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Places · Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Living in Setúbal

Across the Tagus from Lisbon, with beaches, a working port and rents roughly a third below the capital, at the cost of a longer commute.

Region

Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Population

123,000

Best for

Lisbon prices without Lisbon rent

Single household

€1,319 / month (€1,099–€1,687)

Couple

€1,925 / month (€1,608–€2,456)

Couple with two children

€2,725 / month

Where the money goes each month

ItemSingleCouple
Rent, 2-bedroom apartmentLong-term unfurnished lease outside the tourist core.€750€980
Electricity, water and gasAveraged across the year for an apartment; winter bills run higher because most homes have no central heating.€100€100
Internet and mobileFibre package with one or two mobile lines.€45€45
Home contents insuranceContents cover for a rented apartment.€14€14
GroceriesSupermarket shopping, counted per person; a child counts as roughly 60% of an adult.€200€400
Public transport passMonthly metropolitan pass, per adult who commutes.€40€72
Private health insuranceMid-range private plan on top of public healthcare; a child costs roughly half an adult.€40€80
Eating out and leisureCounted per adult, with a discount for a shared household.€130€234

Rent is the whole story. Every other line in a Portuguese budget is modest by Western European standards; housing is not, and in Setúbal it is what will decide whether your income is comfortable or tight.

Long-term unfurnished leases are far cheaper than the furnished, English-language listings aimed at newcomers. Arriving with three months of temporary accommodation booked and searching locally almost always beats signing remotely.

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