Average Salary in Lisbon
Full-time employees working in the Grande Lisboa region, which includes the city of Lisbon, earned an average of €1,935.68 gross a month in October 2024, according to the Quadros de Pessoal statistics. That is 23% above the Portugal average of €1,576.03. The median was €1,410.28.
The Ministry of Labor's Quadros de Pessoal statistics, compiled by its strategy and planning office (GEP) from the annual reports employers file, give monthly earnings by region. The figures used here are for the Grande Lisboa region, which includes the city of Lisbon, and cover full-time employees with full pay in October 2024, counted by workplace. No figure for the Lisbon municipality alone is used on this page.
Monthly earnings in Grande Lisboa and Portugal, October 2024
Average monthly earnings by region, Portugal, October 2024
How to read Lisbon pay figures
Full-time employees in Grande Lisboa earned an average of €1,935.68 a month in October 2024, €359.65 more than the Portugal average of €1,576.03, which rose 7.9% on 2023. Grande Lisboa was the only region above the national average. The median, the middle employee, was €1,410.28, well below the mean, because a group of high earners pulls the average up. The gap between the top and bottom of the pay range is also the widest in the country: the 3rd quartile is 2.12 times the 1st quartile, against 1.71 for Portugal.
The measure is monthly earnings, or ganho: regular gross pay for the month, before tax and Social Security. Portuguese salaries are usually paid 14 times a year, with holiday and Christmas subsidies, which are not part of the October figure. INE uses a different measure from Social Security records. It puts average total pay per worker in Portugal at €1,694 a month in 2025, with subsidies and bonuses averaged over the year and part-time workers included.
Setting pay for a Lisbon hire
New leases in Lisbon had a median rent of €17.79 per m² in mid 2026, as our cost of living in Lisbon page shows. Plan for 23.75% employer Social Security on top of pay: our Lisbon guide works through the cost, and the guide to hiring in Portugal covers the national rules. Need help with the search? We find, screen and shortlist remote professionals across Europe, with 3 candidates within 21 days. See how placement works.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and collective agreements can set different terms. Confirm with a local accountant or lawyer before you hire.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Lisbon?
Full-time employees in the Grande Lisboa region earned an average of €1,935.68 gross a month in October 2024, according to the Quadros de Pessoal statistics. It is a regional figure that includes the city.
What is the median salary in Lisbon?
€1,410.28 a month for full-time employees in Grande Lisboa in October 2024, against €1,186.55 for Portugal.
How does Lisbon pay compare with the rest of Portugal?
Grande Lisboa had the highest average monthly earnings of any region in 2024, €1,935.68, 23% above the Portugal average of €1,576.03. Península de Setúbal followed at €1,545.45.
Is the Lisbon salary paid 14 times a year?
Usually, yes. Portuguese employees get a holiday subsidy and a Christmas subsidy on top of 12 monthly salaries. The monthly earnings figures on this page do not include those subsidies.
Why is the median salary in Lisbon lower than the average?
High earners pull the average up. In Grande Lisboa the 3rd quartile of pay is 2.12 times the 1st quartile, the widest spread of any region, so the median of €1,410.28 sits well below the mean of €1,935.68.
Sources
- DREM, Ganho mensal dos trabalhadores por conta de outrem, 2024 (MTSSS/GEP Quadros de Pessoal). Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- Portuguese Government, Real wages rose 3.2% in 2025 (INE data). Checked 3 Nov 2026.
