Moving to Israel from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Israel, you would find that Israel is 66.3% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €67,000 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ₪387,000 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Israel cheaper than Portugal?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 87.5% more
Groceries
pay 52.1% more
Transportation
pay 58.0% more
Housing
pay 57.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times 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.
What salary do you need in Israel?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → ₪387,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →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 Israel cost about 56% more than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Israel
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Portugal to Israel.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal performs better than Israel across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal leads in poverty rate.
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
Israel generally does better on family life, though Portugal leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Israel vs Portugal
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lisbon | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Israel Meteorological Service
Can you move from Portugal to Israel?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.
Portugal passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Israel than Portugal?
On average Israel is around 66% pricier than Portugal, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Budget about ₪96,750 for 3 months in Israel (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Israel?
Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Israel safe for expats?
Portugal generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 58.5 in Portugal. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
