Portugal
Lisbon
Bem-vindo in the app. A local checklist, how-tos with real prices, and a directory of places that work for English speakers.
Cost of living
What one person usually spends
Salary calculator
€30k employed, single filing
Newcomer checklist
14 tasks for Lisbon, sequenced by phase. Track progress in the app.
14 tasks
First week
Month 1
Compare & choose
Every option gets a verdict
Bank accounts
A Portuguese IBAN for rent, salary and direct debits.
4 banks · Checked June 2026
Home internet
Fibre is cheap and fast. The install date is the hard part.
4 providers · Checked June 2026
Co-living & flexible stays
Furnished places to land for your first weeks, before you commit to a 12-month lease.
4 options · Checked June 2026
Gym memberships
From €25 budget chains to clubs with rooftop pools.
4 gyms · Checked June 2026
Private hospitals & clinics
Where to actually get seen this week, the private networks expats lean on, and the free public option.
4 options · Checked June 2026
Health & travel insurance
What actually covers you as a newcomer. And what just looks cheap.
4 plans · Checked June 2026
Where to live
Seven districts ranked on rent, vibe, and noise, filter by what matters to you.
7 areas · Checked June 2026
Mobile providers
A working number and data. Prepaid or monthly.
4 providers · Checked June 2026
Schools: public, private, and international
What it actually costs and teaches, school by school.
7 schools · Checked June 2026
Editorial guides
Living
Your first 72 hours in Lisbon
Land, get connected, get moving, and book the one errand everything else waits on.
Bureaucracy & Visas
How to get your NIF in Lisbon
The tax ID number every expat needs. Three ways, in person and online.
Housing
Renting in Lisbon without losing your mind
The expat playbook for finding a flat in a market that wasn't built for newcomers.
Healthcare
Healthcare 101: SNS, private, and insurance
How the public/private split actually works, and which combo most expats land on.
Living
Best neighbourhoods for digital nomads
Six districts compared on rent, Wi-Fi, walkability, and how loud Saturday night gets.
Bureaucracy & Visas
Which visa do you actually need?
D7, D8, work, student. The overview of Portugal's visa routes, and the one most people should take.
Bureaucracy & Visas
Taxes for expats: the honest basics
When Portugal starts taxing you, what happened to NHR, and why freelancers need an accountant more than a coworking desk.
Avoiding scams
Scams and traps to avoid in Lisbon
The rip-offs, shortcuts, and "too good to be true" listings that catch newcomers in their first month. Read this before you pay anyone.
Schooling
Schooling in Lisbon: public, private, and international
Three real paths, very different price tags, and a clock that starts ticking the moment you decide to move.
Lifestyle
Weekend picks, seasonal events, and local rituals — updated without an app release.
Neighbourhoods we cover
Príncipe RealMarvilaAlfamaCais do SodréCampo de OuriqueArroios
Join our community
How-tos
All guides →Get a Portuguese SIM card
Working number, mobile data, no contract. In 20 minutes.
20 min€10 to 15
Buy a Navegante transit card
Unlimited metro, bus, tram, and ferries for €40/month.
15 min€7 card + €40/mo
Get your NIF (tax ID)
Free, takes 30 min. You need it for almost everything else.
30 to 60 minFree (DIY) · €70 to 150 (rep)
Open a Portuguese bank account
For salary, rent, and the bills nobody pays in cash anymore.
45 minFree at Activobank
Register with SNS (get your utente)
Your public health number. Free GP, hospital, prescriptions.
20 min at the centreFree
Set up home internet
Fibre is cheap and fast. The hard part is the install date.
15 min to order · 5 to 15 days to install€30 to 45/mo
Exchange your driving licence
EU licences are easy. Non-EU is a longer story.
1 hour at IMT€30
Get your residence permit
The título de residência. What lets non-EU citizens stay legally.
Weeks (visa first) · 1 AIMA visit€170 approx
Register as an EU resident (CRUE)
EU/EEA citizens: the Certificado de Registo you get after 90 days.
20 min at the câmara€15
Sign a lease (without getting scammed)
From "this one looks nice" to keys in hand, paperwork intact.
1 to 4 weeks of hunting2 to 5 months' rent upfront
Get your social security number (NISS)
Needed the moment you work in Portugal. Employed or freelance.
10 min online · 1 to 2 weeks waitFree
Set up electricity, water & gas
The day-one chores after you sign. Most are 20 minutes online.
1 hour total · 1 to 5 days activation€60 to 120/mo combined
Set up MB Way
How Portugal actually pays. By phone number, instantly, for free.
10 minFree
Register as a freelancer (abrir atividade)
The official switch that lets you invoice from Portugal. Recibos verdes and all.
30 min online (once you have portal access)Free (DIY) · €50 to 150/mo with an accountant
Know what to do in case of an accident
One number to save tonight, four steps to remember if it ever rings true.
10 min to read and save the numbersFree
Handle a car crash, step by step
Most fender-benders settle on the spot. Know when that's not enough.
30 min on the spot, longer if anyone's hurtFree (your time only)