Moving to Portugal from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to Portugal? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 2.1 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly €119,424 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between China and Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → €119,424
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.9 times more
Groceries
pay 61.7% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 3.3 times more
Childcare
pay 0.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.1% more
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 73% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China to Portugal.
people moved from China 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
- · · ·
-
17.12,000
China
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in electricity per capita.
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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though China leads in literacy rate.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, 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 | Beijing | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Required
Portugal passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
On average Portugal is around 82% pricier than China, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Budget about €29,856 for 3 months in Portugal (based on a CN¥508,312 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Portugal safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 25.2 in China. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to China?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In China, the official language is Chinese.
