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Living in Braga

The nearest airport was OPO, 38.6 km away, with 61 listed destinations in June 2026. The unemployment rate was 2.36% in June 2026. Braga, a city in Portugal, had a population of 212,635 in 2025.

Pricier rent than 73% of Portuguese cities that publish it and less recorded crime than 66% of Portuguese cities that publish it.

Which Portugal-wide rules apply when you move to Braga?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in PortugalNational rates and thresholds that apply in Braga.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

How much does it cost to rent in Braga?

Average net cold rent is 8.57 EUR/m² per month (2026-Q1), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 8.57 EUR/m²/month · www.ine.pt14
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Braga recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€300
Utilities, 85 m² flat€104
Internet, 60 Mbps€42
Fitness club€41
Transport pass€25
Mobile plan, 10 GB€17

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesBraga highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Braga highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Cascais€16.50
Oeiras€15.42
Almada€13.43
Amadora€13.00
Gondomar€8.82
Braga€8.57
Show the other 6 cities
Matosinhos€11.98
Loures€11.73
Seixal€11.33
Sintra€11.24
Vila Nova de Gaia€10.61
Porto€10.15
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly40.69 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month58.37 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited41.67 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly300 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant10 eur3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB17.03 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Braga. Jun 2026. Prices in Braga17Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass25.35 EUR/month26 Jul 2026Tarifário Base 2026 — Transporte Público13Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home104.3 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Average net rent (nettokalt)8.57 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.1926 Aug 2026www.ine.pt14Official

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €917 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €1,286, that leaves €369 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Braga salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €917 basket · median gross salary €1,286/month
€369left of €1,286
  • Net rent, 85 m² · 79%€728
  • Utilities, 85 m² · 11%€104
  • Transport pass · 3%€25
  • Internet and mobile · 6%€59

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €917 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-08-26).

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 514 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 8.57 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2026-Q1

Is rent affordable on a local salary?

A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 514 EUR a month, which is 40% of the published median gross salary of 1,286 (2022). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.

Source period: 2026-Q1

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Braga?

The median gross salary is 1,286 EUR/month (2022). Source: Collected source1

City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions.

What is the unemployment rate in Braga?

The unemployment rate is about 2.4 % (June 2026).

  • Unemployment rate: 2.36 % · IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202616
Unemployment across cities in PortugalUnemployment in Braga is 2.4%. Of 251 cities with data, 118 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Portugal per band6 cities: 0% to under 1%60–176 cities: 1% to under 2%761–2118 cities: 2% to under 3%1182–3Braga 2.4%41 cities: 3% to under 4%413–44 cities: 4% to under 5%44–52 cities: 5% to under 6%25–61 city: 6% to under 7%16–71 city: 7% to under 8%17–81 city: 9% to under 10%19–101 city: 12% to under 13%112–13

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary1,286 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Collected source1Official
Salary Net Avg Eur Month1,148 EUR/month30 Jun 2026Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/pt/braga/18Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate2.36 %country median 2.3%30 Jun 2026IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202616Independent

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Braga. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional — Public employment service

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP)

Job SearchRegistrationTraining
Register Search jobs
Open the Portugal service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Braga. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Physicians per 100,000 residents900 per 100,0002024Official INE Statistics of Health Personnel indicator 0012837: physicians per 1,000 inhabitants by municipality of residence. Exact municipality row selected by INE DICO geocod; value converted to the requested per-100k unit.9Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Braga when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Braga?

Police recorded 2,440 incidents per 100,000 (2022). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 2,440 incidents per 100k · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 20224
Recorded crime across major citiesBraga highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Braga highlighted5,240Porto3,580Almada3,330Amadora2,910Matosinhos2,800Loures2,700Cascais2,640Sintra2,570Vila Nova de Gaia2,440Braga2,380Oeiras2,170Seixal1,900Gondomarrecorded incidents per 100k residents
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents2,440 incidents per 100kcountry median 2,71531 Dec 2022INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 20224Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport61 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat10Official
Nearest airportOPO13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv11Official
Distance to nearest airport38.6 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv11Official
Public transport monthly pass20 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo17Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Braga. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

PLA search route through Portal da Oferta Formativa — State Language Course

AIMA / Portal da Oferta Formativa

For migrants seeking Portuguese as a non-native language.

Portuguesevaries
Open official information

Português Língua de Acolhimento (PLA) — State Language Course

AIMA / DGEstE public-school network / IEFP / Centros Qualifica

For migrants aged 16 or older whose mother tongue is not Portuguese, residence-permit holders, people with pending residence/protection/NISS evidence.

PortugueseCEFR A1–B2varies
Open official information
Open the full Portugal section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Braga.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 8.6°C in January and 21.2°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 179.5 mm in January and 27.9 mm in July. Annual NO₂ was 26 µg/m³ in 2024.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Braga average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND29°3°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Braga average monthly precipitation, mm0501001502001801111501289041283568198170190JFMAMJJASONDmm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Braga annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit154023.3PM10104026.0NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM10 across cities in PortugalWhere Braga lands among 47 measured cities
annual PM10, µg/m³ · measured cities in Portugal per band17–818–929–10110–11111–12212–13113–14314–15315–16216–17417–18618–19719–20620–21222–23223–24Braga 23.3124–25128–29139–40

annual PM10, µg/m³ · cities per band

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean26.01 µg/m³country median 10.52024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found19Independent
PM10 — annual mean23.28 µg/m³country median 18.62024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found19Independent
Average daytime high by monthJan 14.1 · Feb 15.5 · Mar 17.8 · Apr 19.6 · May 23 · Jun 26.1 · Jul 28.2 · Aug 28.7 · Sep 26.9 · Oct 22.2 · Nov 17 · Dec 14.9 °C31 Dec 2020IPMA climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, Braga / Merelim, 1991-20208Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 3.1 · Feb 3.4 · Mar 5.9 · Apr 7.8 · May 10.4 · Jun 13.2 · Jul 14.3 · Aug 14 · Sep 12.4 · Oct 10.1 · Nov 6 · Dec 3.7 °C31 Dec 2020IPMA climate normal — mean monthly minimum air temperature, Braga / Merelim, 1991-20208Official
Average temperature by monthJan 8.6 · Feb 9.5 · Mar 11.9 · Apr 13.7 · May 16.7 · Jun 19.7 · Jul 21.2 · Aug 21.4 · Sep 19.7 · Oct 16.1 · Nov 11.5 · Dec 9.3 °C31 Dec 2020IPMA climate normal — mean monthly air temperature, Braga / Merelim, 1991-20208Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 179.5 · Feb 111.1 · Mar 150.1 · Apr 127.9 · May 89.8 · Jun 40.6 · Jul 27.9 · Aug 34.6 · Sep 67.6 · Oct 197.8 · Nov 170.1 · Dec 190.3 mm31 Dec 2020IPMA climate normal — mean monthly precipitation, Braga / Merelim, 1991-20208Official

Cities of a similar size in Portugal

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Portugal cities
Cascais214,124 residentsLoures201,590 residentsAlmada177,238 residentsMatosinhos172,557 residentsOeiras171,658 residentsAmadora171,454 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 183.4 km² in 2021. Population density was 1,054.1 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Braga?

The published population was 212,635 people in 2025. Source: INE Portugal indicator 0012917 — annual resident population estimates5

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Braga residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport90.1%Foreign residents 9.9%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area183.4 km²2021INE — Portal municipal (quadro)3Official
Foreign-resident share10.7 %31 Dec 2023Eurostat2Official
Foreign residents21,097 people2023Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value.15Independent
Population density1,054 people/km²2021Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted.12Official
Population212,635 people31 Dec 2025INE Portugal indicator 0012917 — annual resident population estimates5Official
Population over time35 published observations, 1991–2025
Population in Braga by year, residents135,546163,146190,745218,345199119972005201120192025212,635residents

Population rose 50.5% between 1991 and 2025, from 141,256 to 212,635.

Foreign residents over time12 published observations, 2011–2023
Foreign residents in Braga by year, residents3,1029,54515,98722,4302011201420162020202321,097residents

Foreign residents rose 339.6% between 2011 and 2023, from 4,799 to 21,097.

International community in Braga

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Resident population at the 19 April 2021 Census reference date; total sex (HM) and total age; source-native indicator universe · 2021-04-19

Published groupPeopleShare
Total193,324100.0%
Portuguesa170,88188.4%
Estrangeira22,44311.6%
América11,6716.0%
Brasil10,2165.3%
Europa6,1223.2%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)4,6772.4%
África4,0272.1%
França3,0921.6%
Angola2,2231.1%
Outros países - Europa1,4450.7%
Show 52 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Moçambique9330.5%
Venezuela7280.4%
Ásia5990.3%
Ucrânia5090.3%
Alemanha5050.3%
Suíça4430.2%
Espanha3610.2%
Canadá2560.1%
Outros países - Ásia2500.1%
Cabo Verde2500.1%
Outros países - América2480.1%
Outros países - África2340.1%
Reino Unido2030.1%
Roménia1940.1%
Estados Unidos da América1910.1%
Guiné-Bissau1860.1%
China1840.1%
Luxemburgo1590.1%
Itália1440.1%
Federação da Rússia1270.1%
África do Sul1170.1%
Outros1130.1%
Índia920.0%
São Tomé e Príncipe840.0%
Moldávia500.0%
Bélgica440.0%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)410.0%
Nepal390.0%
Argentina320.0%
Polónia300.0%
Oceânia240.0%
Paquistão200.0%
Suécia200.0%
Austrália190.0%
Bulgária160.0%
Lituânia150.0%
Bangladeche140.0%
Irlanda110.0%
Finlândia80.0%
Grécia80.0%
Áustria60.0%
Outros países - Oceânia50.0%
Chéquia50.0%
Dinamarca40.0%
Letónia30.0%
Eslováquia30.0%
Croácia20.0%
Eslovénia20.0%
Chipre10.0%
Estónia10.0%
Hungria10.0%
Malta10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source7

Citizenship

Resident population at the 19 April 2021 Census reference date; total sex (HM) and total age; source-native indicator universe · 2021-04-19

Published groupPeopleShare
Total193,324100.0%
Portuguesa182,04294.2%
Estrangeira11,2805.8%
América7,8884.1%
Brasil7,4443.9%
Europa1,8541.0%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)1,3720.7%
África9770.5%
Ásia5540.3%
Outros países - Europa4820.2%
Angola4750.2%
Show 50 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Itália4170.2%
Espanha2950.2%
Ucrânia2920.2%
China2090.1%
França2050.1%
Outros países - Ásia1920.1%
Venezuela1900.1%
Roménia1740.1%
Outros países - África1480.1%
Outros países - América1480.1%
Cabo Verde1310.1%
Guiné-Bissau1130.1%
Alemanha940.0%
Índia790.0%
Moçambique720.0%
Reino Unido610.0%
Estados Unidos da América530.0%
Federação da Rússia520.0%
Nepal430.0%
Outros410.0%
Canadá390.0%
São Tomé e Príncipe290.0%
Polónia280.0%
Suíça240.0%
Luxemburgo230.0%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)200.0%
Bélgica190.0%
Paquistão170.0%
Lituânia160.0%
Argentina140.0%
Bangladeche140.0%
Moldávia120.0%
Finlândia110.0%
Irlanda110.0%
Áustria100.0%
Bulgária100.0%
África do Sul90.0%
Grécia80.0%
Suécia80.0%
Oceânia70.0%
Hungria70.0%
Outros países - Oceânia40.0%
Croácia40.0%
Austrália30.0%
Chéquia30.0%
Dinamarca30.0%
Letónia30.0%
Apátrida20.0%
Eslováquia20.0%
Estónia10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source6

Is Braga a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker51%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 43–59%
Skilled employee63%strong on work, weak on education · range 55–71%
Student53%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 44–62%
Family61%strong on family, weak on education · range 53–69%
Retirement50%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 41–59%
Foreign residents21,097 people2023Independent source · Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value.
Population212,635 people31 Dec 2025Official source · INE Portugal indicator 0012917 — annual resident population estimates
Average net rent (nettokalt)8.57 EUR/m²/month26 Aug 2026Official source · www.ine.pt
Median gross salary1,286 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Collected source
Unemployment rate2.36 %30 Jun 2026Independent source · IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026
NO₂ — annual mean26.01 µg/m³2024Independent source · official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is Braga expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €917 against a median gross salary of €1,286 (figures), leaving about €369 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own source and date.

How many people live in Braga?

The published population was 212,635 people in 2025. Source: INE Portugal indicator 0012917 — annual resident population estimates.

How much does it cost to rent in Braga?

Average net cold rent is 8.57 EUR/m² per month (2026-Q1), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 600 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.ine.pt.

How safe is Braga?

Police recorded 2,440 incidents per 100,000 (2022). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022.

What is the typical salary in Braga?

The median gross salary is 1,286 EUR/month (2022). Source: Collected source.

What is the unemployment rate in Braga?

The unemployment rate is about 2.4 % (June 2026). Source: IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026.

How many foreign residents live in Braga?

21,097 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value..

Is Braga a good place to live?

Braga may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Europa live in Braga?

The official country of birth distribution records 6,122 people (3.2%) in the source-defined population for 2021-04-19. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Braga, Portugal: cost of living, rent and salaries [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/braga/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_braga-portugal-cost-of-living-rent-and-salaries_358c50b22906,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Braga, Portugal: cost of living, rent and salaries},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/braga/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Braga, Portugal: cost of living, rent and salaries](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/braga/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Collected source ine.pt · checked 2026-08-04
  2. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  3. INE — Portal municipal (quadro) INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-07-14
  4. INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022 INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-07-31
  5. INE Portugal indicator 0012917 — annual resident population estimates INE Portugal indicator 0012917 · ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
  6. Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014632 nationality ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
  7. Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014633 country of birth ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
  8. IPMA climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, Braga / Merelim, 1991-2020 IPMA climate normal · ipma.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  9. Official INE Statistics of Health Personnel indicator 0012837: physicians per 1,000 inhabitants by municipality of residence. Exact municipality row selected by INE DICO geocod; value converted to the requested per-100k unit. ine.pt · checked 2026-07-15
  10. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
Show 9 more sources
  1. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  2. Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted. ine.pt · checked 2026-07-15
  3. Tarifário Base 2026 — Transporte Público Tarifário Base 2026 · tub.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  4. www.ine.pt ine.pt · checked 2026-08-26
  5. Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value. pordata.pt · checked 2026-07-15
  6. IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026 IEFP · iefp.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  7. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
  8. Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/pt/braga/ Numbeo city cost-of-living page · de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-09-05
  9. official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found aqportal.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-15

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.