Field notes for international buyers.
Short pieces on the costs, taxes, mortgages and everyday routines behind a Portuguese property decision. Written from Cascais, checked against the market.
What a month in Portugal actually costs: London, New York and Sydney compared
A realistic monthly budget for a couple on the Lisbon coast, excluding housing (groceries, utilities, transport, healthcare) compared with London, New York, Sydney and São Paulo.
Read the article02Portugal’s 2026 property tax adjustment, without the drama.
How Portugal’s 2026 construction value affects IMI for new builds, renovations, reassessed homes and most resale buyers.
Read the article03Can foreigners buy in Portugal? The clear answer, and the mortgage reality.
Ownership is open. The difficult part is coordinating tax status, due diligence, the binding contract and a bank that can properly read income earned elsewhere.
Read the article04Your Estoril morning begins before the town does.
An Estoril morning by the Atlantic, and the everyday routine international buyers should test before choosing a home on the Cascais coast.
Read the article05Portugal's expat culture: who is actually moving here
1.6 million foreign residents, 13.9% of the population: who they are, where they cluster, which doors are narrowing, and what daily life asks of newcomers.
Read the article06The international schools foreign families actually choose in Portugal
Thirty-six private and international schools in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira: what each one does best, the honest caveats, 2026/27 fees and waiting lists.
Read the article07Members' clubs in Portugal: the new ones coming and what they mean for property
Soho House is confirmed for Lisbon, JNcQUOI Club Comporta targets 2028, and clubs like Club 7 already anchor expat life: what is confirmed, what is rumour, and what clubs can and cannot do for property values.
Read the article08Portugal's year: a calendar of events worth planning around
Twelve months of saints' feasts, music festivals, fashion weeks, flower parades and motor racing: what happens when, where to be, and how to plan your trips and rental calendar around it all.
Read the article09Sport in Portugal: what kids play at school, what adults play, and what to watch
Football and futsal first, then the padel boom, tennis, golf, surf and sailing: what children do at school, what adults actually join, and the events worth buying a ticket to.
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