The Real Cost of Moving From the USA to Portugal — What To Budget For (Before, During, and After)

Dreaming of swapping your American day-to-day for a European city or quiet corner of Portugal’s countryside? Sure, food and healthcare can be cheaper, and the lifestyle is undeniably more relaxed. But making the move isn’t free, far from it. There are numerous expenses to account for, from securing a visa to physically moving your belongings, and many people find their budgets balloon faster than expected.

Here’s a frank breakdown of what you should realistically be prepared to pay when you move from the USA to Portugal (or anywhere for that matter), and a few hidden expenses you might not have thought about.

This is by no means complete but should give you a good idea of what to expect.

🔹 1. Before you move — upfront expenses

The first hurdle is making sure you’re legally allowed to stay in Portugal and physically able to move your belongings across the ocean.

Visa application:
To live in Portugal, most Americans apply for a D7 Passive Income or D8 Digital Nomad Visa. There are a few costs such as an application fee that typically runs about €90 per person (about $100), plus you may need to pay for certified translations of documents (call it $150) and an FBI background check adding another $50 per adult. Part of the applications also include notarized copies of things such as birth certificates or marriage licenses, which you can do for less than $10 a piece. 

When our family of four applied for a D8 Visa with Family Reunification, we also had to essentially do the application four times over. Which meant a lot of time spent at FedEx making copies. Easily $100 in those costs. 

This is also if you’re doing the Visa by yourself. We spent about €4,500 for an immigration lawyer. Totally worth the cost in our minds, but even with the lawyer you’re going to spend money getting the Visa application together. 

Cash on hand:
Something to be prepared for during a follow-up Visa appointment in Portugal is having money in your Portugese bank account. For us, we had to show proof of more than €19,000 in our account. Yes, that’s a lot of money.

Relocation and movers:
If you’re sending furniture or numerous boxes, consider international movers, which can range from $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the volume and delivery time. Airfreight (more expensive but faster) typically starts at $5 per kilogram. 

Flights:
A one-way flight from a U.S. city to Lisbon or Porto can range from $500 to $1,500 per person, depending on the time of year and route. And consider return trips to America and how often you’ll want to take them. For us, the cheapest round-trip flights we see from Atlanta to Lisbon are about $700 per person unless you get extremely lucky. 

Pet relocation:
If you’re bringing a furry friend, you might pay $500 to $2,000, including health certificates, vaccines, and specialized pet transport services. Costs also go up depending on size of your animal. 

🔹 2. During the move — settling in

Once you arrive, there are a few key expenses to account for immediately.

Housing deposit:
To rent in Portugal, landlords typically require 2 months’ deposit plus first and last months’ rent up front. So for a €1,500/mo two-bedroom in a city center, you might pay €6,000 immediately. If you are buying in Portugal, most places require 20% down upon purchase, and all your taxes are paid upfront. 

Setting up utilities:
Turning on water, electricity, and internet typically involves connection fees or deposits totaling €100-€500. Mobile phone plans are cost-efficient and run about €20-30 per line. 

Furnishings:
If you’re starting from scratch, you might buy furniture from IKEA or a local store. A mattress, sofa, table, and few appliances can add up to $1,000 to $3,000. Secondhand in many European countries is not as cheap as you would like, but you may catch another expat moving away and selling items for below market price in a WhatsApp or Facebook group.

Transport:
If you need a car, buying a reliable used vehicle typically starts at €8,000, but that’s for a small, manual car. Automatic transmissions are less available and more expensive. During the offseason, you can rent a vehicle for less than €200 per month. That price skyrockets in the summer though. A metro pass in Lisbon is about €40/mo, and buses and trams are cheaper in smaller cities.

Schools:
Enrolling kids in schools? Just like in America, there’s probably going to be an enrollment fee of about €300 per child. And depending on the school, we’ve seen it as high as three months of tuition upfront. However, that’s uncommon and not typical of a local private school.

Health Insurance:
This is required for your Visa. You can start with temporary insurance for the application that runs about €800 for a family of four and covers several months. Once you are here, you can find very good private insurance for €250 per month for a family of four. 

🔹 3. The hidden “America hangover”

Some expenses from back home may follow you across the ocean, adding an additional financial consideration.

Taxes:
The USA taxes its citizens on their global income, regardless of where they live. That means you will need to file US taxes each year alongside your Portuguese return. To handle this, many expats pay $500 to $1,500 for an accountant who’s experienced in both US and Portuguese tax codes.

Property back home: 

If you keep a home in the USA — whether you rent it or leave it vacant — you'll still be liable for:

• Mortgage payments: $1,000/mo or more
  

• Property taxes: typically 1% of the home's market value per year
  

• Property management: 10% of rental income if you rent it through a service
  

There’s also a lot of money spent preparing your house either for renting or selling if you go that route. So any of that deferred maintenance you were putting off at home needs to be dealt with. For example, we kept our property to rent out and needed to spend $800 on a new door and framing before we left. Not fun.

Storage:
If you put furniture in storage instead of selling it, a small storage unit typically runs $150 to $250/mo.

Moving Expenses At A Glance

✅ Tip: Begin saving at least 6-12 months’ expenses in a separate account before you move. That financial buffer lets you absorb all the hidden costs without derailing your plans and lets you focus on settling into your new home.

Moving from the USA to Portugal is a wonderful opportunity — a chance to experience a rich European culture at a slower, more intimate pace. But it’s not a decision to be made lightly. Between relocation expenses, securing a home, and hidden financial hangovers from back home, you need a clear picture of your total financial commitment.

With careful budgeting and realistic expectations, you can avoid many unpleasant financial shocks. Your future lifestyle in Portugal may be more affordable in some ways, but there are numerous initial and ongoing expenses you need to account for. The key is to be well-informed and prepared — then you can focus on making the most of your new European adventure.

Until next time,

Benn (+ Melissa)