Portugal dethrones Spain as the number 1 European destination for Americans to move abroad in 2022 — DNOTICIAS.PT
“More and more Americans are thinking of moving abroad in search of better quality of life, safety and good weather, and Europe has been a favorite destination that scores in those polls. But one European country in particular has been much talked about over the last few years. 2022 as a very popular destination to live in: Portugal. So Portugal’s popularity is as great as expected?”, asks the My Dolce Casa portal.
In an analysis of Google data “we confirm that Portugal was the most sought after European country in 2022 by Americans interested in moving abroad. ‘, ‘living in’, ‘retiring in’ and variations thereof, to 27 countries of the European Union”, he says.
In addition, he adds, “in 2022, Portugal topped the list with the most advanced searches, 41,200, after a year-on-year increase of 30%, thus dethroning longtime favorite Spain as the most desired country in Europe to live now”.
Here are the top 10 countries that aspiring American expats most searched for in 2022:
Also, “Portugal had the highest percentage and net increase in Google searches over the previous year, when Spain was the outright leader with 35,400 searches in 2021. It gave Portugal an edge over Spain. It’s worth noting that Portugal it is about five times smaller in size compared to Spain, which makes the achievement of this small but powerful country even more impressive”, he praises.
Thus, “with a combined total of 80,000 Google searches per month, the top two countries dominate the ranking, making the Iberian Peninsula the ‘hottest’ region in Europe this year for US citizens looking to move abroad.”
The reasons for this change
“Major events in the United States over the last three years, including the pandemic, major political decisions, gun violence, rising housing costs and ability to work are motivating Americans to seek a second citizenship in Europe”, he justifies. “An estimated 40% of Americans are eligible for European citizenship, according to Bloomberg, citing data from consultancy Global RCG.”
For example, “some seek citizenship by ancestry, which is a popular way to obtain an Italian or Irish passport, while wealthier Americans are using investment visas (gold visas) to enter, gain residency and citizenship in countries like Portugal and Spain. Also, a strong US dollar can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in savings if you buy a home in Europe today compared to three years ago,” he adds.
Searches for Portugal “increased by 12,500 last year, taking it to number one with a total of 41,200 Google searches every month. Many American expats who live here cite California’s year-round pleasant climate, relaxed lifestyle, security and the warm and welcoming Portuguese people as the main reasons for choosing Portugal as your home abroad”, he stresses.
Moreover, “the availability of visas that grant residency rights to non-EU citizens, such as the Golden Visa and the D7 visa, is certainly another strong reason to live or retire in Portugal”, he pointed out, and in this particular the Portuguese authorities gained scope for this type of investment for insular regions such as Madeira and the Azores, as well as for depopulated regions.
“But possibly the most compelling reason of all is the lower cost of living compared to the US, and particularly the (still) affordable home prices. With an average price per square foot currently at $135, homes in Portugal are 3-5 times cheaper than house prices in many cities in California or in the northeastern United States”, he concludes.