Living in beautiful Lisbon, Portugal- a realistic perspective

Sidewalk art in beautiful Lisbon.

I was lucky to have the opportunity to visit beautiful Portugal and loved it. The thought of living there, of course, popped up. I followed social media groups to see what others have to say about living in Portugal.

So when I had the chance to stay there for a few months, I was ready for deeper research. I lived mostly in Airbnbs in different parts of Portugal. In Lisbon, I moved around a bit and I walked everywhere, which is a good way to get the vibe of a place.

In the city of Lisbon, I stayed for about 3 months in the neighborhoods of Campo Pequeno and Principe Real.

The area was less touristy, and it was quiet. I had cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets close by. It was nice. I loved to walk and jog around Parque Eduardo VII. I also enjoyed the walk down Avenida da Liberdade, all the way through Rossio and to Praça do Comércio.

In my long quest to find the perfect place for a home base, I have done a lot of research. I read a lot of blog posts and forum opinions all praising the affordability of Portuguese life. Meals under 10 euros, a good bottle of wine for 2 euros in the supermarket, groceries for 100 euros for the month.

Here is what it's actually like to live in Lisbon, from a realistic point of view.

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It's walkable

One of the things I look for in a home base is walkability. Lisbon is very walkable, if you can afford to live in the city. Rentals are expensive, not to mention Airbnb, which has skyrocketed the prices.

Real estate is out of reach. It's rare to find a decent one-bedroom apartment under 400k in Principe Real, for example. If you're okay with some water damage and 30 m²/ 322 square feet, you'll find something under 150k in the same neighborhood.

I want to be able to quickly reach the supermarket, a pharmacy, or a bank, without needing a car.

No matter the city, there is no safety guarantee. But I felt pretty safe in Lisbon. I was not out after sunset by myself, though. And to walk around Parque Eduardo VII was always nice. You can never get bored with the architecture and the colorful tile façades.

I love the accessibility to supermarkets, where you can get fresh fruit, pastries, or even a ready-made dinner.

Alfama and Graça had areas I didn't like. Some areas are a bit run-down and less clean. There was a stark contrast between the luxury shops on the main avenue and the tent sleeping in an area I passed by in Graça. There were also people loitering around, observing the pedestrians, which always makes me guarded.

Be sure to pack comfortable, non-slip shoes for walking in Lisbon. It's built on a thousand hills, and the cobblestone can get very slippery.

Google Maps is not great for Lisbon because of the hills and levels. It can be very confusing. Even when you leave the airport, the Uber station is upstairs. So you have to go out of the airport building and go up an escalator to find the ride-share area.

The good part is that when you find the viewpoints called Miradouros, you are treated to an amazing view of the city.

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Food is so cheap

As a country in the West of Europe, Portugal's food prices are on par with is neighbors. The quality and options are not the same, though. It's doable, but it depends on your lifestyle.

Eating out for 10 euros means getting the plate of the day at the neighborhood cafeteria. It's usually rice, with fries and a small side of protein. You can also get sardines or a piece of chicken for that price. The portions are not huge. If you have dietary needs or you prefer to eat healthily, it will cost you.

Lisbon has a good variety of restaurants, with amazing food. You can find everything from English breakfasts to pancakes, to Indian food, and Ramen. I've had plenty of great experiences, but none were under 10 euros.

One huge annoyance I have with Portugal is the lack of herbs and seasoning. They were on the spice trail, yet didn't keep any for themselves. The main seasonings in Portugal are salt, olive oil, and piri-piri sauce. I couldn't find dill anywhere, and the packaged spice selection in supermarkets was extremely small.

For groceries, you don't have many options. Brand names are expensive. My husband and I spent a few hundred euros for a month of healthy-ish eating.

Funnily enough, I was in Lisbon when I read a post on a social media group. The poster was asking about the price of groceries. I read all the responses. One lady who claimed to spend about 100 euros per month for two people, in a different comment, spoke about how they live- they would eat one meal and one snack per day. Of course! So maybe they could claim that groceries are cheap, but not everyone lives on one meal and one snack per day. And it depends on what it was, a salad for dinner is cheaper than a chicken breast with a vegetable side.

Wine is affordable compared to North America. A cheap bottle can be 2 euros. A nice bottle is about 6 euros.

❕Tip for eating out in Portugal! If the table has breadsticks or if the waiter drops off bread and dips, they are not free. It is a trick that I hate, and yet they do it to the detriment of their business. If you don't want 2-euro breadsticks and old dips, just refuse them.

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The laid-back lifestyle is awesome

There is a belief that European people have a better work-life balance and that they don't work as hard as Americans do. That may be possible in a government job or if you have your own business. But when climbing the corporate ladder, you work hard and probably do overtime without pay. Salaries in Portugal are not high, and while prices look low, they're not low for locals.

The siesta mindset is great. Workers should not give their lives to their jobs. There is a line, though, between not being exploited and getting the job done. But in short, Portugal's siesta lifestyle is great until you have to get stuff done.

With intense immigration, government services in Portugal can be overcrowded. The lines may be long every day, and nobody is in a hurry to do paperwork.

In small businesses, having time off is great. The owners can tend to their own lives and families. It does not work out great for those who are looking to use that business or service. For example, many cafes and restaurants close on Sundays and/or Mondays.

Most restaurants are not open all day, which makes sense. Some open late for dinner, as it's normal to eat dinner after 7 pm in Europe. But I realized that as a hungry tourist, I needed to plan the day better. You're not going to starve, but you might not get what you want.

I went to bed one evening, knowing that my phone card would expire, but didn't plan on doing much the next day. I woke up to a leak from the bathroom ceiling and a short circuit that had shut off the wi-fi. And of course, the phone shop downstairs was closed that day, as it was Sunday. I was lucky to connect to a different wi-fi in the building, and text the owner. I'm usually prepared for anything, but this was a reminder not to leave anything for tomorrow.

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Political views

As I lived in Eastern Europe, I am very familiar with people's experiences during that dictatorial lifestyle. Sure, some had it very good. Those were the elites, the ones who had connections or power to get whatever they wanted. Regular people were struggling with taxes, food rations, and a lack of access to education. Others had money but nothing to buy with it. Buying a TV was a huge thing, and it involved being trampled in line for hours, as the stock was limited.

The ones who stillmiss the 'good old times' were the ones who got their food from their wealthy countryside parents. Or they bribed the vendors to always put away food for them. Others would line up for 2 hours and when they got to the register, there was no sugar or flour left. Bananas and coffee were a luxury.

I listened to many experiences and also saw the lingering mentality and how communism affected the following generations.

Even nowadays, I hear people think that communism can be successful if done right. It would not. It would be great for some- the need for control will result in the same laws and restrictions, and beating down the masses.

Seeing street signs and parades encouraging votes for the communist party in Lisbon was surreal, in the bad sense of the word.

In my opinion, Lisbon is a beautiful place and a great city to live in. Overall, if you are very financially comfortable, living in Lisbon would be great. You will be able to buy or rent a nice place, enjoy eating out, and have great experiences.