Moving to the Algarve.
The hard part is rarely the decision to come. It is choosing where to live and getting set up once you arrive. We bring the Algarve's towns and the people who help you settle in together in one place, with honest reviews from the people who already live here.
What the move takes in 2026
Real published figures, each with its source and date. We check these against the sources regularly; last checked 2 July 2026.
Visas, in numbers
- D7 passive-income visa, main applicant[Global Citizen Solutions]
- €920 a month (€11,040 a year)
- D7 with family[Global Citizen Solutions]
- +50% for a spouse, +30% per child
- D8 digital-nomad visa, remote income[Global Citizen Solutions D8 guide]
- €3,680 a month (4× minimum wage)
- D8 savings to show[Global Citizen Solutions D8 guide]
- €11,040 in the bank (12× minimum wage)
The money side
- Portugal minimum wage from January 2026[Government of Portugal]
- €920 gross, paid 14 times a year, tax-free
- No IMT purchase tax on your own home below[The Agent Trust on Circular 40129/2026]
- €106,346
- Under-35 first home, IMT-free up to[The Agent Trust on Circular 40129/2026]
- €330,539
- One-bed apartment in Faro, outside the centre[Numbeo]
- €795 a month
The order that saves you headaches
Get your NIF (the Portuguese tax number) first, because everything from a bank account to a rental contract asks for it. Open the bank account second, sort the visa at the consulate before you travel if you need one, and only then commit to a long-term rental. Doing it in that order means each step has the paperwork the next one wants.
Sources:Global Citizen Solutions, June 2026 Global Citizen Solutions D8 guide, June 2026 Government of Portugal, 2026 The Agent Trust on Circular 40129/2026 Numbeo, Faro, June 2026
Find your town
Buzzy coastal hubs, quiet inland villages and everything in between. Start with the places that fit the life you want.
The people who help you settle in
Estate agents, builders, movers, cleaners, gardeners, schools and more, listed by the people behind them.
Luz Villa Sales
Estate agency for Praia da Luz, Lagos and the western Algarve, selling villas, apartments and land in eight languages.
Grasshopper Greens
The Algarve’s leading specialist in artificial grass and sports surfaces.
Net-Zero Developments
Take control of your energy costs and future-proof your home. Net-Zero Developments provides expert energy audits, smart renovations, and sustainable…
Eco Climatização
Expert climate control for the Algarve. With over a decade of experience, Eco Climatização provides certified installation, maintenance, and repair of premium…
BBQs Algarve
The Algarve’s dedicated outdoor cooking specialists. From high-performance gas grills and Kamado ovens to custom outdoor kitchens, BBQs Algarve provides sales…
Superlimpa- Empresa de limpeza Lisboa
National cleaning company (20+ years) offering domestic, office and post-construction cleaning across the Algarve, from EUR 5.50 per hour.
Maxmat
Portuguese DIY and building-materials chain, flagship Algarve store in Faro, with further stores in Albufeira, Lagos and Portimão.
Aprenderportuguês
We will support you in your language journey!
Dunas Living
The Algarve’s premier destination for world-class outdoor living.
Toldolanda
Transform your Algarve outdoors. Toldolanda specialises in bespoke awnings, bioclimatic pergolas, and advanced shade systems, expertly designed for the unique…
Bricomarché
French-founded DIY and home-improvement chain, flagship Algarve store in Faro, with a second store in Lagos.
Edwina Shrimpton Law
Portuguese and UK-qualified lawyer in Lagos handling property, wills, contracts, residency and civil law for foreign clients.
We are adding the services that help people settle in every week. Run one in the Algarve? List your service to reach the people who are arriving.
Ask the community
Real questions and real answers from people who have already made the move. Follow the feed and ask your own.
Open the feedFollow your town
Join the local groups for the towns you are weighing up, and keep an eye on what life there is actually like before you decide.
Browse the circlesChoosing where to live, then settling in
People come to the Algarve for the climate and the pace, and stay for the way life works here. The towns are not interchangeable: a busy harbour town like Lagos or Olhão lives very differently from a quiet hill village near Monchique or Silves, and the right one depends on whether you want the sea on your doorstep, schools within reach, or simply more space and quiet. The towns grid above is where we would start, because the place you choose shapes everything that follows.
Settling in is easier than people expect. Day to day life works in English and Portuguese, so you are rarely stuck, and the practical side comes down to finding people you can trust: an estate agent who knows the area, a builder who turns up, movers, a cleaner, a school place. Those are real listings here that you can save, follow and check before you call, with honest reviews from the people who live here. We do not rank by who pays the most. We help you find who is out there so you can make your own call.
Questions people actually ask
What visa do I need to move to the Algarve?
EU and EEA citizens do not need a visa; you register your residence locally once you are here. Most non-EU movers use one of two routes: the D7 visa if you live on passive income such as pensions or rent, which asks for at least €920 a month (€11,040 a year) for the main applicant, or the D8 digital-nomad visa if you work remotely, which asks for about €3,680 a month, four times the Portuguese minimum wage (Global Citizen Solutions, June 2026). Both are applied for at the Portuguese consulate serving your home country before you travel.
How much income do I need for the D7 visa in 2026?
The benchmark is the Portuguese minimum wage: €920 a month, or €11,040 a year, for the main applicant. Add 50% for a spouse and 30% for each dependent child, so a couple needs roughly €1,380 a month in passive income (Global Citizen Solutions, June 2026). Showing more than the minimum, plus savings, strengthens the application.
How much do I need for the digital-nomad (D8) visa?
Around €3,680 a month in remote-work income, which is four times the 2026 Portuguese minimum wage, plus savings of about €11,040, twelve times the minimum wage (Global Citizen Solutions, June 2026). The income needs to come from clients or an employer outside Portugal.
How much does it cost to live in the Algarve?
A single person renting a one-bed apartment outside the centre in Faro spends roughly €1,250 to €1,500 a month including rent, based on a €795 rent, €118 utilities, €33.50 internet and €50 to €70 a week on groceries (Numbeo, June 2026). Our cost-of-living guide breaks the figures down town by town, with sources.
Do I need to speak Portuguese to live in the Algarve?
Day to day, no. English is widely spoken across the Algarve, and most official processes can be navigated with patience or a translator. Learning Portuguese still pays off quickly, from the câmara to the café, and A2-level Portuguese is the standard required if you later apply for citizenship. Our learn-Portuguese guide lists local tutors and schools.
What taxes will I pay when I buy a home in Portugal?
The purchase taxes are IMT and stamp duty. In 2026 there is no IMT on a home you will live in below €106,346, and buyers under 35 purchasing their first permanent home pay no IMT up to €330,539 (Official Circular 40129/2026, via The Agent Trust). Stamp duty adds 0.8% of the price. Above the thresholds, IMT climbs on a progressive scale.