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    Top Destinations:

    Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Panama
    • Belize
    • Colombia
    • Cyprus
    • Mexico
    • France
    • Montenegro
    • Browse All Countries

    Best For:

    • The Best Places To Retire
    • Health Care Abroad
    • Cost Of Living
    • Investing in Real Estate
    • Establishing Residency
    • Gun Laws In The World
    • English-Speaking Countries
    • Safest Places For Retirement
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  • Budgets

    How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

    The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

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    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
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Home In Focus: Europe

Portugal Versus Spain—​​​​​Which Is Better For Expats And Retirees?

by Kat Kalashian
Sep 25, 2025
in In Focus: Europe
0 0
Lisbon cityscape

Adobestock/Nitr

I’ve just returned from Valencia, Spain, where I spent last week for our Live And Invest in Spain Conference, joined by our team of on-the-ground experts and a roomful of potential expats considering Spain as their next home…

I love Spain so much, it’s tempted me from my long-time love, Paris. Our family is hoping to purchase a holiday home on the Costa Brava (which is a comfortable car or train trip from Paris) in the next couple of years. We plan to use it not just for vacations, but for several weeks or months per year, splitting our time between the City of Light and Spain’s glorious Mediterranean coast.

If you’re considering Spain, you might wonder about its neighbor: Portugal, another long-time favorite country, and winner of World’s #1 Retirement Haven for many years running…

Portugal and Spain share a border—and a lot of appeal for expats seeking sunshine, Old World culture, and a slower pace of life.

But while they may seem similar on the surface, each offers distinctly different cultures, as well as different advantages for retirees and remote workers.

Portugal is known for its affordability, residency-friendly policies, and laid-back charm, while Spain boasts vibrant cities, world-class health care, and a rich regional diversity.

So, what are the key differences, and which might be best for you?

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Check out the video below, where we take a look at the comparative cost of living, residency visas, taxes, lifestyle, and more, to help you decide which of these sun-drenched charmers might suit you best…

Spain Versus Portugal… Which Is Right For You?

Got a question? Want to see us cover a particular topic? Write to me here.

Bonne route,

Kat Kalashian signature

Kat Kalashian
Editor, In Focus: Europe

Tags: 'retire'expat livingPortugalSpain'
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Kat Kalashian

Kat Kalashian

Kat Kalashian has grown up around the world, living in the United States, Ireland, France, and Panama, and has traveled extensively in her few years. Growing up as a young expat she is familiar with the trials and tribulations of an overseas move and the adjustments that must be made in every new destination. After living in Panama for seven years, she and her husband relocated back to Paris, France, in 2018 where they now live full-time with their American-born cat, Panamanian-born dog, and two French-born daughters. She's now been living in Paris for over 10 cumulative years, and enjoys being able to explore France and the rest of Europe at every opportunity. As head of Live And Invest Overseas’ European Division, she is Editorial Director of Europe Uncovered, a monthly subscription service, MCs the Europe based Live And Invest Conferences, and scouts out new locations for coverage on the Continent.

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HOME

Top Countries

  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Panama
  • Belize
  • Colombia
  • Cyprus
  • Mexico
  • France
  • Montenegro

Best For:

  • Health Care Abroad
  • Retirement Living
  • Cost Of Living
  • Investing in Real Estate
  • Establishing Residency
  • Gun Ownership
  • English Speakers
  • Safety
BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

Budgets

How Much Will It Cost
To Live Overseas?

Super Cheap

  • Chitré, Panama
  • Santa Marta, Colombia
  • Phuket, Thailand
  • Dumaguete, The Philippines

Cheap

  • Medellin, Colombia
  • Boquete, Panama
  • Kyrenia, Cyprus
  • Hua Hin, Thailand
  • The Algarve, Portugal

Affordable

  • Valencia, Spain
  • Cascais, Portugal
  • Las Terrenas, The DR
  • Pisa, Italy
  • La Rochelle, France
  • Mazatlán, Mexico

Luxury

  • Ambergris Caye, Belize
  • Kotor, Montenegro
  • The Panama City Beaches
  • Paris, France

Resources

Global Living

  • Living & Retiring Overseas
  • Raising A Family Abroad
  • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
  • Offshore & Diversification

Making Money

  • International Real Estate
  • Banking
  • Employment
  • Investing
Meet Our Experts

Real Estate

Overseas Property Alert 

 

How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams

VISIT SITE

Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

 

Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

READ MORE

Explore Our Latest Posts

 

Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

EXPLORE

Conferences

Offshore Wealth Summit

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA Oct. 15-17, 2025
Learn More About This Event
DISCOUNT

Live And Invest In Ireland Online Workshop

VIRTUAL Nov. 13, 2025
Learn More About This Event
PRE-REGISTER

Live and Invest In Panama Conference

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA Jan. 21-23, 2026
Learn More About This Event
PRE-REGISTER
MORE EVENTS

Contact Our Events Team:

Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
1 (888) 627 8834

From Outside North America:
1 (443) 599 1221

Working Hours
Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

Store

Overseas Havens Reports

  • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

Conference Kits

  • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

Lahardan Books

  • Titles on living and investing around the world

Services

  • Overseas Living Letter: Affordable Retirement Guidance
  • The Simon Letter: Wealth Protection Insights
  • Global Property Advisor: Global Investment Opportunitites
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THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

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