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Milan vs Porto

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Milan, IT vs Porto, PT at a glance — Porto, PT is 20% cheaper than Milan, IT overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,050/mo versus $1,500/mo. Top income tax: 48% vs 43%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Porto, PT, you'd need

$59,708 / year

Porto, PT is 20% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Porto, PT vs Milan, IT)

  • Housing-26%
  • Food & groceries-16%
  • Transport-19%
  • Utilities-21%
  • Healthcare-12%
  • Goods & services-17%

◎ How Milan, IT and Porto, PT compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Milan, ITPorto, PT

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Milan, ITPorto, PT
Cost of living
Overall cost index11188
Housing135100
Food10588
Transport8065
Utilities12095
Healthcare8272
Goods & services10688
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,500/mo$1,050/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,150/mo$780/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$3,000/mo$2,000/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,500$4,200
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$902$1,133
Inexpensive meal$16$11
Monthly transit pass$42$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)43%48%
VAT / sales tax22%23%
Corporate tax24%21%
Capital gains26%28%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$1,900/mo$1,300/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$53,864✓$44,937✓
Minimum wage—$1,244/mo✓
GDP per capita$43,309✓$32,082✓
Inflation (annual)1.5%✓2.3%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesYes
English proficiencyModerateModerate
Coworking spaces6045
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+0
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6673
Safety index5572
Healthcare index8076
Pollution index7038
Internet speed120 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8578
Public transport8270
Family-friendly6468
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy84 yr✓82 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateHigh
Climate
January avg+3 °C+10 °C
July avg+24 °C+20 °C
Sunny days / year130220
Rainfall / year1,000 mm1,150 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Italy vs Portugal. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Milan vs Porto — in your currency

MilanPorto
1-bed rent, city centre$1,500$1,050
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,150$780
Inexpensive meal$16$11
Monthly transit pass$42$45
Utilities (monthly)$190$110

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Milan

Italy's business, finance and fashion capital — the country's best job market, at its highest prices.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Italian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 3°C · ☀ 24°C · 130 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F/L · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Navigli · Brera · Isola

Good to know before you move to Porto

Portugal's soulful second city — port-wine cellars, granite churches and the Douro riverfront, at noticeably lower rents than Lisbon. A fast-growing nomad and expat base with the same sunshine and safety.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Portuguese
Time zone
UTC+0
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
72/100
Climate
❄ 10°C · ☀ 20°C · 220 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Cedofeita · Foz do Douro · Bonfim · Ribeira

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Milan to Porto: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Milan to Porto, your cost of living will be roughly 20% cheaper. Porto’s cost-of-living index is 88 versus 111 for Milan (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Milan cheaper than Porto?

Porto is about 20% cheaper than Milan overall — its cost-of-living index is 88 versus 111 for Milan.

Which is more expensive, Milan or Porto?

Milan is more expensive than Porto. Its cost-of-living index is 111 vs 88 (US = 100) — about 26% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Milan or Porto?

Rent is cheaper in Porto — about $1,050/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,500 in Milan.

How much do you need to earn in Porto to live like in Milan?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Milan is worth about $59,708 in Porto. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Milan or Porto?

Italy has the lower top income-tax rate — 43% versus 48% in Portugal.

◷ More comparisons from Milan

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.