Lisbon (Portugal) vs Madrid (Spain)

Lisbon (Portugal) vs Madrid (Spain): rent, cost of living, climate, safety and country-level context (taxes, visas) side by side — every figure with its source.

Verified Jul 4, 2026

Lisbon (Portugal)Madrid (Spain)

Scoreboard

The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.

Lisbon leads on 4 of 8

	Lisbon	Madrid
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.	★$941/mo i INE — Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2024 (household budget survey), rent stripped Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE EPF 2024 average household spending by COICOP group (total €34,044/hh). Housing group €11,029 reduced to utilities only (imputed rent €9,299 removed), leaving a non-rent basket of €24,746/hh. Divided by average household size 2.50 (€34,044 ÷ €13,626 per-person) → €9,905/person/yr = €825/mo; converted at EUR/USD 1.1399 (ECB 2026-07-02) → $941/mo. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price levels (Spain ≈ 92% of EU27; ≈ 1.28× Poland, whose figure is $753). Notes National per-capita non-rent basket. A person living alone typically spends somewhat more per head (fixed costs not shared) — this figure is the reproducible household-survey floor. City files (Madrid/Barcelona) run higher; Valencia/smaller cities lower.
Rent: 1-bedroom (city avg)	★$1,367/mo i idealista — Portugal rental market report, May 2026 (Lisboa city asking rent €/m²) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of May 31, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method idealista city-wide asking rent for Lisboa (município) May 2026 = €21.8/m² (−2.7% y/y). A ~55 m² 1-bedroom ≈ €1,199/month ≈ $1,367 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02, per data/fx-rates.json). City-wide-per-m² basis for cross-city comparability. Notes City-wide €/m² × 55 m² — the criterion's robust comparison figure. Central historic parishes run higher; an independent Portuguese reference (ricavida.pt, 2026) puts the average listed T1 at ~€1,539/month, which skews above this because listing averages include larger and premium units. Lisbon is the most expensive rental market in Portugal (national median €16.3/m², Porto €16.4/m²); asking rents fell ~2.7% y/y in May 2026. idealista is the major national listing portal (asking, not transacted, prices).	$1,405/mo i Idealista rental price report — Madrid municipio, June 2026 (23.7 €/m²/month) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Idealista city-wide asking rent 23.7 €/m²/month (Madrid municipio, June 2026, +7.6% YoY) × 52 m² typical 1-bedroom = 1,232 €/mo ≈ $1,405 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (fx-rates.json, ECB 2026-07-02). Notes City-wide average (asking). Central districts (Centro/Salamanca ≈31 €/m²) run ~30% higher and outer districts (Villaverde/Moratalaz ≈16.5–17.6 €/m²) ~25% lower — see rent-breakdown. Idealista publishes €/m², not per-apartment rents, so the per-unit figure is derived using a fixed floor area.
Freelancer tax burden	30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.	★28.4% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BOE-A-2026-7296 RETA + Agencia Tributaria IRPF scale) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best realistically-eligible scheme for a solo IT freelancer = es-autonomo-estimacion-directa at €60,000 revenue with 10% (€6,000) expenses. RETA cuota tramo 14 (base 1,732.03 × 31.5%) = 6,547.08/yr; difícil-justificación 2,000 (notional); IRPF base 39,902.92 (after mínimo personal 5,550) → 10,465.58. Total levies 17,012.66 / 60,000 = 28.4%. The Beckham regime (flat 24%) is NOT open to ordinary freelancers, only to eligible employed/relocated impatriates — see es-beckham-impatriate.
Homicide rate	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.	0.72/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101, per 100k) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Latest year 2024 = 0.72 per 100k (2023: 0.69; 2022: 0.69). Spain is among the safer EU countries for intentional homicide.
Internet speed	40 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle. Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.	★50 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Spain Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Median of 344 daily country medians, 9,298,577 tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; 2024 file is partial at 86 days with a similar 52.5 Mbps median). Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Spain has extensive FTTH coverage; real advertised fibre speeds are far higher than this test-based median.
English proficiency	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.	Moderate i EF EPI 2025 (Spain rank 36/123, score 540 — Moderate band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First; Spain score 540, Moderate band, weakest in speaking 462). English is workable in tourist/hospitality zones and among younger urban professionals, but limited in government offices, healthcare, and everyday services outside big cities — a moderate rating for daily life.
Private healthcare cost	★$650/yr i Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote. Notes Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.	$821/yr i Sanitas / Adeslas / DKV comprehensive (with-hospitalization) individual plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive Spanish private health policies (póliza de salud) include outpatient AND hospitalization/inpatient by default. For a healthy 35-year-old, full-cover plans run ≈ €45–52/mo with modest copays and ≈ €65–90/mo copay-free (Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV — 2026 published ranges). Comprehensive midpoint ≈ €60/mo ≈ €720/yr ≈ $821 at EUR/USD 1.1399 (range ≈ $615–$1,230/yr). Notes Residents in the contributory system have public healthcare (Sistema Nacional de Salud); private cover is optional and widely bought for speed/choice. Premiums are quoted on request and vary by province (Madrid/Barcelona highest) and copay structure, so this is a curated market midpoint on a comprehensive (outpatient+inpatient) basis, not a single public quote.
Air quality (PM2.5)	no verified data	9 µg/m³ i Ayuntamiento de Madrid air-quality monitoring network (Sistema Integral de Calidad del Aire), 2024 network-average annual PM2.5, compiled in Ecologistas en Acción "La calidad del aire en la ciudad de Madrid durante 2024" (Tabla 7) Official source Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method 2024 annual mean averaged across the Ayuntamiento de Madrid municipal stations measuring PM2.5 (Media RED = 9 µg/m³; station range 6 µg/m³ Casa de Campo to 10 µg/m³ Escuelas Aguirre / Castellana / Plaza Elíptica). Underlying data are the official municipal network (airedemadrid.madrid.es); the Ecologistas report tabulates them. EEA European city air quality viewer is the criterion's preferred cross-reference but its per-city value is only available in the interactive viewer. Notes About the WHO 2021 guideline territory but still above it (guideline 5 µg/m³); at/under the 2030 EU annual limit value (10 µg/m³) and well under the current EU limit (25). PM2.5 in Madrid has fallen over the 2010–2024 series.

Verdict

Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.

Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.

Madrid fits better — 3 of 5

	Lisbon	Madrid
Freelancer tax burden	30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.	★28.4% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BOE-A-2026-7296 RETA + Agencia Tributaria IRPF scale) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best realistically-eligible scheme for a solo IT freelancer = es-autonomo-estimacion-directa at €60,000 revenue with 10% (€6,000) expenses. RETA cuota tramo 14 (base 1,732.03 × 31.5%) = 6,547.08/yr; difícil-justificación 2,000 (notional); IRPF base 39,902.92 (after mínimo personal 5,550) → 10,465.58. Total levies 17,012.66 / 60,000 = 28.4%. The Beckham regime (flat 24%) is NOT open to ordinary freelancers, only to eligible employed/relocated impatriates — see es-beckham-impatriate.
Internet speed	40 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle. Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.	★50 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Spain Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Median of 344 daily country medians, 9,298,577 tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; 2024 file is partial at 86 days with a similar 52.5 Mbps median). Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Spain has extensive FTTH coverage; real advertised fibre speeds are far higher than this test-based median.
English proficiency	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.	Moderate i EF EPI 2025 (Spain rank 36/123, score 540 — Moderate band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First; Spain score 540, Moderate band, weakest in speaking 462). English is workable in tourist/hospitality zones and among younger urban professionals, but limited in government offices, healthcare, and everyday services outside big cities — a moderate rating for daily life.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.	★$941/mo i INE — Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2024 (household budget survey), rent stripped Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE EPF 2024 average household spending by COICOP group (total €34,044/hh). Housing group €11,029 reduced to utilities only (imputed rent €9,299 removed), leaving a non-rent basket of €24,746/hh. Divided by average household size 2.50 (€34,044 ÷ €13,626 per-person) → €9,905/person/yr = €825/mo; converted at EUR/USD 1.1399 (ECB 2026-07-02) → $941/mo. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price levels (Spain ≈ 92% of EU27; ≈ 1.28× Poland, whose figure is $753). Notes National per-capita non-rent basket. A person living alone typically spends somewhat more per head (fixed costs not shared) — this figure is the reproducible household-survey floor. City files (Madrid/Barcelona) run higher; Valencia/smaller cities lower.
Domestic delivery quality	Good i CTT Correios de Portugal — express delivery times, coverage and Collectt/Locky network (official service pages) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).	Good i Correos official (network of delivery points, Citypaq lockers) + private carriers Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Correos ~13,000 attention/pickup points (2,380 offices + rural points + 2,115+ Citypaq lockers, plus new Punto Correos convenience points, end-2025); SEUR, MRW, GLS, DHL, UPS, Correos Express operate nationwide with tracking; 24–48h delivery standard in cities. Locker density lower than the most locker-dense EU markets, so classified 'good' rather than 'excellent'. Notes Reliable, tracked 1–3 day domestic delivery with a growing parcel-locker network (Citypaq); to-door and PUDO pickup both common.

Relocating with a partner and school-age children.

Lisbon fits better — 3 of 5

	Lisbon	Madrid
International schools	11 i IB / Cambridge / AEFE / German Auslandsschulwesen accreditor evidence for the Lisbon metro (curated union) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Curated count of internationally-accredited schools in the Lisbon metro (Lisboa, Cascais, Sintra, Oeiras). Directly verified against their accreditor networks: Lycée Français Charles Lepierre (AEFE directly-managed establishment, aefe.gouv.fr) and Deutsche Schule Lissabon (German Auslandsschule under ZfA/Auswärtiges Amt, auslandsschulwesen.de). IB World Schools identified in the metro by name from IB 'by country' data and corroborating sources: St. Julian's (Carcavelos), St. Dominic's International (São Domingos de Rana), Carlucci/CAISL (Sintra), United Lisbon International, TASIS Portugal (Sintra), International Sharing School–Taguspark (Oeiras), Oeiras International School, PaRK International, plus The Lisboan (Cambridge + IB). Count = 11 named, accreditor-attributable schools. Notes ±3 uncertainty. The live IB World Schools finder and the Cambridge 'Find a Cambridge school' registry both returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch this cycle, so individual IB/Cambridge authorizations were confirmed from official-adjacent sources rather than each read directly against the accreditor's live registry; AEFE and the German school were verified directly. Portugal has ~16 IB World Schools in total, most clustered in the Lisbon metro, so the true metro count of all-accreditor international schools is likely somewhat higher than 11 (aggregator guides list 30+ 'international' schools, but many lack a recognised accreditor). Re-verify each authorization against the IB and Cambridge registries from a browser next cycle.	★33 i International Baccalaureate — Find an IB World School (Spain, Madrid), count mirrored via International Schools Database Madrid IB filter Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Count of IB-curriculum (IB World / candidate) schools in the Madrid metro area (33). Named accreditor-verified schools beyond the IB set also exist and are NOT added here to avoid double-counting: AEFE-homologated French schools (Lycée Français de Madrid + annexe Saint-Exupéry, Lycée Français International Molière, École Saint-Louis des Français, Union Chrétienne de Saint-Chaumond — 4 establishments), the German Auslandsschulwesen 'Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule' Deutsche Schule Madrid, the US-accredited American School of Madrid, and COBIS/NABSS British schools (King's College — COBIS founding member, Runnymede College, Hastings School). Notes ±3 uncertainty: the IB directory could not be fetched directly (ibo.org returns 403 to the fetch tool), so the IB count is taken from the International Schools Database IB filter, which mirrors the IB 'Find an IB World School' registry, and may include a few candidate schools. Regardless of the exact figure, Madrid is far above the top scoring anchor (25 schools → 10): counting the additional AEFE/German/US/COBIS-accredited schools listed in method would raise the total further. Metro-area basis (includes La Moraleja/Pozuelo/Alcobendas belt where most international schools sit), not municipality-only.
Homicide rate	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.	0.72/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101, per 100k) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Latest year 2024 = 0.72 per 100k (2023: 0.69; 2022: 0.69). Spain is among the safer EU countries for intentional homicide.
Private healthcare cost	★$650/yr i Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote. Notes Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.	$821/yr i Sanitas / Adeslas / DKV comprehensive (with-hospitalization) individual plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive Spanish private health policies (póliza de salud) include outpatient AND hospitalization/inpatient by default. For a healthy 35-year-old, full-cover plans run ≈ €45–52/mo with modest copays and ≈ €65–90/mo copay-free (Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV — 2026 published ranges). Comprehensive midpoint ≈ €60/mo ≈ €720/yr ≈ $821 at EUR/USD 1.1399 (range ≈ $615–$1,230/yr). Notes Residents in the contributory system have public healthcare (Sistema Nacional de Salud); private cover is optional and widely bought for speed/choice. Premiums are quoted on request and vary by province (Madrid/Barcelona highest) and copay structure, so this is a curated market midpoint on a comprehensive (outpatient+inpatient) basis, not a single public quote.
Air quality (PM2.5)	no verified data	9 µg/m³ i Ayuntamiento de Madrid air-quality monitoring network (Sistema Integral de Calidad del Aire), 2024 network-average annual PM2.5, compiled in Ecologistas en Acción "La calidad del aire en la ciudad de Madrid durante 2024" (Tabla 7) Official source Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method 2024 annual mean averaged across the Ayuntamiento de Madrid municipal stations measuring PM2.5 (Media RED = 9 µg/m³; station range 6 µg/m³ Casa de Campo to 10 µg/m³ Escuelas Aguirre / Castellana / Plaza Elíptica). Underlying data are the official municipal network (airedemadrid.madrid.es); the Ecologistas report tabulates them. EEA European city air quality viewer is the criterion's preferred cross-reference but its per-city value is only available in the interactive viewer. Notes About the WHO 2021 guideline territory but still above it (guideline 5 µg/m³); at/under the 2030 EU annual limit value (10 µg/m³) and well under the current EU limit (25). PM2.5 in Madrid has fallen over the 2010–2024 series.
English proficiency	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.	Moderate i EF EPI 2025 (Spain rank 36/123, score 540 — Moderate band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First; Spain score 540, Moderate band, weakest in speaking 462). English is workable in tourist/hospitality zones and among younger urban professionals, but limited in government offices, healthcare, and everyday services outside big cities — a moderate rating for daily life.

Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.

A close call for this plan

	Lisbon	Madrid
Crypto regulation	★Legal friendly i Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo) Official source Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.	Legal regulated i Agencia Tributaria — compra y venta de monedas virtuales: tributación en el IRPF; CNMV/Banco de España MiCA supervision Official source Data as of Jul 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on disposal (to fiat OR crypto-to-crypto swaps, which ARE taxable, unlike Poland) are savings income (renta del ahorro) taxed 19–30% under IRPF; FIFO applies. EU MiCA fully applicable in Spain from 1 July 2026 (CASPs licensed/supervised by CNMV and Banco de España); DAC8 reporting from 2026. Buying with fiat is not a taxable event.
Financial control level	Low i ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital Official source Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.	Low i Agencia Tributaria — límite de pagos en efectivo (Ley 11/2021); eurozone member, no capital controls Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Composite: eurozone member, euro fully convertible, no currency/capital controls (free EU capital movement). Cash-payment limit €1,000 per transaction when a party acts as business/professional (Ley 11/2021), €10,000 for non-resident private individuals. Standard EU CRS/DAC bank reporting and DAC8 for crypto; Modelo 720 declaration of foreign assets >€50,000 exists (informational). No exchange restrictions on personal funds; non-residents can open bank accounts (NIE required). Notes Modelo 720 foreign-asset reporting (>€50,000) is an information duty; EU Court struck down its disproportionate penalty regime in 2022, penalties since aligned to general rules. Overall personal money movement is free (low control) by the criterion's definition.
Freelancer tax burden	30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.	★28.4% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BOE-A-2026-7296 RETA + Agencia Tributaria IRPF scale) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best realistically-eligible scheme for a solo IT freelancer = es-autonomo-estimacion-directa at €60,000 revenue with 10% (€6,000) expenses. RETA cuota tramo 14 (base 1,732.03 × 31.5%) = 6,547.08/yr; difícil-justificación 2,000 (notional); IRPF base 39,902.92 (after mínimo personal 5,550) → 10,465.58. Total levies 17,012.66 / 60,000 = 28.4%. The Beckham regime (flat 24%) is NOT open to ordinary freelancers, only to eligible employed/relocated impatriates — see es-beckham-impatriate.

Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.

Lisbon fits better — 2 of 4

	Lisbon	Madrid
Homicide rate	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.	0.72/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101, per 100k) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Latest year 2024 = 0.72 per 100k (2023: 0.69; 2022: 0.69). Spain is among the safer EU countries for intentional homicide.
Air quality (PM2.5)	no verified data	9 µg/m³ i Ayuntamiento de Madrid air-quality monitoring network (Sistema Integral de Calidad del Aire), 2024 network-average annual PM2.5, compiled in Ecologistas en Acción "La calidad del aire en la ciudad de Madrid durante 2024" (Tabla 7) Official source Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method 2024 annual mean averaged across the Ayuntamiento de Madrid municipal stations measuring PM2.5 (Media RED = 9 µg/m³; station range 6 µg/m³ Casa de Campo to 10 µg/m³ Escuelas Aguirre / Castellana / Plaza Elíptica). Underlying data are the official municipal network (airedemadrid.madrid.es); the Ecologistas report tabulates them. EEA European city air quality viewer is the criterion's preferred cross-reference but its per-city value is only available in the interactive viewer. Notes About the WHO 2021 guideline territory but still above it (guideline 5 µg/m³); at/under the 2030 EU annual limit value (10 µg/m³) and well under the current EU limit (25). PM2.5 in Madrid has fallen over the 2010–2024 series.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.	★$941/mo i INE — Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2024 (household budget survey), rent stripped Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE EPF 2024 average household spending by COICOP group (total €34,044/hh). Housing group €11,029 reduced to utilities only (imputed rent €9,299 removed), leaving a non-rent basket of €24,746/hh. Divided by average household size 2.50 (€34,044 ÷ €13,626 per-person) → €9,905/person/yr = €825/mo; converted at EUR/USD 1.1399 (ECB 2026-07-02) → $941/mo. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price levels (Spain ≈ 92% of EU27; ≈ 1.28× Poland, whose figure is $753). Notes National per-capita non-rent basket. A person living alone typically spends somewhat more per head (fixed costs not shared) — this figure is the reproducible household-survey floor. City files (Madrid/Barcelona) run higher; Valencia/smaller cities lower.
Climate comfort	★10/12 mo i SettleMetric computation over climate-normals (IPMA Lisboa/Instituto Geofísico 1991-2020) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2020 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Jan (15.1°C, 103.8mm), Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov (18.1°C, 133.9mm), Dec = 10. Only Jul (TX 28.2°C) and Aug (TX 28.8°C) miss, exceeding the 28°C max cap; no month exceeds the 150mm precipitation cap.	5/12 mo i SettleMetric computation over climate-normals Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2020 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Mar (16.4), Apr (19.1), May (23.5), Sep (26.9), Oct (20.0) = 5. Jun–Aug excluded (tMax 29.4/33.3/32.6°C > 28°C, Madrid's hot dry summer); Jan/Feb/Nov/Dec excluded (tMax < 15°C).

Details

Taxes

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile	30 i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%. 5.0	28.4 i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BOE-A-2026-7296 RETA + Agencia Tributaria IRPF scale) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best realistically-eligible scheme for a solo IT freelancer = es-autonomo-estimacion-directa at €60,000 revenue with 10% (€6,000) expenses. RETA cuota tramo 14 (base 1,732.03 × 31.5%) = 6,547.08/yr; difícil-justificación 2,000 (notional); IRPF base 39,902.92 (after mínimo personal 5,550) → 10,465.58. Total levies 17,012.66 / 60,000 = 28.4%. The Beckham regime (flat 24%) is NOT open to ordinary freelancers, only to eligible employed/relocated impatriates — see es-beckham-impatriate. 5.3

Legalization

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Remote-work legalization ease	Dedicated nomad visa i AIMA — residence authorization for remote professional activity (Nómadas Digitais, Art. 88.º/1 Law 23/2007) Official source Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Portugal has a dedicated digital-nomad route (D8): a residence visa for remote professional activity carried out for entities outside Portugal (in force since 2022, Law 18/2022), leading to a 2-year residence permit renewable for 3 years and to permanent residence/citizenship after 5 years. A temporary-stay variant (under 1 year) also exists. Income requirement 4× the national minimum wage (4 × €920 = €3,680/month in 2026). 10.0	Dedicated nomad visa i Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones (UGE) — international teleworkers authorization; PRIE portal Official source Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Spain has a dedicated digital-nomad route: the international-teleworking residence authorization (autorización de residencia por teletrabajo de carácter internacional), created by Ley 28/2022 (Startups Law), in force since Jan 2023. Open to non-EU nationals working remotely for non-Spanish companies (max 20% of activity from Spanish firms). Income requirement 200% SMI. Initial visa 1 year (from abroad) or 3-year residence permit via UGE-CE, renewable, path to permanent residence. 10.0

Cost of living

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rent	1,166 i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split. 6.9	941 i INE — Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2024 (household budget survey), rent stripped Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE EPF 2024 average household spending by COICOP group (total €34,044/hh). Housing group €11,029 reduced to utilities only (imputed rent €9,299 removed), leaving a non-rent basket of €24,746/hh. Divided by average household size 2.50 (€34,044 ÷ €13,626 per-person) → €9,905/person/yr = €825/mo; converted at EUR/USD 1.1399 (ECB 2026-07-02) → $941/mo. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price levels (Spain ≈ 92% of EU27; ≈ 1.28× Poland, whose figure is $753). Notes National per-capita non-rent basket. A person living alone typically spends somewhat more per head (fixed costs not shared) — this figure is the reproducible household-survey floor. City files (Madrid/Barcelona) run higher; Valencia/smaller cities lower. 7.8

Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)

Category	Lisbon i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (COICOP-2018 structure), CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 COICOP-2018 expenditure shares (food 13.0%, transport 11.3%, restaurants & accommodation 8.3%, furnishings 4.4%, health 4.2%, information & communication 3.8%, personal care/misc 3.4%, recreation 2.9%, alcohol/tobacco 1.7%, clothing 1.2%; housing 41.7% split into ~9% utilities/upkeep kept and rent excluded) applied to the CPI-uplifted single-person monthly total (€1,618) and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Categories sum to the ~$1,166/mo excl-rent aggregate. National average. Notes Structure is the all-household COICOP-2018 split (INE does not publish a full single-person COICOP table); applied to the single-person total as a transparent approximation. Housing utilities are kept; rent/imputed rent is excluded per the cost-of-living definition.	Madrid i INE — Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares 2024 (household budget survey) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE EPF 2024 per-household COICOP category spending, rent removed (imputed rent €9,299 stripped from the housing group, utilities kept), divided by average household size 2.50 to a per-capita non-rent basket, converted at EUR/USD 1.1399. Categories sum to the ~$941/mo cost-of-living aggregate. National per-capita basis — living alone in Madrid/Barcelona runs higher.
Transport	$208	$147
Restaurants & eating out	$153	$128
Food & non-alcoholic beverages	$240	—
Food & non-alcoholic drinks	—	$205
Utilities (electricity, gas, water) & upkeep	$166	—
Health (out-of-pocket)	$77	$52
Household goods & equipment	$81	—
Clothing & footwear	$22	$54
Information & communication	$70	—
Utilities (water, electricity, gas)	—	$66
Recreation & culture	—	$64
Personal care & misc goods	$63	—
Recreation, sport & culture	$53	—
Alcohol & tobacco	$31	$17
Household goods	—	$48
Insurance & financial services	—	$48
Personal care & misc.	—	$47
Communications	—	$42
Education	—	$21
Total (excl. rent)	$1,164/mo	$939/mo

Housing

Rent by apartment type

Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).

Apartment	Lisbon i idealista — Lisboa city asking rent €/m² (May 2026), derived by dwelling size and central/outside multiplier Curated by SettleMetric Data as of May 31, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Base: idealista Lisboa city-wide asking rent €21.8/m² (May 2026). Applied typical dwelling sizes (studio 35 m², 1BR 55 m², 2BR 80 m², 3BR 110 m²) and a central/outside multiplier (central historic/central parishes ×1.15, outer parishes ×0.85), converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02). E.g. 1BR center = 55×21.8×1.15×1.1399 ≈ $1,572. Notes ALL cells are DERIVED — idealista's public report gives only a single city-wide €/m² for Lisboa, not a room-count × district matrix (idealista's granular per-district report pages returned HTTP 403 on fetch). Both the dwelling sizes and the ±15% central/outside spread are transparent assumptions, not observed values; treat the matrix as indicative and re-derive from a directly fetched idealista Lisboa district report next cycle. Only the city-wide €21.8/m² base is directly observed.	Madrid i Idealista rental price report — Madrid municipio and districts, June 2026 Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Idealista city asking rent 23.7 €/m²/month (June 2026) × typical floor areas (studio 38, 1br 52, 2br 72, 3br 95 m²), split into center vs outside using Idealista district €/m² multipliers (central Centro 31.1 €/m² ⇒ ×1.31; outer/cheaper districts ≈17.6 €/m² Villaverde ⇒ ×0.74), converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (fx-rates.json, ECB 2026-07-02). Notes DERIVED cells. Directly observed: the Idealista city-wide €/m² and per-district €/m². Per-apartment rents and the center/outside split are computed (city €/m² × floor area × district multiplier) because Idealista publishes €/m², not per-type × location rents. Center = central districts (Centro/Salamanca band ≈31 €/m²); outside = outer/cheaper districts (Villaverde/Moratalaz/Vicálvaro band ≈16.5–17.6 €/m²). A rival big-data source (Brains RE) put the Q1-2026 city average higher at 31.1 €/m² on a different methodology; Idealista asking prices are used here for consistency with the criterion's preferred source.
Studio	$1,000 ($739)	$1,347 ($762)
1-bedroom	$1,572 ($1,162)	$1,843 ($1,043)
2-bedroom	$2,286 ($1,690)	$2,552 ($1,444)
3-bedroom	$3,144 ($2,323)	$3,368 ($1,906)

Safety

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/year	0.7 i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU. 9.6	0.7 i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101, per 100k) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Latest year 2024 = 0.72 per 100k (2023: 0.69; 2022: 0.69). Spain is among the safer EU countries for intentional homicide. 9.6

Climate

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Climate comfortpleasant months/year	10 i SettleMetric computation over climate-normals (IPMA Lisboa/Instituto Geofísico 1991-2020) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2020 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Jan (15.1°C, 103.8mm), Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov (18.1°C, 133.9mm), Dec = 10. Only Jul (TX 28.2°C) and Aug (TX 28.8°C) miss, exceeding the 28°C max cap; no month exceeds the 150mm precipitation cap. 9.0	5 i SettleMetric computation over climate-normals Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2020 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Months with mean daily max 15–28°C and precipitation < 150mm: Mar (16.4), Apr (19.1), May (23.5), Sep (26.9), Oct (20.0) = 5. Jun–Aug excluded (tMax 29.4/33.3/32.6°C > 28°C, Madrid's hot dry summer); Jan/Feb/Nov/Dec excluded (tMax < 15°C). 5.0
Air quality (PM2.5)µg/m³, annual mean PM2.5	no verified data	9 i Ayuntamiento de Madrid air-quality monitoring network (Sistema Integral de Calidad del Aire), 2024 network-average annual PM2.5, compiled in Ecologistas en Acción "La calidad del aire en la ciudad de Madrid durante 2024" (Tabla 7) Official source Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method 2024 annual mean averaged across the Ayuntamiento de Madrid municipal stations measuring PM2.5 (Media RED = 9 µg/m³; station range 6 µg/m³ Casa de Campo to 10 µg/m³ Escuelas Aguirre / Castellana / Plaza Elíptica). Underlying data are the official municipal network (airedemadrid.madrid.es); the Ecologistas report tabulates them. EEA European city air quality viewer is the criterion's preferred cross-reference but its per-city value is only available in the interactive viewer. Notes About the WHO 2021 guideline territory but still above it (guideline 5 µg/m³); at/under the 2030 EU annual limit value (10 µg/m³) and well under the current EU limit (25). PM2.5 in Madrid has fallen over the 2010–2024 series. 8.4

Healthcare

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old	650 i Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote. Notes Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026. 9.6	821 i Sanitas / Adeslas / DKV comprehensive (with-hospitalization) individual plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive Spanish private health policies (póliza de salud) include outpatient AND hospitalization/inpatient by default. For a healthy 35-year-old, full-cover plans run ≈ €45–52/mo with modest copays and ≈ €65–90/mo copay-free (Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV — 2026 published ranges). Comprehensive midpoint ≈ €60/mo ≈ €720/yr ≈ $821 at EUR/USD 1.1399 (range ≈ $615–$1,230/yr). Notes Residents in the contributory system have public healthcare (Sistema Nacional de Salud); private cover is optional and widely bought for speed/choice. Premiums are quoted on request and vary by province (Madrid/Barcelona highest) and copay structure, so this is a curated market midpoint on a comprehensive (outpatient+inpatient) basis, not a single public quote. 9.1

Money & crypto

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Crypto regulation	Legal friendly i Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo) Official source Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed. 10.0	Legal regulated i Agencia Tributaria — compra y venta de monedas virtuales: tributación en el IRPF; CNMV/Banco de España MiCA supervision Official source Data as of Jul 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Holding/trading legal for individuals. Gains on disposal (to fiat OR crypto-to-crypto swaps, which ARE taxable, unlike Poland) are savings income (renta del ahorro) taxed 19–30% under IRPF; FIFO applies. EU MiCA fully applicable in Spain from 1 July 2026 (CASPs licensed/supervised by CNMV and Banco de España); DAC8 reporting from 2026. Buying with fiat is not a taxable event. 8.0
Financial control level	Low i ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital Official source Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows. 10.0	Low i Agencia Tributaria — límite de pagos en efectivo (Ley 11/2021); eurozone member, no capital controls Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Composite: eurozone member, euro fully convertible, no currency/capital controls (free EU capital movement). Cash-payment limit €1,000 per transaction when a party acts as business/professional (Ley 11/2021), €10,000 for non-resident private individuals. Standard EU CRS/DAC bank reporting and DAC8 for crypto; Modelo 720 declaration of foreign assets >€50,000 exists (informational). No exchange restrictions on personal funds; non-residents can open bank accounts (NIE required). Notes Modelo 720 foreign-asset reporting (>€50,000) is an information duty; EU Court struck down its disproportionate penalty regime in 2022, penalties since aligned to general rules. Overall personal money movement is free (low control) by the criterion's definition. 10.0

Infrastructure

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
Domestic delivery quality	Good i CTT Correios de Portugal — express delivery times, coverage and Collectt/Locky network (official service pages) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost). 7.0	Good i Correos official (network of delivery points, Citypaq lockers) + private carriers Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Correos ~13,000 attention/pickup points (2,380 offices + rural points + 2,115+ Citypaq lockers, plus new Punto Correos convenience points, end-2025); SEUR, MRW, GLS, DHL, UPS, Correos Express operate nationwide with tracking; 24–48h delivery standard in cities. Locker density lower than the most locker-dense EU markets, so classified 'good' rather than 'excellent'. Notes Reliable, tracked 1–3 day domestic delivery with a growing parcel-locker network (Citypaq); to-door and PUDO pickup both common. 7.0
International delivery ease	Minor friction i European Commission — removal of the €150 customs duty exemption / temporary flat fee on low-value imports Official source Data as of Jul 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market, all major carriers). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01 — a temporary flat €3/item duty applies to ≤€150 consignments (until the 2028 EU Customs reform); import VAT has applied from €0 since 2021 (IOSS collects it at checkout). Predictable but no longer duty-free — hence minor-friction. 7.0	Minor friction i Agencia Tributaria (Aduanas) — envíos hasta 150 euros; EU Reg. 2026/382 removal of the €150 customs-duty exemption Official source Data as of Jul 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market, all major carriers). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed EU-wide on 2026-07-01 — a temporary flat €3-per-item customs duty applies to ≤€150 consignments (until 2028); VAT already collected at checkout via IOSS since 2021. Predictable but no longer duty-free; DHL/UPS/FedEx/SEUR clear customs routinely. 7.0
Internet speedMbps, median fixed download	40 i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle. Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate. 3.8	50.4 i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Spain Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Median of 344 daily country medians, 9,298,577 tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; 2024 file is partial at 86 days with a similar 52.5 Mbps median). Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Spain has extensive FTTH coverage; real advertised fibre speeds are far higher than this test-based median. 5.0

Language

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
English proficiency	Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration. 9.0	Moderate i EF EPI 2025 (Spain rank 36/123, score 540 — Moderate band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First; Spain score 540, Moderate band, weakest in speaking 462). English is workable in tourist/hospitality zones and among younger urban professionals, but limited in government offices, healthcare, and everyday services outside big cities — a moderate rating for daily life. 5.0

Education

Criterion	Lisbon	Madrid
International schoolsaccredited international schools, count	11 i IB / Cambridge / AEFE / German Auslandsschulwesen accreditor evidence for the Lisbon metro (curated union) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Curated count of internationally-accredited schools in the Lisbon metro (Lisboa, Cascais, Sintra, Oeiras). Directly verified against their accreditor networks: Lycée Français Charles Lepierre (AEFE directly-managed establishment, aefe.gouv.fr) and Deutsche Schule Lissabon (German Auslandsschule under ZfA/Auswärtiges Amt, auslandsschulwesen.de). IB World Schools identified in the metro by name from IB 'by country' data and corroborating sources: St. Julian's (Carcavelos), St. Dominic's International (São Domingos de Rana), Carlucci/CAISL (Sintra), United Lisbon International, TASIS Portugal (Sintra), International Sharing School–Taguspark (Oeiras), Oeiras International School, PaRK International, plus The Lisboan (Cambridge + IB). Count = 11 named, accreditor-attributable schools. Notes ±3 uncertainty. The live IB World Schools finder and the Cambridge 'Find a Cambridge school' registry both returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch this cycle, so individual IB/Cambridge authorizations were confirmed from official-adjacent sources rather than each read directly against the accreditor's live registry; AEFE and the German school were verified directly. Portugal has ~16 IB World Schools in total, most clustered in the Lisbon metro, so the true metro count of all-accreditor international schools is likely somewhat higher than 11 (aggregator guides list 30+ 'international' schools, but many lack a recognised accreditor). Re-verify each authorization against the IB and Cambridge registries from a browser next cycle. 7.7	33 i International Baccalaureate — Find an IB World School (Spain, Madrid), count mirrored via International Schools Database Madrid IB filter Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Count of IB-curriculum (IB World / candidate) schools in the Madrid metro area (33). Named accreditor-verified schools beyond the IB set also exist and are NOT added here to avoid double-counting: AEFE-homologated French schools (Lycée Français de Madrid + annexe Saint-Exupéry, Lycée Français International Molière, École Saint-Louis des Français, Union Chrétienne de Saint-Chaumond — 4 establishments), the German Auslandsschulwesen 'Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule' Deutsche Schule Madrid, the US-accredited American School of Madrid, and COBIS/NABSS British schools (King's College — COBIS founding member, Runnymede College, Hastings School). Notes ±3 uncertainty: the IB directory could not be fetched directly (ibo.org returns 403 to the fetch tool), so the IB count is taken from the International Schools Database IB filter, which mirrors the IB 'Find an IB World School' registry, and may include a few candidate schools. Regardless of the exact figure, Madrid is far above the top scoring anchor (25 schools → 10): counting the additional AEFE/German/US/COBIS-accredited schools listed in method would raise the total further. Metro-area basis (includes La Moraleja/Pozuelo/Alcobendas belt where most international schools sit), not municipality-only. 10.0