15 Pros and Cons of Living in Lisbon

In this post, I’ll share with you my thoughts on the main pros and cons of living in Lisbon, Portugal’s beautiful capital.

With its year-round sunshine, atmospheric cobblestone streets, colorful tiled buildings, and rich cultural and culinary scene, Lisbon is a pretty amazing place to live, all things considered. It’s one of my favorite cities in Europe and I’ve spent quite a lot of time there over the past few years.

But, it’s not perfect. Nowhere is. Like any major capital city, Lisbon comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Overall, I’d say the benefits of living in Lisbon vastly outweigh the drawbacks. But it’s important to consider a range of different factors, which is what I’ll be doing here.

15 Pros and Cons of Living in Lisbon

When coming up with this set of pros and cons of living in Lisbon, I relied largely on my own personal experience of the city, and Portugal more widely. Having spent many weeks living there myself, I know Lisbon pretty well.

I also have a couple of friends who are from Lisbon and have lived there most of their lives, so I’ve been able to get a local’s perspectives on the city too. To help you decide whether Lisbon would be a good place for you, here’s a balanced view of life in Portugal’s capital.

Pros of Living in Lisbon

There are many advantages of living in Lisbon. Here are 10 of the best things about the city.

1. Affordable Cost of Living

Lisbon is a relatively affordable city to live in, at least compared with other Western European capital cities. Your money goes much further here than it would in, say, Paris, London, or Copenhagen.

It’s definitely not as cheap as it used to be. And it’s still the most expensive city in Portugal to live in. The city has seen quite a bit of price inflation over the last few years, partly due to its popularity with digital nomads which has caused a surge in rental prices.

Yet, despite this recent price inflation (see below for more info on this), you can still enjoy a high quality of life in Lisbon without breaking the bank. Rent, food, transport, and entertainment are all relatively affordable.

2. Great Weather

One of the things I love most about Lisbon is its weather. The city enjoys a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and long, hot summers. This means you can spend plenty of time outside enjoying the city’s many parks, gardens, and outdoor spaces throughout the year.

Lisbon…