A quick look at the rental map of Portugal reveals clear differences in prices across the country in the second quarter of 2025. The cost of renting a home ranges from a high of €22.2 per square metre (€/m²) in Lisbon to a low of €6.8/m² in Castelo Branco. Using data from idealista, Portugal’s leading property marketplace, we reveal the 25 cheapest places to rent a home in the country.
Castelo Branco tops the list as the most affordable municipality, with landlords asking a average price of €6.8/m², making it the cheapest place to rent in Portugal at the moment.
The top five cheapest municipalities to rent are completed by Santa Maria da Feira (€7.1/m²), Viseu (€8/m²), Covilhã (€8.1/m²), and Barcelos (€8.3/m²).
There are 11 other municipalities where the average rent remains under €10/m². These include Vila Nova de Famalicão (€8.4/m²), Santarém (€8.8/m²), Leiria (€8.9/m²), Lourinhã (€9.1/m²), Viana do Castelo (€9.2/m²), Figueira da Foz (€9.3/m²), Caldas da Rainha (€9.4/m²), Valongo (€9.5/m²), Ílhavo (€9.6/m²), Guimarães (€9.6/m²), and Braga (€9.8/m²).
The list continues with Gondomar and Maia, where rents stand at €10.3/m² in both areas, followed by Póvoa de Varzim (€10.4/m²), Espinho (€10.5/m²), and Torres Vedras (€10.6/m²).
Towards the end of the ranking of the 25 cheapest places to rent in Portugal, we find Alenquer (€11.1/m²), Nazaré (€11.1/m²), Alcochete (€11/m²), and Vila do Conde (€10.8/m²).
Meanwhile, idealista’s analysis also highlights the 5 most expensive places to rent in Portugal. Lisbon tops the list, with rents reaching €22.2/m², making it the priciest place in the country. It is followed by Cascais (€20/m²), Porto (€17.7/m²), Loulé (€17.5/m²), and Oeiras (€16.8/m²).
Where is the highest demand for rental homes in Portugal? Lisbon and Porto outside the top 50
Living near major urban centres, where rents are more affordable, continues to be the main focus of rental searches in Portugal. Evidence of this is that the municipalities surrounding Lisbon (such as Barreiro, Vila Franca de Xira and Amadora) remain at the top of the list of the 50 most sought-after municipalities for renting homes in the second quarter of 2025. Lisbon and Porto themselves do not appear in this ranking, as demand pressure is more evenly spread across the available rental proper
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