Cost of Living in Portugal 2026: Official INE Figures
Portugal's national statistics office, INE, measures the cost of living from four directions: what households spend, what new tenants pay, what workers earn and how fast prices rise. Put together, the figures say one thing clearly. Housing is the largest item in the household budget, and rents on new leases are rising faster than average pay. This guide sets out the numbers from INE's releases, including the inflation figure published on 13 October 2026, the day this page was checked.
Quick answer
The median rent on new leases in Portugal reached 10.17 €/m² in the second quarter of 2026, up 10.2% in a year, and 17.79 €/m² in the city of Lisbon. Average gross monthly pay per worker was 1,835 euros, and the minimum monthly salary is 920€. In INE's latest household budget survey, the average household spent 23,900 euros a year, with 39.3% going on housing. Consumer prices in September 2026 were 3.6% higher than a year earlier.
Rent: the figure that matters most
INE publishes the median rent of new lease contracts each quarter, in euros per square metre. The second quarter of 2026 covers 35,407 new contracts.
| Area | Median rent of new leases, €/m² |
|---|---|
| Portugal | 10.17 |
| Lisbon (municipality) | 17.79 |
| Greater Lisbon | 15.24 |
| Madeira | 12.78 |
| Setúbal Peninsula | 11.99 |
| Algarve | 11.56 |
| Porto Metropolitan Area | 10.83 |
To estimate a monthly rent, multiply the figure for your area by the size of the home in square metres. Three details from the release are worth knowing:
- The national median rose 10.2% in a year, faster than in the previous quarter, when the rise was 9.1%.
- The median rent rose in every sub-region of the country.
- Lisbon has the highest median rent among municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, but its rise of 5.1% was below the national rate. Guimarães had the largest rise, 20.7%.
What people earn
| Measure | Euros per month |
|---|---|
| Average gross total monthly pay per worker, quarter ending June 2026 | 1,835 |
| of which regular pay | 1,436 |
| of which base pay | 1,342 |
| Minimum monthly salary, 2026 | 920 |
Average gross total pay rose 5.1% compared with the same period of 2025. After inflation, INE puts the real increase at 1.8%. Set that beside the 10.2% rise in the median rent of new leases over the same period: rents on new contracts grew faster than pay.
What households spend
The latest edition of INE's household budget survey covers 2022/2023, and its final results were published on 19 June 2024. The edition before it covered 2015/2016, so these are the most recent official figures on how households in Portugal divide their money.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average annual household expenditure, Portugal | 23,900 euros |
| Lisbon Metropolitan Area, the highest region | 26,891 euros |
| Azores, the lowest region | 19,431 euros |
| Share spent on housing | 39.3% |
| Share spent on food | 12.9% |
| Share spent on transport | 12.1% |
Housing, food and transport together took about two thirds of the average household's spending. INE also notes that the weight of housing in family budgets has grown over recent decades, while food and clothing have lost weight.
The cost of children
Households with dependent children spent on average 9,731 euros more per year than households without them, which INE translates into 811 euros more per month.
Prices in 2026
| Consumer price index, September 2026 | Change over a year |
|---|---|
| All items | 3.6% |
| Core inflation, excluding unprocessed food and energy | 2.7% |
| Energy products | 15.3% |
| Unprocessed food | 3.7% |
| Average of the last twelve months | 2.8% |
INE attributes the acceleration in September largely to the rise in fuel prices.
The amount the state expects you to have
For a long-stay visa, Portugal measures your means of subsistence against the minimum monthly salary, 920€ in 2026: 100% for the first adult, 50% for each other adult and 30% for each child. That is a legal floor for the visa. It is not an estimate of what life costs.
Students
Tuition for bachelor's and integrated master's degrees at public institutions is set by law, with an annual cap of €710. Each institution sets its own fees for international students and for master's degrees and doctorates.
How to use these numbers
- Start with rent. Take the €/m² figure for your area and multiply it by the size of home you need.
- Compare with pay. Check your expected gross salary against the 1,835 euro average for total pay, and note that regular pay averaged 1,436 euros and base pay 1,342 euros.
- Apply the household shares. Compare the share of your budget that housing would take with the 39.3% national figure.
- Allow for inflation. Prices rose 3.6% in the year to September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Portugal expensive to live in?
Housing is the main cost. It took 39.3% of average household spending in INE's latest survey, and the median rent on new leases rose 10.2% in the year to the second quarter of 2026.
How much is rent in Lisbon?
The median rent of new leases in the municipality of Lisbon was 17.79 €/m² in the second quarter of 2026, and 15.24 €/m² in Greater Lisbon.
How much is rent in Porto?
The median rent of new leases in the Porto Metropolitan Area was 10.83 €/m² in the second quarter of 2026.
What is the average salary in Portugal?
Average gross total monthly pay per worker was 1,835 euros in the quarter ending June 2026, according to INE. Base pay averaged 1,342 euros.
What is the minimum wage in Portugal in 2026?
The minimum monthly salary is 920€ in 2026.
How much does a household spend per year in Portugal?
23,900 euros on average in INE's 2022/2023 household budget survey, rising to 26,891 euros in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
What is inflation in Portugal?
The consumer price index rose 3.6% in the year to September 2026, and core inflation was 2.7%.
Official sources
- INE (Statistics Portugal) — Housing rents at local level, 2nd quarter of 2026 (29 September 2026)
- INE — Average gross monthly pay per worker, 2nd quarter of 2026 (14 August 2026)
- INE — Household budget survey 2022/2023, final results (19 June 2024)
- INE — Consumer price index, September 2026 (13 October 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Visa portal — Means of subsistence (minimum monthly salary 2026)
- Study & Research in Portugal — Tuition fees
All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. The INE releases are in Portuguese; the English wording here is our own. Rents are medians of new contracts, so individual homes cost more or less. Information, not financial advice.