Moving to Portugal from United Kingdom
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to Portugal — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 26.8% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,958 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €52,975 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
£55,958 → €52,975
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 18.2% less
Groceries
pay 9.1% less
Transportation
pay 25.7% less
Housing
pay 28.1% less
Childcare
pay 56.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.6% less
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 16% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to Portugal, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United Kingdom 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
- · · ·
-
12.21,089
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Kingdom and Portugal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate.
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 United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.
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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom leads in internet access.
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
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on family life, though Portugal leads in infant mortality.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Met Office
Instituto Português do Mar e da AtmosferaVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United Kingdom?
Generally yes: Portugal runs about 19% cheaper than United Kingdom on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a £55,958 comparable salary, that's around €13,244 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Kingdom and Portugal.
Is Portugal safe for expats?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to United Kingdom?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 60°F in London. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
