Guest Post by:
Samantha North | Founder, Digital Émigré
I came to Madeira in November 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, as an escape from Lisbon under lockdown. It was supposed to be a short vacation. But now, over a year later, I’m still here and plan to stay for the long haul.
Madeira is a paradise, but it’s also an ideal place to grow an online business. My business, Digital Émigré, helps people get EU residency and citizenship through an investment or passive income visas.
Here are 7 reasons why I think Madeira is such an excellent place to live, especially if you’re working on an online business.
1. International population
For global remote workers and digital nomads, Madeira is the perfect destination. The Digital Nomad Village initiative – which began at around the same time I moved here – helped put Madeira on the map and made it appealing to a wider demographic, beyond the traditional base of retirees from the UK and Germany. My social circle on the island is diverse and includes people from Canada, the US, Portugal, Brazil, Ireland, the UK, Israel, the Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine, and New Zealand.
2. Strong community
The presence of a burgeoning international community in Madeira has led to lots of networking and educational events – great opportunities to meet new people, share ideas, and get inspired. Unlike many other popular expat destinations, where turnover is high, those who move to Madeira tend to stay for the long-term. The island is so captivating that it quickly pulls you in. It’s a comfortable and easy place to live, where new arrivals can settle in and find a warm welcome.
3. Year-round summer
You become a lot more optimistic when you’re living in a place where it’s always summer time. In fact, Madeira does have seasons (and a lot of microclimates), but you can always find somewhere warm, especially closer to the ocean. Even in winter, it never becomes uncomfortably cold. And even in the height of summer, temperatures stay pleasant most of the time. What’s more, the good weather in Madeira makes it easy to live an outdoor lifestyle and get plenty of sunlight – great for physical and mental health.
4. Outdoor activities
As an online business owner, you can easily fall victim to spending excessive time in front of your computer screen. Living in Madeira is the perfect counterbalance to this, thanks to the wide range of outdoor activities available, including scuba diving, hiking and paragliding – or just putting away the laptop early on a Friday afternoon and going for a swim in the ocean.
5. Low-stress lifestyle
Living in Madeira is a low stress lifestyle, giving you more headspace to focus on your business. Once you find your way through the initial Portuguese bureaucracy, settle in and find your place, life in Madeira is low-key and laid-back. People are generally welcoming and easy to get along with – thanks in part to the island’s long history as a tourist destination.
6. Crypto-friendly
Madeira is a great destination for anyone involved in the cryptocurrency world. Whether you’re running a crypto-related business or are just an enthusiast, you’ll find plenty of like-minded people, crypto networking events, and a Madeiran government that’s enthusiastic about the future of crypto. Portugal is a good destination at the moment, because of its lack of taxation on cryptocurrencies and NFTs (although that’s likely to change in the near future).
7. Easy visa routes
Finally, moving to Madeira is easy for everyone, even if you’re from outside the EU. Portugal offers a range of accessible residency routes, including several designed for entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and those with passive income. If you want to invest, then the Golden Visa is another great way to get residency in Madeira, especially if you need more flexibility and don’t want to immediately relocate here.
Samantha North
Founder, Digital Émigré
Helping investors and remote workers get second citizenship in Europe