A new survey reveals that 68% of residents in Portugal report a significant decline in purchasing power over the past year, driven by rising costs for electricity, gas, and vehicle fuel. Portugal ranks as the seventh European Union country where citizens feel the rising cost of living most acutely. Projections from the European Commission also indicate that Portuguese workers face longer working lives than the EU average as the statutory retirement age continues to rise with life expectancy.
Two in Three Report Significant Drop in Purchasing Power
Thursday, 5 November 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
The European Commission is the EU’s executive body based in Brussels that proposes legislation, enforces EU rules and manages day‑to‑day EU policies; it is led by a President, currently Ursula von der Leyen. Commission proposals on harmonising business rules or introducing preferences can directly affect trade, regulation and competitiveness for companies and residents across all member states, including Portugal.
In 2023, the average annual income in Portugal could buy roughly 11 baskets of essential goods, compared with about 24 baskets for the average income in Luxembourg. That places Portugal well below wealthier EU countries and the EU average in real purchasing power, so residents and newcomers should expect lower real incomes than people in countries like Luxembourg, Germany or France and budget accordingly.
7 sources
- Neurodegenerative diseases have been increasing in Portugal (video)RTP Madeira ·
- Three out of every ten people claim they did not receive healthcare on timepublico.pt ·
- Why international families are turning to Portugal amid global uncertaintyThe Portugal News ·
- Portuguese people are the 7th population in the EU most affected by the rising cost of livingcmjornal.pt ·
- Portuguese people are the seventh population in the EU that feels the rise in the cost of living the mostcnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- Portuguese are the 7th population in the EU that feels the increase in the cost of living the mostrtp.pt ·
- Portuguese people will work until later than most Europeanseco.sapo.pt ·
