Portugal

Southern Europe

EuropeEUSchengen

A relaxed Atlantic lifestyle, one of the EU's fastest citizenship timelines (5 years) and a popular Golden Visa fund route, offset by lower local salaries.

73
Overall score
Good · 97% data coverage
Language
Portuguese
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
Up to 48%
Cost of living
€1,500 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
66
Access
17%
61Residence12%
78Citizenship and passport5%
71
Earning power
25%
64Salary and work12%
78Buying power13%
62
Business and wealth
20%
60Taxes7%
67Business8%
58Investment5%
82
Daily life
25%
83Quality of life18%
81Education7%
89
Rights and institutions
13%
95Freedom6%
84Rule of law7%

Pros

  • 5-year citizenship clock
  • Golden Visa (funds) & D7/nomad visas
  • Mild climate, high safety

Cons

  • Lower local wages
  • Slow immigration (AIMA) processing
  • Rising city housing costs

Best for

Remote workersRetirees & passive-income earnersInvestors seeking EU residence

Score profile

Access
Residence
61
Citizenship
72
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
64
Buying power
78
Cost of living
62
Economy
77
Business and wealth
Taxes
60
Personal tax
13
Corporate tax
46
Business
67
Investment
58
Wealth building
62
Daily life
Safety
80
Healthcare
88
Environment
95
Infrastructure
78
Education
81
HDI
89
Rights and institutions
Freedom
95
Rule of law
84
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Moderate
61
Migrant stock10.8% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.74 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
D7 passive incomeDigital Nomad (D8)Golden Visa fundsStartup (StartUP Visa)
StudentResidence for study; part-time work allowed.
WorkWork visa via job offer; tech talent in demand.
Self-employedD2 entrepreneur/self-employment visa for founders & freelancers.
PermanentPR or citizenship eligibility after 5 years.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Good
72
Years required5
Dual allowedYes
LanguageA2 Portuguese
Residence5 years legal residence (time on a residence permit counts)
NotesThe 5-year clock is among the EU's shortest. Sephardic-descent and CPLP routes also exist. Reform proposals may extend this; verify before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Excellent
96
190 / 198
Mobility
#5
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free143
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required8

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
64
Output per worker$88,559 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.2% (2025)
Participation58.2% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$1,082 · $1,728 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$1,624 · $2,633 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceBig remote-work & nomad hub (Lisbon, Porto, Madeira)
Job marketLocal pay below Western EU; many earn in foreign currency remotely.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
78
GNI / person$52,240 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$27,706 PPP (2023)
Price level65 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality33.9 Gini (2023)
Inflation2.3% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
62
Price level65 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€900–1,400 (1BR Lisbon)
Monthly€1,500
CitiesLisbon, Porto, Funchal, Braga
Economy
Economic strength
Good
77
Output & income
GDP$346.6B (2025)
GDP / person$32,082 (2025)
GNI / person$52,240 PPP (2025)
GDP growth2.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation2.3% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.2% (2025)
Output per worker$88,559 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture2.0% of GDP (2025)
Industry18.3% of GDP (2025)
Services66.6% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
TourismAutomotive componentsTextiles & footwearWine & agri-foodTechnology
Top exports
Vehicles & partsMachineryWineFootwear & textiles
TypeHigh-income, services- and tourism-led
Key sectorsTourism, Manufacturing, Lisbon & Porto tech scene
SummaryA services-heavy economy with strong tourism and a fast-growing startup and remote-work scene.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Moderate
60
Personal14.5–48% progressive; IFICI/NHR-successor regime for some new residents
Corporate19% mainland; reduced regional/SME rates and surtaxes may apply
Capital gains28% flat (or 50% inclusion at marginal rates for residents)
Dividends28% flat
Exit taxGenerally none for individuals on emigration
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
13
Personal14.5–48% progressive; IFICI/NHR-successor regime for some new residents
FreelanceRecibos verdes freelancer regime; simplified tax for small turnover
Capital gains28% flat (or 50% inclusion at marginal rates for residents)
Dividends28% flat
Exit taxGenerally none for individuals on emigration
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Moderate
46
Corporate19% mainland; reduced regional/SME rates and surtaxes may apply
Capital gains28% flat (or 50% inclusion at marginal rates for residents)
Dividends28% flat
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply
Business
Business friendliness
Good
67
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.74 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.95 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyYes: full foreign ownership
Local companyLda. via 'Empresa na Hora' same-day; €1 min capital
FreelanceRecibos verdes freelancer regime; simplified tax for small turnover
Investment
Investing environment
Moderate
58
Market cap26% of GDP (2018)
Private credit77% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains28% flat on securities; favorable for long-held assets in some cases
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxNone (AIMI property tax on high-value real estate only)
BrokersGood: Interactive Brokers, DEGIRO, Trade Republic
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
62
Salary & work
Moderate
64
Business
Good
67
Investment
Moderate
58
Tax friendliness
Moderate
60
Cost of living
Moderate
62

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Excellent
80
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.7 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.82 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
88
Outcomes
Life expectancy82.4 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.2 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians5.85 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds3.48 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$4,928 PPP / person (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemUniversal public (SNS) + private
InsuranceResidents access SNS; private insurance common & cheap
Average cost€400–1,000 / yr private cover
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
95
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure8.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress12.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Good
78
Digital infrastructure
Internet use88.5% (2024)
Internet resilience68 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed90 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed75 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses9.7% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.60 / 5 (2022)
Rail density27.6 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity16,559 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
81
Attainment
Expected schooling17.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment78% gross (2023)
Education spending4.6% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€1,000–3,000 (EU) / €4,000–7,000 (non-EU)
Public university~€700–1,250/yr for EU undergraduates
LanguagesPortuguese, English (many Master's)
Student workPart-time work permitted on student residence
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
89
HDI0.890 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy82.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling17.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling9.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$41,064 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
95
Freedom in the World95 / 100 (Free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
84
Rule of Law percentile84 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
AIMA: Residence & citizenshipaima.gov.ptAutoridade Tributáriaportaldasfinancas.gov.ptPwC: Portugal corporate taxestaxsummaries.pwc.comStartUP Visa Portugalstartupvisa.iapmei.ptUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Portugal visa & immigrationgoogle.comPortugal tax residency rulesgoogle.comPortugal citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Portugalgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.