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Information on the Cost of Living in Portugal, including a Full Budget. How much can you save by Living in Portugal?
The cost of living in Portugal is among the lowest in Western Europe, on average 30% lower than in any other country of the region.
You might be surprised to find out that you can live well in Portugal for less than you’re currently budgeting.
Just what makes it so tough to beat when considering options the whole globe over for reinventing your life?
In fact, Portugal checks every box on the would-be retiree’s list…
A couple could live here comfortably but modestly on a budget of as little as 1,800 euros per month.
Reviewed By Kathleen Peddicord
Kathleen is the Live and Invest Overseas Founding Publisher. She has more than 30 years of hands-on experience traveling, living, and buying property around the world.
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In short, Portugal is hard to resist…
We’ve named thin-sliced corners of this beautiful, sunny, friendly, safe, welcoming, and affordable country as the world’s top retirement haven more than any other.
The cost of living in Portugal is among the lowest in Western Europe, on average 30% lower than in any other country of the region.
With a budget of 2,500 euros per month or more, you could enjoy a fully appointed lifestyle in this heart of the Old World.
Check currency conversion at today’s exchange rate.
These are estimates for Portugal in general. On the other hand, better deals and budgets are to be found in more specific areas.
The Portuguese are the biggest fish eaters per capita in Europe, and fresh fish of great variety is available in the ever-present daily markets.
For instance, the abundance of sunshine in this part of the world means an abundance of fresh produce, too, also available in the local markets.
Meantime, pollution rates are low, and streets, towns, and beaches are kept clean and litter-free.
Portugal has long been popular with expats, but its popularity has skyrocketed in the past two or three years.
Most of the attention is focused on those three areas (the Algarve, Lisbon, and Porto), and that attention has driven up property prices and costs of living.
Braga is affordable not only relative to the costs of living in the United States and Canada; it’s also affordable relative to other places in Portugal. Property prices and costs of living haven’t been inflated as much as in places like the Algarve, Lisbon, and Porto. For its rich lifestyle, Braga is a bargain.
It also offers a more authentically Portuguese, tranquil, and affordable way of life relative to those places.
You can arrange to live in the country full-time simply by showing a reliable income of at least 1,200 euros per month, per couple.
Many countries offer similar residency programs based on guaranteed income; however, these are typically targeting foreign retirees and come with age restrictions.
That is not the case in Portugal.
Anyone of any age who can prove income to meet the requirement can be granted the right to remain in Portugal long-term. This is one of the easiest residency hurdles of any country in Europe. Indeed, it’s one of the easiest of any country in the world.
| Item | Unit | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | ||
| Cable | Monthly | $33.48 |
| Cable / TV plan | monthly | $30.96 |
| Electricity | kWh | $0.19 |
| Mobile | Monthly | $22.71 |
| Mobile data plan | monthly | $18.89 |
| Water (potable) | per m³ | $0.48 |
| Groceries | ||
| Apples | 1lb | $0.92 |
| Beef | 1lb | $3.34 |
| Bottled water | 1.5 L × 6 | $1.61 |
| Bread | 20oz | $1.46 |
| Butter | 250g | $2.26 |
| Cheese | 500g | $5.44 |
| Chicken | 1lb | $1.69 |
| Coffee | 500g | $19.07 |
| Coffee (ground) | 500 g | $19.59 |
| Cooking oil | 1L | $2.03 |
| Eggs | 12 | $2.49 |
| Flour | 1kg | $1.01 |
| Milk | 1 gal | $3.74 |
| Olive oil | 500ml | $5.67 |
| Onions | 1lb | $0.72 |
| Pasta | 500g | $0.85 |
| Pork | 1kg | $6.80 |
| Potatoes | 1lb | $0.61 |
| Rice | 5lb | $3.73 |
| Salt | 1kg | $0.51 |
| Sugar | 1kg | $1.53 |
| Tomatoes | 1lb | $1.02 |
| Water | 1.5L x6 | $2.39 |
| Yogurt | 1L | $2.15 |
| Services | ||
| Gasoline | 50L | $95.03 |
| Gasoline (50 liters / ~13 gallons) | 50 liters | $86.94 |
| Gym | Monthly | $29.51 |
| Gym membership | monthly | $36.75 |
| Internet | Monthly | $33.48 |
| Internet (home broadband) | monthly | $30.96 |
| Medical appointment (General Practitioner) | per visit | $108.15 |
| Medical GP | visit | $107.87 |
| Public transportation (single ride) | per ride | $1.94 |
| Transit ride | single ride | $2.10 |
| Medications | ||
| Acetaminophen | 30 tabs | $1.52 |
| Adhesive bandages | 10–20 unit pack | $2.67 |
| Antacid | 24 tabs | $5.21 |
| Antacid tablets | small pack (calcium carbonate) | $8.26 |
| Antibiotic ointment | small tube | $8.11 |
| Antihistamine (Loratadine) | 10 tablets | $7.80 |
| Aspirin | 30 tabs | $8.33 |
| Bandages | 20 pack | $3.39 |
| Bismuth | 118ml | $10.21 |
| Bismuth subsalicylate | 118 ml bottle | $11.09 |
| Cold/Flu | small bottle | $9.07 |
| Cold/flu combo | small bottle | $10.45 |
| Cough | 100ml | $7.37 |
| Cough suppressant | 100–120 ml | $8.74 |
| Ibuprofen | 30 tabs | $3.39 |
| Loperamide | 10 caps | $9.42 |
| Loratadine | 10 tabs | $7.94 |
| Ointment | small tube | $11.23 |
| Avg rent (USD/mo) | Avg area (m²) | rooms | baths | parkings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-range | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Category | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Utilities | $119.23 |
| Top cost drivers (highest monthly-cost items) | |
| Electricity | $66.50 |
| Cable / TV plan | $30.96 |
| Mobile data plan | $18.89 |
| Category | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Utilities | $168.54 |
| Top cost drivers (highest monthly-cost items) | |
| Electricity | $95.00 |
| Mobile data plan | $37.78 |
| Cable / TV plan | $30.96 |
| Category | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Utilities | $267.16 |
| Top cost drivers (highest monthly-cost items) | |
| Electricity | $152.00 |
| Mobile data plan | $75.56 |
| Cable / TV plan | $30.96 |
Reviewed By Kathleen Peddicord
Kathleen is the Live and Invest Overseas Founding Publisher. She has more than 30 years of hands-on experience traveling, living, and buying property around the world.
Start Your New Overseas Life Today
A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll send you a FREE report on the 12 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2026
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
Little villages in the heart of Portugal have furnished rentals available for expats starting at only $450 a month. But, if you prefer the hustle and bustle of city life, check out Lisbon, where you can snag a one-bedroom furnished apartment in the city center for less than $1,000. For a bit more space, a stylish two-bedroom apartment can be yours for around $1,300.
Portugal is known for having the most affordable living costs in Western Europe. Two people can comfortably get by on $2,500 to $3,000 a month. But that is if they stay away from the big cities. For Lisbon and Porto, you might want to increase that budget a bit.
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