MigrantoCost of living in Portugal
Average monthly spending, by standard of living, by category, and against other countries
Monthly cost
€1,280
what a typical person spends
Spending by standard of living
€574richest 20%
€3,240
Portugal has long been one of Western Europe's more affordable corners, with modest local wages and cheap, good food. The catch is housing: an influx of newcomers and visitors has pushed the cost of a place to live up faster than pay has followed, so there's a real if not extreme gap between getting by and living well.
Where people spend money in Portugal
In Portugal, housing is the biggest piece of a typical month, and it's the cost that's climbed the most. Groceries stay genuinely cheap, and eating out remains something you can do without flinching. So the squeeze is mostly on rent — once that's covered, the everyday spending around it is forgiving.
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What it costs to live in Portugal
Tell us what you earn and spend today — we'll estimate what the same lifestyle would cost in Portugal and how much you could have left each month
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Cost of living in Portugal
€574/mo
vs €692 in your country
Take-home
€824
vs €1,040 in your country
Potential savings
€250
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How living costs in Portugal compare
Portugal sits in the middle of the European pack, kept there by pay that trails the continent's wealthy west. Set against the wider world it's clearly on the costlier side — Western European living, softened by a smaller, lower-paid economy.
Data source: household consumption 2023 (World Bank), International Comparison Program 2021 (World Bank), category breakdown 2022 (Eurostat), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Portugal?
A typical person in Portugal spends about €1,280 a month — around €15,400 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the cost of living in Portugal in US dollars?
The cost of living in Portugal is about $1,481 a month, or roughly $17,772 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Portugal?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about €574 a month per person, a typical one around €1,280, and a comfortable life around €1,680. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in Portugal?
The biggest expense is housing, at about €221 a month (17% of spending). Then come groceries (€221, 17%) and dining out (€194, 15%).
Is the average salary in Portugal enough to live on?
In most cases yes, but without much of a cushion. Average spending is about €1,280 a month, while the average take-home pay in Portugal is about €1,360. For more on incomes, see salaries in Portugal.
Is Portugal an expensive country to live in?
Yes. Portugal is more expensive than 83% of countries worldwide and ranks 20th of 41 in Europe by cost of living.
Where to live?
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Living in Portugal
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