A lot of the families we talk to have either moved to Portugal already or have it at the top of their list. We don't push it. We only sailed there for a few weeks, and we live next door in Spain now. It just keeps coming up because when you write down what most families care about (safety, cost, schools, healthcare, getting a visa, weather, other families to hang out with), Portugal does well on more of it than almost anywhere else in Europe.
This is what we've pieced together, if you're thinking about it.
Cost of living: affordable, with caveats
Portugal is cheaper than the UK, France, the Netherlands or Scandinavia. It isn't the bargain it was a few years ago, though, and Lisbon rents in particular have jumped.
Below are the three Portuguese locations in our cost-of-living calculator. They're our own estimates for a family of four, in US dollars per month, put together from Numbeo, Expatistan, the International Schools Database and expat forums. Use them to compare places. They aren't a quote.
| Location | Rent (3-bed) | Groceries | Healthcare | Int'l school (1 child) | Total incl. school & childcare | Total excl. school & childcare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | $1,600 | $500 | $150 | $1,200 | $4,680 | $2,980 |
| Algarve | $1,300 | $480 | $140 | $1,100 | $4,150 | $2,600 |
| Porto | $1,200 | $450 | $140 | $1,000 | $3,870 | $2,420 |
The same calculator puts Valencia in Spain at $4,100 a month on the same basis. So Portugal and Spain's mid-sized cities are closer on cost than people tend to think. Put your own numbers into the calculator. Rent and school fees will move your total far more than groceries ever will.
Groceries are cheap and eating out is reasonable. Petrol is on the expensive side. For a lot of families the Algarve gets the balance of cost and quality of life about right, but it's quieter and more spread out than Lisbon.
Visas: the D7 is still the usual route
This is a high-level overview, not legal advice. The thresholds are tied to Portugal's minimum wage, so they change every year, and consulates differ in the evidence they ask for. Check the official Portuguese consulate or visa portal for your country before you apply, and think about using a qualified immigration lawyer. Our family visa guide covers the bigger decision.
The D7 (passive income visa)
Most non-EU families who don't need to work locally still go for the D7. The threshold follows the Portuguese minimum wage, which went up to €920 a month in January 2026. For 2026 that means:
- Main applicant: €920 a month
- Spouse or adult dependant: €460 a month (50%)
- Each dependent child: €276 a month (30%)
A couple with two children therefore needs to show €1,932 a month in regular passive income, from things like pensions, rental income, dividends or interest. Consulates also usually want to see a year's worth of the requirement sitting in a Portuguese bank account. That's €11,040 for a single applicant and €16,560 for a couple, plus €3,312 per child.
The D8 (digital nomad visa)
The D8 is for people working remotely for employers or clients outside Portugal. You need four times the minimum wage, so €3,680 a month in 2026, with the same 50% and 30% uplifts for a spouse and each child. On those figures a family of four needs around €7,728 a month.
For either visa you'll apply through a Portuguese consulate, and you'll need an NIF (tax number), a Portuguese bank account and proof of accommodation. After you arrive there's the residence permit process with AIMA, Portugal's immigration agency. It's slow. If you start early and keep copies of everything, it's manageable.
Schools: three realistic options
Compulsory education in Portugal runs from 6 to 18, which is longer than in most of Europe.
Portuguese public schools
Public schools are free. Quality depends on the area, and Lisbon and Porto have the stronger ones. Language is the obvious hurdle. Lessons are in Portuguese, and how much help a child gets if they arrive with no Portuguese varies a lot from school to school. Younger kids usually pick it up fast. Teenagers find it harder, especially with exams coming up.
International schools
International schools teach in English (or other languages) and follow curricula like the IB, British or American systems. Fees are all over the place. Going by the figures on the International Schools Database:
- Lisbon: roughly €6,098 to €29,970 a year. The British School of Lisbon lists €13,633 to €22,230, and St. Julian's School €12,693 to €29,970.
- Porto: roughly €4,860 to €18,270 a year. Oporto British School lists €10,230 to €18,270, and CLIP €9,572 to €15,924.
- Algarve: roughly €5,500 to €19,800 a year. Nobel Algarve British International School lists €6,660 to €16,410, and Colégio Santiago Internacional €5,235 to €7,998.
The popular schools have waiting lists, so apply early. Ask what the fee covers, too. Uniforms, transport, lunches and trips can add up to a lot.
Homeschooling (ensino doméstico)
Homeschooling is legal in Portugal and properly regulated under Decree-Law 70/2021. That's good news, but it comes with rules. Your child has to be enrolled at a Portuguese school, which keeps an eye on progress. The family member doing the teaching needs at least a bachelor's degree. And the child sits equivalence exams at the end of each cycle. It follows the Portuguese curriculum, so you can't use it to quietly carry on with your home country's curriculum. If you're weighing it up, start with our post on homeschooling abroad without being a teacher.
There are more and more homeschooling and worldschooling families around, especially in the Algarve and near Ericeira.
Healthcare: good, but there's an order to it
Portugal's public healthcare system (SNS) is open to foreign residents who are there legally. You get an SNS user number (número de utente) the first time you go to a public health unit. The number on its own doesn't mean your costs are covered, though. For that you have to be registered with a valid ID, your NIF, a full Portuguese address and your residence authorisation. In practice, public healthcare comes after your residence permit, not before it.
That's why most families arrive with private health insurance and hang on to it. They use the public system for emergencies and GP visits, and private for quicker specialist appointments and dental. Public specialist waits can be long, and that's the main reason people keep private cover even once they're in the SNS. Our healthcare guide for families moving abroad explains how to pick a policy that works across borders.
There's a pharmacy on every corner, and pharmacists tend to be more helpful than in northern Europe. With small children that's a real help.
Best regions for families
Lisbon and Cascais
You get the most international schools, the best flights and the biggest international community. You also get the highest rents. Cascais and the towns along that stretch of coast are popular with families who want both the beach and the schools.
Porto
A proper city, cheaper than Lisbon, with a good cluster of international schools and a strong local identity. Winters are wetter and cooler.
The Algarve
Warm and outdoorsy, with a big international family community and plenty of school choice for its size. It's quieter in winter, and you'll need a car.
Silver Coast and central Portugal
Cheaper and more rural. It suits families who want space and don't mind having fewer international services nearby.
Community
For us, this is what tips it. The international family community is big and well established, and people are welcoming. In the Algarve in particular there are co-working spaces, regular meetups and homeschool co-ops, and families tend to feel part of things quite quickly.
Lisbon and Porto have large international communities as well. They lean less towards families, though, and more towards young digital nomads and startup people.
The Portuguese are warm and patient with foreigners, and most younger people speak good English. Daily life is relaxed and revolves around family and food, which makes it pleasant rather than stressful.
The downsides
Bureaucracy is the big one. Portuguese admin is slow, paper-based and sometimes maddening. Getting your NIF, opening a bank account, registering for healthcare and enrolling in school all mean queues, forms and appointments that get moved. Budget for patience.
Wages are low. If you want to work locally rather than remotely, the minimum wage is €920 a month in 2026. Most international families who make it work here have remote income, passive income or savings.
Outside Lisbon and Porto you'll need a car. Public transport in rural areas and the Algarve is thin.
Portuguese buildings also aren't made for the cold. Winters in the north can be damp and chilly indoors, and central heating is rare. Bring slippers and a decent heater.
Your first month in order
Our first 90 days checklist has the full version. In Portugal, the first few weeks usually go something like this:
- Get your NIF sorted if you didn't before you arrived. You need it for almost everything, the SNS included.
- Confirm or go to your AIMA appointment for your residence permit. Keep every document and receipt.
- Get proof of address. A rental contract and a utility bill in your name are the usual starting point. A residence certificate (atestado de residência) from your local parish office (junta de freguesia) carries more weight, and it's worth getting early.
- Register at your local health centre for an SNS number once your residence paperwork allows it. Keep your private insurance going in the meantime.
- Enrol the children in school, or start the ensino doméstico paperwork with your chosen school if you're homeschooling.
- Set up banking properly, and keep a multi-currency card running while the accounts get sorted.
- Meet people. School groups, sports clubs and local family meetups will answer more admin questions than any official website.
Questions to answer before you commit
The families who do well in Portugal have usually been honest with themselves about these before booking flights:
- Where does our income come from, and does it fit the D7 or the D8? If one of you is going to keep working remotely, that picks the route for you.
- What language do we want the kids taught in? Portuguese public school, an international school and ensino doméstico mean very different daily lives and very different budgets.
- Can we manage without a car? Outside the big cities, probably not, and that affects both the budget and where you can live.
- How do we cover the gap before public healthcare kicks in? Private cover has to be in place from day one.
- What does a good week look like for each of us? Lisbon, the Algarve and a village on the Silver Coast are three very different answers. Choose the one that fits the life you want, not the photos you've seen.
If you can't answer these yet, that's normal. It's the kind of thing we work through with families in a planning session.
What we'd do
If we were moving to Portugal with children, we'd pick the visa first and the place second. The D7 and D8 suit very different families, so be honest about whether you're going to keep working.
Then we'd choose a region based on school. If you want an international school, you're looking at Lisbon, Cascais, Porto or the Algarve. If you're homeschooling, check you meet the degree requirement and that you're fine with the Portuguese curriculum before you commit.
We'd rent for six months before buying anything, and we'd stay for at least one winter before deciding anything long term. Portugal in February is not Portugal in July, especially indoors.
And we'd write off the first month as an admin month. Things do get done. Just not quickly.
Our take
Portugal won't suit every family. If you have remote or passive income and want a safe, warm, affordable base in Europe with good schools, solid healthcare and other families around, though, it's hard to beat. If you're torn between Portugal and its neighbour, read our Spain guide as well, or look at Greece if you want something slower.
If Portugal is on your list and you'd like help with the visa, schools, budget or where to live, book a call.
Sources
- D7 and D8 visa income requirements for 2026 (Portugalist)
- Portugal D8 income threshold 2026 (Remote Work Europe)
- Portugal: organisation of the education system (compulsory schooling, home education) (Eurydice, European Commission)
- Ensino doméstico em Portugal (Santander Salto)
- Migrants: healthcare in Portugal (gov.pt)
- Registering with Portugal's SNS (Jean Galea)
- International schools in Lisbon (International Schools Database)
- International schools in Porto (International Schools Database)
- International schools in the Algarve (International Schools Database)
- Roamsmith cost-of-living calculator (our estimates, last updated February 2026)
