Cost of Moving to Portugal
If your mind first when to the costs of a move to Portugal from South Africa, you wouldn’t be the first, even we’ve considered it! To give you an idea, moving an average 3-bed house from South Africa to Portugal costs between R83,300-R137,700. That’s not bad for an international move.
As you start planning your move to Portugal from South Africa, you’ll start to realise that there are many factors that affect the cost of an international move. If you want to get the best price for your move, it’s better to come to the negotiation table armed with knowledge.
Below, you can find the average cost of moving to Portugal via sea and different size households. These prices are based on a move from Cape Town to Lisbon. As you can see, volume has an effect on the cost. So, use our volume calculator to quickly calculate yours!
| Size of Household | Time of Move | Cost of Move |
| 1-bed flat | 6-10 weeks | R34,500-R59,900 |
| 2-bed house | 4-7 weeks | R47,200R-R82,000 |
| 3-bed house | 4-7 weeks | R83,300-R137,700 |
| 4-bed house | 4-7 weeks | R139,600-179,200 |
| 5-bed house | 4-7 weeks | R175,400-250,800 |
Most removal companies will use a container to ship your belongings abroad and they usually are 20ft or 40ft in size. If you think that you will need a container and not sure on the sizes or costs, then take a look at our container shipping prices page for more information.
Request moving quotes with ease
If you want to avoid the hassle of calling a few hundred companies to find one that can help you with your move, then fill out the form below! We do the hard work for you and find up to 5 moving companies that can help you with your move to Portugal.
Visas for Portugal
When moving to Portugal from South Africa, it’s important to know that you’ll need to apply for a visa to legally live in the country. Furthermore, you’ll need to do this in advance of arriving. To get the process of your application started, and find more information about visas, click here.
Checklist for Moving to Portugal
Here is a checklist of some of the most important things that you need to consider when you’re moving to Portugal. While it’s not comprehensive, you can check our moving abroad checklist for a more through list, it covers the most important bases.
✔️️ Important documents
As your moving to another country, it’s important to ensure that you have all your important documents to prove your credentials and qualifications. You should be sure to keep them safe and even make duplicates.
- Passport
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Medical Documentation (including dental and immunizations)
- University Degree(s) and qualification(s)
- Police Background Check
- Visa
✔️️ Pack
There’s really no moving without packing, and if you want to reduce the amount of stress caused by it, then read our expert packing guide! It’ll save you some stress as you move to Portugal.
✔️️ Register
After you move to Portugal and you’ll be staying for more than 3 months, you’ll need to register with your local council to formalise your residence. This costs around R268,75 (€15).
✔️ Healthcare
Residents in Portugal can receive free healthcare and have access to a range of services. As well as this, there are two other types of healthcare in Portugal, which are the special social health insurance schemes and voluntary private health insurance.
You will need to obtain a Cartão de Utente in order to be eligible for free healthcare in Portugal. To obtain this you will need to go to the local medical centre with your passport and residency card.
Private healthcare in Portugal is expensive but is becoming more popular. Prescriptions are, however, subsidised greatly through social security payments.
✔️️ Bank account
As we’re sure you’re aware, Portugal uses the Euro. So, if you want to avoid an excessive amount of conversion fees, we strongly advice that you open a local bank account, it’ll save you a lot of hassle and money. Some of the biggest banks in Portugal are:
- Banco Santander Totta
- Novo Banco
- Banco Finantia
- Caixa Central de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo
Work in Portugal
You’ll need to have a job secured before you apply for a visa for Portugal, so begin your search as soon as possible. The service sector in Portugal dominates the economy and while there is opportunity, there is a lot of competition in the market. Some key industries in Portugal include are:
- Telecommunication
- Agriculture
- Automobiles
- Financial services
- Hospitality
The Portuguese government are actively encouraging entrepreneurs to start a business in Portugal, which might be an ideal option for you. However, if you’re looking for salaried employment, the best way to look for a job is online as it’s one of the most common ways to apply for work in Portugal. Here are some job websites to help you:
![Moving to Portugal from Australia]()
Ready to Move to Portugal?
All finished, at this point you’re a moving pro and ready for the challenge of moving to Portugal. It should be smooth and not too stressful, a little stress is inevitable, you’re moving to a new country!
If do find yourself still a little worried about the moving process, then feel free to continue reading. Just click one of the links below to continue learning. Otherwise, have a great move!
