On this page

Living in Santiago do Cacém

In Santiago do Cacém, average gross earnings are €1,334 a month (2024), rents in new contracts average €9.28 per m² a month (2026) and unemployment is 1.7% (2026).

The unemployment rate was 1.74% in June 2026. In 2023, the foreign population was 1,860. The population of Santiago do Cacém, in Portugal, was 29,749 in 2021. There were 370 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2024.

Last checked 2026-09-2318 sources

Population29,749people2021Official source · INE — Portal municipal (quadro)
Average gross salary1,334EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · INE — Ganho médio mensal (€), indicator 0012649 (Quadros de Pessoal)
Average net rent9.28EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.20 — 50% aboveOfficial source · www.ine.pt
Unemployment rate1.74%country median 2.3% — 25% belowIndependent source · IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026
Recorded crime3,320incidents per 100kcountry median 2,730 — 22% 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 mean7.54µg/m³country median 6.2 — 22% aboveIndependent source · official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found

Pricier rent than 78% of Portuguese cities that publish it, lower unemployment than 77% of Portuguese cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 75% of Portuguese cities that publish it.

Which Portugal-wide rules apply when you move to Santiago do Cacém?

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 Santiago do Cacém?

Average net cold rent is 9.28 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): 9.28 EUR/m²/month · www.ine.pt12
What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Santiago do Cacém recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€30
Mobile plan, 10 GB€15
Net rent across major citiesSantiago do Cacém highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Santiago do Cacém highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Lisbon€17.42
Cascais€16.50
Oeiras€15.42
Almada€13.43
Santiago do Cacém€9.28
Braga€8.57
Show the other 6 cities
Amadora€13.00
Matosinhos€11.98
Loures€11.73
Sintra€11.24
Vila Nova de Gaia€10.61
Porto€10.15
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited29.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026MEO fixed fibre7Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB15 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Vodafone Portugal mobile plan11Official · national market
Average net rent (nettokalt)9.28 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.2026 Aug 2026www.ine.pt12Official

Is Santiago do Cacém 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 worker55%strong on work, weak on safety · range 47–63%
Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on education · range 54–70%
Student48%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 39–57%
Family48%strong on family, weak on education · range 40–56%
Retirement53%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 44–62%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 557 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 9.28 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

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Santiago do Cacém?

The unemployment rate is about 1.7 % (June 2026).

  • Unemployment rate: 1.74 % · IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202617
Unemployment across cities in PortugalUnemployment in Santiago do Cacém is 1.7%. Of 279 cities with data, 131 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings1,334 EUR/month31 Dec 2024INE — Ganho médio mensal (€), indicator 0012649 (Quadros de Pessoal)1Official
Unemployment rate1.74 %country median 2.3%30 Jun 2026IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 202617Independent

What does a salary buy in Santiago do Cacém?

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

Portugal median gross pay: €1,099 (2022-12-31).
Left over each month€318of €920 take-home
  • Rent
  • 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.€920
Rent, 60 m²€9.28/m² · official · ine.pt · 2026-08-26− €557
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€318
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Santiago do Cacém Salary needed to live in Santiago do Cacém

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Santiago do Cacém. 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

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

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Physicians per 100,000 residents370 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.8Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Santiago do Cacém 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 Santiago do Cacém?

Police recorded 3,320 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: 3,320 incidents per 100k · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 20223
Recorded crime across major citiesSantiago do Cacém highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Santiago do Cacém highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Porto5,240
Lisbon5,090
Almada3,580
Amadora3,330
Santiago do Cacém3,320
Matosinhos2,910
Loures2,800
Cascais2,700
Sintra2,640
Vila Nova de Gaia2,570
Braga2,440
Oeiras2,380
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,320 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 20223Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Nearest airportPRM13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv9Official
Distance to nearest airport95 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv9Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Santiago do Cacém. 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 Santiago do Cacém.

Find courses near Santiago do Cacém

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 7.54 µg/m³ in 2024. Annual NO₂ was 2.29 µg/m³ in 2024. Annual PM10 was 17.4 µg/m³ in 2024.

Is the air quality good in Santiago do Cacém?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.5 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: 7.54 µg/m³ · official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found18
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
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 Santiago do Cacém is 7.5 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 mean2.29 µg/m³country median 10.52024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found18Independent
PM10 — annual mean17.41 µg/m³country median 18.62024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found18Independent
PM2.5 — annual mean7.54 µg/m³country median 6.22024official validated air-quality station bulk; no exact target station-period input found18Independent
Average daytime high by monthJan 14.9 · Feb 15.6 · Mar 17.6 · Apr 18.9 · May 21.4 · Jun 23.7 · Jul 24.7 · Aug 25.4 · Sep 24.3 · Oct 21.9 · Nov 18 · Dec 15.8 °C31 Dec 1991IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 — IPMA estação SINES (nº 541)6Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 8.4 · Feb 8.5 · Mar 9.9 · Apr 11.1 · May 13 · Jun 15.2 · Jul 16.1 · Aug 16.5 · Sep 16.1 · Oct 14.6 · Nov 11.4 · Dec 9.3 °C31 Dec 1991IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 — IPMA estação SINES (nº 541)6Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 11.7 · Feb 12 · Mar 13.8 · Apr 15 · May 17.2 · Jun 19.4 · Jul 20.4 · Aug 21 · Sep 20.2 · Oct 18.3 · Nov 14.7 · Dec 12.6 °C31 Dec 1991IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 — IPMA estação SINES (nº 541)6Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 68.1 · Feb 53.1 · Mar 48.9 · Apr 47.6 · May 34.5 · Jun 9.4 · Jul 1.2 · Aug 2.8 · Sep 26.3 · Oct 77.2 · Nov 84.8 · Dec 79.5 mm31 Dec 1991IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 — IPMA estação SINES (nº 541)6Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time7 published observations, 2018–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 5.7% between 2018 and 2024, from 8.0 to 7.5.

Similar climate. In Portugal: Leiria ±1.5 °C. Elsewhere: Ventura (United States) ±2.0 °C, Downey (United States) ±2.1 °C, Toulon (France) ±2.0 °C, Cagliari (Italy) ±2.4 °C, East Los Angeles (United States) ±1.5 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

The city covered 1,059.7 km² in 2021. Population density was 28.1 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Santiago do Cacém?

The published population was 29,749 people in 2021. Source: INE — Portal municipal (quadro)2

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area1,060 km²2021INE — Portal municipal (quadro)2Official
Foreign residents1,860 people2023Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value.16Independent
Population density28.07 people/km²2021Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted.10Official
Population29,749 people2021INE — Portal municipal (quadro)2Official

International community in Santiago do Cacém

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
Total27,772100.0%
Portuguesa25,00490.0%
Estrangeira2,76810.0%
África1,3194.7%
Europa6982.5%
Angola5662.0%
Moçambique5411.9%
América4971.8%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)4641.7%
Brasil4211.5%
Ásia2510.9%
Show 41 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Outros países - Europa2340.8%
Roménia1310.5%
Cabo Verde1140.4%
Índia970.3%
França950.3%
Ucrânia900.3%
Nepal820.3%
Alemanha680.2%
Reino Unido600.2%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)480.2%
Outros países - América450.2%
Outros países - África430.2%
Espanha370.1%
Moldávia340.1%
Bélgica260.1%
África do Sul260.1%
Suíça230.1%
Outros países - Ásia210.1%
Federação da Rússia210.1%
São Tomé e Príncipe200.1%
Bangladeche190.1%
China190.1%
Bulgária170.1%
Paquistão130.0%
Estados Unidos da América130.0%
Venezuela100.0%
Guiné-Bissau90.0%
Polónia90.0%
Canadá80.0%
Itália80.0%
Irlanda70.0%
Suécia70.0%
Outros60.0%
Luxemburgo50.0%
Oceânia30.0%
Austrália30.0%
Estónia20.0%
Áustria10.0%
Chéquia10.0%
Letónia10.0%
Eslováquia10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source5

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
Total27,772100.0%
Portuguesa26,55895.6%
Estrangeira1,2104.4%
Europa4671.7%
América3681.3%
Brasil3231.2%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)3211.2%
Ásia2460.9%
Outros países - Europa1460.5%
África1280.5%
Roménia1150.4%
Show 39 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Índia960.3%
Nepal820.3%
Ucrânia630.2%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)480.2%
Alemanha440.2%
Reino Unido410.1%
Cabo Verde380.1%
Angola370.1%
Outros países - América330.1%
Espanha300.1%
França270.1%
China260.1%
Moçambique240.1%
Bangladeche190.1%
Outros países - África160.1%
Moldávia140.1%
Bélgica130.0%
Suíça130.0%
Itália130.0%
Paquistão130.0%
Federação da Rússia120.0%
Outros países - Ásia100.0%
Bulgária90.0%
Polónia90.0%
São Tomé e Príncipe70.0%
Irlanda60.0%
Estados Unidos da América50.0%
Venezuela50.0%
Apátrida40.0%
Suécia40.0%
África do Sul40.0%
Outros30.0%
Canadá20.0%
Guiné-Bissau20.0%
Oceânia10.0%
Áustria10.0%
Austrália10.0%
Estónia10.0%
Hungria10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Alternatives for people set on Santiago do Cacém

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.

Paços de Ferreira as a Santiago do Cacém alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 366 km, better on 4 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Rent: €5.61/m² Paços de Ferreira vs €9.28/m² Santiago do Cacém−40%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,330 Paços de Ferreira vs 3,320 Santiago do Cacém−30%
  • Unemployment: 2.2% Paços de Ferreira vs 1.7% Santiago do Cacém+28%
  • Residents: 56,340 Paços de Ferreira vs 29,749 Santiago do Cacém+89%
  • Nearest airport: 25.2 km Paços de Ferreira vs 95.0 km Santiago do Cacém−73%
  • Annual PM2.5: 6.3 µg/m³ Paços de Ferreira vs 7.5 µg/m³ Santiago do Cacém−16%

Cities near Santiago do Cacém

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Sines 16.6 km away
Rent
14.65 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26
Grândola 22.1 km away
Rent
10.48 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-08-26

Alternative cities in Portugal

Other cities in Portugal to compare with Santiago do Cacém, nearest in population first.

All Portugal cities

How does Santiago do Cacém compare?

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

Santiago do Cacém 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; Santiago do Cacém'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 Santiago do Cacém?

The published population was 29,749 people in 2021. Source: INE — Portal municipal (quadro).

How much does it cost to rent in Santiago do Cacém?

Average net cold rent is 9.28 EUR/m² per month (2026-Q1), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 650 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.ine.pt.

Is the air quality good in Santiago do Cacém?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.5 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 Santiago do Cacém?

Police recorded 3,320 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 unemployment rate in Santiago do Cacém?

The unemployment rate is about 1.7 % (June 2026). Source: IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026.

How many foreign residents live in Santiago do Cacém?

1,860 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value..

Is Santiago do Cacém a good place to live?

Santiago do Cacém 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.

Which cities are near Santiago do Cacém?

Sines, Grândola are near Santiago do Cacém. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Portuguesa live in Santiago do Cacém?

The official country of birth distribution records 25,004 people (90.0%) 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, October 16). Santiago do Cacém, Portugal: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 8682a93bfc65b36ea3a8e5635fd6effb]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santiago-do-cacem/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_santiago-do-cacem-portugal-population-rent-salary-jobs_a5e47a55fdc4,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Santiago do Cacém, Portugal: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {8682a93bfc65b36ea3a8e5635fd6effb},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santiago-do-cacem/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Santiago do Cacém, Portugal: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/santiago-do-cacem/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 8682a93bfc65b36ea3a8e5635fd6effb; 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

JSON Markdown
  1. INE — Ganho médio mensal (€), indicator 0012649 (Quadros de Pessoal) INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-09-23
  2. INE — Portal municipal (quadro) INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-07-14
  3. 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
  4. Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014632 nationality ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
  5. Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014633 country of birth ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
  6. IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 — IPMA estação SINES (nº 541) IPMA Normais Climatológicas 1991-2020 · ipma.pt · checked 2026-07-31
  7. MEO fixed fibre meo.pt · checked 2026-09-15
  8. 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
  9. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  10. Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted. ine.pt · checked 2026-07-15
Show 8 more sources
  1. Vodafone Portugal mobile plan vodafone.pt · checked 2026-09-15
  2. www.ine.pt ine.pt · checked 2026-08-26
  3. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  4. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  5. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  6. Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value. pordata.pt · checked 2026-07-15
  7. IEFP — registered unemployment by municipality, June 2026 IEFP · iefp.pt · checked 2026-07-26
  8. 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.