Expats in Portugal have moved to share the reason “not to move there” and warned Brits “you are going to wait”. UK tourists and holidaymakers wanting a new life in the European Union holiday hotspot have been warned over moving there.
“As far as convenience goes, if you need all the big stores to be open on a Sunday, that’s not going to happen,” the expats said on YouTube channel Our Black Utopia. “If you need to be able to do every single thing that you’re used to doing online, like getting your utilities set up, that’s not necessarily going to be the case.”
“If you need restaurants to be ‘chop, chop, chop’ [you won’t get that],” they added. “You’re going to sit there and you’re going to wait and have a leisurely lunch or breakfast.” The pair of content creators went on to warn: “You’re going to have to ask for your check.”
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The warning comes as Portugal remains a go-to for British expats and those heading abroad for holidays. Popular resorts in Portugal include the likes of Lisbon, Cascais and Faro, as well as Porto, and the Algarve, which is popular with UK golfers.
According to official statements, there are more than 30,000 British citizens living in Portugal, as of April 2021. The majority chooses Algarve as their second home, but there’s also a big community of British nationals both in Lisbon and Porto.
The cost of living in Portugal is much less than that of the UK. Food and groceries, rents, transportation, and utilities are more affordable in Portugal. On average, rent is anywhere from 20 to 50 percent cheaper in Portugal than in the UK.
Other popular holiday hotspots on the continent this summer include Spain, the Canary Islands, Greece, the Balearics, Italy and Cyprus, as well as Turkey.