Moving to Portugal from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Considering a move from Massachusetts to Portugal? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 29.0% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly €48,170 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 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €48,170
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 30.4% less
Groceries
pay 37.9% less
Transportation
pay 17.4% more
Housing
pay 48.8% less
Childcare
pay 67.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.6% less
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 37% less than cities in Massachusetts.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Massachusetts to Portugal.
people moved from United States 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
- · · ·
-
20.7,980
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Massachusetts.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Portugal performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Massachusetts performs better than Portugal across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Portugal performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting United States
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 Massachusetts?
On average Portugal is about 27% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Budget about €12,042 for 3 months in Portugal (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
From major Portugal cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and Portugal are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Massachusetts?
Portugal performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.
