The podium among 6 comparable destinations
=1. LisbonPortugal
9.5 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€2,027
With a 30% margin€2,635
Left each month+€865
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €2,027/month; with the safety margin you need €2,635: +€865/month left. Matches: coworking, expat community, digital nomads, city life. Rated well on: remote work, internet, relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- €294/month less margin than Porto. The biggest item is rent: €947/month.
- Why this result
- Score 9.5/10; full marks on money, goals, family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on interests 8/10.
rent from registered contracts (official source)
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 17.22 EUR per m2 per month (Median rent per m2 of new lease contracts, municipality of Lisboa, last 12 months (April 2025 - March 2026)). INE Statistics Portugal, 'Estatísticas de Rendas da Habitação ao nível local - 1.º trimestre de 2026', period: April 2025 - March 2026 (release of 26 June 2026), retrieved 2026-11-03. Source
- Public transport pass: 30 EUR per month (calendar month) (navegante Municipal adult monthly pass (all regular public transport within one AML municipality, e.g. Lisboa)). CP - Comboios de Portugal (navegante pass info page), period: current as accessed 2026-11-02 (page undated), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Gym: 40 EUR per month (TTF 'Clubes TTF' base plan, monthly by direct debit, no lock-in (access to TTF clubs network in Lisboa area)). TTF - Your Fitness Club, period: current as accessed 2026-11-02 (page undated), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 165 EUR per person per month, + VAT (Roaming Desk (unlimited hot desking) monthly membership, 'from' price). Second Home Lisboa (Mercado da Ribeira), period: current as accessed 2026-11-02 (page undated), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 14060 EUR per year (Grades 1-2 annual tuition 2026-27). Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL), Linhó, Sintra (nearest major international school serving Lisbon; ~25 km from city centre), period: 2026-2027 school year, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
=1. ValenciaSpain
9.5 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€2,205
With a 30% margin€2,867
Left each month+€633
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €2,205/month; with the safety margin you need €2,867: +€633/month left. Matches: coworking, expat community, digital nomads, city life. Rated well on: remote work, internet, relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- €526/month less margin than Porto. The biggest item is rent: €1,043/month.
- Why this result
- Score 9.5/10; full marks on money, goals, family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on interests 8/10.
rent from listing asking prices
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 18.96 EUR per m2 per month (Average asking rent per m2, Valencia capital, Fotocasa Real Estate Index, September 2026 (provincial capitals table)). Fotocasa (Indice Inmobiliario Fotocasa), press release 'Tercer trimestre 2026: precio vivienda en alquiler', period: September 2026 (document dated 2026-10-05), retrieved 2026-11-03. Source
- Public transport pass: 35 EUR per month (SUMA Mensual, 1 zone (A, B+ or C; Valencia city is zone A), standard tariff before temporary reduction; valid on Metrovalencia, EMT, MetroBus and Renfe Cercanías). Metrovalencia (FGV) - tariff page for ATMV SUMA titles, period: Tariffs 2026 (temporary reductions 1 Jan - 31 Dec 2026), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Gym: 24.99 EUR per 4 weeks (Basic-Fit Comfort Flex, per 4 weeks (registration 19.99 EUR extra)). Basic-Fit Valencia Joaquín Costa, period: as shown on page, accessed 2026-11-02, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 235 EUR per month (Unlimited flexible (hot) desk monthly membership 'FLEXIBLE', Wayco Ruzafa, excl. VAT). Wayco Ruzafa, period: current tariffs, accessed 2026-11-02, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 830 EUR per month (10 monthly payments per school year) (Year 2 (1º Primaria, age 6-7) monthly tuition 2026-27, British School of Valencia main campus (Calle Filipinas 37, Valencia city); annual = 10 x 830 = 8,300 EUR). British School of Valencia (Cognita), period: 2026-2027 school year, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
=3. Las PalmasSpain
9.2 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€1,903
With a 30% margin€2,474
Left each month+€1,026
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €1,903/month; with the safety margin you need €2,474: +€1,026/month left. Matches: coworking, expat community, digital nomads. Rated well on: remote work, internet, relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- €133/month less margin than Porto. The biggest item is rent: €887/month.
- Why this result
- Score 9.2/10; full marks on money, goals, family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on interests 7/10.
rent from listing asking prices
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 16.13 EUR per m2 per month (Average asking rent per m2, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (provincial capital), Fotocasa Real Estate Index, September 2026). Fotocasa (Indice Inmobiliario Fotocasa), press release 'Tercer trimestre 2026: precio vivienda en alquiler', period: September 2026 (document dated 2026-10-05), retrieved 2026-11-03. Source
- Gym: 34.95 EUR per 4 weeks (billed every 4 weeks by direct debit) (Individual membership (cuota individual), all classes included, no minimum term, Areafit Las Palmas (C.C. Las Escaleritas)). Areafit Las Palmas – C.C. Escaleritas, period: Price page consulted 2026-11-02, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 150 EUR per month (Flex coworking monthly membership (Monday-Friday 8:00-20:00), excluding IGIC). Soppa de Azul coworking, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, period: Price page consulted 2026-11-02 (site footer © 2026), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 5709 EUR per year (Early Years and Primary (Nursery–Y6) annual fee 2026/27 as published, tuition plus annual enrolment (Year 1/Year 2 included)). Oakley College (British curriculum), Tafira Alta, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, period: School year 2026/27, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Public transport pass: 14.0 EUR per 90 days (Bono Residente Canario, unlimited trips for 90 days from first use (Guaguas Municipales), for Canary Islands residents; card issue fee 5 EUR one-off not included). Guaguas Municipales (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria city buses), period: current tariff page, undated (read 2026-11-03), retrieved 2026-11-03. Source
=3. PortoPortugal
9.2 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€1,801
With a 30% margin€2,341
Left each month+€1,159
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €1,801/month; with the safety margin you need €2,341: +€1,159/month left. Matches: expat community, city life. Rated well on: remote work, internet, relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- The biggest item is rent: €786/month.
- Why this result
- Score 9.2/10; full marks on money, goals, family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on interests 7/10.
rent from registered contracts (official source)
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 14.29 EUR per m2 per month (Median rent per m2 of new lease contracts, municipality of Porto, last 12 months (April 2025 - March 2026)). INE Statistics Portugal, 'Estatísticas de Rendas da Habitação ao nível local - 1.º trimestre de 2026', period: April 2025 - March 2026 (release of 26 June 2026), retrieved 2026-11-03. Source
- Public transport pass: 40 EUR per month (Andante Metropolitano monthly pass, adult, valid on all lines and operators of the Andante intermodal system (Porto Metropolitan Area)). STCP (Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto) - Andante passes page, period: Current tariff on the page, checked 2026-11-02 (the page gives no date), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Gym: 3.99 EUR per week (Element Gyms 'Basic' membership (one gym, unlimited training hours, no commitment); the chain has a Porto club at Cedofeita, R. de Aníbal Cunha 41, 4050-609 Porto). Element Gyms (Cedofeita, Porto), period: Current price list on the page, checked 2026-11-02 (the page gives no date), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 80 EUR per month (Typographia Cowork 'Nómada' plan (shared table, private locker, meeting-room access), excluding VAT). Typographia Cowork, Campo Mártires da Pátria 144-A, 4050-368 Porto, period: Current price on the page, checked 2026-11-02 (page footer: '© 2026'; no price date), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 10080 EUR per year (CLIP - Oporto International School, Form 1 (also covers Reception to Form 4), 1st child, annual tuition paid in a single payment (already includes the 4% single-payment discount), 2026-27). CLIP - Oporto International School (Porto), period: Academic year 2026/27 ('IN EFFECT FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2026/27'), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
What you give up
Same score, different margin.
Valencia and Lisbon are tied, but Valencia leaves €232 less every month.
Good to know
- 4 podium cities are tied: the order between them is alphabetical, not a ranking.
- Because of ties the podium has 4 cities instead of 3.
- 1 city left out because this profile needs data that has no verified source: coworking: Tarifa.
- The podium mixes rents from registered contracts and rents from listings: asking prices are usually higher, so the comparison favours cities with official data.
Full ranking
| # | Destination | Region | Score | Est. cost | Left | Rent data |
|---|
| =1 | Lisbon | Southern Europe | 9.5 | €2,027 | +€865 | contracts (official) |
| =1 | Valencia | Southern Europe | 9.5 | €2,205 | +€633 | listings |
| =3 | Las Palmas | Southern Europe | 9.2 | €1,903 | +€1,026 | listings |
| =3 | Porto | Southern Europe | 9.2 | €1,801 | +€1,159 | contracts (official) |
| 5 | Madeira (Funchal) | Southern Europe | 9.0 | €1,824 | +€1,129 | contracts (official) |
| 6 | Tenerife | Southern Europe | 8.2 | €1,901 | +€1,029 | listings |
Left out for missing data
- Tarifa: missing coworking
How it is calculated
Score = 30% money (what is left after costs and the safety margin) + 25% interests + 25% goals
+ 10% family feasibility (schools) + 10% ease of moving. Equal score = tie, listed alphabetically.
The top 3 places only go to cities with a verified rent.
City costs, with source and date: rent (official statistics on registered contracts where they exist,
otherwise asking prices published by property portals; listings are usually more expensive than contracts), public transport pass,
gym, coworking, international school fees (one per child). Without a verified monthly pass, transport is not included.
Country costs: food (an average Portuguese basket valued with World Bank food purchasing power parities,
ICP 2021, brought to 2025 with inflation), internet and extras (household consumption price level, same source),
SafetyWing international health insurance (age 10-39 price; up to 2 children under 10 included). ECB and central bank exchange rates.
Model assumptions: basic/simple/comfortable home = 40/55/75 m²; local/mixed/western food = 0.64/1/1.5 times
the basket; one gym and one coworking membership per household; each child weighs 0.3 (OECD scale). Visas, taxes and safety are not calculated.
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Example profile, not a personal recommendation. City costs with source and date, retrieved 2–3 November 2026 (rent, transport, gym, coworking, school); food, internet and extras at country level (World Bank ICP 2021 brought to 2025); SafetyWing health insurance; ECB and central bank exchange rates as of 30 Oct 2026. Engine: My Sine²guaL Places.