Moving to Portugal from Estonia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Estonia to Portugal? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Estonia to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 15.4% more expensive than Estonia overall. A €65,700 salary in Estonia would need to be roughly €74,928 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 48°F in Tallinn, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Estonia and Portugal.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €74,928

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 17.4% less

Groceries

pay 18.4% more

Transportation

pay 22.6% more

Housing

pay 43.2% more

Childcare

pay 75.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 25.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Estonia to Portugal.

Moved in 2023
124 ↑ 29% vs 2022

people moved from Estonia to Portugal · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Portugal?

Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Estonia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

EE
1.5
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

EE
4.4
PT
7.2

Estonia generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

EE
$3,741
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

EE
34.4
PT
57.7

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

EE
13.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

EE
7.8t
PT
3.3t

Portugal performs significantly better than Estonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

EE
40.4
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

EE
10.8%
PT
12.3%

Estonia generally does better on infrastructure, though Portugal leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

EE
6.3%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

EE
$42,000
PT
$41,700

Estonia generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

EE
77.9 yrs
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

EE
3.4
PT
2.5

Estonia generally does better on family life, though Portugal leads in life expectancy.

Data: Estonian Tax and Customs Board, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tallinn Rain: 27.3 in/yr (693 mm)
48° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tallinn Lisbon
Jan–Mar 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Tallinn Lisbon
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Estonia 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.

Estonia passport

Estonia passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
Estonia passport holders can enter Portugal without a visa.
Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Estonia

Visa Free
Portugal passport holders can enter Estonia without a visa.

Data: 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 Estonia?

On average Portugal is around 14% pricier than Estonia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

Budget about €18,732 for 3 months in Portugal (based on a €65,700 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?

Estonia 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 1.5 in Estonia.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Estonia?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 34.4 in Estonia. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Estonia: 79).

What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Estonia?

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 48°F in Tallinn. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tallinn gets 27.3 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Estonia, the official language is Estonian.

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At a Glance

EE PT
Population 1,211,524 10,242,081
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Estonian Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +372 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112