Moving to Portugal from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 44.5% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly €93,700 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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 South Africa to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → €93,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 47.3% more
Groceries
pay 22.3% more
Transportation
pay 6.0% more
Housing
pay 83.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.3% 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 Portugal cost about 28% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Portugal, based on official data.
people moved from South Africa to Portugal · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Portugal?
Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.
- 179,524
- 154,017
- 104,164
- 80,570
- 68,299
- 53,384
- · · ·
-
16.12,651
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
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 South Africa 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 significantly better than South Africa 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 performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in top income tax 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
Portugal generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Required
Portugal passport holder visiting South Africa
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 Portugal than South Africa?
No — Portugal is on average about 44% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €23,425 in Portugal on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Portugal has 45.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Portugal performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to South Africa?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 58.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Portugal
At a Glance
ZA
|
PT
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 10,804,871 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Euro (€) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Portuguese |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +351 |
| Time zones | 1 | 2 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |