Study in Lisbon

Low cost of living

The city ranks moderately well in the affordability indicator this year and the city’s students enjoy its low overall living costs and cheap rent in the city centre. 

Excellent weather

With the sun shining approximately 239 days of the year, there’s lots of time to enjoy one of Portugal’s many beaches, which are only a 30-minute drive away from Lisbon. 

Good quality of education

The city contains some of the world’s top universities, including the University of Lisbon.

A cosmopolitan city

16 percent of the city’s 79,900 students are from outside Portugal and the city constantly welcomes new people and cultures.

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most affordable cities for students, charging an average of US$5,000 annually for tuition. 

The cost of living in Lisbon, and Portugal in general, is very low. A one bedroom apartment in the city centre costs approximately US$1,170 - 45 percent less than London. 

On top of this, Numbeo estimates a single person living in Lisbon will need around US$698 extra to live on each month.

Against an attractive backdrop of historic buildings, winding streets and vintage trams, Lisbon offers an eclectic selection of activities and experiences. After lectures, students can enjoy the city’s traditional public baths, lively cafés and even livelier nightclubs.

The great scenery in Lisbon is made all the better due to the city’s hilly terrain. Although this makes walking and cycling more of an effort (although great for fitness), the views are most definitely worth it.

Lisbon is a city with many start-up firms, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities on offer for graduates looking for work. The city has strong competition for jobs so students should start looking for work early on if they hope to stay in Lisbon after graduation. 

The services sector is the dominant industry in the city, with tourism accounting for a large part of Lisbon’s economy. Aside from this, biotechnology, IT and telecommunications are also flourishing industries in Lisbon, as well as agriculture, financial services and retail.

EEA, EU and Swiss nationals can work in Lisbon for up to six months before applying for a residence permit, but non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will have to obtain an offer of employment from a Portuguese company.