Townleap

Cost of Living: Funchal vs Graz (2026)

Portugal vs Austria — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Funchal
Graz
$1568/mo
Rent
$772/mo
71/100
Livability
78/100
85/100
Safety
90/100
84/100
Healthcare
85/100
5 yr
PR path
5 yr
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)
Freelance setup
Trabalhador Independente
  • VAT-free under €15k
  • 21.4% social
  • €900/yr accountant
WiseStripe
EPU
  • VAT-free under €42k
  • 27% social
  • €1400/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRGraz is 51% cheaper on rent ($772/mo vs $1568/mo). Funchal has milder winters (13°C vs -3°C lows). Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Graz edges ahead 78 to 71. Funchal isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
Household
Funchal
Metric
Graz
$1568/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$772/mo
$487/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$909/mo
$7,039
🧳
Cost to land
$4,786
0.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.9 / 100k
24°C
☀️
Summer high
25°C
13°C
❄️
Winter low
-3°C
4.9 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
15.1 μg/m³
8.1 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
8.3 / 10
100/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$52k
💼
GDP per capita
$74k
2.4% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
2.9% · Boringly steady
71 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
78 / 100
5 years
📋
Time to PR
5 years
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Graz
$797/mo cheaper on rent alone

Sun

How much sky you actually get

45% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
40% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
10.0h
Shortest day
Dec
8.6h
14.3h
Longest day
Jun
15.8h

Sun clocks out early in Graz's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining
Inflation trend
stable
5 yrs
Time to PR
5 yrs
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Complex
RU visa
Moderate
Moderate
UA visa
Moderate
Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
Partner can work immediately
Recognized (2+ yr)
união de facto
Partner pathway
Not recognized
eingetragene Partnerschaft
920/mo
Retiree visa
Tax breaks
Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
10 wk
Gestational limit
14 wk

On request up to 10 weeks since 2007 referendum. Mandatory 3-day reflection period.

Legal within first trimester. Counseling required.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

67/100
Rainbow Index
50/100
Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 51% cheaper in Graz ($772/mo vs $1568/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in Graz (25°C vs 24°C).

Funchal vs Graz — Common Questions

Is Funchal cheaper than Graz?

Graz is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $772/month in Graz vs $1568/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Funchal or Graz?

Funchal is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Funchal has a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 and Graz has 0.88 per 100,000.

Should I move to Funchal or Graz?

Graz edges ahead 78 to 71. Funchal isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. 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 Funchal or Graz?

Funchal: Portugal Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 2 years (renewable for 3-year periods)). Graz: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

What's the cost of rent in Funchal vs Graz?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $772/month in Graz, $1568/month in Funchal (Numbeo). That's 51% cheaper rent in Graz.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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