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 €46,034 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €46,034
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →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 by city
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
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
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)
Who's moving to Portugal?
Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.
- 179,524
- 154,017
- 104,164
- 80,570
- 68,299
- 53,384
- · · ·
-
20.7,980
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How California and Portugal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Portugal performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Portugal across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
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.
Is it good for families?
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)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| 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) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
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
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal than California?
Generally yes: Portugal runs about 28% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €11,508 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
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.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to California?
Portugal performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to California?
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.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In California, the official language is English.
