Thinking about moving to Portugal, but not sure how to actually find a job in Porto as a foreigner? You are definitely not the only one. Every year, internationals move to Porto to start a new life abroad, often without speaking Portuguese yet. Combined with sunny weather, lower living costs and a more relaxed lifestyle, Porto has become one of the easier cities in Europe to start your first experience of living and working in Portugal.
In this blog, you discover what finding a job in Porto realistically looks like, what salaries and living costs you can expect and what daily life in the city actually feels like once the holiday feeling turns into a real routine.
Can you find a job in Porto without speaking Portuguese?
Yes absolutely. Many companies in Porto hire internationals specifically because of their native language skills and international mindset. Most foreigners start in roles such as customer support, sales, content moderation or hospitality. In many international companies, you often work for your own language market, for example supporting Dutch or German customers. Portuguese is helpful for daily life, but it is often not required to start working in Porto. This makes moving abroad more accessible, especially for first-time expats.
If you are a Dutch or German speaker, you will usually find even more opportunities in Portugal. Many international employers actively hire native or fluent speakers for customer-focused roles, making language skills a strong advantage when applying.
Platforms like Yobbers regularly share vacancies in Porto and other Portuguese cities with relocation support and help with settling abroad. This makes the move easier, especially for people living and working abroad for the first time.
Would you first like to experience life abroad before making a bigger move? Through Yseasonal, you can find seasonal work opportunities across Europe, including hospitality and tourism jobs in sunny destinations. It can be a practical way to experience working abroad and international life in a different setting.
How foreigners usually find jobs in Porto
Most internationals find jobs in Porto through LinkedIn, recruitment agencies and websites focused on working abroad in Portugal, such as Yobbers. Recruiters often look beyond work experience alone, especially for entry-level international roles. Motivation for moving abroad and understanding what relocating involves can play an important role during the application process. Employers often value candidates who are open to a new environment, flexible and
genuinely interested in living abroad.
Your CV also matters more than many people expect. Previous experience is not always required, as many international employers offer training for customer support, sales or content moderation roles. A clear and organised CV is often more important. Try to place your most recent work experience at the top, keep the layout easy to read and highlight language skills clearly. If a motivation letter is requested, explaining why you want to move abroad and why Portugal appeals to you can add useful context to your application.
What salary and living costs look like in Porto
Salaries in Portugal are usually lower than in Northern Europe, but daily life costs are different too. For many entry-level international jobs in Porto, salaries often range between €1,000 and €1,500 gross per month, sometimes with bonuses or relocation support included.
At the same time, the cost of living in Porto can still feel relatively affordable compared to cities like Amsterdam, Dublin or Paris. Many internationals live in shared apartments during their first months abroad, partly because it is cheaper and partly because it makes meeting people easier. Neighbourhoods like Cedofeita, Bonfim and Campanhã are especially popular because they are well connected and still relatively accessible price-wise. To give you a more realistic idea of monthly costs in Porto:
- Room in shared apartment: around €400–€700
- Studio apartment: around €900–€1,300
- Monthly metro pass: around €30–€40
- Lunch menu: around €8–€12
- Coffee: around €1
For many foreigners, living in Portugal feels more balanced financially than they expected beforehand.
What should you arrange before moving to Porto?
Before starting your new life in Portugal, there are a few practical things you will need fairly quickly after arriving, like a Portuguese NIF number, a local bank account, accommodation, health insurance and a Portuguese phone number.
At first, this can sound like a lot. But many foreigners are surprised by how quickly everything starts falling into place once they arrive. Through Yobbers for example, many jobs also include accommodation or help with practical things like paperwork, which makes settling into life abroad much smoother. Especially if this is your first experience of moving abroad, having that extra support can make a huge difference.
What surprises most foreigners about Porto
One of the biggest surprises for many foreigners is usually the pace of life. Portuguese work culture often feels more relaxed compared to Northern Europe. Lunch breaks are longer, people communicate more casually and daily life generally feels less rushed. At first, that can take some getting used to, but many internationals quickly realise they actually prefer it.
Experiences abroad often become memorable because of the people you meet along the way. The moments people remember most are often surprisingly simple: spontaneous dinners after work, sunsets near the ocean or sitting outside with friends long after midnight because the weather still feels like summer. Those small routines slowly turn Porto from “the city you moved to” into a place that genuinely starts feeling like home.
Why Porto has become so popular among foreigners
Living in Porto feels different from life in many larger European cities. The city is international without feeling overwhelming, which makes it easier for foreigners to settle into daily life in Portugal.
Popular neighbourhoods like Cedofeita, Bonfim and Campanhã attract many internationals because they combine lower rent prices with good public transport connections. The Metro do Porto also makes daily life simple, especially around Trindade station, which connects most parts of the city.
But what really makes life in Porto stand out is the balance between work and free time. After work, people meet near Ribeira for dinner, spend evenings at Foz watching the sunset or take the train to Matosinhos for beach days and surfing weekends. Even small routines start feeling different here. A quick coffee before work suddenly turns into sitting outside in the sun for half an hour because nobody seems to be in a rush anyway.
“Porto feels like a city where you can actually enjoy daily life instead of constantly rushing through it.”
Is moving to Porto worth it?
For many people, yes, but often not only because of the job itself. Living and working in Portugal changes your routine, confidence and the way you look at daily life. Things that feel stressful before moving slowly become normal: speaking English every day, navigating a new city or building a completely new routine from scratch.
And Porto has a habit of making people stay longer than planned. Many internationals arrive thinking they will stay for one year and suddenly realise they have built friendships, routines and a version of life that genuinely feels good.
Ready to discover what your own life in Porto could look like? Take a look at the latest vacancies in Portugal on Yobbers or explore seasonal jobs across Europe through Yseasonal. Your next adventure abroad might be closer than you think.
