3.3/5
1,540 reviews
Photo by Matt Roskovec via Unsplash

Porto

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lisbon

amazing

nice

nomad

apartment

great

internet

expensive

work

cold

food

nomads

affordable

cost

experience

architecture

locals

rent

Porto has become a popular destination for expats and digital nomads, offering a charming, walkable city full of history, architecture, and affordable services. Many find the lifestyle enjoyable, with great food, public healthcare, and a growing international community. Public transit, scooter access, and beach proximity make it convenient for day-to-day life, while the regional charm adds to its appeal. Weekly events and growing expat activity also support community building for those who stay a longer term.

However, significant downsides have been repeatedly mentioned. Unreliable internet, particularly in short-term accommodations, is a deal-breaker for remote work. Winters are cold and wet, often worsened by poor insulation and heating. Housing costs have risen, with rent often outpacing quality. Over-tourism and rising real estate demand are causing friction with locals and making it harder to find reasonably priced, quiet residences. Noise from construction and foreigner resentment has made it less ideal for some digital nomads. Overall, Porto can be a good choice for expats and long-term residents, but it's increasingly difficult for nomads seeking short stays, reliable work conditions, and integration into the local community.

AI-generated summary of reviews
4 months ago

Hey digital remote workers steer clear out of this city Porto! Lived in it for 4 years and its been hell finding a quiet home to work from. Too much construction has taken this town, and it makes it unlivable for those trying to find a peaceful place to live. Also doesn't help when landlords charge you 1st world rent for a 3rd world condition apartment. I have gone through cold apartments, lots of sewer issues, and just noise pollution that just doesn't blend with a first world living condition. Porto needs to get it together. On top of that foreigner resentment, no thanks! Don't recommend it!

4 months ago

Porto is the most incredible city with a walkable city center, great gyms, access to the beach with surf and amazing food. One of the not so hidden gems of Portugal.
There's a recent community organising weekly events at Digital nomads Porto from a new project of the city hall.

5 months ago

It used to be a nice city for nomads, but its out-priced now and don't recommend it. I am a single female- remote worker from USA with residence permit of 2 years and have to say its not what it used to be. Stormy tropical weather as we speak so unpredictable these days. Landlords charging ridiculous prices and amenities just don't match quality that should be given. Looking into Spain as we speak..

2 years ago

I've lived here for a year as a solo female expat over 50 (from the US) and I love it more and more every day. There are always events and things to do. I have an large, affordable apartment 20 minutes walking from the city center. I live on $2,000 a month.

Before I found my apartment I was a digital nomad here for 4 months and it was challenging. I found some great co-working spaces but the airbnbs I stayed in were sub-par with terrible internet.

However, as a resident/expat I have fantastic internet (fiber optic) and my apartment rent (for a large apartment near the center of town) is extremely affordable.

The health care is amazing. I ended up in the hospital several times (using my private healthcare) and had better treatments than I ever received in the US. I had a surgery where I was kept overnight and the co-pay for the entire surgery with general anesthesia and was less than a single doctor's visit co-pay used to cost me in the US.

The people are friendly and helpful. I've formed an amazing community of Portuguese women who check in regularly and invite me out. I never had that in the US. A car is not needed because the metro and buses go most everywhere, but it's nice to have a car and extremely affordable.

For expating I give Porto an A+. For nomading, a C.

2 years ago

It used to be a nice city for nomads, but it is happening the same as in Lisbon - it is getting to expensive for what it can offer, losing its character and packed with tourists. I tried to learn Portuguese, but it was difficult to meeto local people. Furthermore, the sea water is quite cold and the beach can be quite windy. Better to be in a Mediterranean city or village. Going to Greece now!

3 years ago

As a digital nomad who has had the opportunity to explore various cities around the world, I must say that my experience in Porto was far from satisfactory. While Porto may be touted as a popular tourist destination, it failed to meet my expectations in several aspects.

First and foremost, the infrastructure in Porto left much to be desired. The city's public transportation system was often unreliable and poorly maintained. Buses and trams were frequently overcrowded, making commuting a frustrating and uncomfortable experience. The metro network, although limited, was somewhat better but still fell short compared to other European cities.

Another significant drawback of Porto was the lack of reliable and efficient internet connectivity. As a digital nomad, having a fast and stable internet connection is crucial, but unfortunately, I encountered frequent outages and slow speeds during my time there. This made it incredibly challenging to work remotely and caused a lot of unnecessary stress and inconvenience.

Moreover, I found the cost of living in Porto to be surprisingly high compared to the quality of life it offered. Accommodation prices were disproportionately expensive for what was provided, and the overall value for money was questionable. Additionally, dining out in Porto was not a particularly pleasant experience either. While the city is known for its culinary scene, I found that many restaurants lacked variety and the service was often lackluster.

Furthermore, Porto did not seem to be a particularly welcoming or inclusive city for digital nomads. The local community appeared rather closed-off and not very supportive of outsiders. Networking opportunities were scarce, and it was challenging to connect with like-minded individuals or find co-working spaces that fostered a sense of community.

Lastly, while Porto may have its charm in terms of architecture and historic sites, it lacked diversity in terms of cultural and entertainment offerings. The city seemed to rely heavily on its past glory without investing enough in contemporary art, music, and cultural events. As a result, I often found myself searching for alternative sources of entertainment beyond the usual tourist attractions.

All in all, as a digital nomad seeking an inspiring and conducive environment for work and personal growth, I found Porto to be a disappointing destination. Its subpar infrastructure, unreliable internet, high cost of living, lack of inclusivity, and limited cultural offerings make it a less-than-ideal choice for those seeking a fulfilling and vibrant digital nomad lifestyle.

3 years ago

Lisbon is getting expensive and Porto is still affordable, cheap except to the locals. They can't even rent or buy there anymore. If you go to Porto or similar and pay for overpriced housing and services, you will be contributing to this small city becoming even more expensive. Portugal is small so Portuguese people don't have anywhere else to go. When Porto becomes expensive like Lisbon you can just go away, but the locals can't. They opened their doors to you, be respectful.

3 years ago

I don’t love Porto but I don’t hate it.

I'll preface this by saying I’m a solo traveler (30s male from the US). Things I like about Porto: it is easy to navigate, has great architecture. It's very quaint and charming. It's very walkable and e-scooters are everywhere (pay 30 bucks and get unlimited rides for a month) which is much more convenient than Uber.

Food is pretty solid and there's a lot of options. It's also a wine lover's paradise. Nightlife is decent. I wouldn't say it's great.

Porto is very international. Almost everyone I met was a transplant or a tourist. I am not a huge fan of this type of thing. I think it kind of gives a place a weird vibe. I would say generally the people are nice. It's not the easiest place to meet people.

I think Porto is a great place for a couple or someone that wants to take things slow and kind of chill. It's a smaller city so it doesn’t have a ton going on like bigger cities obviously.

I’d say if you're a solo traveler I would skip. it's not the best place but it's not terrible. I would say Porto is very average. Nothing about it stands out to me. It just seems like an average European city.

3 years ago

I just wanna give my opinion about Porto for future residents the best areas in Porto is Near Castelo do Queijo, ( Parish nevogilde) Boavista and Foz near beaches if you wanna live with quality of life in Porto.

3 years ago

My experience is best area in Porto city is near castelo do queijo (nevogilde) Boavista(roundabout) and Foz

3 years ago

Porto was like a scaled down Lisbon (I swear they are trying to copy it down to the cable car). Lots to do but manageable walking wise. I walked everywhere and always found stuff to do. Bars and clubs are focused in one main area so everything is just easier. The architecture is wonderful and the people are nice. I'd like to see the city in summer as it's just on the wrong side of comfortable and it rained quite a bit (I was there in December). Dog poo is seemingly an issue generally in Portugal...

3 years ago

Very dirty, graffiti everywhere, people offering drugs around the train station and nightlife areas, plenty of urban blight. All that being said Porto has some of the most beautiful architecture in the world, is extremely lively, and pretty affordable. If you're looking for a longer stay I recommend staying in a more residential area like that to the east.

3 years ago

I've been to ~70 countries. Porto is my favorite city in the world. The people, the people, the people!

It's the perfect size, well connected airport, vibrant and happening, amazing blend of locals and expats, and much cheaper than Lisbon. Looking to call this place home.

4 years ago

more clean than lisbon more welcoming but some locals are rude many gigolos and mafias looking around

4 years ago

I have been living in Porto since September. Portugal is currently in a hard covid lockdown so Porto is not at its best. But in better times the city is amazing. Beautiful, right near the beach, with excellent air and rail connectivity. English is widely spoken and the accommodations for visitors are diverse and excellent.
Restaurants are also diverse and excellent. Prices for those used to northern Europe or USA will seem low. December, January are very rainy and can get cold, down to nearly 0°C. Many units do not have heaters or only electric ones, so may be uncomfortable in winter. And it can rain for over a week straight. However at all other times of the year the climate is amazing. Porto merits its high digital nomad ranking!

5 years ago

Better than Lisbon, much more cozy and welcoming. You can find cheaper places in the “other side of the bridge”, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. Public transports works and is pretty convenient, most part of the city is covered by tram stations. Beaches are freezing cold but nice for a running. Don’t miss the daily sunsets in the garden nearby the bridge, eating pastel de nata and drinking a bottle of Porto Wine. But please, don’t clap your hands to the sun — only Brazilian tourists do that haha

6 years ago

Porto is simply amazing! Really good food, easy atmosphere, nice people, affordable, and great to do some work as well! The amazing history this place has adds to the total, including it being easy to travel south to Coimbra and Lisbon.

6 years ago

Spent 3 years living in Porto, must say it's maybe the best city I've lived in so far. Its super hospitable people, delicious food, good English speaking and well educated population, entrepreneurship opportunities and cheap (comparing to Lisbon) cost of living make a combination that is quite hard to beat in Europe.

7 years ago

✅ Walkable city

✅ Beautiful architecture

✅ Affordable (compared to other Western European cities)

✅ Friendly locals

✅ Good healthcare

✅ Great food and wine

✅ International and easy to navigate

✅ Decent public transport and scooter access

✅ Events and expat communities forming

✅ Very safe

✅ Fast internet

✅ Good air quality on average

✅ Nomads.com members liked going here

✅ Many Nomads.com members here all year round

✅ Spacious and not crowded

✅ Very easy to make friends

✅ Very easy to do business

✅ High quality of education

✅ Great hospitals

✅ Roads are very safe

✅ Great freedom of speech

✅ Democratic

✅ Everyone speaks English

✅ Very safe for women

✅ Family friendly

✅ Very friendly to LGBTQ+

✅ (Medical) marijuana MAY be legal, unenforced or decriminalized (always double check this)

❌ Poor internet quality in many accommodations

❌ Unpredictable and rainy winter weather

❌ High housing costs relative to quality

❌ Over-tourism and loss of local character

❌ Noise and construction disrupting living conditions

❌ Struggles with cleanliness (graffiti, dog waste, litter)

❌ Challenging to meet local people

❌ Foreigners sometimes face resentment

❌ Expensive

❌ Not much to do

❌ Cold now

❌ Gets cold in the winter

❌ Very damp now

❌ Many people smoke tobacco

❌ High alcohol consumption

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Feels (median)

12°C / 54°F cool

14°C / 57°F cool

15°C / 59°F cool

17°C / 63°F cool

20°C / 68°F mild

21°C / 70°F mild

22°C / 72°F mild

20°C / 68°F mild

15°C / 59°F cool

14°C / 57°F cool

Real (median)

12°C / 54°F
cool

14°C / 56°F
cool

14°C / 57°F
cool

15°C / 59°F
cool

17°C / 62°F
cool

19°C / 66°F
mild

21°C / 69°F
mild

21°C / 70°F
mild

22°C / 72°F
mild

19°C / 66°F
mild

15°C / 59°F
cool

15°C / 58°F
cool

Humidity

damp
75%

damp
80%

nice
69%

damp
76%

nice
77%

nice
81%

nice
79%

nice
82%

nice
78%

nice
67%

damp
78%

Most common

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

☀️ Clear

☔️ Rain

Rain

rainy
173mm

rainy
106mm

dry
9mm

rainy
122mm

rainy
95mm

dry
42mm

dry
11mm

dry
4mm

rainy
67mm

rainy
151mm

dry
12mm

rainy
163mm

Cloud

pockets
29%

pockets
48%

pockets
25%

pockets
44%

pockets
41%

pockets
29%

pockets
26%

pockets
23%

pockets
39%

pockets
36%

pockets
20%

pockets
45%

Air quality

clean
46 US AQI

clean
34 US AQI

clean
24 US AQI

clean
16 US AQI

clean
23 US AQI

clean
11 US AQI

clean
7 US AQI

clean
10 US AQI

clean
20 US AQI

clean
43 US AQI

clean
45 US AQI

Sun

safe
2 UVI

safe
3 UVI

seek shade
4 UVI

seek shade
5 UVI

avoid sun
6 UVI

avoid sun
8 UVI

avoid sun
7 UVI

seek shade
5 UVI

seek shade
4 UVI

safe
2 UVI

Remote workers

1,950 people

1,738 people

2,200 people

2,660 people

2,200 people

3,429 people

2,256 people

1,978 people

2,176 people

3,583 people

3,046 people

1,883 people

Green is good. Red is bad. Values shown are the medians of all daily highs in a month based on past few years, not necessarily current numbers. Remote worker count is estimated based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members.

If you'd like to filter destinations based on their climate, try Nomads.com's Climate Finder

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✈️36min

$2,317 / mo

101 Mbps

Lisbon

Portugal

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked bad

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

🌤 Feels 14° 57° 14° 57° AQI 21

✈️22min

$3,740 / mo

102 Mbps

Barcelona

Spain

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Very expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked mediocre

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

🌤 Feels 9° 48° 10° 51° AQI 46

✈️1h

$4,530 / mo

52 Mbps

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Very expensive

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

🌥 Feels 7° 45° 8° 46°

✈️2h

$4,867 / mo

🌇 Also went here445 people

Prague

Czechia

⭐️ OverallAll

💵 Cost 🧐 Pricey

📡 InternetWiFi 🚀 Super fast

👍 Liked good

👮 Safety good

Tap to open

🌥 Feels -7° 19° -4° 26° AQI 72 😷

✈️3h

$3,190 / mo

🌇 Also went here464 people

Members who will be here soon

Members who have been here

Values shown are estimated visits by traveling remote workers based on the total amount of trips logged by Nomads.com members. Visits to a place are only counted once per year per user, even if they visit more in that year. Visits are also normalized by overall trips added per month on the site, so if site usage goes up or down it does not affect trends. Not all digital nomads are on Nomads.com, and not all Nomads.com members log their trips. So the data is only indicative.

The chart below shows visitors by nationality normalized for population size. This means we take all trips logged on Nomads.com, check which country of origin the user is from, then divide that total visit count by the country of origin's population. If we didn't, it'd just show the big countries like US, Brazil and India always on top. Instead, this shows which nationalities worldwide proportionally visit more or less, which is more useful.

⭐️ Total score	3.3/5 (Rank #13) 1540 reviews
❤️ Liked by members	👍31 liked it 👎7 disliked it
👍 Quality of life score	Good
👶 Family score	Good
🎒 Community score	Okay
🤯 Overcrowding score	1% is nomad here
💵 Cost	🙂 Okay: $2,888 / mo
📡 Internet	🚀 Super fast: 98 Mbps (avg)
😝 Fun	Okay
⛅️ Temperature (now)	🥶 Too cold: 13°C55°F (feels 12°C54°F)
💦 Humidity (now)	💦 Damp: 93%
❄️ % of buildings with AC	🥵 Low: 22%
💨 Air quality (now)	🌱 Good: 27 US AQI
💨 Air quality (annual)	🌱 Great: 10 US AQI
👌 Safety	Good
👩 Safe for women	Good
🌈 Safe for LGBTQ+	Great
🤮 Food safety*	Great
👮‍♀️ Lack of crime*	Great
🤝 Lack of racism*	Okay
🎓 Education level*	Mediocre
⚡️ Power grid	Great
🌊 Vulnerability to climate change	Good
💰 Income level*	Mediocre: $1,646 / mo
🙊 English speaking*	Good
🚶 Walkability	Great
🚦 Traffic safety*	Okay
✈️ Airline scores*	Good
🧳 Lost luggage*	Great
🏥 Hospitals	Great
😄 Happiness*	Bad
🍸 Nightlife	Okay
📶 Free WiFi in city	Okay
🖥 Places to work from	Great
❄️ A/C or heating	Great
😁 Friendly to foreigners	Good
🗯 Freedom of speech*	Great
🎅 Startup Score	Okay

🌍 Continent	Europe
🚩 Country	Portugal
🗓️ Average trip length	7 days
📡 Internet speed (avg)	98 Mbps
⛅️ Weather (now)	🌧 13°C 55°F + 💦 Damp (93%) = feels 12°C 54°F
💨 Air quality (now)	👍 27 US AQI 🍃 OK
💨 Air quality (annual avg)	👍 11 US AQI
🔌 Power	230V 50Hz
🧔 Best neighborhood to stay	Bonfirm
🚀 Upcoming neighborhood	Vila Nova de Gaia
🚕 Best taxi app*	Uber
🚑 Travel medical insurance	Safetywing
🏧 Suggested ATM take out:	EUR 100 = USD 117
💸 Tipping	Yes, 10%
💳 Cashless	💳 Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
💻 Best coworking space	Porto i/o
🚰 Tap water	👌 Yes, safe to drink
♻️ Return rate	👍11% of visitors return
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Population	210,000 people
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 GDP per capita*	$19,750 / year
👫 Gender ratio (population)	👨 40% 👱‍♀️ 60%
👫 Gender ratio (young adults)	👨 56% 👱‍♀️ 44%
👫 Gender ratio (nomads)	👨 80% 👱‍♀️ 20%
🏞 Foreign land ownership allowed	Yes
⛪️ Religious government	Non-religious
💻 Online electronics shop	Fnac
✈️ Best short-haul air carrier	Ryanair
✈️ Best int'l air carrier	TAP

💵 Cost of living for nomad	$2,888 / month
💵 Cost of living for expat	$1,847 / month
💵 Cost of living for family	$4,005 / month
💵 Cost of living for local	$1,144 / month
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$1,692 / month
🏡 Airbnb (median price)	$1,898 / month
🏠 1br studio rent in center	$1,045 / month
🏠 Median home price	$308,994
🏨 Hotel (median price)	$79 / night
🏠 Airbnb (median price)	$62 / night
🏢 Coworking hot desk	$343 / month
🍛 Dinner	$12
🥤 Coca-Cola (0.3L)	$1
🍺 Beer in cafe (0.5L)	$2
☕️ Coffee in cafe	$1
👩‍🏫 International school	$8,402 / year
📱 Mobile data (~10GB)	$30 / month
🚕 Taxi price (avg trip ~3km/2mi)	$3 / trip
💰 Estimated tax on $50,000	$21,514
💰 Estimated tax on $100,000	$52,994
💰 Estimated tax on $250,000	$145,334