The podium among 7 comparable destinations
=1. Madeira (Funchal)Portugal
8.7 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€1,223
With a 30% margin€1,590
Left each month+€410
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €1,223/month; with the safety margin you need €1,590: +€410/month left. Matches: beach, nature. Rated well on: relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- €16/month less margin than Tarifa. The biggest item is rent: €748/month.
- Why this result
- Score 8.7/10; full marks on goals, family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on money 8/10, interests 7/10.
rent from registered contracts (official source)
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 13.6 EUR per m2 per month (Median rent per m2 of new lease contracts, municipality of Funchal, 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: 30.5 EUR per month (Passe Social Base, municipal (Funchal) adult monthly pass; intermunicipal version 40.50 EUR). Horários do Funchal (municipal bus operator), period: current tariff page, consulted 2026-11-02 (no date stated), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Gym: 47.9 EUR per month (monthly membership, Ginásio 24/7 Fitness YOUR Freedom, Anadia club (Funchal)). Ginásio 24/7 Madeira (Anadia, Funchal), period: current price page, consulted 2026-11-02 (no date stated), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 160 EUR per month (PLANO COWORK FIXO - reserved (fixed) desk, monthly, excluding VAT). Cowork Funchal (Rua das Mercês 41, Funchal), period: current price page, consulted 2026-11-02 (no date stated; site footer © 2017), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 5880 EUR per year (Grade 1 (age 6) annual tuition 2026-27). International School of Madeira (Cambridge, Funchal), period: academic year 2026-2027, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
=1. TenerifeSpain
8.7 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€1,304
With a 30% margin€1,695
Left each month+€305
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €1,304/month; with the safety margin you need €1,695: +€305/month left. Matches: beach, surfing, nature. Rated well on: relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- €121/month less margin than Tarifa. The biggest item is rent: €836/month.
- Why this result
- Score 8.7/10; full marks on family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on money 8/10, interests 8/10, goals 9/10.
rent from listing asking prices
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 15.2 EUR per m2 per month (Average asking rent per m2, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (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
- Public transport pass: 19 EUR per month (Bono Mes Residente Canario: unlimited tram and TITSA buses for 1 month (Canary Islands residents only)). Metrotenerife (Metropolitano de Tenerife) / TITSA, period: Current fares page, accessed 2026-11-02 (no date on the page), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Gym: 49.95 EUR per month (GOfit Santa Cruz individual adult membership ('Tarifa individual', from-price): gym floor, pools, classes). GOfit Santa Cruz (Calle Heliodoro Rodríguez, 38005 Santa Cruz de Tenerife), period: Current centre page, accessed 2026-11-02 (no date on the page), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- Coworking: 170 EUR per month (Desk in shared room ('puesto en sala común'), monthly contract for a 1-2 month stay, excluding 7% IGIC). Espacio Polaris (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), period: Current price page, accessed 2026-11-02 (no date on the page), retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
- International school: 4872 EUR per year (Annual tuition, Year 1-3 (British curriculum, ages about 5-8), 2026-27). British School of Tenerife (Early Years & Primary at La Luz site, Carretera la Luz 28, La Orotava), period: 2026-2027 school year, retrieved 2026-11-02. Source
3. TarifaSpain
8.4 / 10
Estimated monthly cost€1,211
With a 30% margin€1,574
Left each month+€426
- Strengths
- Estimated cost €1,211/month; with the safety margin you need €1,574: +€426/month left. Matches: beach, surfing, nature. Rated well on: relocation complexity.
- What you give up
- The biggest item is rent: €762/month.
- Why this result
- Score 8.4/10; full marks on family feasibility, ease of moving; lower on money 8/10, interests 8/10, goals 8/10.
rent from listing asking pricestransport not included (no verified monthly pass)
Sources for this city's costs
- Rent: 13.86 EUR per m2 per month (Average asking rent per m2, municipality of Tarifa, Fotocasa Real Estate Index, September 2026 (municipalities 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
What you give up
Little, on the numbers.
The podium also has the highest margin. The trade-offs are in the ratings, not in the money.
Good to know
- 2 podium cities are tied: the order between them is alphabetical, not a ranking.
- Transport not included (no verified monthly pass): 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 | Madeira (Funchal) | Southern Europe | 8.7 | €1,223 | +€410 | contracts (official) |
| =1 | Tenerife | Southern Europe | 8.7 | €1,304 | +€305 | listings |
| 3 | Tarifa | Southern Europe | 8.4 | €1,211 | +€426 | listings · transport not included |
| 4 | Las Palmas | Southern Europe | 8.3 | €1,341 | +€257 | listings |
| 5 | Porto | Southern Europe | 7.9 | €1,271 | +€348 | contracts (official) |
| 6 | Lisbon | Southern Europe | 7.6 | €1,422 | +€151 | contracts (official) |
| 7 | Valencia | Southern Europe | 7.3 | €1,527 | +€15 | listings |
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.