It’s no secret that Portugal is a haven for digital nomads wanting to live and travel in Europe. With delicious food, interesting culture, and breathtaking natural beauty, it’s no surprise that Portugal is in the top 10 most visited countries by digital nomads in 2023.
Life in Portugal can mean exploring an electric metropolitan city on Monday, surfing some of Europe’s best waves on Wednesday, and hiking across a tropical island by Friday. When we say there’s something for everyone, we mean it.
In this post, we’ve laid out not only the best cities in Portugal for digital nomads but also the beach towns, regions, and island getaways that simply cannot be missed.
Why is Portugal so Popular Among Digital Nomads?
Portugal has one of the longest-standing relationships with the international digital nomad community. Since the launch of the Non-Habitual Residents (NHR) Regime in 2009, Portugal has opened its doors to remote workers both inside and outside of the EU with unprecedented tax breaks and visa options.
Simply put, Portugal saw the chance to bring in foreign high-earners to boost their economy after a period of recession. In exchange, digital nomads got to live in a country with beautiful beaches, incredible food, and essentially perfect weather.
The NHR regime was so successful that almost half a million foreign nationals have taken advantage of it over the past 15 years. For digital nomads, this has made Portugal an ideal place to live. There’s a huge international community to network and connect with, the internet is fast and reliable, and there are so many co-working spaces to choose from, especially in the capital city, Lisbon.
On the other hand, the NHR regime also cost Portugal €1.5 billion in 2022 alone and locals have been facing serious issues like gentrification and skyrocketing house prices due to the increasing number of tourists and foreign nationals. Similar to their neighboring country, Spain, Portugal has seen a series of anti-tourism protests over the past few years with locals demanding better balance when it comes to overtourism and a prioritization of Portuguese nationals over foreigners.
The NHR regime was officially closed at the start of 2024 and replaced with a new tax break system aimed at specific highly skilled foreigners. Portugal still offers a great Digital Nomad Visa and continues to actively invite in work-from-anywhere freelancers and employees, they just ask that people be considerate of the locals, avoid short-term rentals, and intentionally give back to the communities they stay in.
In this post, you’ll find the 8 best destinations for digital nomads in Portugal that don’t just cover the more popular areas but share some true hidden gems to avoid the already overcrowded cities.
Best Places for Digital Nomads in Portugal
Now you know why Portugal should be on your digital nomad destination bucket list, let’s dive into exactly where you should be planning to visit on your next trip. Keep reading to learn what makes these places perfect for those looking to work from anywhere.
1. Lisbon
Lisbon might just be the unofficial digital nomad headquarters of Europe. The city is home to 16,000 digital nomads, holds multiple digital nomad conferences every year, and has 50+ different co-working offices on offer.
It also ranks 100th for cost of living amongst cities in the world having moved up 17 places in 2024 according to Mercer. If we’re being honest, we can see why the locals are a little overwhelmed.
To combat the overcrowding, many remote workers are now choosing to live slightly outside of the city and closer to Peniche. Lisbon is a great hub for digital nomads but if you’re planning to visit, it’s important to be considerate of the local people and use your common sense to remain a respectful guest in their country.
Learn more about Lisbon:
Federico Felici
2. Porto
Is Porto the new ‘it spot’ for digital nomads in Portugal? We think so. Portugal’s second-biggest city has all the amenities of Lisbon including super fast internet and great co-working options like Synergy and Vertical Coworking but at a lower cost of living of around €1,000 to €1,500 per month. The city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic architecture and 2,000-year-old history.
Porto is a rising hub for nomads and makes a great base from which to see the rest of Portugal. We’ll also let you in on a little secret…many digital nomads are now choosing to stay an hour outside of Porto in Aveiro, a beautiful canal-lined smaller city with easy access to bigger city life.
3. Madeira
Ah, Madeira! The island paradise is known as the Hawaii of Europe for its tropical climate and stunning beaches. Madeira refers to both the archipelago and the main island which is where we recommend you set your sites.
Convincing anyone to visit this tropical destination in the middle of the Atlantic is easy - it has a unique and interesting culture, endless activities like watersports and hiking to fill your days, and is relatively affordable for a European vacation destination.
For digital nomads especially, however, Madeira is really special. It has probably the most established and close-knit community of digital nomads in all of Europe, highlighted by the world’s first Digital Nomad Village opened in 2021. Internet is surprisingly quick for an island and with monthly costs rarely exceeding €1,300-€1,800 we’re struggling to find a reason not to visit Madeira.
Start planning your trip to Maderia:
Luca Mussari
4. Algarve
The Algarve region has always been a desirable vacation spot in Europe for its gorgeous weather and natural beaches. Now, it’s become an up-and-coming digital nomad hub that offers a slower pace of life and blissful work-life balance with its tranquil coastline literally right on your doorstep.
The city of Lagos is a great alternative to Lisbon for digital nomads who want the perks of busy city life without adding to the capital city’s pressure of overcrowding and fluctuating housing market due to foreigners. You should also check out Portimao, a beach town with a younger vibe, a growing digital nomad community, and an electric nightlife.
5. Coimbra
If you’re not a major city person but like a little more action than a small town, then Coimbra is for you. Built around the ancient university, in Coimbra you’ll find winding cobblestoned streets, quaint and colorful buildings, and an amazing restaurant and bar scene for the foodies out there. A city-center one-bedroom apartment is as low as €660/month and can expect other monthly living costs to be around €600.
Although historical, Coimbra still delivers on great internet speeds and a few co-working spaces like Nest Collective and Fluxo. Alternatively, you can choose to work from any one of the wonderful cafes or libraries found city-wide.
6. Ericeira
Ericeira is all about the beach. If you’re a remote worker who loves to surf then there’s probably not a better destination in all of Europe. In Ericeira, you’ll find yoga studios, Europe’s first World Surf Reserve, and a great group of digital nomads using resources like Nomadico Coliving and Kelp Cowork.
With its ultra-relaxed atmosphere, it’s hard to believe that this sleepy beach town is only 40 minutes from Lisbon. This means super fast internet and access to the big city at just a fraction of the cost with a monthly living allowance of €1,200.
7. Setubal
Just 45 minutes South of Lisbon sits the hidden gem of Setubal. It’s a fishing town with all the best that Portugal has to offer - beaches, food, amazing weather - with a lot of personality and far less tourism than the other digital nomad hubs. You can spend your days visiting markets, savoring local specialties like choco frito (fried cuttlefish) and Moscatel (a sweet wine), or exploring the Sado River Estuary Nature Reserve.
The cost of living is low with rent for one-bedroom apartments in the town center being roughly €800 not to mention that the internet is very reliable. You’ll even find a small selection of dedicated co-working offices to work from alongside the many wonderful work-friendly cafes.
8. Braga
The streets of Braga look like they come straight out of a ‘wish you were here’ postcard from Europe. Colorful buildings frame narrow streets with countless quaint cafes and restaurants with the backdrop of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The lesser-known medieval city is located in Northern Portugal and off of the normal tourist beaten track making it perfect for laidback nomads on the hunt for history and culture.
You can find one-bedroom apartments from as low as €400 with the monthly costs of a mid-tier lifestyle running you around €1,500/month including rent. A handful of co-working spaces have been popping up around the city which is unsurprising considering the slowly growing remote work community.
Ready to Become a Digital Nomad in Portugal?
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We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads!
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