Moving to Israel from Portugal

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Portugal to Israel, you would find that Israel is 52.1% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €64,304 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ₪289,717 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 ₪289,717

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 64.8% more

Groceries

pay 36.3% more

Transportation

pay 27.9% more

Housing

pay 30.5% more

Childcare

pay 58.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 3.27 ILS (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
8 ↑ 60% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Israel?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared to Portugal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PT
0.8
IL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PT
7.2
IL
4.2

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PT
$4,928
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PT
57.7
IL
37.1

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel 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

PT
10.0
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PT
3.3t
IL
5.8t

Portugal performs better than Israel across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PT
43.5
IL
29.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PT
12.3%
IL
132.0%

Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PT
6.5%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$41,700
IL
$48,300

Israel 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
IL
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PT
2.5
IL
3.6

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

Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

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 Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Israel

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

Israel passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
Israel 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 Israel than Portugal?

On average Israel is around 38% pricier than Portugal, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Budget about ₪72,429 for 3 months in Israel (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.4 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 0.8 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 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 57.7 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.

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At a Glance

PT IL
Population 10,242,081 8,914,885
Currency Euro (€) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Portuguese Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +972
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 100