One of the first things to take care of is the cost of living in the city chosen for the move, finding a place with a good infrastructure and that fits in your budget is very important. With that in mind we have listed the top 10 cheapest cities to live in Portugal.
It’s important to note that, to live in a cheaper city, you need to move away from larger cities, where the cost of living is higher, especially rents. For this list we tried to consider medium-sized cities in Portugal, with a population of less than 100 thousand inhabitants, but larger than 35 thousand. Besides, we considered places with a good infrastructure of services, such as hospitals, shops, transport, leisure and, most importantly, cheap rents. Most of them are located in the interior of Portugal, with a few exceptions on the coast. They can be great options for those seeking quality of life, living in a smaller city, so if you want to know which are the top 10 cheapest cities to live in Portugal, keep following this article until the end.
Aveiro
In tenth place is the city of Aveiro. Located in the Central region of Portugal, capital of the district of the same name, has attracted new residents by the low cost of living and the advantages it offers. Also on the coast, it is a city of around 78 thousand inhabitants, with a great infrastructure.
What is the basic cost of living in Aveiro?
The cost of living in Aveiro is as follows.
Rent for a 1-bedroom flat, which is a 1-bedroom flat in the centre, is €497.
Supermarket costs are around 150 to 200 euros.
In terms of transport, you will spend an average of 28 euros.
Viana do Castelo
In ninth place is the city of Viana do Castelo which is a relatively developed city. Located on the northern coast of Portugal, with direct train connections to Porto, it is a city of about 88,000 inhabitants. The city has a beautiful historic centre and one of its main activities is fishing. The low cost of living and good infrastructure are attractive for those seeking one of the cheapest cities to live in Portugal with quality of life.
What is the cost of living to live in Viana do Castelo?
The cost of living in Viana do Castelo is as follows.
Renting a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs 462 euros.
As for the Supermarket, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
With transport you will spend an average of 40 euros.
Portimão
In eighth place is the city of Portimão, one of the cheapest cities in Portugal. Portimão is located in the hottest region of the country, so it is the ideal destination for those who want to live near the most beautiful beaches of the Portuguese coast. The city is in full growth and with the increase in demand its rents are getting more expensive. However it is a small town that can offer a great quality of life with all kinds of services, hospitals, shops and leisure. Living in the Algarve region is like having a feeling of being on holiday all year round.
What is the Cost of Living to Live in Portimão?
The cost of living in the city of Portimão is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs 462 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
Transport costs average 24 euros.
Evora
In ninth place is the city of Évora. Known as the Museum City, Évora is one of the oldest cities in Europe and its historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All this importance makes Évora an interesting option among the cheapest cities in Portugal to live. In addition to all its historical monuments and museums, the city in the Alentejo region has a great health structure, services and shops, as well as public transport and affordable rents.
What is the Cost of Living to Live in Évora?
The cost of living in Évora is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs 457 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
As for transport, you spend an average of 19.75 euros.
Santarém
In the sixth position is the City of Santarém. Santarém is a city located in the district of the same name, which is about 80 km from Lisbon, is one of the cheapest cities in Portugal and has general hospitals and Health Centre, as well as several Gardens and urban parks, historical monuments and lots of trade. The city also has the Municipal Aquatic Complex with several activities for the summer, known as the capital of the Gothic.
Santarém has several churches and buildings of this architectural style that embellish the city. There are also several historical heritage sites such as the Roman Temple Scallabis and the Castle of Santarém.
What is the cost of living to live in Santarém?
The cost of living in the City of Santarem is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs just 400 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
Transport costs average 13 euros.
Viseu
In fifth place is the city of Viseu which is the largest city on our list, with about 96 thousand inhabitants, located in the district that bears its name in the central region of the country. According to a survey conducted by the Portuguese association for consumer protection, it is considered the seventeenth European city with the highest quality of life among the 76 participants in the study, and is also the first of 18 Portuguese states, capitals and districts with the best quality of life. Besides being one of the cities most in Portugal, it has a good structure of hospitals, health centres, museums, parks, gardens, shops, shopping, theatre and art gallery.
Viseu is full of historical monuments and archaeological heritage, and is about 140 km from Porto International Airport.
What is the Cost of Living to Live in Viseu?
The cost of living in Viseu is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs 396 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
On average you will spend ¤28.80 on transport
Vila Real
In fourth place is the city of Vila Real, which is another highlight among the cheapest cities to live in Portugal. Located in the northern region, is Vila Real. Capital of the district of the same name, the city has about 51 thousand inhabitants. With a very attractive cost, it is a good destination for those looking for a quiet city with good quality, infrastructure and with a good road connection to Porto.
What is the Cost of Living to Live in Vila Real?
The cost of living in Vila Real is as follows.
Renting a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs 283 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
On the other hand, transport costs average 22 euros.
Caldas da Rainha
Our top 3 is Caldas da Rainha. Located in the district of Leiria, central region of Portugal, Caldas da Rainha has about 52 thousand inhabitants. The city has very attractive costs and is a good option for those who want to be closer to the Portuguese capital, but without suffering with high costs that the metropolitan region has. The city is famous for its medical spa, which receives travellers from several regions of Portugal and Europe.
What is the cost of living to live in Caldas da Rainha?
The cost of living in the city of Caldas da Rainha is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs 270 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
With transport you spend an average of 22 Euros.
Castelo Branco
In second place is Castelo Branco, in the central region of Portugal, more precisely the district of the same name, located near the border with Spain, is Castelo Branco. With about 56 thousand inhabitants, the city has a direct connection with Lisbon by train, a trip that takes about 2h30m. It is possible to find very cheap properties for rent and the region has all the necessary infrastructure to live well, such as hospitals, shops and services.
What is the cost of living to live in Castelo Branco?
The cost of living in Castelo Branco is as follows.
Renting a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs 275 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
On the other hand, transport costs average 25 euros.
Bragança
In the very first place is the city of Bragança. It has about 35 thousand inhabitants and is located in the northern region of Portugal, more precisely in the district of Bragança, on the border with Spain. Surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Natural Park of Montesinho, in the region of north-eastern transmontano, with a good structure of health, leisure, with museums, gardens, theatre, all kind of commerce, is one of the cheapest cities to live in Portugal.
Bragança’s main highlight is the price of rent, the cheapest among the cities surveyed.
What is the Cost of Living to Live in Bragança?
The cost of living in Bragança is as follows.
Renting a 1-bedroom flat in the centre costs 200 euros.
Supermarket expenses, you will spend between 150 and 200 euros.
In terms of transport, you will spend an average of 24 euros.
As you have seen, most of the values do not change much, the only thing that has changed is the rent, which will always be the largest monthly expense. That’s why you should look for a city where the price of rent is low and you can afford it.
In Portugal, basically what differentiates the most expensive cities from the cheapest is the price of rent, the other things are always the same.
