Thinking about moving to Portugal? This overview pulls together how it compares across the things that shape daily life: cost, language, safety, healthcare and the route to staying long term. In MoveMap’s model, Portugal stands out for being ready for remote work, everyday safety and political stability, while it is worth weighing a tight housing market, a long road to citizenship and heavier bureaucracy.
Portugal at a glance
Tap any metric to see what is behind the number.
Cost of living55/100
Cost of living here sits a bit below the EU average. As rough monthly figures, a typical net salary is around €1300 and a one-bedroom rent runs about €950 a month. Your real budget depends heavily on the city and your lifestyle.
English70/100
English gets you a long way in cities and with younger people. Everyday admin and smaller towns often expect the local language, so some learning helps a lot.
Safety85/100
This is a MoveMap score out of 100 (higher is safer), so 85/100 means very safe: violent crime is rare and most areas feel comfortable at any hour. The usual big-city pickpocketing is the main thing to watch.
Healthcare72/100
Scored 72/100 in MoveMap's model (higher is better). Solid public healthcare. Many newcomers add affordable private cover for shorter waits and more choice.
ClimateWarm
Hot, dry summers and mild winters, with a lot of sunshine. Typical daytime highs: winter around 15°C, spring 20°C, summer 28°C, autumn 22°C. Figures are approximate and vary by region.
Citizenship~10 yrs
On the ordinary residence route you can usually apply for permanent residence after about 5 years, and for citizenship after about 10 years of continuous legal residence. Marriage to a citizen or ancestry can be much faster. Most countries also require a language test (commonly around B1) and some restrict holding two passports, so confirm Portugal's current rules and dual-citizenship stance.
Taxes12.5-48%
Personal income tax: Progressive 12.5-48% (+ solidarity up to 5% at the top). As a freelancer: Simplified regime: 75% of services turnover is taxable (35% for some activities) up to €200k, more if expenses plus social contributions fall below 15% of turnover. Company owners: CIT 19% in 2026 (15% for SMEs on the first €50k), legislated to fall to 18% in 2027 and 17% in 2028, dividends 28%. Rates as of November 2026. Tax rules change every budget cycle and depend on your personal situation: verify with a licensed tax advisor before acting.
Where Portugal stands out
Relative to the other 26 EU countries, Portugal scores best for:
- Being ready for remote work.
- Everyday safety.
- Political stability.
Worth weighing before you move
Every country has trade-offs. For Portugal, keep an eye on:
- A tight housing market.
- A long road to citizenship.
- Heavier bureaucracy.
Is Portugal right for you?
These are general patterns. Whether Portugal actually fits depends on your income, work, family, documents and what you want from a move, and the right city matters as much as the country. The quickest way to see where Portugal lands for your situation is the MoveMap check.