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Portugal vs Romania: salary & cost of living
Which offers better value? A real Eurostat comparison of take-home pay and cost of living, with each country’s Gera EU Value Index.
Portugal vs Romania: which is better value to live in?
As of 2024, Portugal offers better salary-to-cost value than Romania on the Gera EU Value Index (78.7 vs 66.5, a 12.2-point gap, EU≈100). Portugal pays €18,835 net a year versus €12,318 in Romania; cost-of-living indices are 96.9 and 75. Figures from Eurostat (earnings & price levels).
Portugal vs Romania — head to head
| Metric | Portugal | Romania |
|---|---|---|
| Net annual take-home pay | €18,835 | €12,318 (lei64,540 RON) |
| PPS earnings index (EU=100) | 90.3 | 80.7 |
| Cost of living (EU=100) | 96.9 | 75 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 78.7 | 66.5 |
| EU value rank (of 27) | #21 | #26 |
Compare your salary in Portugal and Romania
Index your take-home pay against the EU norm in both
How far does your salary go in the EU?
Enter a net (take-home) salary and pick two EU countries. We index it against the EU norm using the same real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living figures behind the Gera EU Value Index.
| Metric | Portugal | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary, locally | €35,000 | €35,000 |
| Salary value vs EU norm | 146.3 | 120.4 |
| Local cost of living (EU=100) | 96.9 | 117.8 |
| Typical local net pay | €18,835 | €35,824 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 78.7 (#21) | 123.2 (#2) |
On €35,000 a year, your salary stretches further in Portugal — a value index of 146.3 against the EU norm of 100, because its cost of living is 96.9 (EU=100). The same salary indexes 146.3 in Portugal and 120.4 in Austria. The Gera EU Value Index median is 94.9.
Portugal vs Romania — FAQ
- Is Portugal or Romania better value to live in?
- Portugal offers better salary-to-cost value on the Gera EU Value Index (78.7 vs 66.5, EU≈100, 2024). Portugal pays €18,835 net a year and Romania €12,318; their cost-of-living indices are 96.9 and 75. Figures from Eurostat.
- Where is the salary higher — Portugal or Romania?
- Portugal has the higher net annual take-home pay at €18,835 versus €12,318 in Romania, for a single person at 100% of the average wage (Eurostat earn_nt_net, 2024). A higher salary does not always mean better value once cost of living is taken into account.
- Where is the cost of living lower — Portugal or Romania?
- Romania has the lower cost of living, with a Gera EU Cost Index of 75 versus 96.9 (EU average ≈ 100), built from Eurostat price levels and household energy prices.
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Contains public sector information published by Eurostat (European Commission) and licensed under the Eurostat reuse policy (© European Union — free reuse with attribution). Source: Eurostat — Net annual earnings (earn_nt_net), single person at 100% of average wage (2024 (earnings) · 2024 price levels / 2025-S2 energy (cost of living), published 2025 (Eurostat earnings release)).