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Living in Lisbon

In Lisbon, the median gross salary is €1,856 a month (2022), rents in new contracts average €17.42 per m² a month (2026) and unemployment is 3% (2026).

There were 1,770 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2024. The unemployment rate was 3% in June 2026. Lisbon is the national capital of Portugal. Lisbon had a population of 575,000 at the end of 2024. Population density was 5,484.3 people per km² in 2022.

Last checked 2026-10-1021 sources

Population575,000people31 Dec 2024Official source · INE Portugal — Censos 2021 official census publication
Median gross salary1,856EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Collected source
Average net rent17.42EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.20 — 181% aboveOfficial source · Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal)
Unemployment rate3%country median 2.3% — 29% aboveIndependent source · IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026
Recorded crime5,090incidents per 100kcountry median 2,730 — 86% aboveOfficial source · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022
PM2.5, annual mean8.13µg/m³country median 6.2 — 32% aboveIndependent source · official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found

Pricier rent than any other Portuguese city that publishes it, higher unemployment than 78% of Portuguese cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 97% of Portuguese cities that publish it.

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

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

Housing and cost

A practical city rent estimate was €1,200 per month in May 2025.

How much does it cost to rent in Lisbon?

Average net cold rent is 17.42 EUR/m² per month (2026), 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): 17.42 EUR/m²/month · Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal)7
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Lisbon recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€606
Utilities, 85 m² flat€150
Fitness club€42
Transport pass€30
Internet, 60 Mbps€27
Mobile plan, 10 GB€10

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Fitness club. The others are published prices.

Net rent across major citiesLisbon highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Lisbon highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Lisbon€17.42
Cascais€16.50
Oeiras€15.42
Almada€13.43
Porto€10.15
Braga€8.57
Show the other 6 cities
Amadora€13.00
Matosinhos€11.98
Loures€11.73
Seixal€11.33
Sintra€11.24
Vila Nova de Gaia€10.61
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly41.52 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon18Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited27 EUR/month11 Sept 2026ANACOM COM.escolha — Internet tariff query for Porto postal prefix 40001Official · city postal prefix tariff
Private kindergarten, monthly606.3 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon18Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant15 EUR31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon18Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB10 EUR/month31 Oct 2026Lyca Globe S — 10 GB9Official · national market
Monthly transport pass30 EUR/month26 Jul 2026Official city transport tariff11Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home150.4 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon18Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Average net rent (nettokalt)17.42 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.204 Aug 2026Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal)7Official
Median monthly rent1,200 EUR/month15 May 2025Numbeo19Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Is Lisbon 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 worker40%strong on work, weak on safety · range 32–48%
Skilled employee53%strong on work, weak on education · range 45–61%
Student22%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 13–31%
Family38%strong on family, weak on education · range 30–46%
Retirement23%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 14–32%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 1,045 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 17.42 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

Is rent affordable on a local salary?

A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 1,045 EUR a month, which is 56% of the published median gross salary of 1,856 (2022). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.

Source period: 2026

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Lisbon?

The median gross salary is about 1,856 EUR/month (2022). Source: Collected source2

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

What is the unemployment rate in Lisbon?

The unemployment rate is 3 % (June 2026). Source: IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202617

Unemployment across cities in PortugalUnemployment in Lisbon is 3.0%. Of 279 cities with data, 131 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026IEFP — Centro de Emprego e Formação Profissional de Lisboa4Official
Median gross salary1,856 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Collected source2Official
Unemployment rate3 %country median 2.3%30 Jun 2026IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202617Independent

What does a salary buy in Lisbon?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Lisbon median gross pay: €1,856 (Collected source, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€151of €1,413 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€1,413
Rent, 60 m²€17.42/m² · official · Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal) · 2026-08-04− €1,045
Public transport pass€30 · official · Official city transport tariff · 2026-07-26− €30
Utilities, 85 m²€150 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon · 2026-07-31− €150
Internet€27 · official · ANACOM COM.escolha · 2026-09-11− €27
Mobile plan€10 · official · Lyca Globe S · 2026-10-31− €10
Left over€151
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Lisbon Salary needed to live in Lisbon

Public employment offices in Lisbon

IEFP lists 1 public employment office in Lisbon (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional — Public employment service

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP)

Job SearchRegistrationTraining

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Physicians per 100,000 residents1,770 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.13Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Lisbon 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 Lisbon?

Police recorded 5,090 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: 5,090 incidents per 100k · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 20225
Recorded crime across major citiesLisbon highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Lisbon highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Porto5,240
Lisbon5,090
Almada3,580
Amadora3,330
Matosinhos2,910
Loures2,800
Cascais2,700
Sintra2,640
Vila Nova de Gaia2,570
Braga2,440
Oeiras2,380
Seixal2,170
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents5,090 incidents per 100kcountry median 2,73031 Dec 2022INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 20225Official

Mobility and administration

The nearest airport was LIS, 7.2 km away, with 103 listed destinations in June 2026. An estimate placed a monthly public-transport pass at €30 in 2026.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport103 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat14Official
Nearest airportLIS13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official
Distance to nearest airport7.2 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv15Official
Public transport monthly pass40 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo20Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Lisbon. 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.

PortugueseCost varies

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–B2Cost varies
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Lisbon.

Find courses near Lisbon

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 11.3°C in January and 22.7°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 96.8 mm in January and 6.1 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 8.13 µg/m³ in 2024. Annual PM10 was 19.6 µg/m³ in 2024. Annual NO₂ was 26.9 µg/m³ in 2024.

Is the air quality good in Lisbon?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.1 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 8.13 µg/m³ · official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found21
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

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

PM2.5 across cities in PortugalAnnual PM2.5 in Lisbon is 8.1 µg/m³. Of 72 cities with data, 27 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean26.9 µg/m³country median 10.52024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found21Independent
PM10 — annual mean19.59 µg/m³country median 18.62024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found21Independent
PM2.5 — annual mean8.13 µg/m³country median 6.22024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found21Independent
Annual mean temperature (modelled)16.54 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Annual precipitation (modelled)540.6 mm/year2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January mean temperature (modelled)12.91 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
January minimum temperature (modelled)4.71 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July maximum temperature (modelled)32.37 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
July mean temperature (modelled)19.9 °C2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Daily precipitation rate (modelled)1.48 mm/day2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Solar exposure (modelled)4.8 kWh/m²/day2001-2020NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology10Modelled grid data · coordinate-grid estimate
Average daytime high by monthJan 14.5 · Feb 15.9 · Mar 18.2 · Apr 19.2 · May 21.4 · Jun 24.8 · Jul 27.5 · Aug 27.8 · Sep 26.2 · Oct 22.1 · Nov 18 · Dec 15.2 °C31 Dec 2000IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-20008Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 8.1 · Feb 9.2 · Mar 10.4 · Apr 11.5 · May 13.3 · Jun 15.9 · Jul 17.9 · Aug 18.1 · Sep 17.3 · Oct 14.6 · Nov 11.5 · Dec 9.5 °C31 Dec 2000IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-20008Official
Average temperature by monthJan 11.3 · Feb 12.6 · Mar 14.3 · Apr 15.3 · May 17.3 · Jun 20.3 · Jul 22.7 · Aug 22.9 · Sep 21.7 · Oct 18.4 · Nov 14.8 · Dec 12.4 °C31 Dec 2000IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-20008Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 96.8 · Feb 90.2 · Mar 51.2 · Apr 64.7 · May 55.6 · Jun 17.2 · Jul 6.1 · Aug 6.8 · Sep 28.5 · Oct 79.8 · Nov 107.1 · Dec 121.8 mm31 Dec 2000IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-20008Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 149.9 · Feb 159.2 · Mar 216.7 · Apr 236.2 · May 277 · Jun 308.1 · Jul 345.1 · Aug 337.4 · Sep 259.1 · Oct 210.1 · Nov 159 · Dec 135 hours31 Dec 2000IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-20008Official
Annual PM2.5 over time10 published observations, 2015–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 26.1% between 2015 and 2024, from 11.0 to 8.1.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Lisbon?

The published population was 575,000 people in 2024. Source: INE Portugal — Censos 2021 official census publication6

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 202,430 is not 20.2% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Foreign-resident share20.2 %31 Dec 2023Eurostat3Official
Foreign residents202,430 people31 Dec 2024População Estrangeira Residente 2024 — distrito/concelho table16Official
Population density5,484 people/km²2022Official INE municipality profile: population density for Lisboa municipality, reference year 2022.12Official
Population575,000 people31 Dec 2024INE Portugal — Censos 2021 official census publication6Official
Population over time10 published observations, 2016–2025

Population rose 5.7% between 2016 and 2025, from 1,860,247 to 1,965,363.

Foreign residents over time11 published observations, 2014–2024

Foreign residents rose 38.8% between 2014 and 2024, from 145,860 to 202,430.

Alternatives for people set on Lisbon

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Sintra as a Lisbon alternative in the same country

Better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3.

  • Rent: €11.24/m² Sintra vs €17.42/m² Lisbon−35%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,640 Sintra vs 5,090 Lisbon−48%
  • Median gross pay, city: €1,355 Sintra vs €1,856 Lisbon−27%
  • Unemployment: 2.4% Sintra vs 3.0% Lisbon−19%
  • Foreign residents: 16.3% Sintra vs 20.2% Lisbon−19%
  • Nearest airport: 8.6 km Sintra vs 7.2 km Lisbon+19%
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.4 µg/m³ Sintra vs 8.1 µg/m³ Lisbon−9%

Brno as a Lisbon alternative in another country

Better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €7.50/m² (2017) Brno vs €17.42/m² (2026) Lisbonno percentage
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,262 (2025) Brno vs 5,090 (2022) Lisbonno percentage
  • Transport pass: €23 Brno vs €40 Lisbon−43%
  • Nearest airport: 8.0 km Brno vs 7.2 km Lisbon+11%

Alternative cities in Portugal

Other cities in Portugal to compare with Lisbon, nearest in population first.

All Portugal cities

How does Lisbon compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Lisbon's.

Lisbon in rankings

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 18, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: PLNM (Português Língua Não Materna). How to enrol a child (gov.pt).

A country-wide rule for Portugal; Lisbon's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Lisbon?

The published population was 575,000 people in 2024. Source: INE Portugal — Censos 2021 official census publication.

How much does it cost to rent in Lisbon?

Average net cold rent is 17.42 EUR/m² per month (2026), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 1,219 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal).

Is the air quality good in Lisbon?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.1 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found.

How safe is Lisbon?

Police recorded 5,090 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 Lisbon?

The median gross salary is about 1,856 EUR/month (2022). Source: Collected source.

What is the unemployment rate in Lisbon?

The unemployment rate is 3 % (June 2026). Source: IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026.

Is Lisbon a good place to live?

Lisbon 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.

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, October 25). Lisbon, Portugal: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 81724ebbb1dc2468a5ce150f56ec98c2]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/lisbon/ Retrieved 2026-10-25. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_lisbon-portugal-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_c640dba2ccd9,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Lisbon, Portugal: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-25},
  version = {81724ebbb1dc2468a5ce150f56ec98c2},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/lisbon/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-25. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Lisbon, Portugal: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/lisbon/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 81724ebbb1dc2468a5ce150f56ec98c2; retrieved 2026-10-25; built 2026-10-25.

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. ANACOM COM.escolha — Internet tariff query for Porto postal prefix 4000 ANACOM COM.escolha · anacom.pt · checked 2026-09-11
  2. Collected source ine.pt · checked 2026-08-04
  3. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  4. IEFP — Centro de Emprego e Formação Profissional de Lisboa IEFP · iefp.pt · checked 2026-09-15
  5. 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
  6. INE Portugal — Censos 2021 official census publication INE Portugal · ine.pt · checked 2026-07-14
  7. Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE Portugal) ine.pt · checked 2026-08-04
  8. IPMA climate normal — Lisbon Geofísico, 1971-2000 IPMA climate normal · ipma.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  9. Lyca Globe S — 10 GB Lyca Globe S · lycamobile.pt · checked 2026-10-09
  10. NASA POWER 20-year meteorological and solar climatology NASA POWER · power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-10-25
Show 11 more sources
  1. Official city transport tariff carris.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  2. Official INE municipality profile: population density for Lisboa municipality, reference year 2022. ine.pt · checked 2026-07-15
  3. 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
  4. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  5. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  6. População Estrangeira Residente 2024 — distrito/concelho table População Estrangeira Residente 2024 · aima.gov.pt · checked 2026-07-29
  7. IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026 IEFP · iefp.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  8. Lebenshaltungskosten in Lissabon de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
  9. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-14
  10. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
  11. 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.