Moving to Portugal from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 13.0% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €58,429 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → €58,429
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 12.3% less
Groceries
pay 27.5% less
Transportation
pay 14.0% more
Housing
pay 24.4% less
Childcare
pay 20.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.3% 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 8% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada to Portugal, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
19.8,344
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Portugal leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada generally does better on family life, though Portugal leads in infant mortality.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
Yes — Portugal is on average about 11% cheaper than Canada. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €14,607 in Portugal on a CA$106,294 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Portugal has 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Canada generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Canada?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
