Expat Rankings

Last updated: 09 September 2024

Cheapest Cities To Live in Portugal

Table of Contents

Portugal is a very popular city among digital nomads in our community. Thanks to a favorable climate, crypto-friendly regulations, and low cost of living, it’s a dream country for many.

Portugal is home to big cities such as Lisbon and Porto, and many coastal towns in Algarve and Silver Coast. If you want to relocate to Portugal but have a tight budget, check out the rest of this article where we list the cheapest cities and towns in Portugal in alphabetic order. We’ve collected the figures from Numbeo and hope that these will give you an idea before your relocation. We’ve also added a section where we compare the cost of living in that specific city to the costs in Lisbon.

Aveiro

The city of Aveiro, located in the central region of Portugal, capital of the district of the same name, has attracted new residents due to the low cost of living and the advantages it offers. As it’s very close to beaches, it’s a great place where you can spend a good time while working remotely.

Population: 78,000 approx.
Distance from Lisbon: 250 km approx.

Cost of Living in Aveiro

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €10
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €776.92
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €102.89

Aveiro vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Consumer Prices in Aveiro are 11,6% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Aveiro are 24,3% lower than in Lisbon
Rent Prices in Aveiro are 46,3% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Aveiro are 18,5% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Aveiro are 6.2% lower than in Lisbon

Bragança

Bragança is located in the northern region of Portugal, in the district of Bragança, on the border with Spain. Surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Montesinho Natural Park, in the northeast region of Trás-os-Montes. With a good health and leisure structure, with museums, gardens, theater and all kinds of commerce, it is one of the cheapest cities to live in Portugal.

Population: 35,000 approx.
Distance from Lisbon: 500 km approx.

Cost of Living in Bragança

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €10
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €383.33
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €117.18

Bragança vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Rent Prices in Braganca are 74.77% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Braganca are 31.51% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Braganca are 11.57% lower than in Lisbon

Caldas Da Rainha

Located in the district of Leiria, the central region of Portugal, Caldas da Rainha is famous for the medicinal spas that receive visitors from various regions of Portugal and Europe. The city has very attractive costs and is a good option for those who want to stay close to Lisbon, but without paying too much.

Population: 52,000 approx.
Distance from Lisbon: 90 km approx.

Cost of Living in Caldas da Rainha

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €15
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €616.67
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €128.33

Caldas da Rainha vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

As no data is available when we publish this article, we skip this section for Caldas da Rainha.

Castelo Branco

Castelo Branco has a direct connection to Lisbon by train. It is possible to find affordable properties for rent and the region has all the necessary infrastructure to live well, such as hospitals, commerce, and services.

Population: 56,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 225 km approx.

Cost of Living in Castelo Branco

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €10
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €450
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €86.06

Castelo Branco vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Rent Prices in Castelo Branco are 71% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Castelo Branco are 24.4% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Castelo Branco are 28.6% lower than in Lisbon

Évora

Known as the City-Museum, Évora is one of the oldest cities in Europe and its historic center has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All this importance makes Évora an interesting option among the cheapest cities in Portugal to live in.

In addition to all its historical monuments and museums, the city, which is located in the Alentejo region, has excellent health, services, and commerce structure, as well as public transport and affordable rents.

Population: 55,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 130 km approx.

Cost of Living in Évora

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €9
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €775
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €88.80

Évora vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Rent Prices in Evora are 42.6% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Evora are 32% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Evora are 15.3% higher than in Lisbon

Portimão

One of the cheapest cities in Portugal, Portimão is in the warmest region of the country. Therefore, it is the ideal destination if you want to be close to the most beautiful beaches on the Portuguese coast. It is a small city that can offer a great quality of life, with all kinds of services, hospitals, shops, and leisure. It’s also one of the best cities in Algarve.

Population: 45,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 280 km approx.

Cost of Living in Portimão

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €10
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €840
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €99.50

Portimao vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Consumer Prices in Portimao are 21.4% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Portimao are 26.9% lower than in Lisbon
Rent Prices in Portimao are 36.5% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Portimao are 18.8% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Portimao are 15.5% lower than in Lisbon

Santarém

Santarém is one of the cheapest cities in Portugal and has hospitals and health centers, as well as several urban gardens and parks, historical monuments, and lots of commerce.

The city also has a municipal water complex with various activities for the summer. Known as the “Capital of Gothic”, Santarém has several churches and buildings of this architectural style that beautify the city. There are also several historical sites such as the Scallabis Roman Temple and the Santarém Castle.

Population: 62,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 90 km approx.

Cost of Living in Santarém

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €12
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €550
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €73.41

Santarém vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Consumer Prices in Santarem are 23.13% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Santarem are 33.76% lower than in Lisbon
Rent Prices in Santarem are 54.14% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Santarem are 21.5% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Santarem are 11.5% lower than in Lisbon

Viana Do Castelo

Viana do Castelo is a relatively developed city, located on the northern coast of Portugal, with a direct train connection with Porto. The city has a beautiful historic center and one of its main activities is fishing. The low cost of living and the good infrastructure is attractive for those looking for one of the cheapest cities to live in Portugal with a good quality of life.

Population: 88,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 385 km approx.

Cost of Living in Viana do Castelo

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €8
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €643.33
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €75.76

Viana do Castelo vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Consumer Prices in Viana do Castelo are 20.6% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Viana do Castelo are 33.8% lower than in Lisbon
Rent Prices in Viana do Castelo are 56.5% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Viana do Castelo are 34.7% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Viana do Castelo are 15.8% lower than in Lisbon

Vila Real

Another highlight among the cheapest cities to live in Portugal is Vila Real. With very attractive costs, it is a good destination for those looking for a quiet city, but with good quality and infrastructure, and with a good road connection to Porto.

Population: 51,000 inhabitants
Distance to Lisbon: 400 km approx.

Cost of Living in Vila Real

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €8
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €516.67
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €117.18

Vila Real vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Rent Prices in Vila Real are 68.2% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Vila Real are 40.8% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Vila Real are 16.2% lower than in Lisbon

Viseu

Viseu has a good structure of hospitals and health centers, museums, parks and gardens, commerce, shopping, theater, and art galleries. Viseu is full of historical monuments and archaeological heritage.

Population: 96,000 approx.
Distance to Lisbon: 300 km approx.

Cost of Living in Viseu

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: €9
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €643.16
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €110.46

Viseu vs. Lisbon in terms of cost of living

Consumer Prices in Viseu are 22.2% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Viseu are 36.7% lower than in Lisbon
Rent Prices in Viseu are 61.9% lower than in Lisbon
Restaurant Prices in Viseu are 31.6% lower than in Lisbon
Groceries Prices in Viseu are 18.6% lower than in Lisbon

Conclusion

Have you ever been to Portugal and to any of the cities we’ve listed above? Let us know about your experience. You might also want to check our article about Living in Portugal and Moving to Portugal from the USA before your move.