Portugal, but what is the best city to live in?

This year in prior communications we have already mentioned and described a little about Portugal. We presented a ranking of the best international schools, among other topics that describe this little corner of Europe, with a population of (10 million).

Now if you are thinking of coming to live in Portugal, we give you some suggestions with a list of cities, considering the three stages of our life: as a student, as a worker and retired.

Several factors are involved here, it all depends on what you are looking for. But let’s get to the facts…

Just as there are people who like life in the capital because of its more frenetic routine, hectic nightlife, traffic and other factors, there are people who want to be far away from this hustle and cherish a much quieter life in the countryside and sometimes seek a lower cost of living.

If you are interested in living and working in Portugal, capitals and their metropolitan regions usually have better job opportunities, especially for people with specific professional qualifications. On the other hand, for workers less qualified, they also find many opportunities in the capitals in the cleaning sector, restaurants and bars, accommodation, due to the huge flow of tourists.

Lisbon is one of the best cities in Portugal to live, especially for those who want to enter the Portuguese job market. As the capital of the country, it is the headquarters of several national and international companies, which opens up a world of job opportunities. When you live in Lisbon, you will realize that in addition to having your work routine, you will come across a huge flow of tourists. After all, Lisbon Airport is the main gateway to the country, making the Tourism sector always pulsating and the city with interesting movement and cultural diversity.

The cost of living in Lisbon is the highest in the country, but that is to be expected, when we choose to live in the capital of any country. To reduce monthly expenses, many people choose to live on the outskirts of Lisbon, since access to the capital is quick and public transport is efficient. And speaking of the metropolitan area, it is also home to many companies. Oeiras, for example, received a distinction derived from its technological innovation program. Google, Dell, HP, Canon, BMW, Volvo and Nike are some examples of companies based in Oeiras.

The capital of northern Portugal is also considered one of the best cities in Portugal to live and work. Like Lisbon, Porto is also home to several national and international companies and brands, becoming a fertile ground for start-ups – there are more than 400 based in Porto and its metropolitan region, according to the StartupHub map. The British digital bank Revolut, for example, chose the city of Matosinhos as the headquarters of its office in Portugal. The University of Porto counts with the UPTEC (Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto), a place for incubation and acceleration of start-ups and with canters in the cities of Porto and Matosinhos.

Between Matosinhos and Leça de Palmeira – Porto metropolitan region – there is the Port of Leixões, the largest artificial port in Portugal. For those in the maritime, administrative and logistics areas, there are always good opportunities.

Maia, Gondomar and Rio Tinto, which are also part of the Porto metropolitan area, are home to many factories and there are always job opportunities, aimed at different levels of professional qualification.

The cost of living in Porto is a little lower than in Lisbon. This makes many people seek to live in the outskirts of Porto, since public transport is also efficient and roads are easily accessible.

Leiria can be a good idea for those who are looking for the best cities in Portugal to live in. The city is located between Lisbon and Porto and has an extremely strong industrial area in the country, which means that there are many job opportunities. Living in Leiria is synonymous with a lower cost of living and a much more peaceful life. In addition, the offer in terms of public transport is also scarcer, riding a motorcycle and why not a bicycle is always the best solution.

These can be the cities chosen for the three stages of life, including retirees who like to be in cities with greater movement and, at the same time, have quality of life.

But if you’re really looking for a totally different lifestyle, head south. The Algarve is always in the ranking of the best places to live in Portugal as a retiree. For those who don’t know, the Algarve region has lush beaches, fishing villages, water parks, golf courses and a mild climate with plenty of sun most of the year, including winter. The city of Lagos was cited in International Living reports as one of the best cities in Portugal to live. According to the magazine, “Lagos, which looks much more like a working city than a resort that depends exclusively on tourism”. This observation is important, as the cities of the Algarve are well known for being extremely busy in the European summer and sometimes “ghostly” at other times of the year. Also, according to the magazine, Lagos knows how to combine an everyday residential life with tourism very well. The cost of living in the Algarve is lower compared to Lisbon.

Cascais, one of the cities of choice chosen by famous people. Living in Cascais is a great alternative for those who want to live in a city with beautiful beaches, a great infrastructure and, at the same time, be just over 30 minutes from the capital. A welcoming, busy city that receives many tourists, which means that it is always very alive and offering unique experiences. This is a key success point for retirees who don’t like that extremely quiet life in the countryside. We have the beach, the smell of vacations and life!

Évora, as well as Beja, are cities that are worth researching for anyone thinking of living in the Alentejo. Both cities have attracted many retirees and active professionals looking for a quieter environment, but with perspectives. The Alentejo has increasingly been an option also in terms of investment. It’s worth a look!

Évora is a city declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which turns out to be very attractive for tourists, who help to move the city. In addition, students from the University of Évora also contribute. It has a good infrastructure and the public transport network in Portugal connects Évora and Lisbon in just 2 hours.

Beja is already far from having a big movement, there are only 20 thousand inhabitants compared to Évora’s 50 thousand. For a retiree looking to have a more rural life, this is without a doubt the best option.

Portugal has everything, it just has no comparison!