Moving to Portugal from Iran

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Iran to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Iran to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 3.7 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR101,328,750,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly €87,805 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iran to Portugal.

What does your salary buy?

IRR101,328,750,000 €87,805

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.5 times more

Groceries

pay 2.7 times more

Transportation

pay 3.0 times more

Housing

pay 4.6 times more

Childcare

pay 8.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0 EUR (June 2026)

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?

How many people actually move from Iran to Portugal, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
486 ↓ 12% vs 2022

people moved from Iran 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iran to Portugal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
2.4
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
20.6
PT
7.2

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IR
$1,064
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

IR
15.1
PT
57.7

Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IR
51.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
PT
3.3t

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran 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

IR
12.3
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
PT
12.3%

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
9.1%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$16,200
PT
$41,700

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IR
75.2 yrs
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
14.8
PT
2.5

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Lisbon
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Lisbon
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Required
Iran passport holders need a visa to enter Portugal.
Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Iran

Visa on Arrival
Portugal passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Iran.

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 Iran?

No — Portugal is on average about 37% more expensive than Iran. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €21,951 in Portugal on a IRR101,328,750,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?

Portugal performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Iran?

Iran 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 15.1 in Iran. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR PT
Population 86,758,304 10,242,081
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) Euro (€)
Languages Persian (Farsi) Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +98 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 115 112