Looking for American Expats in Porto?

Thinking about moving to Porto as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. Country-level percentages aren't broken out for Porto, so the points below reflect what US American expats there wrote in their own words.

• Food, wine, and weather top the list. Americans mention them constantly — the calm, the sunshine, and the quality of daily life.

• It feels safe and welcoming. A friendly, peaceful city where Americans say they feel at home, and safe, is a recurring theme — often a reason they left the US.

• The pace and healthcare improve life. A much slower pace, time for self-care, and an excellent health system compared with the US come up again and again.

• It's a base for exploring Europe. Porto's great airport and central location make it easy and convenient to travel from.

• The language is hard to learn. Portuguese is a real barrier, and Americans say you need it to truly integrate, even though English gets you by in the city.

• Bureaucracy is slow and arcane. Government processes are described as cumbersome and hard to navigate.

• It can feel small and traditional. Limited leisure options, less food variety, and a small-town mentality wear on some.

• A few worry about change. A couple mention adjusting to a laid-back traditional lifestyle, and unease about a recent isolated safety incident.

For Americans, Porto delivers food, wine, sunshine, safety, and a slower, healthier life at a gentle price. The trade-offs are a hard language, slow bureaucracy, and a smaller-city feel. For lifestyle and calm over big-city buzz, it's a favourite.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys for expats — Expat Insider — where we ask people living around the world about every aspect of expat life. We’ve rounded up key facts about the typical American expat: what motivated them to move to a new country, what they enjoy about life abroad, as well as what they struggle with the most.

• Browse our network of members to get to know American expats in Porto and connect with others.
• Take part in our expat forums to get firsthand tips and information from fellow Americans in Porto.
• Meet other American expats and global minds at 600 monthly official events and share your interests at more than 4,600 monthly activities in Porto and across the globe.

InterNations provides an easy, casual way to get to know expats from the USA and further afield in your local community. Sound good? Then let us welcome you into our Porto Community today!

Our Porto community is also lively and welcoming offline. The InterNations Ambassadors host regular get-togethers and a range of expat activities, e.g. a chic dining experience in Porto’s trendiest restaurant or a get-away with fellow American expats to discover the Serra da Estrela mountain range, the Douro Valley. These activities make it easy for you to get to know other expats from the United States of America in your local community and meet Americans in Portugal in a comfortable setting. If this sounds interesting to you, simply sign up for membership – we are looking forward to welcoming you among our Americans living in Porto!