๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น Lisbon vs ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Barcelona

Portugal vs Spain โ€” relocation comparison

79
Livability Score
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น Lisbon
Portugal
Full profile โ†’
69
Livability Score
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Barcelona
Spain
Full profile โ†’
Lisbon wins this one convincingly โ€” the data doesn't lie. Barcelona has its charms, but the numbers favor Lisbon.
Lisbon
Metric
Barcelona
$1547/mo
๐Ÿ 
Rent (1BR centre)
$1400/moโœ“
0.7 homicides/100k
๐Ÿ”’
Safety
0.6 homicides/100kโœ“
โœ“27ยฐC
โ˜€๏ธ
Summer high
27ยฐC
โœ“9ยฐC
โ„๏ธ
Winter low
5ยฐC
โœ“238 Mbps
โšก
Internet speed
84 Mbps
7.8 / 10
๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ
Democracy
8.1 / 10โœ“
โœ“Very High (86/100)
๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ
English ease
High (62/100)
$52k
๐Ÿ’ผ
GDP per capita
$58kโœ“
โœ“2.4%
๐Ÿ“ˆ
Inflation
2.8%
โœ“79 / 100
๐Ÿ…
Livability Score
69 / 100
โœ“78/100 โ€” Decent
โšก
Grid reliability
70/100 โ€” Decent
โœ“96/100
๐Ÿ—ฝ
Freedom House
90/100
5 years
๐Ÿ“‹
Time to PR
5 years

Settler Essentials

improving โ†‘
Democracy trend
stable โ†’
active
Startup ecosystem
hub
Easy
EU visa
Easy

Lisbon vs Barcelona: The Short Version

  • โ€ขRent is 11% cheaper in Barcelona ($1400/mo vs $1547/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • โ€ขSummers are slightly warmer in Lisbon (27ยฐC vs 27ยฐC).
  • โ€ขEnglish is easier to get by in Lisbon (86/100 vs 62/100 English proficiency).

Lisbon vs Barcelona โ€” Common Questions

Is Lisbon cheaper than Barcelona?โ–พ

Barcelona is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1400/month in Barcelona vs $1547/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Lisbon or Barcelona?โ–พ

Barcelona is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Lisbon has a rate of 0.69 per 100,000 and Barcelona has 0.61 per 100,000.

Should I move to Lisbon or Barcelona?โ–พ

Lisbon wins this one convincingly โ€” the data doesn't lie. Barcelona has its charms, but the numbers favor Lisbon. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Lisbon or Barcelona?โ–พ

Lisbon: Portugal Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable to 5)). Barcelona: Spain Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable to 5)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Can I live in Lisbon or Barcelona without speaking the local language?โ–พ

English is easier to get by in Lisbon (EF EPI score: 86/100) than in Barcelona (62/100). In Lisbon, daily life and professional settings often work in English. In Barcelona, learning some of the local language will make long-term settlement significantly smoother.

Want to factor in your salary, family size, and tax situation?

Open interactive comparison โ†’