I live in Benfica West and have grown in Benfica East, overall a nice neighbourhood, not touristy but it has all you need, no bars and clubs but all stores, services and restaurants you need, also loads of transport connections, is a very large area, encompassing 2 Freguesias, Benfica East of 2a Circular is more modernized and cosmopolitan (higher middle class), Benfica West of it is slightly rundown (nothing too bad) and with more local folk feeling (lower middle class)... Best spots are the closest you can to the famous pastry-restaurant called Califa... Houses there are more expensive, compared to other non central neighbourhoods...
Lol, the first tall building s you have shown is where I live now, LOLLL... Usually Lisboners, we don't differentiate S. Domingos, is all Benfica for Us...
@@ExpatsEverywhere My take is very similar to yours. There are more appealing neighborhoods (Avenidas Novas, for example) if you can afford them. Benfica would be a viable option for relative affordability while still being able to access more lively areas.
Great summary! We visited in March 2023 and agree with your conclusion on Benfica. Given the very few neighborhoods within Lisbon proper that have we’re looking for (no hills, no aircraft noise, shopping, access by train/metro/bus) Benfica is on our list - even if it may be our first choice. 👋🏻
With the biggest advantage is lots of main roads and highways crossing Benfica using a UBER/BOLT from Benfica to city center is about 7€. I know because my cousin live in Rua Atriz Adelina Abranches and when she invites me to lunch with her i use a Uber or bolt to go there from Estefânia and is pretty cheap.
Thanks for the review. It sounds like you liked Benfica, but thought there were better options. As far as myself, it is on my radar because of the affordability while still having easy access to the city, and my health insurance (which is global) works with Hospital da Luz.
Thanks for the update. Did you know you can buy and live in commercial properties now? Approved last March. The new channel Moving to Portugal has lots of info about it. She and her husband did it. Might be a good interview for you two.😊
As an expat living in Benfica I love the easy way of life here. We live in a modern condo adjacent to park Porto Silva. We have two grocery stores below our complex, a gym a block and half away, the Benfica market one block. Yes it lacks a variety restaurants other than traditional but as you pointed out we can get into the core easily by car or bus and train. Side bar: had i seen you in the area I would have peed my pants. Love you guys. Have followed you from visa process to today. Thanks for the visit.
Thank you, Timothy! We appreciate the love and the comment here. We're also glad that we didn't test your bladder. :-) How long have you been staying in Benfica? Maybe we can set up an interview to talk about it. Just promise us that you won't pee. LOL - Josh & Kalie
For nostalgic reasons, my favorite neighbourhood in Lisboa is Benfica. I have been visiting it since 1965. Thanks for the show. Matou saudades. As for your Porto shirts, I pray you did not come within 5 miles of Estadio da Luz, you would be putting your life at risk.
Thank you, Thomperry. Funny enough, I went to Estadio da Luz to the Adidas shop to pick up a special (limited edition) Arsenal jersey I had delivered there. That's been my Benfica experience. 5 miles is wide radius. :-) - Josh
I picked 5 miles to play it safe, Alvalade, Sporting's stadium is only a mile away, there you would have found yourself equally in danger.@@ExpatsEverywhere
Guys, you realise when you say €1,600 for renting that it is way outside the possibility of the vast majority of actual Portuguese. People here are lucky to make €1,000 per month after tax. So you are speaking to an audience who are circling like vultures over the communities of the people whp were born and live here. It's no wonder there that many Portuguese are fed up with Airbnb and Eexpats with their fat wallets driving up the prices for the people who were born and raised in the city. You guys all worried about not being double taxed on your $150k US wage, oh the struggle.
Hi Paddy, yes. Prices have skyrocketed but as our videos are in English to an English speaking audience that we're not directly speaking to Portuguese living in Portugal. Stats we've seen show there are 2 million Portuguese living outside of Portugal to make a better life and around 1 million foreigners in Portugal trying to make a better life. So to say people are circling like vultures is all perspective. - Josh & Kalie
@@ExpatsEverywhere You kinda just proved my point in that your audience is englis gspeaking non Protuguese i.e. usually American's for whom the cost of buying a property in Portugal is far cheaper than in their own country. The issue is hat these people with fat wallets are driving out the actual indigenous Portuguese from their own cities. You go around now and almost every new development is amined tha these people, 350k, 450k... 1.5million apartments. These numbers are unfathomable to 95%+ of the Portugue population who are lucky is they take home 12k a year. Go to any metro or train station asnd see the posters for yet another day of protest against the cost of housing. I ask you, why do you think this is happening. inflation sure, AirBnb, bad management by the government, absolutely. But layered on to pof that are these wealthy expats who can throw money at a property and still have plenty left over. What it's leading to is developers only looking to build for those groups. All you see around Lisbon now is gentrification. A new block full of well to doers and right next door people who are struggling to put food on the table. I doubt you mix with or even know many working class people? I mean the cleaners, cafe workers, the regular people. When you move in expat circles and your only point of contact is realtors who are there to pump the market as much as they can. You are not really living in Portugal. there are regulars protests aginst the cost of housing and living which is crushing indigenous portuguese and it's sad to see. But there wil laways be the 1% at the top making money off of oher peoples suffering. Living the dream in their private enclaves. It's a sad situation.
The portuguese perspective its to gain money to return and have a better life. When they leave the country they go to other countries to serve, not to live above others low cost of life. Thats make a lot of diference@@ExpatsEverywhere
You do realize you're talking about a major, major Lisbon problem. Not that other areas of the country haven't seen cost of living inflation but what you're describing is majorly impacting Lisbon and to a lesser extent Porto. What you're also talking about from a demographic point of view is Algarve the past however many years. If you're asking us if we mix with working class people, the answer is no. We have friends from our daughter's school but they are vets, nurses, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and other jobs. Do we speak to working class people, absolutely? They give us serious insights to their life but they also don't just bang on about money issues. Again, from 2021 to now there's been likely 4,000-5,000 more Americans that have moved Portugal. To blame Americans, doesn't make sense from a macro economic standpoint. "Usually American's for whom the cost of buying a property in Portugal is far cheaper than in their own country." In fact, we work with a company, Savvy Cat Realty, which is Portuguese owned and operated, that works hard to help Americans and other foreigners not pay over the odds to try to help reduce the impact this can have on inflation. We believe in their mission so we work with them. - Josh & Kalie
I know very well the constrution market from over 27 years of work on it. The actual prices are being inflated by foreign demands. I have costumers that their only costumers now are foreigns because portuguese can buy because of the high tax bank and high prices from expeculation. Of course the problem was that Portugal forgot the constrution for poor people in the hope that they gain money to buy or rent houses. Its a internal management problem but its worst since the discover of this el dorado were everythings its possible with money @@ExpatsEverywhere
![MV วิถีชีวิตใต้ - ผา อัยย๊ะ [Official MV HD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nODlkOUu9B0/mqdefault.jpg)
Great insights as usual expat team!! That mail is fantastic!!
Thank you again! - Josh & Kalie
I live in Benfica West and have grown in Benfica East, overall a nice neighbourhood, not touristy but it has all you need, no bars and clubs but all stores, services and restaurants you need, also loads of transport connections, is a very large area, encompassing 2 Freguesias, Benfica East of 2a Circular is more modernized and cosmopolitan (higher middle class), Benfica West of it is slightly rundown (nothing too bad) and with more local folk feeling (lower middle class)... Best spots are the closest you can to the famous pastry-restaurant called Califa... Houses there are more expensive, compared to other non central neighbourhoods...
Thanks for sharing. - Josh & Kalie
Lol, the first tall building s you have shown is where I live now, LOLLL... Usually Lisboners, we don't differentiate S. Domingos, is all Benfica for Us...
:-) - Josh & Kalie
Glad to see you guys back 😌
Thank you. We've been back for several weeks now. Please take a look at the past view videos. :-) - Josh & Kalie
cool to see these videos still being done over a year later :D wonder what you guys would rank as your top 5 best neighborhoods in Portugal.
Thank you. Wow, that would be tough! Let's see. - Josh & Kalie
great info, thank you!
Glad it was helpful! - Josh & Kalie
Great video! Loved the magical ‘costume’ change! ❤️⚽️
Thanks so much! We had to do it. - Josh & Kalie
Interesting that you reviewed Benfica because I noticed a while back that it might be a viable neighborhood. Thanks for looking into it!
You're welcome. What do you think? Would you expat that? - Josh & Kalie
@@ExpatsEverywhere My take is very similar to yours. There are more appealing neighborhoods (Avenidas Novas, for example) if you can afford them. Benfica would be a viable option for relative affordability while still being able to access more lively areas.
Great summary! We visited in March 2023 and agree with your conclusion on Benfica. Given the very few neighborhoods within Lisbon proper that have we’re looking for (no hills, no aircraft noise, shopping, access by train/metro/bus) Benfica is on our list - even if it may be our first choice. 👋🏻
With the biggest advantage is lots of main roads and highways crossing Benfica using a UBER/BOLT from Benfica to city center is about 7€. I know because my cousin live in Rua Atriz Adelina Abranches and when she invites me to lunch with her i use a Uber or bolt to go there from Estefânia and is pretty cheap.
First choice...in Lisbon? :-) - Josh & Kalie
@@ExpatsEverywhereSorry wasn’t clear. Benfica would NOT be our first choice in Lisbon but is on our list.
@@lucchese20 I see! 😁
Thanks for the review. It sounds like you liked Benfica, but thought there were better options. As far as myself, it is on my radar because of the affordability while still having easy access to the city, and my health insurance (which is global) works with Hospital da Luz.
Hi Tom, you're welcome. I think that's an accurate description of things. It's good to hear your insurance works at Hospital da Luz. - Josh & Kalie
I don't remember going there. Now on the bucket list, for sure.
Nice, let us know what you think. - Josh & Kalie
Thanks for the update. Did you know you can buy and live in commercial properties now?
Approved last March. The new channel Moving to Portugal has lots of info about it. She and her husband did it.
Might be a good interview for you two.😊
As an expat living in Benfica I love the easy way of life here. We live in a modern condo adjacent to park Porto Silva. We have two grocery stores below our complex, a gym a block and half away, the Benfica market one block. Yes it lacks a variety restaurants other than traditional but as you pointed out we can get into the core easily by car or bus and train.
Side bar: had i seen you in the area I would have peed my pants. Love you guys. Have followed you from visa process to today. Thanks for the visit.
Thank you, Timothy! We appreciate the love and the comment here. We're also glad that we didn't test your bladder. :-)
How long have you been staying in Benfica? Maybe we can set up an interview to talk about it. Just promise us that you won't pee. LOL - Josh & Kalie
For nostalgic reasons, my favorite neighbourhood in Lisboa is Benfica. I have been visiting it since 1965. Thanks for the show. Matou saudades. As for your Porto shirts, I pray you did not come within 5 miles of Estadio da Luz, you would be putting your life at risk.
Thank you, Thomperry. Funny enough, I went to Estadio da Luz to the Adidas shop to pick up a special (limited edition) Arsenal jersey I had delivered there. That's been my Benfica experience. 5 miles is wide radius. :-) - Josh
I picked 5 miles to play it safe, Alvalade, Sporting's stadium is only a mile away, there you would have found yourself equally in danger.@@ExpatsEverywhere
Thank you as always, a good video.
Thank you very much! :-) - Josh & Kalie
Thanks!
Thank you 🙏 we appreciate the channel support- Josh & Kalie
What about Amadora?
We don't have a city guide on Amadora yet. - Josh & Kalie
Is benfica safe?
Yes, it's as safe as many other neighborhoods in Lisbon. - Josh & Kalie
Guys, you realise when you say €1,600 for renting that it is way outside the possibility of the vast majority of actual Portuguese. People here are lucky to make €1,000 per month after tax. So you are speaking to an audience who are circling like vultures over the communities of the people whp were born and live here. It's no wonder there that many Portuguese are fed up with Airbnb and Eexpats with their fat wallets driving up the prices for the people who were born and raised in the city. You guys all worried about not being double taxed on your $150k US wage, oh the struggle.
Hi Paddy, yes. Prices have skyrocketed but as our videos are in English to an English speaking audience that we're not directly speaking to Portuguese living in Portugal. Stats we've seen show there are 2 million Portuguese living outside of Portugal to make a better life and around 1 million foreigners in Portugal trying to make a better life. So to say people are circling like vultures is all perspective. - Josh & Kalie
@@ExpatsEverywhere You kinda just proved my point in that your audience is englis gspeaking non Protuguese i.e. usually American's for whom the cost of buying a property in Portugal is far cheaper than in their own country. The issue is hat these people with fat wallets are driving out the actual indigenous Portuguese from their own cities. You go around now and almost every new development is amined tha these people, 350k, 450k... 1.5million apartments. These numbers are unfathomable to 95%+ of the Portugue population who are lucky is they take home 12k a year. Go to any metro or train station asnd see the posters for yet another day of protest against the cost of housing. I ask you, why do you think this is happening. inflation sure, AirBnb, bad management by the government, absolutely. But layered on to pof that are these wealthy expats who can throw money at a property and still have plenty left over. What it's leading to is developers only looking to build for those groups. All you see around Lisbon now is gentrification. A new block full of well to doers and right next door people who are struggling to put food on the table. I doubt you mix with or even know many working class people? I mean the cleaners, cafe workers, the regular people. When you move in expat circles and your only point of contact is realtors who are there to pump the market as much as they can. You are not really living in Portugal. there are regulars protests aginst the cost of housing and living which is crushing indigenous portuguese and it's sad to see. But there wil laways be the 1% at the top making money off of oher peoples suffering. Living the dream in their private enclaves. It's a sad situation.
The portuguese perspective its to gain money to return and have a better life. When they leave the country they go to other countries to serve, not to live above others low cost of life. Thats make a lot of diference@@ExpatsEverywhere
You do realize you're talking about a major, major Lisbon problem. Not that other areas of the country haven't seen cost of living inflation but what you're describing is majorly impacting Lisbon and to a lesser extent Porto. What you're also talking about from a demographic point of view is Algarve the past however many years. If you're asking us if we mix with working class people, the answer is no. We have friends from our daughter's school but they are vets, nurses, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and other jobs. Do we speak to working class people, absolutely? They give us serious insights to their life but they also don't just bang on about money issues.
Again, from 2021 to now there's been likely 4,000-5,000 more Americans that have moved Portugal. To blame Americans, doesn't make sense from a macro economic standpoint. "Usually American's for whom the cost of buying a property in Portugal is far cheaper than in their own country." In fact, we work with a company, Savvy Cat Realty, which is Portuguese owned and operated, that works hard to help Americans and other foreigners not pay over the odds to try to help reduce the impact this can have on inflation. We believe in their mission so we work with them. - Josh & Kalie
I know very well the constrution market from over 27 years of work on it. The actual prices are being inflated by foreign demands. I have costumers that their only costumers now are foreigns because portuguese can buy because of the high tax bank and high prices from expeculation. Of course the problem was that Portugal forgot the constrution for poor people in the hope that they gain money to buy or rent houses. Its a internal management problem but its worst since the discover of this el dorado were everythings its possible with money @@ExpatsEverywhere
By the way, have you seen this guy's "Dave In Portugal" videos? You may want to team up with him and do one as well. He is hilarious.
We're hanging out with him next month. He's a good dude. - Josh & Kalie
@@ExpatsEverywhere look forward to your interview.
Thank you. - Josh & Kalie
No, i believe that area was affordable 10 years ago, right now the prices increase by 3 times. The most affordable area is Olivais or maybe Olaias.
Maybe, we'll do a neighborhood guide their next. We had a lot of locals actually reach out to push Benfica forward. - Josh & Kalie
Benfica ❤ Backwards means fica bem.
:-) - Josh & Kalie
Benfica!!?? In spite of the name!!😂🎉
:-) We're FCP - Josh & Kalie
Let’s have some Sagres wearing Benfica!!!!😂
Thank you for the channel support, Yumiko! Super Bock on us. ;-) - Josh & Kalie