en 
According to newly released analysis of Google Trends data
from mydolcecasa.com,
a research site about moving and living abroad, the interest in Portugal from
Americans is at an all time high.
Europe has been on the radar of Americans for some time but
usually the top searched for countries are Spain and France, however now
Portugal is being hailed as a “rising new star”.
“The new “darling” of American expats, sunny Portugal
surpassed other European countries that have been at the top of the charts for
decades, in “moving to” searches”.
There has also been an increase in searches online from the
United States for “real estate in Portugal” according to Google Trends data.
More U.S. buyers than ever are looking for homes in Portugal
driven by the dollar’s strong purchasing power and attractive housing prices
often cheaper than in the U.S. or in other Mediterranean countries,” states the
site which quotes data from INE and the
US National Association of Realtors to demonstrate the attractive housing
prices.
“The median price of a home in Portugal was $138 per square
foot in the first quarter of 2022, 17.2% higher than a year prior, but well
below the median price of a home in the United States of $202 per square foot”.
Originally from the UK, Daisy has been living and working in Portugal for more than 20 years. She has worked in PR, marketing and journalism, and has been the editor of The Portugal News since 2019. Jornalista 7920
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Just in time to get completely and utterly robbed by capital gains taxes by the new laws signed this year. Now the highest in Europe. Oops. People will be leaving as fast as they came if they are living on monies invested outside their pensions. Cost of living in the Lisbon district is higher than the UK. Taxes are now higher than the UK and the US.
By John Jones from Lisbon on 09 Aug 2022, 16:56
If not taxes, wait until they have to deal with the primitive bureaucracy and corruption....
By S from Other on 09 Aug 2022, 19:59
BTW, it's just a known fact that you get more for your $ in Pt. with wine and food as well as real estate being 1/3 cheaper with stunning beauty but the MAIN reason are THE PEOPLE who are friendly, generous and helpful. The French and Spanish (not all but a lot) have the air of an "attitude" similar to a "superiority" feeling as I've been several times to Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. Porto is not at all like that today and Lisbon wasn't when I was there 4 years ago and hopefully hasn't changed.
By Wesley from USA on 10 Aug 2022, 04:51
Well when I did live in the until 2018 the taxes comparing over were they are more expensive in the UK I was paying council taxes 200.00 pounds every month and did include gas and neither electricity or even water . As far corruption that exist anywhere and by the last news the UK government is brushing everything under the carpet .
By Isabel Oliveira from Lisbon on 10 Aug 2022, 06:08
For all those complaining about taxes there is a simple solution. Go back to your country if it is so much better. For anyone else wishing to come, here are some thoughts on being successful [from one who has lived in many places and cultures very different from my own]:
Don't compare your new country to your old one and insist on how much better the way of doing things is there
2 LEARN THE LANGUAGE and stop the excuses not to. This is Portugal, not the states or UK.
3 Don't build walls, integrate. Meet the locals.
4 Don't bring nasty habits - loud partying, drugs, and drunkenness. This just makes the locals dispise you.
Make friends by being respectful. They will help you with the headaches involved in moving.
5 in government offices where most are underpaid and overworked, smile and recognize their hard work. And speak to them in your broken portuguese. It will make the process much easier. Remember, it is your big money that is making their cost of living more difficult.
6 Leave your big loud cars at home. Europeans love cars - but have refined their attitudes especially in regards to the climate crisis.
7 This is no place for obnoxious gun loving I DEMAND MY RIGHTS AS AN AMERICAN kind of people. Nobody likes this here. People have families, they want their children playing in the park PEACEFULLY. They want to eat happily in restaurants without having to hear the expat yelling about service and jumping the line, getting drunk at their table and making fools of themselves.
By Paul Neto from Algarve on 10 Aug 2022, 11:02
Don't think really lisbon are more expensive than the UK it's absolutely not true Lisbon is cheaper compare with any European countries including UK. You will get better quality of life that you will never found in any European country
By Jose Santos from UK on 10 Aug 2022, 11:04
So true, Portuguese people are extremely kind, generous, and hospitable. I can see why people love to move there.
By Lisa from Other on 10 Aug 2022, 13:09
I live in California, I pay more taxes than Switzerland and tired to see homeless every where and the streets full of garbage, urine and human feces. Can walk in San Francisco or LA without step on it .
By Ruy from USA on 10 Aug 2022, 23:33
We bought our apartment in Gale in 2017, retired in 2018, Colon Cancer in 2019 (remission), Covid 2020, residency paperwork 2021, Residents 2022. Moving to Portugal has been the best decision of our life's. We love it here the people are very friendly and almost always willing to help us thru our trials and errors. It is important to come here as a citizen of the world that wants to learn the culture and blend in, if you do that everything will work out in the end!!!
By Steven from Algarve on 11 Aug 2022, 00:00
The last thing Portugal needs are entitled Americans moving in and bringing their "American Ideologies" to ruin another pristine land. Yes. I am a U.S. citizen, but I am 1st generation and very vonnected to Portuguese Community there. I own a home up in the Luso area and I plan on moving there permanently in 2025. I love my homeland of Portugal and definitely do not want to see it Americanized in any way, shape, or form.
By Joe from USA on 11 Aug 2022, 01:28
There are far too many obnoxious "Daily Mail" Brits in Portugal, although Brexit and Covid have improved that situation greatly. I hesitate to think of what a 'new wave' of USians might bring. A previous poster offered some good advice to Americans thinking of coming to Portugal. Or Europe for that matter. I hope it sinks in.
By Dãvid B from Algarve on 11 Aug 2022, 08:50
First , if one has complain , simply to somewhere else or the country you come from.
Respect the local people and their way of living , they are more friendly then many in many other countries. Yes , leave the bad habits in our native countries (drugs, violence, ...).
The way the goverment handled the COVID was not perfect but much more efficient then in most countries.
Taxes : make your calculation including all kinds of taxes and see what you get for it. Most of us will be very happy with the outcome.
If you want to live in Portugal , love and respect the country and the people !
By Georges Hoeterickx from Lisbon on 11 Aug 2022, 19:34
I agree with all the comments about if you are not happy having moved here you should go somewhere else. I also agree with many, about the need to integrate and to respect the local culture. I have lived in many countries before Portugal and of course all need to respect others. Whilst I do find that Portuguese can be friendly it is not to all and just like anywhere else in todays world there is racism. There is discrimination toward Brazilians and other migrants from Portuguese speaking countries, and they are not always treated nicely.
Portugal is in a difficult situation, as it needs to continue to attract productive workers. Retirees and tourists who only come to spend money is great to help the service industry. But Portugal also needs to continue to be attractive to high end work as well that will create more jobs in more lucrative sectors. The Portuguese population has been declining, and is predicted to continue to do so based on both population growth and so many Portuguese emigrating to where they can find work that pays more and allows career progression. Migrants are now 10% of pop.
In the last years the govt. has made changes to the tax code that has impacted people that have moved here under diff programs. The 10 % tax on pensions and now moving from a flat capital gains tax to a model similar to other countries that charge STCG as regular income. Neither of these really impact the local Portuguese as the first was an NHR benefit and the second only impacts people who may trade in and out of securities in less than one year. Regardless of why they changed the laws, they need to be careful as does anyone moving here of the impact.
By John Jones from Lisbon on 13 Aug 2022, 16:03
Americans will only make Lisbon soulless and super expensive. The same thing they did to San Francisco.
By Mark from Lisbon on 20 Aug 2022, 09:03
Who knows? Maybe a HUGE influx of Americans will finally end the Soviet style housing and ugly urban areas. Maybe a HUGE influx of Americans demanding better quality (at all levels and in all spaces - including products in supermarkets) may make a positive change.
By S from Other on 20 Aug 2022, 20:21
One of the main reasons we chose Madeira was the people.
By Dave H Wood from Madeira on 21 Aug 2022, 11:04
We are moving and it’s not about the money… it may in fact end up being more costly in some facets than the US.. but we are moving because the country , the people and the culture is beautiful.
By Mark from USA on 13 Sep 2022, 19:05