Moving to Washington from Portugal
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Portugal to Washington — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Portugal to Washington, you would find that Washington is 67.6% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly $93,248 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°F vs 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Portugal to Washington.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → $93,248
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 41.0% more
Groceries
pay 69.5% more
Transportation
pay 16.8% more
Housing
pay 74.5% more
Childcare
pay 2.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 96.4% 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 Washington cost about 47% more than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Washington
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Portugal to Washington, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Portugal to Washington.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Portugal performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Washington 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
Washington 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 Washington 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 | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/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 Washington than Portugal?
No — Washington is on average about 24% more expensive than Portugal. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $23,312 in Washington on a €65,577 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Washington?
Usually fine from major cities in Washington. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Portugal?
Portugal performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Washington?
The official language in Washington is English. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
