Moving to Portugal from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to Portugal — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 33.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €47,207 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to Portugal. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → €47,207 To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 32.5% less Groceries pay 40.8% less Transportation pay 1.4% less Housing pay 51.3% less Childcare pay 67.0% less Entertainment and Sports pay 49.3% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Portugal cost about 39% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. Real numbers on people moving from California to Portugal, and how the trend has changed. people moved from United States to Portugal · OECD (latest data available) Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents. How California and Portugal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. share of adults with obesity Portugal performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. share of households with internet California performs better than Portugal across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line California performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics. average years of life at birth Portugal performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority. United States passport holder visiting Portugal Portugal passport holder visiting United States Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Generally yes: Portugal runs about 28% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €11,802 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. Working remotely from Portugal's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Portugal. Portugal performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In California, the official language is English. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Lisbon Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Lisbon Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) 
National Weather Service, 
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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