Living in Lisbon: An Honest Review from an Expat

What I’ve learned after four years in Portugal — the magic, the mess, and everything in between.

Disclaimer: as I write this, it’s raining heavily outside my window. Lisbon has decided to go full gray in 2025 — just a little reminder that yes, it’s not always sunshine and blue skies.

Before I share my personal experience, I think it’s important to say this: if you’re considering moving abroad, be prepared to step out of your comfort zone. You’ll need to rebuild your routine from scratch, open yourself up to new people, and learn to be okay with uncertainty for a while. Specifically if you're thinking of moving to Portugal, keep in mind that it’s a country with a slower pace of life. That’s often the reason people choose it — I did too — but many don’t fully understand what that really means (myself included).

Living in a place like this means you won’t have all the conveniences you might be used to. Things can take weeks or even months to get sorted. You’ll need to go a bit old-school for some daily tasks. Lisbon is a simple city — charming, beautiful, but not polished or packed with options. The selection of cool shops is short. Elevators and garages are far from guaranteed (and don’t even dream of a doorman). If you’re coming from a big city like I did, it’s truly a lifestyle change.

Now, I’ll share my personal experience living here over the last four years...

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We moved to Lisbon in 2021, just as life was beginning to feel “normal” again after the pandemic. It was me, my husband, and Simba — our little dog who handled the international move better than we did.

Originally, the plan was California. I had everything mapped out — visas, housing, spreadsheets. And then one morning, I woke up with a deep, gut-level feeling that we shouldn’t go. I’ve learned to trust those. So I cancelled everything. Just like that. And thank god I did — we would’ve moved in February 2020, right before the world shut down.

After that, we pivoted to Lisbon. We had visited before and loved the city. It ticked a lot of the boxes: a slower pace of life, good weather, great food, easy visa application, and the comfort of speaking our own language. And to be honest, leaving Brazil came down to one very hard, very real reason: safety. I love my country deeply, but living there had started to feel like constantly looking over your shoulder.

I lived a real honeymoon with Lisbon for at least six months — truly heart-shaped glasses, life-in-pink mode. I was enchanted with everything: the tiled buildings, the coffee at the corner, the slower pace, the light. Even the bureaucracy, the endless documents, the adulting — I went through all of it in a state of joy. I had so much energy to make this new life work.

It didn’t take long for me to feel at home. I got lucky and chose the right neighborhood from the start: Campo de Ourique. It’s this little village tucked inside the city, where everyone knows each other and you can walk to pretty much everything. We still live here — we’ve even moved apartments in the same building. That’s how right it felt.

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The good stuff

The best part of our life here is definitely the routine. Lisbon is an easy city — small, walkable (though you’ve got to be ready for a lot of hills and the occasional slippery sidewalk), and incredibly livable. The traffic is light, and you can get pretty much anywhere in 15 minutes. For someone who came from São Paulo, that alone was life-changing.

The ability to text a friend and meet for coffee at 5 p.m., or have a long weekday lunch, is a luxury I don’t take for granted. Most of my friends live nearby, so we often bump into each other without even trying. That’s one of my favorite things about living here — it has that small-town energy.

Another amazing thing about living here has been the amount of new friends we’ve made. Lisbon is full of expats, and that makes it easier to find people who are open to connect.

When you live close to family or longtime friends, your calendar is usually full — birthdays, weddings, holidays, endless celebrations. It’s beautiful, but it also means you rarely have the time (or need) to meet new people. When you move abroad, suddenly your social calendar is completely empty. That feeling can be uncomfortable at first, but honestly, it’s something I think everyone should experience. Meeting new people — really different people — expands your world in such a powerful way.

We’ve met so many incredible people here. A lot of them are Brazilian, naturally, but also Germans, French, Americans, Brits… you name it. On the other hand, making friends with Portuguese locals has been a bit harder. And I get it — they already have their circles, their family nearby, their rhythms. They’re not out there trying to make new friends. It just takes more time and intention. But it’s possible.

Besides the easy routine I mentioned earlier, one thing that changed my life completely was living near the ocean. I’m not even a summer person, but being just 30 minutes from the beach is so good. And I had no idea how many beautiful beaches Portugal had before moving here — we’re still discovering new ones.

There’s also a culture of enjoying the outdoors that I love. The praças are always full of people — drinking coffee, a beer, a glass of wine — even in colder months. There’s a certain joy in seeing a city that’s always alive, even in its quieter corners.

Lisbon is easily one of the most colorful cities I’ve ever known. The light here is something else — golden, soft, cinematic. Walking by the river or through the hills of Lapa is the kind of simple pleasure that genuinely makes my days better.

And then, there’s the lifestyle balance. Even if you try to go faster, Lisbon will slow you down. Things just take longer. It’s part of the charm, but also, sometimes, the frustration. As someone who leans toward the workaholic side, I’ve had moments where I’ve seen this slowness as a bad thing. But deep down, I know it’s why I came in the first place — for a slower, more intentional life. (Still hard, though. lol)

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The challenges

Of course, bureaucracy had to make it to this list. Sometimes it honestly feels like a joke. The classic example: “You need document A to apply for B,” but also “you need B to request A.” I wish that wasn’t a real thing — but it is. Nothing here is streamlined. The information is poorly communicated, often outdated, and you’ll get completely different answers depending on who you talk to. So: prepare to take deep breaths. And to ask. And ask again. And then probably ask one more time.

The rental (and buying) market is another major headache. If you’re coming from a really expensive city, Lisbon might seem affordable at first glance. But paying €1400 for a tiny two-bedroom in a country where the minimum wage is €850? That’s not normal. It’s unsustainable. The cost of living has skyrocketed over the past few years, and the salaries haven’t followed.

Portugal has historically had lower wages compared to other European countries — and that hasn’t changed. But the cost of living? It now rivals some of the biggest cities in Europe. If you have an income from abroad, this might not be a dealbreaker for you. Although… that’s also probably part of why they’re in this situation to begin with.

Public transportation isn’t great, also. My neighborhood doesn’t have a metro station (still under very controversial construction), so I consider a car very necessary. That said, Uber is surprisingly cheap — sometimes even cheaper than public transport — so I use it a lot, especially considering how hard it is to find parking.

The part that really bothers me, and I want to say this in the most respectful way possible, because I truly don’t want to offend anyone — but I also feel it’s important to be honest. One thing that consistently affects my experience here is the way people interact on a daily basis. I often find the Portuguese to be quite rude and constantly complaining. It’s something that has impacted my mood more times than I can count.

Even the simplest everyday task — like buying groceries — can turn into a frustrating moment. You walk into a shop, say bom dia, and often don’t get a reply back. I’ve joked that I feel like I need to say, “Excuse me… would it be okay if I spent my money here?” It sounds funny, but it’s honestly draining.

Being a business owner in Portugal adds another layer. Some people just don’t respond to emails. Being late to meetings is normal. Not delivering on time happens all the time. I’ve even had suppliers flat out say they wouldn’t quote something I was asking for because it was “too complicated” — and I promise, it wasn’t. It often feels like trying anything new or different is met with resistance. There’s a general reluctance to step outside of what’s already familiar.

And then there’s something harder to talk about, but equally real: the deep levels of prejudice. It shows up in casual jokes, in how people are treated, and even in some official policies and government actions. As a woman, I’ve felt it. And it hurts.

Again, this isn’t meant to generalize or to say that everyone is like this — I’ve met incredible Portuguese people too. But these experiences have happened frequently enough that they’ve made me reconsider my life here more than once.

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Wrapping it up

I’ll forever be grateful for what Portugal has given me. It was here that my business came to life. I draw from Portuguese heritage in the products I create, and I’ve been able to build an international brand while being based here. I’ve met some of the most interesting people, made friends who feel like home, and truly built a life over these past four years.

Do I see myself living somewhere else in a few years? Honestly, the answer changes every day. But for now, I’m really happy with all that I have here.

If you’re thinking of moving to Lisbon, I’d just offer a gentle heads-up about the not-so-great things I mentioned above. If you’re looking to slow down, embrace a simpler life (which also means fewer curated shops, museums, or buzzy events), Lisbon has so much to offer — especially joy, sunshine, and a kind of everyday beauty that’s hard to explain until you live it.

And if you have any questions or want to talk more about the move — feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to share.

If you enjoyed this one, I’d be so happy if you shared it with a friend. That’s the best way to help this little community grow. 💌

See you soon,

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PS: You can support a small business (mine!) and shop the coolest hand-painted tableware here → Valsa Home Shop
Or pick my brain for your brand’s marketing here → Follow+Heard Boutique Agency