Spain or Portugal: where is it better to buy a house?

Spain and Portugal offer expatriates plenty of opportunities for an idyllic life in the sun. Deciding to move away from your home country is a huge step for every expatriate, especially given the many attractive options.

For years, neighbors Spain and Portugal have been vying for the title of best place to buy a home, but which of these countries deserves the title? Both countries share many qualities in common: they are both laid-back, family-oriented nations with rich cultures, year-round beautiful weather, and a wide range of real estate options to suit all tastes and budgets. However, there are also notable differences, from language and history to food preferences.

Home prices in Spain and Portugal offer excellent value for money compared to the UK, and both countries offer a variety of property styles, shapes and sizes, from countryside mountain hideaways to stunning seaside villas. From the point of view of a foreign buyer, Portuguese real estate turns out to be surprisingly profitable, although a house on the popular Algarve will cost you about 1562 euros per square meter. While properties in Spain tend to be slightly more expensive, they are still significantly lower than the price in the UK, which is €2,649 per square meter. One major plus is that Spain is geographically much larger than Portugal, so foreign buyers have a lot more choice. Spain is also home to several big cities, while Portugal only has Lisbon and Porto, which are usually quite expensive.

Work and leisure On the other hand, Portugal exempts foreigners from paying taxes for the first 10 years of residence, while taxes in Spain, especially for the self-employed, are known to be high. As they are part of the Schengen area, both states require foreign emigrants from third countries to meet a large number of requirements, but Spain has recently introduced its Digital Nomads program, which offers UK citizens another great option. When you open your first paycheck, you'll be happy to see that money in the Iberian Peninsula lasts much longer than in most other places, and the cost of living in Spain and Portugal is still very low. Food, clothing, public transportation, and education are very cheap in Spanish places like Alicante, and the cost of living is estimated to be 44% lower than in the US.

Climate Because both countries are located in southwestern Europe, Spain and Portugal share a similar Mediterranean climate. However, because of its gigantic size, Spain has more varied weather: the northern part is usually quite rainy and much cooler, while the southern part of the country, like the provinces of Costa del Sol, Granada and Huelva, all enjoy hot summers and humid winters. Portugal is generally warmer than Spain, with many parts of the country easily reaching 40°C in high season. Here again, the situation is similar: the north is a little cooler, often dropping to 5°C in winter.

At first glance, Spain and Portugal may seem very similar, but the deeper you dig, the more you realize that each has something unique to offer. You really should take the time to get to know both countries before choosing where to move to, and ultimately, making a life-changing decision depends on which one you fall in love with.

Contact Girasol Homes today to find out how they can help you find a new home in the sunshine.

Images:Girasol Homes Girasol Homes Girasol Homes are specialist property finders in Spain and Portugal, serving customers around the world to help them find their dream home in the sun. Founded in 2007, Girasol Homes has won awards for its real estate search skills in Spain and Portugal. In their own words, their mission is to provide you with the very best service and make your dream of buying the perfect property in Spain or Portugal come true - safely, quickly, at the best price and with clarity. With a huge list of properties available to buy or rent, Girasol Homes is the first choice for many people looking for real estate on the Mediterranean. Girasol Homes specializes in finding the best deals on new build properties in Alicante, Granada and Huelva where they have great staff but they can also help you get the best property for you in the best locations throughout Spain and Portugal. They also have representatives and partners in the province of Huelva, the Costa del Sol region of Spain, as well as real estate for sale in La Romana, an exclusive inland region of Spain. If you need help finding real estate, you can contact them now or use their free real estate search service today.