Renting a house in Portugal now has a median cost of 16.7 euros per square meter (euros/m2) at the end of July, according to the idealista price index. Compared to the quarterly change, house rentals fell 1%.

Although rents are rising less sharply nationwide, they have continued to rise in all the major cities analysed. The most significant increases were observed in Viana do Castelo (15.4%), Coimbra (13%), and Viseu (11%).

Rental prices also rose in the year ending in July in Setúbal (9.5%), Braga (7.2%), Évora (7%), Leiria (7%), Castelo Branco (6.9%), Funchal (3.9%), Santarém (2.8%), Porto (1.8%), Lisbon (1.6%), and Aveiro (1.4%).

Lisbon remains the most expensive city to rent a home: €22.1/m². Porto (€17.7/m²) and Funchal (€14.7/m²) rank second and third, respectively. Next in line are Setúbal (€13/m2), Coimbra (€12.6/m2), Évora (€12.1/m2), Aveiro (€11.9/m2), Braga (€9.8/m2), Viana do Castelo (€9.3/m2), and Leiria (€8.8/m2).

The most affordable cities for renting a home are Castelo Branco (€7/m2), Viseu (€8.1/m2), and Santarém (€8.5/m2), according to the same data from idealista.