Living in Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is a mid-sized coastal city in Portugal (250,000 to 1 million people in the city proper). It has a mild climate, averaging 17°C over the year with about 681 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,913 a month to live centrally, and Portugal sits in our high tax tier. For citizens from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, long-term residency in Portugal is comparatively open, with a self-funded route from about $1,070 a month in income.
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- Est. cost
- €2,913
- a month for a couple
- Tax tier
- High
- personal income tax
- Climate
- 17°C
- 681 mm rain a year
- Size
- Mid-sized
- 250,000 to 1 million people
- Safety
- 70/100
- country-level
- Internet
- ~150 Mbps
- median fixed broadband
- Residency
- Comparatively open
- outside free-movement blocs
What stands out about Lisbon
- Self-funded residency from about $1,070 a month in income
- Stronger healthcare than 81% of the cities we compare
- Has a residency route for remote workers
- On or near the sea
Residency and visas
Comparatively open, for people from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Portugal offers genuinely accessible long-term residency through the D7 passive-income/sufficient-means visa, the D8 digital nomad visa, and the investment-based Golden Visa, each leading to permanent residency or citizenship after five years.
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland have freedom-of-movement or simplified residency rights here.
Bilateral arrangements make it easier for citizens of Angola, Brazil and Mozambique.
The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Portugal:
- Income: about $1,070 a month (Portugal D7 passive-income/sufficient-means visa, EUR 920/mo for a single applicant (indexed to the 2026 minimum wage); converted at EUR/USD 1.163; as of June 2026)
- Investment: about $233k (Portugal Golden Visa cheapest route: EUR 200,000 cultural/heritage donation to a GEPAC-certified project in a low-density area (standard cultural donation EUR 250,000; investment fund EUR 500,000); converted at EUR/USD 1.163; as of June 2026)
For short visits, 93 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 105 need a visa in advance.
Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).
Healthcare
Portugal scores 72 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 81% of the cities we compare.
Source: Our own country-level healthcare estimate (0 to 100), shared by every city in Portugal.
Taxes
Portugal sits in our high tax tier: high personal income tax. We use three tiers (zero or very low, low to medium, high) and apply them to every city in the country.
Taxes are a dealbreaker filter in OurNextCity: a couple who caps tax at low to medium will not see Lisbon in their results.
Source: OurNextCity tax tiers, assigned by hand from each country's top marginal personal income tax rate and overall tax reputation, with no fixed rate cut-offs. Country-level and coarse by design; not tax advice.
Climate
Lisbon averages 17°C across the year with about 681 mm of rain, which makes it mild and moderately wet. It is warmer than 41% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.
Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.
Language and culture
Main languages: Portuguese. English proficiency: some. Social openness scores 78 out of 100.
Source: EF English Proficiency Index (country-level); social openness is our secularism and tolerance composite.
Cost of living
We estimate a couple needs about €2,913 a month to live centrally in Lisbon, 7% above the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 35% of them.
Source: OurNextCity model: a country-level cost index (New York = 100) scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget.
Safety and stability
Portugal scores 70 out of 100 on safety, safer than 63% of the cities we compare. Its EIU Democracy Index score is 7.9 out of 10.
Source: Our own country-level safety estimate (0 to 100, higher is safer), shared by every city in Portugal. Stability: EIU Democracy Index.
Internet and remote work
Median fixed broadband in Portugal runs at about 150 Mbps, faster than 53% of the cities we compare. Portugal also has a residency route aimed at remote workers (see residency below).
Source: Ookla Speedtest Global Index, median fixed broadband download speed, country-level.
Questions couples ask about Lisbon
Is Lisbon a good place to live for couples?
It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Lisbon scores well on healthcare, English, political stability and social openness. Expect a mild, moderately wet climate (17°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Lisbon and 914 other cities for both of you at once.
How much does it cost a couple to live in Lisbon?
We estimate about €2,913 a month for a couple living centrally, 7% above the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from a country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.
What are taxes like in Lisbon?
Portugal is in our high tax tier (high personal income tax). Tiers are country-level and deliberately coarse: zero or very low, low to medium, and high. Couples who make low or medium tax a must-have will not see Lisbon in their results.
Can foreigners live in Portugal long term?
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland have freedom-of-movement or simplified residency rights. Our assessment for everyone else: comparatively open. Portugal offers genuinely accessible long-term residency through the D7 passive-income/sufficient-means visa, the D8 digital nomad visa, and the investment-based Golden Visa, each leading to permanent residency or citizenship after five years. Bilateral arrangements make it easier for citizens of Angola, Brazil and Mozambique. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: income, about $1,070 a month (as of 2026-06); investment, about $233k (as of 2026-06).
What is the weather like in Lisbon?
Lisbon averages 17°C across the year with about 681 mm of rain, which makes it mild and moderately wet. It is warmer than 41% of the cities we track.
Compare Lisbon with
Featured in
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Cities like Lisbon
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Near Lisbon
Moving to Portugal as a couple
Entry, residency, taxes and costs for a couple who both hold one of these passports.