Although Portugal and Spain share many things, such as their sunny Mediterranean climate, delicious food, and world-famous monuments, both countries have very distinct cultures and traditions that are deeply rooted in history and landscape.

If you're deciding where to travel, these differences aren’t that relevant, as both countries will give you a wonderful experience of the Iberian Peninsula. It's just a matter of choosing between the warm melancholy of Fado music or the intensely rhythmic Flamenco dancing, the saltiness of codfish or the intensity of “patatas bravas” and “jamon”, the unmistakable sunlight of Lisbon or the vibrant colours of Gaudi's Barcelona:

However, if you're thinking about buying a property in Portugal or Spain, then you should consider more than just cultural differences. Aspects such as what kind of property you want, where you want to invest, how much you want to spend, and what lifestyle you’re looking for are questions you should be asking to make the best decision for you and your family. 

Here are some helpful insights that will help you choose which is the best place to buy a property in Western Europe: Portugal or Spain? 

Borders and national identity

Despite Portugal having a very friendly relationship with “nuestros hermanos” for centuries, it was not always so. In 1128, Portugal’s first King D. Afonso Henriques infamously fought against his mother to make Portugal an independent country from the Kingdom of León (Spain). In 1580 Portugal returned to Spanish rule after King D. Sebastiao died without an heir to inherit the throne, but 60 years later the country would again proclaim its independence from Spain.

The fact that Portugal has had its modern-day borders defined since 1297 allows our country to benefit from internal peace and pride itself on being one of the oldest nation-states in the world. Portugal offers a calm political environment and a booming economy that has been praised by the EU, the IMF as well as other international agencies. This climate of financial growth and optimism has attracted investors and foreign residents from all over the world. 

Spain, on the other hand, is made up of autonomous communities with their own regional governments, some with movements claiming independence. The most recent example is the region of Catalonia, that held in 2017 a referendum in which 90% of the population voted in favour of separation from Spain. The political conflict and popular protests since then have created a climate of internal turmoil where the Catalan's fierce sense of regionalism is yet to show any sign of wanting to end the conflict.

Lower cost of living 

Although both Portugal and Spain are relatively inexpensive as far as Western European countries go, Portugal offers a lower cost of living which is very attractive to many foreigners, especially retirees. 

According to Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide, the average cost of living in Spain is 8% higher than in Portugal (aggregate data for all cities, November 2023):
 

Property costs and quality

Average property costs are also higher in Spain:

In addition to lower property costs, Portugal also stands out for having created specific investment programmes that have made it possible to renovate buildings in historic areas. Today, foreign investors can choose from a wide range of rehabilitated properties as well as new builds available throughout the country, with the highest standards of quality and energy-efficient modern construction.

Growing rental yields

If you’re looking for an investment property, average rent costs in Portuguese properties are higher in comparison to properties in Spain: 

Gross rental yields in Portugal are expected to continue to increase, especially in the holiday home rental market where the demand is still growing. In the first half of 2019 alone, the Portuguese hospitality industry received 12.1 million guests, 7.6% more than in the same period of the previous year (data from INE, the National Institute of Statistics), which represented 1.78 billion euros in revenue.

Knowledge of foreign languages

Despite the Portuguese language not being significantly different from Spanish, some people do consider it harder to learn due to the fact it has more silent letters and phonemes. However, the Portuguese are generally better at speaking foreign languages, especially English, so you’ll have no trouble at all integrating into your community and enjoying the wonderful lifestyle. 

The main reason is that the Portuguese are largely exposed to foreign languages from a very young age, not only at school but through television and film that are generally subtitled while in Spain they are dubbed.

Residency through investment

Both Portugal and Spain have residency options that allow real estate investors a series of advantages, namely the possibility to travel within the Schengen Area without a visa or to apply for citizenship after a certain time of permanent residency. As these programmes are sometimes updated or may have a time limit for applications, it's best to check what options are available for your specific situation.

Applying for citizenship

As for applying for citizenship, the main differences between Portugal and Spain reside in the time one must have permanent residency to qualify and the possibility to obtain dual citizenship: 

Last, but not least, Portugal has "pasteis de nata"! And to many, that’s more than enough to pack your bags and embrace the legacy of D. Afonso Henriques’ descendants… 

If the advantages of Portugal interest you, don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule your visit to find out more about buying a property on the Silver Coast! 

Our team of property specialists is happy to share their experience of living in Portugal and insider’s knowledge of the wonderful lifestyle that awaits you.