Moving to Virginia from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Virginia, you would find that Virginia is 72.2% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €65,579 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly $95,422 in Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
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 Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
€65,579 → $95,422
To maintain the same standard of living in Virginia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 41.5% more
Groceries
pay 92.3% more
Transportation
pay 16.5% more
Housing
pay 69.0% more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 85.6% 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.
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 Virginia cost about 33% more than cities in Portugal.
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 Virginia.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
42.191,313
Portugal
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Virginia compared to Portugal.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Portugal performs better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Virginia performs significantly 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
Virginia performs significantly better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Portugal performs better than Virginia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lisbon | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Virginia than Portugal?
On average Virginia is around 27% pricier than Portugal, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Virginia?
Budget about $23,856 for 3 months in Virginia (based on a €65,579 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Virginia?
From major Virginia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Portugal and Virginia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Virginia compared to Portugal?
Portugal performs better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Virginia compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Richmond is 70°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Richmond receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Virginia?
The official language in Virginia is English. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
