Portugal sits on the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula. It has a mild climate, low crime and a relaxed pace of life, and its property-based golden visa once made it a household name among Chinese families. The property route closed in 2023, but Portugal still attracts retirees, remote workers, students and entrepreneurs with its lower living costs, friendly atmosphere and fairly clear residence routes.
Portugal also has some of the lowest wages in Western Europe, Lisbon rents now rival or exceed those in many larger European cities, the immigration agency has a large backlog, and a nationality law revised in 2026 has lengthened the road to citizenship. This guide looks at Portugal from a PRC citizen’s point of view: culture, economy, healthcare, the Chinese community and the legal residence routes, so you can judge whether the country is right for you.
Why Portugal
According to estimates published by Statistics Portugal (INE) in June 2026, Portugal had 11,424,031 residents at the end of 2025, of whom 1,597,539 (14.0%) were foreign nationals. Figures from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) show 1,543,697 foreigners holding valid residence permits at the end of 2024, far more than a few years earlier. That fast growth shows how open Portugal has been to immigration, but it has also brought housing pressure and administrative backlogs.
For Chinese movers the main attractions are EU and Schengen membership, a mild Atlantic climate, a generally safe society, everyday costs below those of northern Western Europe, and visa categories that are friendly to remote workers and people with passive income.
Culture and etiquette
The Portuguese tend to be reserved and polite, and daily rhythms run a little earlier than in Spain: lunch is usually between 12:30 and 2:30 pm and dinner around 8 pm. Café culture is strong in Lisbon and Porto, and an espresso (bica or cimbalino) is part of everyday life.
- Greetings: friends greet each other with a kiss on each cheek; formal settings call for a handshake, often with “Senhor/Senhora” or a professional title.
- Language: the official language is Portuguese. Young people in the big cities usually speak good English, but government offices, healthcare and rental contracts operate in Portuguese.
- Punctuality: arriving 10–15 minutes late to social events is common, but be on time for business and official appointments.
- Avoiding offence: the Portuguese do not like being treated as “part of Spain”, so don’t simply speak Spanish instead of Portuguese.
Compared with China, things move slowly and many procedures involve queues or appointments. Learning some basic Portuguese before you leave will make life much easier.
Economy and jobs
Portugal’s economy is driven by services and tourism. Tech start-ups, software outsourcing and coworking have grown fast in Lisbon and Porto in recent years, attracting many foreign remote workers. Overall wages are low, though: Numbeo’s user data put the average net monthly salary in Lisbon at about €1,404 (October 2026), well below Madrid and northern Western European cities.
Common paths for new Chinese arrivals include:
- working in Chinese-run restaurants, wholesale, variety stores and trading companies;
- jobs in tech, tourism, hotels and international education, usually requiring English or Portuguese;
- living on remote-work or passive income without relying on the local job market;
- investing or starting a business, such as a restaurant, shop or tech company.
Note that the old non-habitual resident (NHR) tax regime for new foreign residents no longer accepts applicants; its replacement mainly targets research, innovation and highly skilled jobs. If you plan to live in Portugal long-term, learn the personal income tax and worldwide income reporting rules in advance.
Cost of living
Everyday prices in Portugal are low for Western Europe, but rents in Lisbon and Porto have risen sharply in recent years and are now the largest expense for most newcomers. The chart shows crowd-sourced estimates of a single person’s main monthly costs in Lisbon:
On these figures, living alone in a one-bedroom flat in Lisbon costs at least about €1,800–2,200 a month, while the average net salary is only about €1,400, which is why many locals share flats or live in the suburbs. Porto, Braga, Coimbra and some Algarve towns are cheaper. City-by-city figures are in Cost of Living in Portugal.
The first thing to get in Portugal is a tax number (NIF): you need it to open a bank account, rent a flat, sign a phone contract, shop online and even join a gym. Many people obtain one through a lawyer or representative before their residence permit is issued.
Healthcare
Portugal has a mainly tax-funded National Health Service (SNS). Legal residents can register at their local health centre (centro de saúde) and obtain a user number (número de utente); an assigned family doctor then provides primary care and refers patients to hospital specialists.
The problems are similar to Spain’s: family doctors are in short supply, in some areas it is hard to get one assigned, and waits for non-urgent specialist care and surgery can be long. Many foreign residents therefore also buy private health insurance and use private hospitals. Residence visa applications usually require health insurance valid in Portugal as well.
See Healthcare in Portugal for how the system works, emergencies and choosing private insurance.
The Chinese community
AIMA’s 2024 Migration and Asylum Report counts 30,734 Chinese nationals with valid residence permits at the end of 2024 (15,275 men and 15,459 women), and AIMA issued 1,991 new residence titles to Chinese citizens that year. That figure excludes Chinese who have become Portuguese citizens.
Most Chinese in Portugal come from Zhejiang province and are concentrated in the Lisbon, Porto and Faro areas. In central Lisbon, Martim Moniz square and Rua da Palma are lined with Chinese shops, supermarkets and restaurants and are the first stop for many newcomers.
After Portugal launched its golden visa in 2012, Chinese investors made up a large share of applicants: according to data from the former Immigration and Borders Service (SEF), 5,374 of the 12,497 investment residence permits granted between October 2012 and July 2023 (about 43%) went to Chinese citizens. These families fuelled the growth of Chinese-language education, immigration advice and property services. More in The Chinese Community in Portugal.
Visa and residence routes at a glance
PRC ordinary passport holders need a visa for Portugal. Short stays require a Schengen visa; for long-term residence you first apply for a Portuguese residence visa in China and then for a residence permit from AIMA after arrival. The main routes:
| Route | For whom | Key requirements (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen short-stay visa | Tourism, business, family visits, scouting trips | Up to 90 days in any 180; no work |
| D7 passive income visa | Retirees, people living on rental or investment income | Stable passive income of at least the Portuguese minimum wage (€920 a month in 2026), plus 50% for a spouse and 30% per child |
| D8 digital nomad visa | People working remotely for foreign employers or clients | Average monthly income over the last 3 months of at least four times the minimum wage (€3,680 in 2026) |
| Work visa / highly qualified | People with a Portuguese job offer, skilled professionals | Employment contract or offer; some posts require a degree |
| Start-up and tech visas | Entrepreneurs and start-up founders | Business plan and funds, or backing from a certified incubator |
| Student visa | University and language-course students | Admission letter, proof of funds, health insurance |
| Family reunification | Relatives of legal residents | Sponsor meets residence, income and housing rules |
| Investment residence (golden visa, ARI) | Investors | Property and capital-transfer options removed in 2023; fund investment, cultural or research donations and job-creating businesses remain |
Documents, fees and where to apply are covered in the Portugal Visa Guide.
Since 2023, Portugal’s golden visa no longer accepts property purchases. Advertising that still sells “residency through buying property in Portugal” is either out of date or misleading. Check the current law and have a qualified Portuguese lawyer review any investment.
Safety
Portugal is one of the safest countries in Europe and has long ranked near the top of the Global Peace Index, with little violent crime. The main risks are pickpocketing in tourist areas and on trams in Lisbon and Porto, and street drug sellers or scams at night in some districts.
- Emergency number: 112;
- for lost documents or serious trouble, contact the Chinese Embassy in Portugal (Lisbon);
- beware of rental scams that ask for a “viewing deposit” by transfer; always view the flat and check the landlord’s identity.
Portugal has dedicated regulation for casinos and online gambling. Whether gambling is legal locally and what it means for Chinese citizens is explained in Portugal Gambling Laws.
Pros and challenges
Pros
- Safe, friendly society
- Mild climate, long coastline, slow pace of life
- Dedicated visas for passive-income earners and remote workers
- Everyday costs below most of Western Europe
- EU and Schengen member, easy travel
Challenges
- Low wages and limited local jobs
- Soaring rents in Lisbon and Porto
- Large AIMA backlog and long processing times
- Property route abolished; higher investment thresholds
- Citizenship now generally requires 10 years of residence (2026 law)
If you are comparing the two Iberian countries, read the Spain Moving and Living Guide, or see other countries in the Europe guide.
FAQ
Is moving to Portugal a good idea?
For people with stable passive income, remote-work income or a pension, Portugal offers a high quality of life and a strong sense of safety. People who need a local job to support a family face low wages and high rents. Spend a few weeks there on a Schengen visa before deciding.
What are the requirements to move to Portugal?
They depend on the permit: the D7 looks at passive income, the D8 at remote-work income, work visas at an employment contract, student visas at admission and funds, and investment residence at a qualifying investment. Almost all long-stay visas require a criminal record certificate, health insurance and proof of accommodation in Portugal.
Can I keep Chinese nationality if I become Portuguese?
No. Portugal itself allows dual nationality, but the PRC Nationality Law does not recognise it for Chinese citizens: voluntarily acquiring a foreign nationality means automatically losing Chinese nationality. See Dual Nationality and Chinese Nationality Law.
How much does it cost to live in Portugal?
In Lisbon, a single person’s monthly living costs excluding rent are about €760, plus roughly €1,050–1,450 for a one-bedroom flat (Numbeo, October 2026). Official visa information is on the Portuguese Foreign Ministry’s visa portal.
Sources
- Numbeo – Cost of Living in Lisbon (updated 6 Oct 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- European Commission – Applying for a Schengen visa (accessed October 2026)
- Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros – Portal dos Vistos (accessed October 2026)
- INE Portugal – Estimativas de População Residente em Portugal, 2025 (destaque, 22 de junho de 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- AICEP Portugal Global – População residente atinge 11,4 milhões em 2025 (resumo dos dados do INE, 23/06/2026) (accessed October 2026)
- AIMA – Relatório de Migrações e Asilo 2024 (população estrangeira residente a 31/12/2024, anexo estatístico) (accessed October 2026)
- idealista/news (Lusa, dados do SEF) – Vistos gold: investimento chinês chega a 433,7 milhões desde 2020（媒体报道，二手来源） (accessed October 2026)
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio – alteração à Lei da Nacionalidade (texto do Diário da República, cópia do Governo Regional da Madeira) (accessed October 2026)
- DGERT – Retribuição mínima mensal garantida para 2026 (Decreto-Lei n.º 139/2025: 920 €) (accessed October 2026)
- VFS Global (consular checklist, Portugal) – D7 Residence Visa for retirement or living from individual revenues, March 2025 (means of subsistence per Portaria 1563/2007) (accessed October 2026)
- VFS Global China – Portugal Residency Visa for Remote Work, checklist (4 July 2025) (accessed October 2026)
- 中华人民共和国驻葡萄牙共和国大使馆 (accessed October 2026)
- Wikipedia – Chinese people in Portugal (Chinese community distribution; secondary source) (accessed October 2026)