Living in Santa Maria Maior
In Santa Maria Maior, rents in new contracts average €19.44 per m² a month (2026).
Santa Maria Maior registered an unemployment rate of 12.05% at the end of 2021. Santa Maria Maior recorded annual PM2.5 of 5.2 µg/m³ in 2024.
Pricier rent than any other Portuguese city that publishes it and higher unemployment than any other Portuguese city that publishes it.
Which Portugal-wide rules apply when you move to Santa Maria Maior?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
How much does it cost to rent in Santa Maria Maior?
Average net cold rent is 19.44 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): 19.44 EUR/m²/month · www.ine.pt11
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 29.99 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | MEO fixed fibre6Official · national market |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 15 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | Vodafone Portugal mobile plan10Official · national market |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 19.44 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.20 | 26 Aug 2026 | www.ine.pt11Official |
Is Santa Maria Maior 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.
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 1,166 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 19.44 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.
Work and income
What is the unemployment rate in Santa Maria Maior?
The unemployment rate is about 12.1 % (2021).
- Unemployment rate: 12.05 % · Eurostat2
Santa Maria Maior 12.1%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average gross earnings | 1,465 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | INE — Ganho médio mensal (€), indicator 0012649 (Quadros de Pessoal)4Official · parent municipality |
| Unemployment rate | 12.05 % | 31 Dec 2021 | Eurostat2Official · parent municipality |
What does a salary buy in Santa Maria Maior?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentInternetMobileLeft 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. | €920 |
| Rent, 60 m²€19.44/m² · official · ine.pt · 2026-08-26 | − €1,166 |
| Internet€30 · official · MEO fixed fibre · 2026-09-30 | − €30 |
| Mobile plan€15 · official · Vodafone Portugal mobile plan · 2026-09-30 | − €15 |
| Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities | — |
| Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish | -€291 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to Santa Maria Maior. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Santa Maria Maior. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.
Safety
How safe is Santa Maria Maior?
Police recorded 2,820 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS - 2024) e Categoria de crime; Anual - Direcção-Geral da Política de Justiça9
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 2,820 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS - 2024) e Categoria de crime; Anual - Direcção-Geral da Política de Justiça9Official · parent municipality |
Mobility and administration
Santa Maria Maior's nearest airport was FNC, 12 km away and offered 30 direct destinations.
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for Santa Maria Maior. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
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.
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.
Climate and air quality
Monthly mean temperature moved from 17.1°C in January to 22.6°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 67.1 mm in January and 1.7 mm in July.
Is the air quality good in Santa Maria Maior?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.6 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: 6.59 µg/m³ · Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged)1
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Santa Maria Maior 6.6
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 6.59 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged)1Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 20 · Feb 19.9 · Mar 20.6 · Apr 21 · May 22 · Jun 23.7 · Jul 25.4 · Aug 26.8 · Sep 26.6 · Oct 25.2 · Nov 22.8 · Dec 21 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | IPMA climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, Funchal, 1991-20205Official · parent municipality |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 14.3 · Feb 13.9 · Mar 14.3 · Apr 14.9 · May 16.2 · Jun 18.2 · Jul 19.7 · Aug 20.7 · Sep 20.4 · Oct 19.2 · Nov 17 · Dec 15.5 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | IPMA climate normal — mean monthly minimum air temperature, Funchal, 1991-20205Official · parent municipality |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 17.1 · Feb 16.8 · Mar 17.4 · Apr 17.9 · May 19.1 · Jun 20.9 · Jul 22.6 · Aug 23.7 · Sep 23.5 · Oct 22.2 · Nov 19.9 · Dec 18.3 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | IPMA climate normal — mean monthly air temperature, Funchal, 1991-20205Official · parent municipality |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 67.1 · Feb 72.4 · Mar 62.3 · Apr 45.2 · May 27.2 · Jun 7.8 · Jul 1.7 · Aug 1.3 · Sep 23.1 · Oct 91.2 · Nov 80.3 · Dec 94.8 mm | 31 Dec 2020 | IPMA climate normal — mean monthly precipitation, Funchal, 1991-20205Official · parent municipality |
Alternatives for people set on Santa Maria Maior
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.
São Roque as a Santa Maria Maior alternative in the same region
4 km away, better on 2 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.
- Rent: €5.58/m² São Roque vs €19.44/m² Santa Maria Maior−71%
- Annual PM2.5: 3.8 µg/m³ São Roque vs 6.6 µg/m³ Santa Maria Maior−42%
- Unemployment: 12.1% São Roque vs 12.1% Santa Maria Maiorsame level
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,820 São Roque vs 2,820 Santa Maria Maiorsame level
Caldas da Rainha as a Santa Maria Maior alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 1025 km, better on 2 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Rent: €8.30/m² Caldas da Rainha vs €19.44/m² Santa Maria Maior−57%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,390 (2022) Caldas da Rainha vs 2,820 (2025) Santa Maria Maiorno percentage
- Annual PM2.5: 6.0 µg/m³ Caldas da Rainha vs 6.6 µg/m³ Santa Maria Maior−9%
Cities near Santa Maria Maior
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Rent
- 13.6 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
- Rent
- 5.58 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
- Rent
- 21.33 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
- Rent
- 10.66 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
- Rent
- 8 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
How does Santa Maria Maior compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Santa Maria Maior's.
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Santa Maria Maior 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 guideSchool 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; Santa Maria Maior's school authority applies it locally.
Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.
Is Santa Maria Maior part of Funchal?
Santa Maria Maior is in the published commuting zone of Funchal; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. Funchal city profile
Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source3
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How much does it cost to rent in Santa Maria Maior?
Average net cold rent is 19.44 EUR/m² per month (2026-Q1), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 1,361 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.ine.pt.
Is the air quality good in Santa Maria Maior?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged).
How safe is Santa Maria Maior?
Police recorded 2,820 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS - 2024) e Categoria de crime; Anual - Direcção-Geral da Política de Justiça.
What is the unemployment rate in Santa Maria Maior?
The unemployment rate is about 12.1 % (2021). Source: Eurostat.
Is Santa Maria Maior a good place to live?
Santa Maria Maior 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.
Is Santa Maria Maior part of Funchal?
Santa Maria Maior is in the published commuting zone of Funchal; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.
Which cities are near Santa Maria Maior?
Funchal, Santa Luzia, Nossa Senhora do Monte, São Gonçalo, São Roque are near Santa Maria Maior. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
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 16). Santa Maria Maior, Portugal: rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 735545f333305c440d4afdacde6681b7]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santa-maria-maior/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_santa-maria-maior-portugal-rent-salary-cost-of-living_07a9fc436c42,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Santa Maria Maior, Portugal: rent, salary, cost of living},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {735545f333305c440d4afdacde6681b7},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santa-maria-maior/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Santa Maria Maior, Portugal: rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santa-maria-maior/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 735545f333305c440d4afdacde6681b7; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.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
- Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged) discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-23
- Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
- GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
- INE — Ganho médio mensal (€), indicator 0012649 (Quadros de Pessoal) INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-09-23
- IPMA climate normal — mean monthly maximum air temperature, Funchal, 1991-2020 IPMA climate normal · ipma.pt · checked 2026-07-26
- MEO fixed fibre meo.pt · checked 2026-09-15
- OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
- OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
- Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS - 2024) e Categoria de crime; Anual - Direcção-Geral da Política de Justiça ine.pt · checked 2026-10-05
- Vodafone Portugal mobile plan vodafone.pt · checked 2026-09-15
Show 10 more sources
- www.ine.pt ine.pt · checked 2026-08-26
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
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