Today, families are experiencing reduced purchasing power and access to housing is more difficult. In order to buy a house compatible with their income and pay a lower mortgage instalment, some people are thinking of moving to the interior of the country. Not least because this is where most of the 25cheapest municipalities to buy a house in Portugal are located, according to a study by idealista, Portugal's property marketplace.
Looking at the list of the 25 cheapest municipalities to buy a house in Portugal, Gavião, in the district of Portalegre, ranks first. Homeowners in this municipality ask, in median terms, 401 euros per square metre (€/m2), which is the cheapest value per m2 in the country to buy a house, the study points out.
Just behind is Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in Guarda, where buying a house costs, in median terms, €404/m2 at the end of June 2023. Completing the top 5 are the municipalities of Nisa, in Portalegre (430 €/m2), Penamacor, in Castelo Branco (436 €/m2), and Celorico da Beira, in Guarda (443 €/m2).
For less than 500 € per m2, it is still possible to buy a house in the municipalities of Pinhel, in Guarda (448 €/m2), Góis, in Coimbra (450 €/m2), Sabugal, in Guarda (466 €/m2), Sousel, in Portalegre (468 €/m2), Castanheira de Pêra, in Leiria (497 €/m2), and Penacova, in Coimbra (497 €/m2).
Houses for sale with square metres between €500 and €575
The other 14 municipalities on the list have houses for sale for more than 500 €/m2, such as Crato, in Portalegre (€504/m2), Pampilhosa da Serra, in Coimbra (€526/m2), Mação, in Santarém (532 €/m2), Fronteira, in Portalegre (542 €/m2) and Melgaço, in Viana do Castelo (549 €/m2).
Between 500 €/m2 and 575 €/m2 there are houses to buy in nine Portuguese municipalities. They are: Idanha-a-Nova in Castelo Branco (552 €/m2), Avis in Portalegre (554 €/m2), Gouveia in Guarda (556 €/m2), Campo Maior in Portalegre (557 €/m2), Penela in Coimbra (558 €/m2), Arganil in Coimbra (566 €/m2), Proença-a-Nova in Castelo Branco (573 €/m2) and Ansião in Leiria (574 €/m2).
In the last place of the ranking of the 25 cheapest municipalities to buy a house is Alvaiázere, in Leiria, where the cost is 576 €/m2.
25 cheapest municipalities to buy a house
| District | Municipality | Price (euros/m2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portalegre | Gavião | 401 € |
| 2 | Guarda | Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo | 404 € |
| 3 | Portalegre | Nisa | 430 € |
| 4 | Castelo Branco | Penamacor | 436 € |
| 5 | Guarda | Celorico da Beira | 443 € |
| 6 | Guarda | Pinhel | 448 € |
| 7 | Coimbra | Góis | 450 € |
| 8 | Guarda | Sabugal | 466 € |
| 9 | Portalegre | Sousel | 468 € |
| 10 | Leiria | Castanheira de Pêra | 497 € |
| 11 | Coimbra | Penacova | 497 € |
| 12 | Portalegre | Crato | 504 € |
| 13 | Coimbra | Pampilhosa da Serra | 526 € |
| 14 | Santarém | Mação | 532 € |
| 15 | Portalegre | Fronteira | 542 € |
| 16 | Viana do Castelo | Melgaço | 549 € |
| 17 | Castelo Branco | Idanha-a-Nova | 552 € |
| 18 | Portalegre | Avis | 554 € |
| 19 | Guarda | Gouveia | 556 € |
| 20 | Portalegre | Campo Maior | 557 € |
| 21 | Coimbra | Penela | 558 € |
| 22 | Coimbra | Arganil | 566 € |
| 23 | Castelo Branco | Proença-a-Nova | 573 € |
| 24 | Leiria | Ansião | 574 € |
| 25 | Leiria | Alvaiázere | 576 € |
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The study by Idealist also found the five most exclusive locations to buy a house in Portugal, i.e. the most expensive. This is the top 5 most expensive municipalities to buy a house in the country:
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