Lisbon
Portugal · Europe · 3.0M people
Atlantic light, tiled facades and a fast-growing remote-work scene along the Tagus.
Ranked #11 of 303 overall · 38.72, -9.14
Overview
Lisbon, Portugal, is home to about 3.0 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. People who choose to settle in Lisbon tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and a climate most people find easy to live with as the deciding factors. Against its 103 tracked peers in Europe, Lisbon's 7.6/10 overall score sits 0.7 points above the regional average of 6.9. On CityMatch, Lisbon scores 7.6/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #11 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is climate at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 7/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
No major pollution concerns on average.
Workable without being exceptional.
A real selling point if climate matters to you.
Standard care access, nothing exceptional.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Lisbon right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Climate scores 9/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Lisbon.
A 8/10 safety score puts Lisbon among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is Lisbon's comparatively softest spot at 7/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Environment and air quality sits at 7/10, comparatively the softest of Lisbon's scores though still a reasonable baseline.
Is Lisbon safe?
Lisbon scores 8/10 on safety — one of the more reassuring cities in our database. Most residents and visitors report feeling comfortable with ordinary city awareness rather than specific precautions.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Safety, healthcare (7/10) and environment (7/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (8/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Lisbon?
At 9/10, Lisbon's climate is a genuine selling point, consistently one of the better-scoring factors on its scorecard.
Seasonal character
Tagged as a warm-climate city in our data — expect mild winters and a long stretch of pleasant, sun-heavy weather rather than a sharp seasonal divide.
Comfort level
Comfort level is high enough that climate rarely dictates day-to-day plans — a rare trait among the cities we track.
Best time to live here
With a climate this consistent, there isn't a single "best" window — most of the year works.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Lisbon
Put together, quality of life in Lisbon is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, lisbon has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, Lisbon has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Between an environment score of 7/10 and a climate score of 9/10, spending time outdoors is genuinely easy here, helped further by its coastal or warm-climate setting.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Lisbon isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Lisbon tends to suit people who prioritize climate and safety over cost of living — see "Who Lisbon suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Lisbon?
Environment scores 7/10 here, solidly average: no particular pollution concern, but not a headline strength either.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Lisbon suits
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 7.7/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 7.6/10 here).
Retiree
Retirees — retirees prioritizing healthcare, climate and a calm environment over nightlife or internet speed (fit score 7.6/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 7.5/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 7/10 for cost of living, Lisbon lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 8/10 on our safety score, Lisbon ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
At 9/10 for climate, Lisbon is about as pleasant, weather-wise, as our database gets — a real factor if seasonal mood or outdoor time matters to you.
Quality of life
What stands out about Lisbon is how even its scorecard is — no criterion drags the average down much, giving a global score of 7.6/10 built on climate as the high point and cost of living as the lowest. The average across all seven criteria is 7.6/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Lisbon covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 8/10 for internet, Lisbon is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Lisbon?
Lisbon is a strong, well-rounded pick at 7.6/10 overall — climate stands out most, and even its comparatively softest criterion (cost of living) is still a solid, workable score rather than a real downside.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lisbon safe?
Yes — Lisbon scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Lisbon?
Lisbon scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Lisbon good for families?
Lisbon is a reasonable family option — safety (8/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Lisbon a good city for students?
Yes, Lisbon is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is Lisbon suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Lisbon is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 8/10 and a cost-of-living score of 7/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Lisbon?
Lisbon scores 9/10 on climate — mild, pleasant conditions for most of the year, one of the better climate scores in our database.
Is Lisbon pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 9/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 7/10, Lisbon holds up well across seasons.
Is Lisbon a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.3/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Lisbon?
Yes — Lisbon scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Lisbon a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 8.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Lisbon?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Valencia and Malaga are the closest matches to Lisbon in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Lisbon worth living in?
On balance, yes — Lisbon's overall score of 7.6/10 is among the stronger all-round profiles in our 303-city database, without one glaring weakness dragging it down.
Who should move to Lisbon?
Based on its score profile, Lisbon suits people who value climate and safety more than the average mover — see the "Who Lisbon suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Lisbon walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Lisbon scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Lisbon?
Climate is Lisbon's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Lisbon?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 7/10 — the lowest of Lisbon's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.