Moving to Portugal from Kenya
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kenya to Portugal — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Kenya to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 2.5 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,705,750 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly €143,883 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Kenya to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
KES9,705,750 → €143,883
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 95.9% more
Transportation
pay 40.0% more
Housing
pay 4.0 times more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.4% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Kenya to Portugal, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
95.113
Kenya
Key Indicator Comparison
How Kenya and Portugal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Kenya 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
Kenya generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Portugal performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Kenya 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 performs significantly better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Data: Revenue Authority, 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 | Nairobi | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.
Kenya passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Required
Portugal passport holder visiting Kenya
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 Kenya?
Day-to-day costs in Portugal run about 124% higher than Kenya on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 KES9,705,750 comparable salary, that's around €35,971 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Kenya and Portugal.
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Portugal performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Kenya?
Kenya 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 1.0 in Kenya. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
