Moving to Portugal from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 24.8% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €47,099 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.
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 United States to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €47,099
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 25.6% less
Groceries
pay 34.9% less
Transportation
pay 14.6% more
Housing
pay 40.9% less
Childcare
pay 58.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.3% 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 42% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Portugal, based on official data.
people moved from United States 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
- · · ·
-
20.7,980
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly better than United States 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 performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
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 States 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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Portugal leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 States performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting United States
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 States?
Yes — Portugal is on average about 28% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €11,775 in Portugal on a $75,000 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 43.5 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 United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to United States?
Portugal performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 36.1 in United States. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In United States, the official language is English.
