San Marino vs Portugal

Portugal costs roughly 31% less than San Marino, though San Marino scores higher on safety. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

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Portugal is approximately 31% less expensive than San Marino based on cost of living including rent. This makes Portugal a more expensive option for expats considering a move.

San Marino has a FIRE Score of 71/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 84.7, which is relatively safe.

Recommended profile: San Marino is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Overall Winner

San Marino

City of San Marino

About San Marino

San Marino works for high-net-worth retirees, not budget expats. Its retirement visa demands EUR 10,000/month in income, filtering out anyone without serious assets. Safety is reflected in an 84.7 safety index and rent runs around $635/mo, but the small expat community and medium English proficiency limit day-to-day ease. Progressive tax up to 40% erodes the appeal unless the facilitated regime applies.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$1,465/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$900
Family (excl. rent)$2,600

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$635
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$577
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$848
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$779

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
71/100
Retiree Score
65/100
Nomad Score
73/100


Country Details →

About Portugal

A one-bedroom in central Lisbon runs about $1,040/month, roughly a third of comparable Boston or DC rents. Combined with $776 in monthly living costs, a couple can live well under $2,500/month total, and the D7 visa only requires $1,031 income to qualify. The catch: Portuguese progressive tax hits 48% (top bracket), so this works best for retirees on fixed foreign income, not high earners staying tax resident.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$1,185/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$776
Family (excl. rent)$2,805

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,040
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$824
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,755
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$1,329

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
59/100
Retiree Score
68/100
Nomad Score
77/100


Country Details →

Battle of Lifestyles

Scroll to compare

MetricSan MarinoPortugal
Travel Advisory
Level 2: Increased CautionLevel 1: Normal Precautions
Quality of Life Index
182.3 +14.5
167.8
Healthcare Index
65.4 72.2 +6.8
Safety Index
84.7 +16.8
67.9
Cost of Living Index
54 41.2 +12.8
Living Costs (Single, excl. rent)$900 $775.7 +124.3
Living Costs (Family, excl. rent)$2,600 +205.2$2,805.2
1BR Apartment (Center)$634.84 +404.92$1,039.76
1BR Apartment (Outside)$577.13 +246.84$823.97
3BR Apartment (Center)$848.37 +906.63$1,755
3BR Apartment (Outside)$779.12 +549.72$1,328.84
Avg Internet Speed101.53 Mbps 351.94 Mbps +250.4

Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

We use a "Pure Data" approach, pulling raw facts from high-authority sources including private sources for real-time crowd-sourced pricing, the World Bank for stability metrics, and official government visa portals.

The FIRE Score is a dynamic metric based on your Monthly Income vs. Total Expenses. It calculates your potential savings rate; the more you save, the higher the score.

Our indices (Quality of Life, Healthcare, Safety, Cost of Living) are relative metrics. For example, a higher Quality of Life Index indicates better purchasing power, safety, and healthcare, while a higher Cost of Living Index means the country is more expensive relative to others.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of how suitable a country is for long-term retirement. It is calculated from three main factors: healthcare system quality, safety index, and the general cost of living.

The Nomad Score measures how well a country supports remote workers. It is calculated from average internet speeds, the cost of living, and the safety index.

The "Single" toggle calculates costs based on a 1-Bedroom apartment. "Family" assumes a 3-Bedroom apartment and the expenses for a household of four.