{"id":4554,"date":"2019-11-25T10:56:41","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T10:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/fr\/?p=4554"},"modified":"2026-03-28T07:49:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T07:49:23","slug":"cost-living-portugal-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/news-portugal\/cost-living-portugal-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Cost of living in Portugal for a family"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4554\" class=\"elementor elementor-4554\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-73a86fdc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"73a86fdc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-415fdd08\" data-id=\"415fdd08\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c489cc5 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"c489cc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-check-square&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;},&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tCost of living in Portugal for a family\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__c489cc5\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__c489cc5\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__c489cc5\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18816a8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"18816a8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<em>Updated March 21, 2026<\/em>\n\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4558 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-vie-portugal.jpg\" alt=\"Cost of living Portugal 2026\" width=\"970\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-vie-portugal.jpg 970w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-vie-portugal-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-vie-portugal-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\" \/>\n\nWhat is the cost of living for a family in Portugal each month in 2026? How much is the rent in Lisbon or Porto? What about school for the children? How much do I need per month for shopping?\n\nThese are recurring questions from all those who are considering living in Portugal. After all, the cost of living is one of the biggest concerns and this is quite normal: it is important to have a good financial vision of an expatriation to avoid unpleasant surprises as much as possible. In 2026, Portugal remains in the <strong>top 3 for value for money in Europe<\/strong> for expat families, with an overall cost 20% to 28% lower than in countries like France or the UK.\n\nI will try to show you here the average monthly costs of a family of 4 people (a couple and two children). For a comfortable life, plan for a total budget between <strong>\u20ac3,600 and \u20ac4,800 per month<\/strong> in Lisbon, and around <strong>\u20ac2,900<\/strong> in cities like Braga or Coimbra.\n\n<h2>Cost of renting real estate in Portugal in 2026<\/h2>\nRental values in Portugal have continued to climb in 2026, driven by strong international demand. Housing is now, by far, the main cost of living.\n\nIn Lisbon, the average price per m\u00b2 has now reached \u20ac16.4. For a 3-bedroom apartment (T3), expect to pay between <strong>\u20ac1,600 and \u20ac2,300 per month<\/strong> depending on the neighborhood. In Porto or Braga, prices are more affordable, ranging between <strong>\u20ac1,000 and \u20ac1,500<\/strong>. If you are looking for the peace of the Alentejo or the interior of the Algarve, you can still find properties between \u20ac800 and \u20ac1,200.\n\nContrary to most European countries, it is often much more interesting to <a href=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/installation-lisbon-portugal\/real-estate-purchase-lisbon-portugal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">buy a property<\/a> in Portugal than to rent it, as the long-term rental supply remains limited compared to the sales and holiday rental market.\n\n<h2>Additional costs: energy, water, and internet<\/h2>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-46 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/ouvrir-contrat-telephone-internet-portugal.png\" alt=\"Internet and telephone contract in Portugal 2026\" width=\"696\" height=\"496\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/ouvrir-contrat-telephone-internet-portugal.png 696w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/ouvrir-contrat-telephone-internet-portugal-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/>\n\nMonthly utilities (electricity, water, gas) for a family of 4 average around <strong>\u20ac116 per month<\/strong>, which is about 38% lower than in many other EU countries. Electricity remains a point of caution as winter heating (often electric) can drive up the bill if the housing is poorly insulated.\n\nOn the telecom side, packages including TV, fixed phone, mobile, and fiber (400MB\/s to 1GB\/s) cost around <strong>\u20ac50 to \u20ac75 per month<\/strong> with operators like NOS or MEO. For transport, the unlimited monthly pass (train\/metro\/bus) is very advantageous at \u20ac40 per person.\n\n<h2>Food budget: Portugal&#8217;s strong point<\/h2>\nFood is the area where you will make the biggest savings: it is about <strong>35% cheaper than in France or the UK<\/strong>. In 2026, plan for between \u20ac500 and \u20ac700 per month for groceries for a family of 4.\n\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Product (2026)<\/th>\n<th>Portugal Price<\/th>\n<th>vs UK\/France<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Milk (1L)<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac1.00<\/td>\n<td>-18%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cheese (1kg)<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac10.00<\/td>\n<td>-40%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chicken (1kg)<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac6.60<\/td>\n<td>-45%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bread (500g)<\/td>\n<td>\u20ac2.80<\/td>\n<td>+59% (import)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\nI highly recommend visiting local markets and neighborhood butcher shops for quality and price. For supermarkets, chains like <strong>Pingo Doce, Lidl, or Mercadona<\/strong> offer very generous loyalty programs.\n\n<h2>Cost of education in 2026<\/h2>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4559 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-education-portugal.jpg\" alt=\"Cost of education in Portugal 2026\" width=\"1300\" height=\"866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-education-portugal.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-education-portugal-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-education-portugal-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-education-portugal-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px\" \/>\n\nThe choice between public and private education heavily impacts the budget. In 2026, a <strong>private nursery<\/strong> costs around \u20ac450 per month (39% less than in France). For an <strong>international school<\/strong> (primary), expect around \u20ac10,500 per year, and up to \u20ac18,000 for high school.\n\nPortuguese public school is free, but meals (between \u20ac0.73 and \u20ac1.46 per day) and after-school activities (ATL) remain the responsibility of families based on their income. School books are free up to the 4th grade.\n\n<h2>Leisure and restaurants: living better for less<\/h2>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4563 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-loisirs-portugal-2.jpg\" alt=\"Leisure in Portugal 2026\" width=\"1140\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-loisirs-portugal-2.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-loisirs-portugal-2-300x147.jpg 300w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-loisirs-portugal-2-1024x503.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cout-loisirs-portugal-2-768x377.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" \/>\n\nEating out remains an accessible pleasure. In 2026, a full lunch (daily special, drink, coffee) costs about <strong>\u20ac12 per person<\/strong>. For a more elaborate 3-course dinner, expect \u20ac23 per person, which is 30% lower than in many other European countries.\n\nCinema prices range from \u20ac5 to \u20ac8, and museum or exhibition entries are around \u20ac5 to \u20ac10. Portugal offers a lifestyle where leisure is not a luxury.\n\n<h2>Budget by region (Family of 4)<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Region<\/th>\n<th>Total Budget \/ month<\/th>\n<th>Comment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Lisbon<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u20ac4,200<\/td>\n<td>High rent (\u20ac1,800+), dynamic capital<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Porto<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u20ac3,500<\/td>\n<td>Excellent life\/price balance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Braga \/ Coimbra<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u20ac2,900<\/td>\n<td>Best value for money<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Alentejo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u20ac2,700<\/td>\n<td>Quiet and authentic, cheaper<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\nThe cost of living in Portugal in 2026 has increased, mainly due to real estate, but the country retains a major competitive advantage in overall quality of life. With an average net salary at \u20ac1,123, it is difficult to consider a smooth family expatriation with only one Portuguese minimum wage (\u20ac820 in 2026). A family income of <strong>\u20ac3,000 net<\/strong> is a recommended threshold to fully enjoy what the country has to offer.\n\n<div id=\"formulaire\"><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"form\">Need help with your move to Portugal?<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"maxbutton-3 maxbutton maxbutton-form\" href=\"#form\"><span class='mb-text'>CONTACT<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n<blockquote>By validating the contact form, you authorize me to forward your request to an English-speaking professional based in Portugal who will be able to contact you directly to discuss your expatriation project.<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af6be7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"af6be7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n  {\r\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n    \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n    \"mainEntity\": [\r\n      {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n        \"name\": \"What is the monthly budget for a family of 4 in Portugal in 2026?\",\r\n        \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n          \"text\": \"For a family of 4, plan for between \u20ac3,600 and \u20ac4,800 per month all-inclusive in Lisbon, and around \u20ac2,900 in the north of the country (Braga, Porto).\"\r\n        }\r\n      },\r\n      {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n        \"name\": \"Is Portugal really cheaper than the UK or France?\",\r\n        \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n          \"text\": \"Yes, overall the cost of living is 20% to 28% lower. Food is 35% cheaper and restaurants are about 30% cheaper. Only real estate in Lisbon approaches the prices of large European cities.\"\r\n        }\r\n      },\r\n      {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n        \"name\": \"How much is rent in Lisbon in 2026?\",\r\n        \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n          \"text\": \"In 2026, a 3-bedroom apartment (T3) in Lisbon rents for between \u20ac1,600 and \u20ac2,300 per month depending on the neighborhood.\"\r\n        }\r\n      }\r\n    ]\r\n  }\r\n<\/script>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated March 21, 2026 What is the cost of living for a family in Portugal each month in 2026? How much is the rent in Lisbon or Porto? What about school for the children? How much do I need per month for shopping? These are recurring questions from all those who are considering living in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4558,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-portugal"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4554"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9794,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4554\/revisions\/9794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essencial-portugal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}