It looks like a lot of people are thinking of heading overseas. Expatsi, which helps Americans considering moving abroad, recently conducted a study with over 116,000 participants, asking them where they’d like to relocate if they had the chance.
Those who took part were already contemplating moving and shared their reasons for wanting to leave, along with their budgets, healthcare plans, and the level of freedom they hoped to achieve. They also answered questions about climate preferences, city proximity, ocean access, and even the languages they wanted to learn.
Based on the responses, Expatsi suggested ideal international locations for each participant. Interestingly, Portugal was the top choice for 48% of respondents, followed closely by France at 46% and Spain at 44%.
- Portugal (48%)
- France (46%)
- Spain (44%)
- Greece (44%)
- Switzerland (43%)
- Austria (40%)
- Luxembourg (38%)
- Belgium (35%)
- Slovenia (34%)
- Norway (33%)
While the report doesn’t specify which aspects of Portugal attracted Americans, those already living there appreciate its relatively affordable housing and healthcare, mild weather, and low crime rates. In fact, it was recently ranked as the second-best country to retire to, according to the Annual Global Retirement Index.
In the survey, participants named Portugal again as their top choice, with around 11% selecting it. Spain and the UK followed, with 10% and 8%, respectively.
Interestingly, American expats in Portugal have surged by nearly 240% from 2017 to 2022, reaching around 10,000. The trend seems to be growing, especially following the recent U.S. presidential election, with increased interest in relocating to Portugal, particularly during spikes in voter engagement.
However, despite all this enthusiasm for Portugal, many Americans tend to stay closer to home when they actually make a move. Reports indicate that Mexico and Canada host the highest number of U.S. expatriates, from around 1.5 million to 2 million.
This means that most Americans living abroad are still located in North America. Estimates suggest that about 4.4 to 5.5 million U.S. citizens live overseas, excluding military personnel and their families. Another estimate from a nonprofit indicates the total number could be around 5.1 million.
The U.S. State Department hasn’t provided specific figures regarding citizens living abroad, citing the transient nature of American relocations. They mention that U.S. embassies are trying to keep track, but there isn’t a solid count.
For those still considering a move to Portugal, it might be wise to look into how crowded their chosen neighborhoods have become with new immigrants and tourists. Some social media discussions suggest that cities like Porto, Lisbon, and areas in the Algarve are increasingly popular tourist spots, raising concerns about rising saturation.
And some users on platforms like Reddit are questioning what exactly makes Portugal so attractive these days, wondering if it was a better option in the past when prices were genuinely lower.
