Originally published at: Cheapest Cities To Live in Portugal | Go VisaFree
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: €7.50
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €493.75
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €88.09
Aveiro
Aveiro VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Consumer Prices in Aveiro are 12.99% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
- Consumer Prices Including Rent in Aveiro are 23.98% lower than in Lisbon
- Rent Prices in Aveiro are 45.05% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Aveiro are 28.33% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Aveiro are 6.14% 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: €6.75
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €283.33
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €106.89
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: €8
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €425.33
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €92.25
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: €6.75
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €283
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €112.25
Castelo Branco VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Rent Prices in Castelo Branco are 66.23% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Castelo Branco are 22.95% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Castelo Branco are 9.39% 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: €10
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €433
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €91
Évora
Évora VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Rent Prices in Evora are 46.72% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Evora are 13.03% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Evora are 5.61% 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: €8
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €462
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €150
Portimao VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Consumer Prices in Portimao are 10.29% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
- Consumer Prices Including Rent in Portimao are 19.57% lower than in Lisbon
- Rent Prices in Portimao are 37.38% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Portimao are 18.51% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Portimao are 9.27% 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: €7.50
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €440
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €57.48
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 29.24% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Santarem are 24.59% 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: €6
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €450
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €95
Viana do Castelo VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Consumer Prices in Viana do Castelo are 7.56% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
- Consumer Prices Including Rent in Viana do Castelo are 22.34% lower than in Lisbon
- Rent Prices in Viana do Castelo are 50.70% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Viana do Castelo are 28.97% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Viana do Castelo are 6.68% higher 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: €7
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €300
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €70
Vila Real VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Rent Prices in Vila Real are 65.74% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Vila Real are 36.57% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Vila Real are 20.32% 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: €6
- Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center: €424
- Basic Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Water, etc.): €94
Viseu VS Lisbon in terms of cost of living
- Consumer Prices in Viseu are 12.19% lower than in Lisbon (without rent)
- Consumer Prices Including Rent in Viseu are 26.77% lower than in Lisbon
- Rent Prices in Viseu are 54.73% lower than in Lisbon
- Restaurant Prices in Viseu are 32.38% lower than in Lisbon
- Groceries Prices in Viseu are 3.67% 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 before your move.
Further readings