A southwestern European country, Portugal, continues to rank among the best places to live in Europe due to its natural beauty, including stunning beaches, lush mountainous regions, and extensive coastlines that provide picturesque views to the people. Moreover, the warm climate in Portugal, affordable investment routes under the Portugal golden visa, and high innovation in Lisbon and Porto, further makes some cities of Portugal best places to live in the world.
In recent years, from 2024 to 2025 mainly, numerous expats from the UK, US, Canada, and the Middle East, made Portugal their homes under the Portugal golden visa, and there are multiple reasons behind the steady rise of expats moving to Portugal. According to the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA), around 1.54 million foreign residents lived in Portugal in 2024, where most of them lived in the best areas in Portugal for expats, such as Lisbon, Faro, and Setubal.
What It’s Like to Live in Portugal
Living in Portugal as an expat remains a remarkable experience for everyone due to its slow-paced and relaxed lifestyle. The environment in Portugal provides a sense of calm and serenity to people. Furthermore, the sunshine in the Algarve for more than 300 days, rich culture, and low cost of living in Portugal attract significant global investors from different parts of the world.
Moreover, the golden visa investors living in Portugal expat life also do not need to worry about their healthcare and their families, as according to Numbeo’s Healthcare Index 2025, Portugal ranks 23rd globally and 14th in Europe. Another benefit is that people can comfortably live in Portugal due to the majority English-speaking community in Portugal.
Can Americans Move to Portugal?
In the last few years, to escape the political instability and high financial and social pressure in their home country, US citizens decided that moving to Portugal from the US is the best decision. Some reports claimed that in 2024, around 14,000 Americans became residents of Portugal through the Portugal golden visa and Portugal D-type visas, including Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers, Portugal D7 visa for retirees, and Portugal D2 visa for entrepreneurs..
Data from AIMA stated that Americans make up half of around 40 million digital nomad’s population in Portugal, which is a huge number compared to previous years. Furthermore, to get rid of high taxes in Portugal, many US citizens moved to Portugal to benefit from Portugal’s NHR 2.0 or Portugal Non-Habitual Residency Regime that imposes a flat 20% tax on income earned in Portugal from eligible sources.
Best Cities to Travel in Portugal
Many cities of Portugal, including Lisbon, Porto, Cascais, and Madeira, are considered the best places to live in Portugal. Lisbon and Porto are the major tech hubs in Europe known for high innovation and business opportunities. These top cities of Portugal also consist of the best coworking spaces, such as Lisbon-Cowork, The Base Cowork Space, and Porto i/o, that provide a good environment to entrepreneurs and remote workers.
Many high-net-worth individuals seek luxury lifestyles with a strong expat community in Portugal, Cascais is the best place for them due to the growing luxury real estate here. Moreover, Madeira can not be forgotten when considering the best places in Portugal for expats, as it provides perfect remote work opportunities to global digital nomads. They can manage their work well in Madeira alongside the beautiful coastlines that provide a sense of relief to these individuals.
Why Portugal is the Best Place to Live in Europe
According to the Annual Global Retirement Index in 2025, Portugal ranked in 2nd position among the ‘Best Places to Retire’. The country, along with stability, also provides safety and security to its residents as Portugal ranks at the seventh position for being the safest country in the world, according to the 2025 Global Peace Index. The best news for investors of Portugal residency by investment program is that it provides visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen Zone including 27 countries such as Austria, Belgium, and Sweden.
How to Get Portugal Residency by Investment
Portugal residency can be secured in an easy way under affordable investment routes that require €500,000 investment. The routes include non-real estate investment schemes, job creation, research activities, funds, and cultural activities. Investors can choose whichever they find suitable or feasible for them.
Conclusion
The Portugal golden visa remains a popular choice for global investors in 2025. The affordable investment options, low cost of living in Portugal, and enhanced lifestyle make it the best destination for expats, including entrepreneurs, businessmen, and remote workers.