Moving to Portugal from Kuwait

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kuwait to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 40.3% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,000 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly €92,900 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 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Portugal cheaper than Kuwait?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 72.6% more

Groceries

pay 34.5% more

Transportation

pay 89.6% more

Housing

pay 37.2% more

Childcare

pay 76.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 30.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KWD = 2.88 EUR (October 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.

What salary do you need in Portugal?

What does your salary buy?

KWD23,000 → €92,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Kuwait.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KW
0.2
PT
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KW
9.2
PT
7.2

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KW
$2,567
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KW
22.7
PT
58.5

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait 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

KW
45.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KW
23.7t
PT
3.3t

Portugal performs significantly better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KW
1.0
PT
45.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KW
3850.5%
PT
12.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KW
2.2%
PT
6.2%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KW
$32,312
PT
$32,082

Kuwait performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

KW
84.6 yrs
PT
82.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KW
7.0
PT
2.7

Kuwait generally does better on family life, though Portugal leads in infant mortality.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Kuwait (2016), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Weather in Portugal vs Kuwait

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuwait City Rain: 4.6 in/yr (116 mm)
94° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuwait City Lisbon
Jan–Mar 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Kuwait City Lisbon
Jan 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Meteorological Department Meteorological Department, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Can you move from Kuwait to Portugal?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.

Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Kuwait

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

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 Kuwait?

On average Portugal is around 40% pricier than Kuwait, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

Budget about €23,225 for 3 months in Portugal (based on a KWD23,000 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: 45.2 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?

Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Kuwait?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 58.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 22.7 in Kuwait. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

KW PT
Population 4,865,298 10,804,871
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +965 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112