Portugal

Living in Portugal: the short version

Portugal combines mild weather, safety and a friendly, English-speaking expat scene with some of the most accessible visas in Europe for remote workers and people with passive income. Lisbon and Porto rents have risen quickly, and the old NHR tax regime has been replaced by a narrower scheme.

Best for: Remote workers, retirees and people with passive income looking for an EU base.

How to move to Portugal: main visa and residency routes

Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.

D7 passive income visa

For retirees and people with regular passive income such as pensions, rent or dividends.

D8 digital nomad visa

For remote workers earning at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage.

Highly qualified activity / Tech visa

For skilled professionals with a Portuguese job offer.

Healthcare for newcomers

Legal residents can register with the national health service (SNS); many expats also buy affordable private insurance for faster access.

How Portugal compares

Calculated from our data for all 55 countries. How we calculate this

Cost of living rank

25th cheapest of 55

Single person, core costs

$1,140/mo

Family of four, core costs

$2,090/mo

Take-home on $60,000

$37,987/yr

• Renting a one-bedroom home takes about 35% of the average local salary in Portugal, less than the median of 36% across the countries we cover.
• Core monthly costs for one person (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet and eating out) come to about $1,140, or 62% of the average local monthly salary.
• On a gross salary of $60,000 taxed locally, our estimate leaves $37,987 a year after income tax and employee social security (an effective rate of 37%), the 52nd highest take-home pay of 55 countries. After single-person core costs, that leaves roughly $24,307 a year to save or spend.
• Countries with a similar overall cost of living: Croatia, Costa Rica, Chile.
• Cheaper options in Europe: Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria.

Estimates for planning, using simplified national tax brackets in US dollars; local taxes, deductions and your own spending will differ. Try your own numbers in the tax calculator or budget planner.

Our guides to Portugal

• Cost of Living in Portugal: Complete Guide · Cost of Living

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on September 30, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.