Buying a house in Portugal: which 10 municipalities are the cheapest

In Portugal, there is a deep culture of ownership, where many families strive to acquire their own homes. However, high real estate prices in major cities along the coast force many people to turn to peripheral areas. Some choose to move inland in search of tranquility, greater proximity to nature, and more reasonable housing prices relative to their incomes. It is noted that the ten most affordable municipalities for home purchases are mainly located in the countryside, in districts such as Guarda, Viseu, and Castelo Branco.

According to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) on February 6, the average price of homes in Portugal from October 2022 to September 2023 was1579 eurosfor square meter, which is2.5%higher compared to last year, which ended in June. However, only49from304The municipalities of the country have higher prices, with Lisbon, Cascais, and Oeiras being the most expensive.

It has been noticed that the overwhelming majority of304available for analysis of municipalities (from the total number308) demonstrate significantly lower housing prices. This indicates that high housing costs in major cities like Lisbon, Porto, and Faro contribute to the rise in housing prices at the national level.

Where in Portugal can I find affordable housing?

For those looking for more affordable options for purchase and are open to relocation, there are several municipalities in the countryside worth considering. At the top of the list is Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo (in the Guarda district), where the average price per square meter is only140 eurosThis means that you only need to pay14 thousand eurosfor a house with an area of100square meters.

• In second place for availability was Meda (also in Guarde) with a price of163 eurosper square meter.
• On the third is Serna Shell (in the Viseu district), where the average price was197 eurosfor square meter over the last12months that ended in the third quarter2023Thus, the living space in100Square meters in Mede can be purchased for approximately16 thousand euros, and in Serna's shell — for less than20 thousand euros.
• Among the ten most affordable municipalities for purchasing housing, at the bottom of the list are Mogadouro (in the Bragança district) and Pampilhosa da Serra (in the Coimbra district), where the price per square meter is298 eurosas reported by INE. Therefore, it is also possible to purchase housing in both of these locations for30 thousand euros.

Where are the highest housing prices?

As expected, housing prices in major cities in Portugal are significantly higher, especially in Lisbon, Faro, and Porto. The most expensive municipality is Lisbon, where the average price per square meter of housing has reached4151 eurosas of September2023This means that the average family spent about415 thousand eurosfor the purchase of housing in this capital.

Following him are Cascaish and Oeiras, also located in the Lisbon area, with average housing sale prices in3831 eurosfor square meter and3177 eurosper square meter, according to data from the Portuguese statistical service. The Faro district has six municipalities on the list of the most expensive places to buy housing: Loulé, Lagos, Vila do Bispo, Aljezur, Tavira, and Albufeira. Porto also ranks eighth, where the average housing cost was2798 eurosper square meter.