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Known for its golden sand, pastéis de nata, and of course Cristiano Ronaldo, moving to Portugal from the UK is appealing to many. However, the task of international removals from the UK to Portugal can be daunting. Thus, we’ve written this guide on moving to Lusitania to help you. So, read on for the cost of moving, an essential checklist, some fun facts, and even free removal quotes to make moving easier. Vamos!
With international removals from the UK to Portugal, like any endeavour, it’s always good to understand the costs. Since we too are always curious to know more, we’ve already researched the cost of moving to Portugal, so you don’t have to! To whet your appetite for figures, 3-bedroom house removals to Portugal from the UK, on average, cost between £3,900 – £5,400, not bad!
Before going further, if you’re like us, you probably want to understand the key factors that affect the cost of house removals to Portugal from the UK, and we’re happy to shed some light on that. So, the final cost of removals to Portugal will depend on:
For an even more detailed breakdown, you can read our page on international moving costs and become a real brainy boffin on the subject.
At last, we’ve reached the figures. Here we have put together this table which shows the estimated cost of removals from the UK to Portugal by road and for different household sizes
| Property size | Time | Average cost |
| 1-bedroom house | 9 – 13 days | £2,400 – £3,300 |
| 2-bedroom house | 3 – 5 days | £3,000 – £4,100 |
| 3-bedroom house | 3 – 5 days | £3,900 – £5,400 |
| 4-bedroom house | 3 – 5 days | £5,200 – £7,000 |
| 5-bedroom house | 3 – 5 days | £6,500 – £8,800 |
Disclaimer. Please note that these numbers are merely estimates for removals to Portugal. The actual cost is subject to change and may fall outside the above ranges.
Looking for a removal to Portugal? Check out these top international removal companies in the UK to move to Portugal! Read their reviews, learn about their services and request free quotes in no time.
When it comes to finding removal companies for a UK to Portugal move, calling and requesting their services on your lonesome is a very time-consuming and energy-intensive process! Who has the time for that?
Fortunately, Sirelo is here to help you find the right company for your removal to Portugal! We’ll find up to 5 removal companies for your UK to Portugal move. Then you can compare the companies and find the best removal company and price for your removal to Portugal.
The answer to this question is a resounding yes, you can move to Portugal after Brexit, but just be aware that the UK’s decision to leave the European Union has made it more complicated when it comes to moving to Portugal from the UK.
So, unless you happen to hold an EU or EEA passport, you’ll need to apply for a visa to move to Portugal for more than three months or if you wish to work there.
Luckily, we have an entire guide about moving to Europe after Brexit to answer any further concerns. It’s a good read, if we may say so.
It’s not all about money! Now you are an expert on moving to Portugal costs, it is time to move on to other essential bits and bobs. Follow this checklist to stay organised and complete a perfect, peaceful and pleasant Portuguese pilgrimage. Try and say that out loud!
Did you know? Portugal has more hours of sunshine than any other country in Europe! You better get moving, or we will be jumping on the plane with you! 😉
✔️ Important documents
Gather up all your important documents and store them in a safe and accessible location. You should even make duplicates!
✔️ Find an international removal company
It’s important you get this right as you need to trust the company moving your furniture from the UK to Portugal. If you are at a loose end, explore our list of top international removal companies and find the right company for your move to Portugal.
✔️ Pack
There is no such thing as starting too early; read our expert packing guide to start your house removal to Portugal on the right foot and take the stress out of your move.
✔️ Taking a car?
If you are hoping to take your car to Portugal with you, you’ll be glad to know that you can and the British Government has a useful guide on moving a car to Portugal.
✔️ Moving with pets
Again, provided they meet the following requirements, your pets will be welcome to join your Portuguese adventure:
✔️ Tax
Everyone’s favourite topic! Unless you fancy paying tax twice (thought not!) it is important that you inform HMRC that you are moving abroad. You will automatically be classified as a tax-paying resident once you have been in the country for more than 183 days.
✔️ Register. If you are moving to Portugal for longer than three months, you must register at your local city council to formalise your residence. Once your ninety-day period is up, you will have a thirty-day grace period to do this. The cost is around £13 (€15).
✔️Healthcare – Unfortunately, the national healthcare isn’t fully paid as in the UK, so you can expect to pay towards your health after becoming a tax-paying resident. Of course, before that, you’ll need private health care to be covered when you move initially and also if you’d like to access private care. So that’s something to consider.
✔️ Driving licence – Love paying fines? If not, register your UK licence with the Instituto da Mobilidade e de Transportes within 60 days of arrival.
✔️ Você fala português? – This is something you will need to do; you’ll find life difficult if you don’t have a grasp of the language. Ideally, you should start before you move, but immersion in a language is also a great way to learn. So, boa sorte!
✔️ Bank account – We strongly recommend opening a local bank account when emigrating to Portugal unless you like struggling to use your UK bank’s services and the cost of conversion fees. The following banks are worth considering:
Phew, that sure was hard work. If you are still after some more answers, we have a more detailed general moving abroad checklist, which is sure to do the trick!
Living in Portugal is a lot cheaper than in the UK in terms of consumer prices and grocery prices. The economy is not as strong in comparison to the UK so as a result it can be a lot harder to find a job if you are planning on working in Portugal. But what are the key considerations you should know when living in Portugal?
Many features in the Portuguese culture vary from what are common in the UK. Family is very important in Portugal and are the foundations of social structures. In terms of business culture there is a very clear hierarchical structure. There is a more dictatorship relationship between workers and bosses. This is quite opposite in comparison to most UK business practises. Portuguese place very high emphasis on status, this can not only be seen in their dictatorship structures but also the brands worn. Brands and expensive cars are a good way to see how wealthy an individual is.
The biggest difference in the UK and Portugal is of course the weather. The location being near the Mediterranean means the climate in Portugal is very hot in comparison to England’s constantly rainy weather!
The eating habits are dependant on the region within Portugal. The north are know for eating caldo verde which is kale and potato soup generally flavoured with a slice of chourico. In the south it is more common to have gazpacho with bread and smoked pork. As you can see soup is a very popular dish in Portugal, whereas in the UK we are used to more unhealthier traditional meals.
In general, everything is cheaper when living in Portugal in comparison to the UK. Consumer prices are 50% higher in the UK than in Portugal which is quite a considerable difference. Primary products such as groceries are around 45% cheaper in Portugal and electricity is 100% cheaper! The lower prices accommodate for the lower salaries which are around 160% less than in the United Kingdom. The low salary rates reflect the conditions of the current economy which is not as strong as the UK.
Luxury goods are generally higher prices in the UK. A trip to a fancy restaurant will put you out 95% less, costing 60 EU in the UK and only 30 EU in Portugal for a nice restaurant. Similarly to the UK, prices of renting and buying an apartment is more expensive in the city centre than in rural areas, but the house sizes will be a lot smaller in the centres compared to spacious detached houses in the rural areas.
If you’re thinking of moving to Portugal it is worth considering buying a house. You are able to get much larger apartments than what you would in the UK and for a fraction of the price! For an apartment in the centre of a city it will cost you 310% less than in the UK. Renting is also cheaper but not as cheap as buying an apartment. It costs 130% less to rent in the city centre in comparison to the UK.
A key element in the variation of lifestyle Portuguese have is the importance of authority and culture. In Portugal respect is very important, it is almost impossible for you to see a youth arguing with someone of higher authority such as a police officer; however this is commonly seen within England. The way of life in Portugal is to work to live in comparison to England’s live to work.
Good news! The Portuguese job market is becoming increasingly accommodating to expats. The bad news is, for the most part, it is difficult to find employment if you don’t speak the language.
Whatever industry you are in, explore some of the following job portals, preferably before moving to Portugal from the UK:
In the meantime, continue with that Portuguese practice. Just saying não compreendo all the time simply won’t suffice!
Remember that educational systems vary through countries, Portugal’s education system is divided into four sectors: Pre-primary, basic, secondary and higher. The first three sectors are compulsory and begins at age 6 until 18. After this students have the option to attend higher educational institutes which are divided into two sub-system university education and polytechnic education. Compulsory education similarly to UK is free.
Pre-Primary school (Jardim-de-Infância) starts at ages 3 until 5; however is not compulsory. It is uncommon for younger children to attend nurseries and childcare centres.
| 1st cycle | 2nd cycle | 3rd cycle |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year (age 6) | 5th year (age 10) | 12th year (age 12) |
| 2nd year (age 7) | 6th year (age 11) | 13th year (age 13) |
| 3rd year (age 8) | 14th year (age 14) | |
| 4th year (age 9) |
As shown in the table above, basic school is split into three cycles from ages 6 until 14. English-speaking international schools in Portugal are fairly common, in particular in primary and secondary schools. These schools are commonly found in the Greater Lisbon area and the Algarve.
The first cycle is taught by a single teacher, the main objectives are to integrate development of studies and activities and the teaching of a foreign language. The second cycle lasts 2 years and covers interdisciplinary areas of basic education. Finally the third cycle consists of 3 years, classes are taught by a single teacher per subject to allow more detail to be taught per subject compared to only one in their first years.
Only 67% of the working population have completed a basic education which is a lot lower in comparison to the UK where manyjobs require the lowest level of basic education.
Firstly to enter secondary school all you need is a diploma to prove you have passed primary education. At this level of education the main grading system is through internal exams, where a marking scheme from 0-20 assesses you. All students must attain above a 10 to pass, 10-13 shows sufficient work compared to 20 showing outstanding work.
Secondary education is the last stage of compulsory schooling. It consists of four types of secondary education schools, these include:
Five universities in Portugal feature in the QS World University Rankings, as well as the countries high ranking in schools it also contains many well reputed polytechnic schools. The main focus of polytechnic universities is to help prepare students for a certain career paths. The top 3 universities in Portugal include:
Public higher educational institutions consist of 14 Universities, 20 Polytechnic Institutes and 6 institutions of military and police Higher Education. Tuition fee’s for Universities in Portugal are a lot cheaper in comparison to the UK, on average it costs €950 -1250 per year. Studying for undergraduate programs is through an online system (Candidatura Online) the application lets you select up to six programs, this is a similar process equating to the UK.
First of all, congratulations, or rather we should say parabéns! Moving to Portugal from the UK is well and truly in sight. After reading this page, you should be ready to take on the challenge of removals to Portugal and come out on top!
However, this page is just one of many on the Sirelo website here to help you. Hence, we recommend you check out some of the links below and learn everything you need to know about moving.
For now, because we are committed to helping you move with a smile, we will leave you with this:
Why are there no ducks in Portugal?
Because they are all PortuGEESE! 😆
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