Moving to Arizona from Portugal

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Portugal to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 45.6% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly $85,661 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 $85,661

To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 40.2% more

Groceries

pay 50.1% more

Transportation

pay 1.1% more

Housing

pay 84.0% more

Childcare

pay 76.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 76.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.14 USD (July 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.

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 Arizona cost about 28% more than cities in Portugal.

Portugal

Cascais 57%
Almada 52%
Porto 51%
Faro 51%

Arizona

Tempe 68%
Mesa 66%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
1,290 ↑ 23% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Arizona compared to Portugal.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

PT
20.8%
AZ
33.6%

Portugal performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

PT
82.0%
AZ
90.5%

Arizona performs significantly better than Portugal across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PT
6.5%
AZ
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$41,700
AZ
$58,628

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PT
81.5 yrs
AZ
76.3 yrs

Portugal performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Phoenix Rain: 8.2 in/yr (208 mm)
87° / 63°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lisbon Phoenix
Jan–Mar 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) 73°/49°F (23°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) 95°/69°F (35°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 103°/80°F (40°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
View all months
Month Lisbon Phoenix
Jan 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C)
Feb 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C)
Mar 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)
Apr 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C)
May 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C)
Jun 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C)
Jul 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C)
Aug 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C)
Sep 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C)
Oct 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C)
Nov 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C)

Data: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Portugal passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Portugal 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 Arizona than Portugal?

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

How much money do I need to move to Arizona?

Budget about $21,415 for 3 months in Arizona (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Arizona?

From major Arizona cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Portugal and Arizona are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Portugal?

Portugal performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.

What language do they speak in Arizona?

The official language in Arizona is English. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

PT
Population 10,242,081 6,392,017
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Portuguese English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +1
Time zones 2 11
Emergency number 112 911