Living in Velas

Velas had 5,398 residents in 2021 and is a city in Portugal. In 2023, the foreign population was 136. There were 280 physicians per 100,000 people in 2024.

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

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 Velas.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

How much does it cost to rent in Velas?

Average net cold rent is 5.93 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): 5.93 EUR/m²/month · www.ine.pt⁹

City-level rent is published below; no city-level cost-of-living basket is published for Velas yet.

Net rent across major citiesVelas highlighted among comparable cities

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average net rent (nettokalt)	5.93 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.19	26 Aug 2026	www.ine.pt⁹Official

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 356 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 5.93 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

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Velas. 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

Open the Portugal service overview

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

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Physicians per 100,000 residents	280 per 100,000	2024	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.⁵Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Velas 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 Velas?

Police recorded 3,430 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: 3,430 incidents per 100k · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022²

Recorded crime across major citiesVelas highlighted among comparable cities

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	3,430 incidents per 100kcountry median 2,715	31 Dec 2022	INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022²Official

Mobility and administration

The nearest airport was SJZ, 3.3 km away, with 2 listed destinations in June 2026.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	2 count	13 Jun 2026	OpenFlights — routes.dat⁶Official
Nearest airport	SJZ	13 Jun 2026	OurAirports — airports.csv⁷Official
Distance to nearest airport	3.3 km	13 Jun 2026	OurAirports — airports.csv⁷Official

Language courses and integration

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

Cities of a similar size in Portugal

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

All Portugal cities

Ourique5,389 residents Golegã5,465 residents Aguiar da Beira5,473 residents Porto Santo5,483 residents Vila do Bispo5,258 residents Vila do Porto5,552 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 117.4 km² in 2021. Population density was 46 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Velas?

The published population was 5,398 people in 2021. Source: INE — Portal municipal (quadro)¹

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	117.4 km²	2021	INE — Portal municipal (quadro)¹Official
Foreign residents	136 people	2023	Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value.¹⁰Independent
Population density	45.99 people/km²	2021	Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted.⁸Official
Population	5,398 people	2021	INE — Portal municipal (quadro)¹Official

International community in Velas

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 group	People	Share
Total	4,936	100.0%
Portuguesa	4,691	95.0%
Estrangeira	245	5.0%
América	126	2.6%
Europa	55	1.1%
Estados Unidos da América	53	1.1%
África	49	1.0%
Brasil	42	0.9%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)	40	0.8%
Canadá	28	0.6%
Angola	24	0.5%

Show 29 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Outros países - Europa	15	0.3%
Ásia	14	0.3%
Cabo Verde	11	0.2%
Alemanha	11	0.2%
China	10	0.2%
França	9	0.2%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)	6	0.1%
Suíça	5	0.1%
Outros países - Ásia	4	0.1%
Reino Unido	4	0.1%
Moçambique	4	0.1%
Polónia	4	0.1%
São Tomé e Príncipe	4	0.1%
Guiné-Bissau	3	0.1%
Suécia	3	0.1%
Outros	3	0.1%
Outros países - África	2	0.0%
Outros países - América	2	0.0%
Chéquia	2	0.0%
Espanha	2	0.0%
Federação da Rússia	2	0.0%
Oceânia	1	0.0%
Outros países - Oceânia	1	0.0%
Áustria	1	0.0%
Itália	1	0.0%
Eslováquia	1	0.0%
Ucrânia	1	0.0%
Venezuela	1	0.0%
África do Sul	1	0.0%

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

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 group	People	Share
Total	4,936	100.0%
Portuguesa	4,837	98.0%
Estrangeira	99	2.0%
América	46	0.9%
Europa	37	0.7%
União Europeia 27 (s/ PT - a partir de 2020)	28	0.6%
Brasil	25	0.5%
Estados Unidos da América	13	0.3%
Ásia	12	0.2%
China	10	0.2%
Outros países - Europa	9	0.2%

Show 21 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Alemanha	9	0.2%
Canadá	8	0.2%
Países Baixos (Reino dos)	6	0.1%
Polónia	4	0.1%
África	3	0.1%
França	3	0.1%
Reino Unido	3	0.1%
Outros países - Ásia	2	0.0%
Áustria	2	0.0%
Suíça	2	0.0%
Suécia	2	0.0%
Outros	2	0.0%
Outros países - África	1	0.0%
Oceânia	1	0.0%
Outros países - Oceânia	1	0.0%
Angola	1	0.0%
Cabo Verde	1	0.0%
Chéquia	1	0.0%
Itália	1	0.0%
Federação da Rússia	1	0.0%
Ucrânia	1	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Is Velas 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 worker59%strong on cost, weak on air quality · range 48–70%

Skilled employee62%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 52–72%

Student59%strong on cost, weak on education · range 49–69%

Family46%strong on family, weak on education · range 38–54%

Retirement57%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 47–67%

Foreign residents136 people2023Independent source · Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value.

Population5,398 people2021Official source · INE — Portal municipal (quadro)

Average net rent (nettokalt)5.93 EUR/m²/month26 Aug 2026Official source · www.ine.pt

City area117.4 km²2021Official source · INE — Portal municipal (quadro)

Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,430 incidents per 100k31 Dec 2022Official source · INE — Taxa de criminalidade (‰) por Localização geográfica (NUTS 2013) e Categoria de crime; Anual, indicador 0008074, categoria Total, ano 2022

Physicians per 100,000 residents280 per 100,0002024Official source · 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.

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

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

How many people live in Velas?

The published population was 5,398 people in 2021. Source: INE — Portal municipal (quadro).

How much does it cost to rent in Velas?

Average net cold rent is 5.93 EUR/m² per month (2026-Q1), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 415 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.ine.pt.

How safe is Velas?

Police recorded 3,430 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.

How many foreign residents live in Velas?

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

Is Velas a good place to live?

Velas 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 Velas?

The official country of birth distribution records 55 people (1.1%) 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). Velas, Portugal: rent, safety, healthcare [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/velas/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_velas-portugal-rent-safety-healthcare_52288d469c4f,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Velas, Portugal: rent, safety, healthcare},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/velas/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Velas, Portugal: rent, safety, healthcare](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/pt/velas/) — 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

INE — Portal municipal (quadro) INE · ine.pt · checked 2026-07-14
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
Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014632 nationality ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Portugal Censos 2021 indicator 0014633 country of birth ine.pt · checked 2026-09-01
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
OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
Reproducible derived density from the same-period INE populationTotal divided by areaKm2; no external density number was substituted. ine.pt · checked 2026-07-15
www.ine.pt ine.pt · checked 2026-08-26
Foreign population with legal resident status at 31 December; Total Nacionalidade; annual municipality value. pordata.pt · 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.