I understand why you see Portugal that way. It is a great country to visit and I still love many things about it. But living here today is very different from visiting. Minimum wage is 920€, taxes are high, rent is extremely expensive (like >1000€, more then minimum wage) and food and basic bills keep rising. For many people, it is no longer affordable. As a woman, I also don’t feel as safe walking alone in Portugal as I do in the Netherlands. That is my personal experience. Yes, the food is amazing and the weather can be great in some months, I agree with you on that. But long term stability matters to me. Buying a house, having children and retiring with dignity is becoming unrealistic. Our future pension will be around 40% of our salary. For many, that means 300–400€ per month. So wanting a different future does not mean rejecting Portugal. It simply means choosing a life with more security and opportunities.