This post was most recently updated on January 6th, 2023
Living in Portugal is such an amazing feeling. I have lived in Portugal for a whole year and I absolutely loved it there. I have singly lived in a fancy 1-bedroom apartment and I have also lived in a room with 3 other roommates. I have bought stuff from expensive supermarkets, and I have bought stuff from a local shop. I believe I have experienced the inside-out of living in Portugal.
Hey everyone, welcome to Europetutor.com. My name is Aashish and today I am going to share with you my experience regarding the cost of living in Portugal. I suggest you read the article till the end to have a better understanding of this beautiful country.
Buckle up!
Is Portugal expensive to live in?
It all depends on how much money you make. If you earn somewhere between 2,000 Euros to 5,000 Euros, you won’t find it expensive at all, but if you only make 500/600 Euros, you might find Portugal expensive. Usually, people make around 800 Euros a month in Portugal if they work for 8-10 hours a day.
How much do you need to live comfortably in Portugal?
You need somewhere around 1,300 Euros per month to live comfortably in Portugal. You can rent a nice 1-bedroom apartment, eat 3 times a day, have a better internet connection, and pay for water and electricity bills with that much money. Generally, 600 Euros a month would be enough to live decently in Portugal where you would be sharing a room with someone but to live comfortably in Portugal, you would need more money than that.
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How much does an Apartment cost in Portugal?
3 Bedroom apartment in the city area in Portugal costs you around 1,000 Euro and in the village area, it costs around 700 Euro. If you want to share the apartment with your friends, you will have to pay around 300 Euro per month per room for a 3-bedroom apartment in the city area in Portugal.
How much does a meal cost in Portugal?
1-time meal for 1 person costs around 8 Euro to 15 Euro in Portugal. Meal cost in Portugal depends upon your spending habits. For some people, 7 Euro is also enough, but for some 25 Euro isn’t enough. So, it totally depends on you. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner.
How much does it cost to see a doctor in Portugal?
A private doctor’s visit costs you around 50 Euro in Portugal, whereas a visit to a government hospital is usually free or they charge you around 5 Euro only. Portugal has some of the finest doctors and nurses available anywhere. The National Health Service of Portugal (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) is available to citizens as well as both temporary and permanent residents. Dental cleaning in a Public hospital is free of cost, whereas, in a Private hospital, it costs you around 25 Euro.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Portugal?
It depends upon what you are buying or renting and for how long. If you are talking about a house, it’s definitely cheaper to rent it rather than buy it. The scenario is different for a car. Long-term renting a car costs you more money than buying it. However, while renting you don’t have to pay for its servicing and other hidden fees.
Housing cost in Portugal (Monthly)
| Accommodation | |
|---|---|
| 2 Bedroom Apartment (City) | 700 € |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment (City) | 500 € |
| 1 Room Sharing in City | 160 € |
| 2 Bedroom Apartment (Village) | 550 € |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment (Village) | 400 € |
| 1 Room Sharing in the Village | 100 € |
Transportation cost in Portugal
| Transportation | |
|---|---|
| Train (city to another city) | 25 - 40 € |
| Metro Pass (Monthly) | 40 € |
| Public Bus (Monthly Pass) | 40 € |
| Public Bus (1-way inside the city) | 1.50 € |
| Public Bus (2-way inside the city) | 2.50 € |
| Taxi (upon booking) | 5.00 € |
| Taxi 1 km (Normal Tariff) | 1.50 € |
| Fuel/Gas (1 liter) | 1.85 € |
Groceries cost in Portugal
| Groceries | |
|---|---|
| Bread (1 kg) | 1 - 2.50 € |
| Basmati Rice (20 kg) | 20 - 25 € |
| Potato (1 kg) | 1 € |
| Tomato (1 Kg) | 1.50 € |
| Onion (1 Kg) | 1.20 € |
| Water bottle (1 liter) | 1.65 € |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.80 € |
| Chicken (1 Kg) | 2.00 € |
| Beef (1 kg) | 9.00 € |
| Eggs (30 Pieces) | 5.00 € |
| Apples (1 kg) | 2.50 € |
| Banana (1 kg) | 1.50 € |
| Orange (1 kg) | 1.50 € |
| Strawberry (1 Kg) | 2.00 € |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 0.65 € |
| Wine (Mid-Range) | 9.50 € |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liters) | 1.50 € |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 5.00 € |
Restaurants
| Restaurant Cost | |
|---|---|
| Meal for 1 person | 7 - 15 € |
| McMeal at McDonalds | 7 € |
| Cappuccino/ Coffee | 4 € |
| Coke/Pepsi | 1.50 € |
| Imported Beer | 3.50 € |
| Water bottle (1 liter) | 2.00 € |
| Chicken Biryani 1 Plate | 10 € |
| Spaghetti 1 plate | 5.00 € |
| Chicken Mo:Mo 1 plate | 6.00 € |
Monthly Utilities cost in Portugal
| Utilities Bill per month | |
|---|---|
| Electricity (3 bedroom flat) | 80 - 150 € |
| Water Bill (3 bedroom flat) | 70 € |
| Phone call per minute | 0.12 € |
| SMS | 0.05 € |
| Wi-Fi (20 Mbps) | 35 € |
Personal care items cost in Portugal
| Personal Care | |
|---|---|
| Gym Membership in City | 45 € |
| Normal Haircut | 5 € |
| Standard Haircut | 20 € |
| Detergent (5 Kg) | 6.50 € |
| Shampoo | 5 € |
| Toothpaste | 2.50 € |
| Dettol Soap | 1.50 € |
| Deodorant | 2.50 € |
| Toilet paper (1 normal roll) | 1.50 € |
| Kitchen paper (1 normal roll) | 2 € |
| Cold Medicine | 5 € |
| 1 box of antibiotics | 10 € |
| 1 box of 32 tampons | 7 € |
| Sanitary Pads (12 pcs) | 3 € |
Entertainment and Sports
| Entertainment | |
|---|---|
| Ticket to a movie | 10 € |
| Ticket to a Theater | 40 € |
| Cocktail drink in Club | 11 € |
| Tennis Court Rent 1 hour | 25 € |
| Fitness Club 1 month | 25 - 50 € |
Clothing cost in Portugal
| Clothing | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans | 40 € |
| Nike Shoes | 70 € |
| Shirt | 10 € |
| T-Shirt | 8 € |
| Jacket | 35 € |
| Normal Shoes | 20 € |
| Gents Sandal | 10 € |
| Ladies Sandal | 15 € |
| Normal Slippers | 5 € |
| Kitchen Shoes | 7 € |
Here are some more questions and answers about Living cost in Portugal.
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal or Spain?
Living in Spain is cheaper than living in Portugal. Even though both countries use the same currency (Euro), living in Portugal is a bit more expensive than living in Spain. Housing costs more in Portugal than in Spain. You can get a decent 1-bedroom apartment in Spain for 400 Euro, whereas you will be needing somewhere between 500-800 Euros to find a nice flat in Portugal. The food and basic utility bills are also cheaper in Spain compared to Portugal.
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal or Italy?
Italy is more expensive than Portugal. Even though both countries use the same currency (Euro), living in Portugal is a bit cheaper than living in Italy. You can find a one-bedroom apartment for 500 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 700 Euro for the same kind of apartment in Italy. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to Italy. Food is cheaper in Portugal, but the transportation cost is almost the same in both countries.
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal or Greece?
The cost of living in Portugal is 15% cheaper than in Greece. Greece is more expensive than Portugal. Even though both countries use the same currency (Euro), living in Portugal is a bit cheaper than living in Greece. You can find a one-bedroom apartment for 500 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 600 Euro for the same kind of apartment in Greece. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to Greece. Food is cheaper in Portugal compared to Greece.
Is it cheaper to live in Canada or Portugal?
The cost of living in Portugal is 36% cheaper than in Canada. Canada is more expensive than Portugal. You can find a one-bedroom apartment for 500 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 700 Euro for the same kind of apartment in Canada. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to Canada. Food and Grocery items are also cheaper in Portugal compared to Canada.
Is it cheaper to live in France or Portugal?
The cost of living in Portugal is 24% cheaper than in France. France is more expensive than Portugal. You can find a two-bedroom apartment for 600 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 800 Euro for the same kind of apartment in France. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to France. Food and Grocery items are also cheaper in Portugal compared to France.
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal or Mexico?
Living in Mexico is cheaper than living in Portugal. Housing costs more in Portugal than in Mexico. You can get a decent 2-bedroom apartment in Mexico for 500 Euro, whereas you will be needing somewhere between 600-900 Euros to find a nice flat in Portugal. The food and basic utility bills are also cheaper in Mexico compared to Portugal. Portugal is around 29% more expensive than Mexico.
Is it cheaper to live in the UK or Portugal?
When it comes to the cost of living, Portugal is cheaper than the United Kingdom. The cost of living in Portugal is 30% cheaper than in the UK. You can find a three-bedroom apartment for 800 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 1200 Euro for the same kind of apartment in the UK. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to the United Kingdom. Food and clothing are cheaper in Portugal compared to the United Kingdom.
Is it cheaper to live in the USA or Portugal?
When it comes to the cost of living, Portugal is cheaper than the United States of America. The cost of living in Portugal is 40% cheaper than in the USA. You can find a three-bedroom apartment for 850 Euro in Portugal whereas you will need around 1400 Euro for the same kind of apartment in the USA. Utility bills in Portugal are cheaper compared to the United States of America. Food and grocery items are cheaper in Portugal compared to the USA. Transportation is cheaper in Portugal.
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