The city of Lisbon is well known for its picturesque looks and a rich history. It has a unique charm that keeps the visitors coming back again and again. Lisbon is one among the top tourist cities in Europe, attracting more than 5 million tourists every year. Lisbon is also famous for its mild weather, tasty cuisines, food festivals, lively nightlife and beaches that can be enjoyed all through the year. The average cost of living is quite low in this beautiful country along with beautifully built historical homes which are affordable to live in. In short, there are so many reasons to move to Lisbon.
Digital Nomad Friendly and Great for Business
Lisbon has a very large number of digital nomads as compared to most other European countries due to availability of high quality internet services at very competitive prices even from telecom companies like MEO and NOS. There is a high number of digital nomads and expats working in Lisbon. Many are website designers, SEO specialists and content or social media marketers. There are many cafes for remote working with your laptop in Lisbon. You will also have plenty of opportunities to attend ‘Meet ups’ for digital nomads and remote workers. This is one of my top reasons to move to Lisbon – I love the vibe of this city!
The great thing about working online from Lisbon is that you can work with UK and USA clients but be based in Portugal. So essentially, you can earn a UK or USA wage but live in Portugal which has a slightly cheaper cost of living.
Lisbon has been rated one among the cheapest of the capital cities in the whole continent thus making it an ideal place for cost sensitive digital nomads who like working online from all across the globe.
Location and Accessibility
Apart from the beautiful weather, low cost of living and great internet connection, Lisbon is also very popular among expats and tourists due to its central location in Europe. This means it is very easy to travel to other European countries with ease as there are a number of cheap flights that can take you anywhere in Europe within hours. You can get trains all over Portugal from Lisbon including trains to Porto, Tomar and Faro in the Algarve. You can also get a train from Lisbon to Madrid in just under 12 hours.
From Lisbon airport, you can get direct flight links to many European destinations as well as cities in Africa and Brazil. As far as accessibility and travel go – Lisbon is top of the list!
Climate
The climatic condition of this city just adds up to its beauty. The summers here are quite warm but not too hot so that you cannot enjoy a day at one of the city’s historical beaches. It beats the South of Spain which can get too ridiculously hot in July and August. The winters are not very cold and the temperature ranges between 50 to 60 degree Fahrenheit.
The only real downside to the Portuguese winter is that the apartments do not have great heating systems and so it can be cold outside during winter!
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Lisbon is one among the lowest as compared to other capital cities in Europe. You can rent a room for around 400 EURO and a flat anywhere between 600-1200 EURO depending on where it is and the standard that you are looking for. If you want something more luxurious like a duplex or penthouse then it could cost up to 2000 euros.
You can get a beer for just 1-2EURO but there are actually some places doing beer for 0.70 in ‘happy hour’! It’s possible to eat a decent meal out in a mid range restaurant for around 20 EURO.
International Schools
Lisbon is an ideal destination for expats, backpackers and digital nomads to move with their families especially considering that there are many expat friendly schools too where children can continue their education without any language barrier issues. There are also affordable international schools which ensure that your child has high quality education along with native teachers who communicate using English while teaching their subjects and help students gain fluency English in a short period.
Food
The Portuguese are very skilled in preparing some of the most delicious and crispy pastries which will make you drop on your knees with a craving for more. Apart from this, they also have a large variety of fish and seafood dishes available including exotic shellfish which was introduced by Portuguese explorers across many countries. The fruit is fresh and sweet with high nutritional value making it an ideal choice for healthy eating all through out the year. You can even avail discounts on certain fruits when buying them in bulk like apples, pears, avocados etc. The city also houses various vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants that serve only plant based food items at very reasonable prices.
Tax Benefits
Lisbon is a part of Portugal which has a very low tax rate. The corporate tax here is only 17% and the personal income tax on non-residents is just 10%. This makes it an ideal destination for entrepreneurs who want to start their business venture in Europe but face difficulties due to higher taxes. The government also provides incentives to certain companies in order to promote employment within the country thus providing jobs opportunities even for digital nomads who wish to move here with their families. There are more than 30 technology startups that have offices both inside and outside Lisbon, among them include names like Google, Apple, Facebook and Vodafone.
In short, there are so many reasons to move to Lisbon. If you are planning to relocate in this city, here is the Moving to Portugal checklist which can help you have a smooth transition process. If you come across anything that may require inclusion in this article, please feel free to mention about them in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.
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