Portugal continues to prove popular with digital nomads thanks to its affordable cost of living, favorable climate and attractive tax rates. Within the country, the capital of Lisbon has long been the most popular choice thanks to its old-world charm combined with a thriving nomad community and associated amenities like co-working spaces.
For years Lisbon has consistently ranked among the world’s top digital nomad cities, with around 16,000 digital nomads living in the capital. Meanwhile, Lonely Planet placed it first out of 10 countries, while Nomad Capitalist included the country in its 14-long list of global digital nomad countries.
Yet 2025 could be a year of challenge. For one, the influx of digital nomads has put a strain on the local population as rental prices rise and public services get harder to access.
To address this, many are hoping that smaller towns and more rural locations in Portugal will be able to attract the booming digital nomad community and benefit from the associated investment boost and increased spending in the economy.
Here’s how Sim Local, named by Portugal Startups as its #1 eSIM provider for digital nomads, is helping to drive positive change with eSIM technology.
Why Portugal’s digital nomad community can benefit from eSIMs
For digital nomads, the need for reliable WiFi is a given. Unfortunately, however, this is something that can be trickier to guarantee in the more rural areas of Portugal. Addressing this will be key to tackling the large concentration of digital nomads in the capital.
However, the country has been making huge investments in mobile network coverage. Portugal has significantly invested in 5G technology, with major operators like NOS, Vodafone and MEO all launching 5G services, with NOS alone reporting an investment of over €420 million in their 5G network,=.
The investment includes over 4,200 base stations, covering a large portion of the Portuguese population.
This means that digital nomads choosing to buck the trend of working in Lisbon in favour of a smaller town or the sunny shores of Algarve and Alentejo, with below-average coverage of fixed high-speed communications networks, can utilize mobile data instead.
eSIMs provide a convenient way to purchase data packs from local network providers and set up the digital SIM card in a few minutes.
Digital nomads in urban areas can also benefit from eSIMs for a number of reasons. Although high-speed Wifi is reliable in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, it’s common to see nomads working in cafes or bars. If the network is busy with other remote workers, using an eSIM is a great option. It also means that potentially sensitive data isn’t sent over public networks.
Uninterrupted connectivity
Portugal Startups has named Sim Local its #1 eSIM provider in Portugal based on its quality of service, customer feedback and reputation in the market, including the company’s strong partnerships with local telecom providers in the country.
In Portugal, Sim Local is helping digital nomads and tourists alike to stay connected with great value packages from Orange, Lyca Mobile, and Smartroam which run on MEO, NOS and Vodafone Portugal networks. Further, Sim Local doesn’t just offer data but also great value packages.
Digital nomads can download a plan through the Sim Local app and get online in just a couple of minutes. What’s more, its global coverage means that Sim Local customers can easily adjust their package during trips to other global destinations to enjoy 100% uninterrupted connectivity.