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Georgia vs Portugal

Georgia is ahead on taxes, cost of living, housing. Portugal is ahead on legalization, safety, language, infrastructure. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.

VerifiedUpdated

Scoreboard

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

Headline result

Even — 3 of 6 each

Georgia

3

Portugal

3

01Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Georgiastronger
$220/mo

Geostat — Households Expenditures survey 2025

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Geostat 2025 average per-capita monthly consumption (603 GEL) split by the survey's COICOP category shares, with the imputed-housing portion removed, converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD (NBG 2026-07-02). Categories sum to this figure. Geostat has no clean single-person-excl-rent basket, so treat as a curated estimate.
Portugal
$1,166/mo

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.
02Freelancer tax burden
Georgiastronger
1%

SettleMetric tax engine over Tax Code (Small Business Status)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme ge-small-business-1pct at €60,000 = 180,738 GEL (NBG 3.0123 GEL/EUR), below the 500,000 GEL threshold → 1% turnover tax = 1,807 GEL, no mandatory social/pension. Effective burden ≈ 1.0%.
Portugal
30%

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%.
03Homicide rate
Georgia
2.03/100k

UNODC (via World Bank mirror) — intentional homicide, Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2019
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
2019 is the latest year UNODC publishes for Georgia. Low by global standards (world average ≈ 5.8); Georgia is widely regarded as very safe for residents. No city-level series is published.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k

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.
04Internet speed
Georgia
16 Mbps

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 4, 2026
Method
Median of 343 daily country medians (download_MED), 47,852 download tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; the 2024 file is only Jan–Mar, and 2025/2026 are not yet published). Georgia sits under continent code AS in M-Lab.
Notes
M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cross-check: the World Bank's July-2024 median of ~20 Mbps (Ookla-derived, so not citable here) is consistent with this once the M-Lab-reads-low offset is accounted for. Speeds are trending up (~10%/yr: M-Lab yearly medians ran 9.7 in 2020 → 15.8 in 2023), so multi-year pooling would understate current speed; the latest full year is used instead. GNCC/comcom.ge publishes operator quality-of-service measurements (e.g. Magticom fixed ~56 Mb/s advertised-tier average, 2025/26) but no national measured median, and its own speed commentary relies on the same Ookla data we can't redistribute.
Portugalstronger
40 Mbps

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.
05English proficiency
Georgia
High

EF EPI 2025 (score 541, rank 35/123 — High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). English is workable in Tbilisi/Batumi tourism and the younger service sector; less so in government and older generations. Russian remains widely understood.
Portugalstronger
Very high

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.
06Private healthcare cost
Georgiastronger
$450/yr

Georgian insurers (Ardi, GPI, Imedi L) — comprehensive-tier plans

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Midpoint of comprehensive local plans: Ardi Medi Premium from ~$340/yr up to market comprehensive ~$795/yr (converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD). Expat international plans run higher ($1,000–2,000/yr).
Notes
Georgian insurers quote by callback rather than public age-rated engines, so this is a curated market midpoint for local comprehensive cover, not a bound quote.
Portugal
$650/yr

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.

Verdict

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

Remote IT / freelancer

Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.

A close call for this plan

01Freelancer tax burden
Georgiastronger
1%

SettleMetric tax engine over Tax Code (Small Business Status)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme ge-small-business-1pct at €60,000 = 180,738 GEL (NBG 3.0123 GEL/EUR), below the 500,000 GEL threshold → 1% turnover tax = 1,807 GEL, no mandatory social/pension. Effective burden ≈ 1.0%.
Portugal
30%

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%.
02Internet speed
Georgia
16 Mbps

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 4, 2026
Method
Median of 343 daily country medians (download_MED), 47,852 download tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; the 2024 file is only Jan–Mar, and 2025/2026 are not yet published). Georgia sits under continent code AS in M-Lab.
Notes
M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cross-check: the World Bank's July-2024 median of ~20 Mbps (Ookla-derived, so not citable here) is consistent with this once the M-Lab-reads-low offset is accounted for. Speeds are trending up (~10%/yr: M-Lab yearly medians ran 9.7 in 2020 → 15.8 in 2023), so multi-year pooling would understate current speed; the latest full year is used instead. GNCC/comcom.ge publishes operator quality-of-service measurements (e.g. Magticom fixed ~56 Mb/s advertised-tier average, 2025/26) but no national measured median, and its own speed commentary relies on the same Ookla data we can't redistribute.
Portugalstronger
40 Mbps

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.
03English proficiency
Georgia
High

EF EPI 2025 (score 541, rank 35/123 — High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). English is workable in Tbilisi/Batumi tourism and the younger service sector; less so in government and older generations. Russian remains widely understood.
Portugalstronger
Very high

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.
04Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Georgiastronger
$220/mo

Geostat — Households Expenditures survey 2025

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Geostat 2025 average per-capita monthly consumption (603 GEL) split by the survey's COICOP category shares, with the imputed-housing portion removed, converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD (NBG 2026-07-02). Categories sum to this figure. Geostat has no clean single-person-excl-rent basket, so treat as a curated estimate.
Portugal
$1,166/mo

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.
05Domestic delivery quality
Georgia
Good

Georgian Post + courier service pages (composite)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Georgian Post ~500 branches nationwide (1–3 day domestic parcels, some lockers/pickup points); Wolt Drive and Glovo last-mile in Tbilisi/Batumi; DHL/FedEx/UPS present. Dense and reliable in cities; locker density and nationwide same-day coverage thinner than EU leaders → good, not excellent.
Portugal
Good

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).

Family

Relocating with a partner and school-age children.

Portugal fits better — 2 of 3

01Homicide rate
Georgia
2.03/100k

UNODC (via World Bank mirror) — intentional homicide, Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2019
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
2019 is the latest year UNODC publishes for Georgia. Low by global standards (world average ≈ 5.8); Georgia is widely regarded as very safe for residents. No city-level series is published.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k

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.
02Private healthcare cost
Georgiastronger
$450/yr

Georgian insurers (Ardi, GPI, Imedi L) — comprehensive-tier plans

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Midpoint of comprehensive local plans: Ardi Medi Premium from ~$340/yr up to market comprehensive ~$795/yr (converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD). Expat international plans run higher ($1,000–2,000/yr).
Notes
Georgian insurers quote by callback rather than public age-rated engines, so this is a curated market midpoint for local comprehensive cover, not a bound quote.
Portugal
$650/yr

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.
03English proficiency
Georgia
High

EF EPI 2025 (score 541, rank 35/123 — High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). English is workable in Tbilisi/Batumi tourism and the younger service sector; less so in government and older generations. Russian remains widely understood.
Portugalstronger
Very high

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.

Money & crypto

Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.

Georgia fits better — 1 of 3

01Crypto regulation
Georgia
Legal friendly

National Bank of Georgia — Virtual Asset Service Providers

Official source

Data as of
Jul 1, 2023
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Individuals pay 0% income tax on crypto gains (Minister of Finance Public Decision N201, 2019 — crypto is not Georgian-source income for individuals) and crypto↔fiat exchange is VAT-exempt. Service providers must register as VASPs with the NBG (regime since 1 July 2023). Very favourable for individual holders, hence legal-friendly.
Portugal
Legal friendly

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.
02Financial control level
Georgia
Low

US State Dept 2025 Investment Climate Statement (Georgia) / trade.gov

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
GEL freely convertible (float since 1998; IMF Article VIII since 1996); no capital controls; funds transfer abroad freely (except sanctioned destinations); no routine cash caps or resident foreign-account exit restrictions.
Notes
Caveat: since Georgia joined CRS (2024) and post-2022 de-risking, non-resident bank account onboarding has become notably stricter (source-of-funds documentation, some rejections). The FX regime itself is open; the friction is at bank KYC.
Portugal
Low

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.
03Freelancer tax burden
Georgiastronger
1%

SettleMetric tax engine over Tax Code (Small Business Status)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme ge-small-business-1pct at €60,000 = 180,738 GEL (NBG 3.0123 GEL/EUR), below the 500,000 GEL threshold → 1% turnover tax = 1,807 GEL, no mandatory social/pension. Effective burden ≈ 1.0%.
Portugal
30%

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%.

Calm lifestyle

Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.

A close call for this plan

01Homicide rate
Georgia
2.03/100k

UNODC (via World Bank mirror) — intentional homicide, Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2019
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
2019 is the latest year UNODC publishes for Georgia. Low by global standards (world average ≈ 5.8); Georgia is widely regarded as very safe for residents. No city-level series is published.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k

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.
02Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Georgiastronger
$220/mo

Geostat — Households Expenditures survey 2025

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Geostat 2025 average per-capita monthly consumption (603 GEL) split by the survey's COICOP category shares, with the imputed-housing portion removed, converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD (NBG 2026-07-02). Categories sum to this figure. Geostat has no clean single-person-excl-rent basket, so treat as a curated estimate.
Portugal
$1,166/mo

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.

Details

Taxes

01+Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profileGeorgiastronger1Portugal30

What this measures

Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.

Lower is better· % effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

SettleMetric tax engine over Tax Code (Small Business Status)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme ge-small-business-1pct at €60,000 = 180,738 GEL (NBG 3.0123 GEL/EUR), below the 500,000 GEL threshold → 1% turnover tax = 1,807 GEL, no mandatory social/pension. Effective burden ≈ 1.0%.

Portugal

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%.

Legalization

01+Remote-work legalization easeGeorgiaLong stay pathPortugalstrongerDedicated nomad visa

What this measures

Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Georgia

Government Ordinance N255 — visa-free entry

Official source

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Exceptionally easy in practice: ~94 nationalities (incl. all EU, US, UK, Ukraine, Russia) may stay visa-free for a full year and register an Individual Entrepreneur with 1% Small Business Status the same day — no residence permit needed. Scored as a long-stay path; there is no formal 'digital nomad visa' and the year of visa-free stay does not itself build toward permanent residence.

Portugal

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).

Cost of living

01+Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rentGeorgiastronger220Portugal1,166

What this measures

Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.

Lower is better· USD/month, single person, excluding rent· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

Geostat — Households Expenditures survey 2025

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Geostat 2025 average per-capita monthly consumption (603 GEL) split by the survey's COICOP category shares, with the imputed-housing portion removed, converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD (NBG 2026-07-02). Categories sum to this figure. Geostat has no clean single-person-excl-rent basket, so treat as a curated estimate.

Portugal

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.

Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)

Georgia

Geostat — Households Expenditures survey 2025 (category shares)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Geostat 2025 per-capita consumption shares (food 38.7%, transport 11.4%, healthcare 11.0%, etc.) applied to the ~$220/mo excl-rent base and converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD. Georgia's very high food share is characteristic of the income level. National average — rent shown separately.
Portugal

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.
01Food & non-alcoholic beverages
Georgia
Portugal
$240
02Transport
Georgiacheaper
$26
Portugal
$208
03Utilities (electricity, gas, water) & upkeep
Georgia
Portugal
$166
04Restaurants & eating out
Georgia
Portugal
$153
05Food & non-alcoholic drinks
Georgia
$88
Portugal
06Household goods & equipment
Georgia
Portugal
$81
07Health (out-of-pocket)
Georgia
Portugal
$77
08Information & communication
Georgia
Portugal
$70
09Personal care & misc goods
Georgia
Portugal
$63
10Recreation, sport & culture
Georgia
Portugal
$53
11Restaurants, recreation & communications
Georgia
$41
Portugal
12Clothing & footwear
Georgiacheaper
$13
Portugal
$22
13Alcohol & tobacco
Georgia
Portugal
$31
14Healthcare (out-of-pocket)
Georgia
$25
Portugal
15Utilities & energy
Georgia
$18
Portugal
16Household goods
Georgia
$12
Portugal
17Education
Georgia
$7
Portugal
Total (excl. rent)
Georgia$230/mo
Portugal$1,164/mo

Housing

Rent by apartment type

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

Georgia

SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Batumi, Tbilisi)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Batumi, Tbilisi; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
Portugal

SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Funchal, Lisbon, Porto)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 4, 2026
Method
Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Funchal, Lisbon, Porto; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
01Studio
Georgiacheaper
$450$303 outside
Portugal
$917$677 outside
021-bedroom
Georgiacheaper
$592$471 outside
Portugal
$1,441$1,064 outside
032-bedroom
Georgiacheaper
$892$635 outside
Portugal
$2,095$1,548 outside
043-bedroom
Georgiacheaper
$1,370$970 outside
Portugal
$2,881$2,128 outside

Safety

01+Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/yearGeorgia2Portugalstronger0.7

What this measures

Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).

Lower is better· intentional homicides per 100,000/year· re-verified every 730 days

Georgia

UNODC (via World Bank mirror) — intentional homicide, Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2019
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
2019 is the latest year UNODC publishes for Georgia. Low by global standards (world average ≈ 5.8); Georgia is widely regarded as very safe for residents. No city-level series is published.

Portugal

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.

Healthcare

01+Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldGeorgiastronger450Portugal650

What this measures

Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.

Lower is better· USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

Georgian insurers (Ardi, GPI, Imedi L) — comprehensive-tier plans

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Midpoint of comprehensive local plans: Ardi Medi Premium from ~$340/yr up to market comprehensive ~$795/yr (converted at 2.6431 GEL/USD). Expat international plans run higher ($1,000–2,000/yr).
Notes
Georgian insurers quote by callback rather than public age-rated engines, so this is a curated market midpoint for local comprehensive cover, not a bound quote.

Portugal

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.

Money & crypto

01+Crypto regulationGeorgiaLegal friendlyPortugalLegal friendly

What this measures

Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Georgia

National Bank of Georgia — Virtual Asset Service Providers

Official source

Data as of
Jul 1, 2023
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Individuals pay 0% income tax on crypto gains (Minister of Finance Public Decision N201, 2019 — crypto is not Georgian-source income for individuals) and crypto↔fiat exchange is VAT-exempt. Service providers must register as VASPs with the NBG (regime since 1 July 2023). Very favourable for individual holders, hence legal-friendly.

Portugal

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.
02+Financial control levelGeorgiaLowPortugalLow

What this measures

Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

US State Dept 2025 Investment Climate Statement (Georgia) / trade.gov

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
GEL freely convertible (float since 1998; IMF Article VIII since 1996); no capital controls; funds transfer abroad freely (except sanctioned destinations); no routine cash caps or resident foreign-account exit restrictions.
Notes
Caveat: since Georgia joined CRS (2024) and post-2022 de-risking, non-resident bank account onboarding has become notably stricter (source-of-funds documentation, some rejections). The FX regime itself is open; the friction is at bank KYC.

Portugal

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.

Infrastructure

01+Domestic delivery qualityGeorgiaGoodPortugalGood

What this measures

Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Georgia

Georgian Post + courier service pages (composite)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Method
Georgian Post ~500 branches nationwide (1–3 day domestic parcels, some lockers/pickup points); Wolt Drive and Glovo last-mile in Tbilisi/Batumi; DHL/FedEx/UPS present. Dense and reliable in cities; locker density and nationwide same-day coverage thinner than EU leaders → good, not excellent.

Portugal

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).
02+International delivery easeGeorgiaMinor frictionPortugalMinor friction

What this measures

Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

Revenue Service of Georgia — customs procedures

Official source

Data as of
Jul 3, 2026
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Georgia is outside the EU/EAEU. Personal-import de minimis: 300 GEL (≈ $113) and ≤ 30 kg, once per calendar month, exempt; above that, 18% import VAT + 0–12% duty + a small customs fee. All major integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex) present. Predictable but the low monthly de-minimis cap adds friction.

Portugal

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.
03+Internet speedMbps, median fixed downloadGeorgia15.8Portugalstronger40

What this measures

Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.

Higher is better· Mbps, median fixed download· re-verified every 365 days

Georgia

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Georgia

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 4, 2026
Method
Median of 343 daily country medians (download_MED), 47,852 download tests (2023 — latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; the 2024 file is only Jan–Mar, and 2025/2026 are not yet published). Georgia sits under continent code AS in M-Lab.
Notes
M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cross-check: the World Bank's July-2024 median of ~20 Mbps (Ookla-derived, so not citable here) is consistent with this once the M-Lab-reads-low offset is accounted for. Speeds are trending up (~10%/yr: M-Lab yearly medians ran 9.7 in 2020 → 15.8 in 2023), so multi-year pooling would understate current speed; the latest full year is used instead. GNCC/comcom.ge publishes operator quality-of-service measurements (e.g. Magticom fixed ~56 Mb/s advertised-tier average, 2025/26) but no national measured median, and its own speed commentary relies on the same Ookla data we can't redistribute.

Portugal

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.

Language

01+English proficiencyGeorgiaHighPortugalstrongerVery high

What this measures

Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Georgia

EF EPI 2025 (score 541, rank 35/123 — High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 3, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). English is workable in Tbilisi/Batumi tourism and the younger service sector; less so in government and older generations. Russian remains widely understood.

Portugal

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.

Deep dives: taxes in Georgia ·taxes in Portugal ·net-income calculator