Portugal vs Spain

Portugal
Europe
Capital Lisbon · 10M people · Euro
Spain
Europe
Capital Madrid · 47M people · Euro
Cost of living
Portugal
$351/mo
Safety
Portugal
0.1/5
Getting around
Spain
0.2/5
Culture
Spain
0.5/5
Passport reach
Spain
not scored
Airports
Spain
243M passengers/yr
Climate
Depends on you
not scored
Overall
Spain edges it, 3–2.
Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.

Cost of living

monthly median · solo budget

Portugal is cheaper
$1,533/mo
Minimalist $1,196 · Comfort $2,208
ranks #52 of 95 worldwide
$1,884/mo
Minimalist $1,420 · Comfort $2,926
ranks #69 of 95 worldwide

Cost in the three biggest cities

Lisbon$2,100$2,244Madrid
Porto$1,759$2,436Barcelona
Braga$1,423$1,754Valencia

Portugal is cheaper than Spain — $1,533/mo vs $1,884/mo.

Portugal is cheaper than 25 of 41 European countries; Spain is pricier than 23 of 41 European countries.

Safety

safety index

Portugal is safer

Portugal

2.9/5
Mixed picture

Spain

2.8/5
Mixed picture
PT flagPortugalSpainES flagGap
Street safety4.1/53.4/5+0.7
Property safety2.3/52.3/5Even
Road safety2.3/53.1/5+0.8
Earthquake safety3.1/53.5/5+0.4
Wildfire safety2.1/52.1/5Even
Flood safety3.0/53.1/5+0.1

Portugal is safer than Spain — 2.9/5 vs 2.8/5.

Portugal is less safe than 23 of 41 European countries; Spain is less safe than 24 of 41 European countries.

Getting around

transit & transport systems

Spain scores higher

Portugal

2.9/5
City-dependent

Spain

3.1/5
City-dependent
PT flagPortugalSpainES flagGap
Walkability3.8/54.5/5+0.7
Transit2.7/53.5/5+0.8
Cycling1.9/52.9/5+1.0
Airport access3.8/53.6/5+0.2

Spain scores higher on mobility than Portugal — 3.1/5 vs 2.9/5.

Portugal is harder to get around than 21 of 41 European countries; Spain is easier to get around than 25 of 41 European countries.

Culture

cultural depth

Spain scores higher

Portugal

3.5/5
Strong scene

Spain

4.0/5
Strong scene

World Heritage sites

Portugal

Photos via Wikimedia Commons · data UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Spain scores higher on culture than Portugal — 4.0/5 vs 3.5/5.

Portugal is lighter on culture than 24 of 41 European countries; Spain is richer in culture than 32 of 41 European countries.

Passport reach

what the passport opens

Spain reaches more
PT flagPortugalSpainES flagGap
Visa-free destinations102105+3
GDP reach92%92%Even
Heritage sites reachable11241133+9

Portugal's passport reaches 102 destinations visa-free to Spain's 105 — Spain opens more doors without a visa.

Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.

Airports

international connectivity

Spain is better connected

Flight connectivity in the biggest cities

LisbonLIS36M68MMadridMAD
PortoOPO17M57MBarcelonaBCN
FaroFAO10M34MPalmaPMI
PT flagPortugalSpainES flagGap
Major airports624+18
Annual passengers73M315M+243M

Spain is better connected than Portugal — 315M passengers/yr vs 73M passengers/yr.

Portugal is busier than 61 of 87 countries worldwide; Spain is busier than 83 of 87 countries worldwide. Portugal sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year; Spain sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.

Climate

where most people live · °C

Depends on you
Portugal-1°C to 32°C
Spain-5°C to 35°C
-10°0°20°30°40°

Portugal runs -1°C to 32°C for most people; Spain runs -5°C to 35°C for most people.

Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.

Portugal vs Spain: frequently asked

▶Should I move to Portugal or Spain?
Spain edges it, 3–2. Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.
▶Is Portugal or Spain cheaper?
Portugal is cheaper than Spain — $1,533/mo vs $1,884/mo. Portugal is cheaper than 25 of 41 European countries; Spain is pricier than 23 of 41 European countries.
▶Is Portugal or Spain safer?
Portugal is safer than Spain — 2.9/5 vs 2.8/5. Portugal is less safe than 23 of 41 European countries; Spain is less safe than 24 of 41 European countries.
▶Is it easier to get around in Portugal or Spain?
Spain scores higher on mobility than Portugal — 3.1/5 vs 2.9/5. Portugal is harder to get around than 21 of 41 European countries; Spain is easier to get around than 25 of 41 European countries.
▶Does Portugal or Spain have a richer culture?
Spain scores higher on culture than Portugal — 4.0/5 vs 3.5/5. Portugal is lighter on culture than 24 of 41 European countries; Spain is richer in culture than 32 of 41 European countries.
▶Which has better flight connections, Portugal or Spain?
Spain is better connected than Portugal — 315M passengers/yr vs 73M passengers/yr. Portugal is busier than 61 of 87 countries worldwide; Spain is busier than 83 of 87 countries worldwide. Portugal sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year; Spain sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
▶Which passport is stronger, Portugal or Spain?
Portugal's passport reaches 102 destinations visa-free to Spain's 105 — Spain opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.
▶What is the climate like in Portugal versus Spain?
Portugal runs -1°C to 32°C for most people; Spain runs -5°C to 35°C for most people. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.