.S. but I also lived in Portugal for many years so I understand a lot of the differences that exist between both countries. It would be cool to meet up there if you are available. Keep up the great content!
Your honesty is refreshing, Dave. It's true that there is a growing movement against gentrification in Lisbon and Porto, the biggest cities. This is happening also in other parts of the Mediterranean which became tourist magnets. I understand the problem some people face with sky rocketing housing rents, specially for older people that always lived in the city center. But I abhor these movement's language which is akin to xenophobia. Portugal is a poor country for European standards and it has been poor for a long time. Nowadays portuguese people refuse to exploit our country's natural resources and dare to attack our industries "on behalf of the planet" (which is funny if we look at the high environmental stantards enforced by the European Union). While doing that, they don't understand why we keep being poor and now attack one of our best "resources/industries": tourism.
I'm a portuguese but I don't live in a big city, I live in the "landscape" - as we call it ironically. There are plenty of foreigns happilly living outside the big cities, they're mainly from northern Europe: germans, british, dutch, etc. If you can work from home, you don't have to live in a big city. Surely a big city has more to offer, but a lot of public services you can already do online. As for the pace of things, it really isn't for everyone - specially people from big busy American cities -, but it isn't Africa, lol.
You should go visit some African countries, the standard of
Living is higher that that of Portugal eg Algeria,
@@naima8392 I mentioned Africa regarding the slow pace of life, which by the way, I don't think it is a bad thing.
@@naima8392Algeria was at civil war 26 years ago. Portugal is the 3rd most peaceful country in the world and top 10 touristic destination along with France, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc I respect Algeria, we love Rabah Madjer, Yacine Brahimi and your history is nice. But, please, calm down. Have a nice day.
It's good that other people from abroad are moving to Portugal and maintaining the population alive! With all these young portuguese people moving out I was afraid that it would soon become like a ghost country
Overreacting a little? 😂😂😂
@@elizabethventer7534 not really.. in 2021 more than 60000 young portuguese people moved out of the country towards placed like the UK, Spain and Switzerland. In the south especially the Algarve and Lisbon area you see almost no native people anymore but the world is constantly changing anyways so the word "native" doesn't really mean that much.
@CarlosRapBoy dear Carlos, I do not know your age but I think young people leaving their countries is a trend all over the world these days. The world has opened up for young people and they want to explore what is out there. I however think that often people come back when they have satisfied their curiosity. I think it is more concerning when older people leave. Portugal is an awesome country, like every country it had its fare share of problems. Sometimes we have to see what is out there to appreciate what we have. I have come to love the way of life as an older person, but I hear the complaints of the younger generation that wants to start life and family.
thanks for your honesty :)
A very honest and correct video about moving to Portugal. I know, I'm Portuguese and I live this every Day!
I feel that Americans are being wrongly blamed for the increase in costs, as we are 24th in the country for ex-pats coming there.
I guess you're the loudest about it.
Feelings aren't facts
There's a lot of American business who are not coming to actually live here
Sure. Not only the americans are to blame. The americans are a not big percentage. There are the british, french, brazilians, northern europeans, irish, german, angolan, dutch... Everybody is coming here nowadays.
@@kikoempis that's what I am saying.
Hi
Just to help out about the cars price tag.
In Portugal new cars are doubled taxed, you pay the IVA and another tax called ISV (Imposto Sobre Veiculos), translated its "Tax Over Vehicle" and it only aplys to newer cars and the more pollutant and bigger the engine the more tax you pay. If you divide the price of a new car, almost half of its value its tax's...
As for the highway tolls, they're simply ridiculous... and the way they work is so twisted... for example the class's of cars are done by measuring the height of the center of the wheel to the hood... some suv's because of a hood scope or even milimeters become class 2 and pay way more for tolls.
Intentionally I got on CZcams to find videos on Portugal as to where I am curious about packing up my California home and moving to Lisboa
I have family in Madera and Lisbon that I’ve never met Norwood know how to contact. But I still find myself wanting a slower pace and being an empty Nester now wanting to explore the world. So thank you for this video it’s the simple day-to-day operations that could drive us crazy And you sure shed light on this
Good info, thanks
I'm not hearing anything negative about Portugal. What I'm hearing is Americans expect everything to be done yesterday, the whole world is only there to work for them, they whine incessantly and after emigrating, anywhere, they miss being back home. Tough.
Same here in Berlin “ we don’t have that in the states “
Viva Portugal 🇵🇹
Imagine a Silicon Valley worker wanting San Francisco weather but at 1/3 the price. Lisbon is perfect.
I’m a Portuguese native living in Florida for 25 years and I’m considering visiting Portugal for the past 4 years… I just love your honest and well made videos with some humor on it. Besides being Portuguese it will be as hard as for everyone else that goes to a different country and all the cultural challenges
Try to be an immigrant in US, then you can compare. Bureaucracy in US is a thousand times worse than in Portugal.
This!!! So true!
In Portugal you have to be patient, but in America you have to fight and scream and cry loudly.
Only if you're brown and/or poor (like me). I have had white middle class Europeans and Canadians tell me US immigration bureaucracy is so easy and I just have to cringe at the blind privilege
@@meio_feio I've had the same tell me it's not easy. Not saying that it's not easy for some, but it's absolutely not universal based on a person's skin color and/or heritage. FWIW, I'm white and not from the US. I came here 53 years ago and *still* have difficulties. Also, I was an so much more a minority in my home country than just about anyone I've met here. Where I'm from, people simply don't look like me.
@@meio_feio this is so sad in a called first world country that is made from so many cultures, but very factual...
Giving a DNA sample to a corporation. What a great ideia 👍.
Why?
@@quark6847because they can and will sell your data😅
The Toyota RAV4 is expensive in Europe (starting $40k in UK) because it has to be imported from Asia, it was manufactured in St Petersburg, Russia. In the US it is made in Kentucky.
You do a lot of good for my country, sir. Obrigado.
Try out Romania 🇷🇴
The most beautiful country I have been in Europe. Recently started studying the language. I have lived in many places and travelled a lot but Romania was my secret love. I wish I could be one of these beautiful mystical Romanian woman haha..polish here raised in Berlin Germany.
Nevertheless you can come to Allgarve and live like you live in California, plenty of foreigners live separated from the locals, and its fine..some pretty nice Communities of foreigners all over Portugal. Today ive eaten lunch in the home of a couple from England near my country house, she is Indian, we had a very good indian lunch, it was amazing, its a privilege to exchange experiencies with them. Great videos m8.
All...garve? 😂
They form communities because they are in the same position away from families and friends (while the locals already have their own)
You have posted the most honest video I have seen about expats moving to Portugal.. I plan to share this with friends that think Portugal is so cheap… I know better too, as I am still a tourist visa expat twice a year, but working my way to be a permanent resident too!
I’m a Portuguese immigrant in the USA and I really like your insights about Portugal 👍🏼