Portugal's sub-€2,300 rentals see more listings but smaller homes

Comparing 2026 to the same period in 2025, the daily average of rental listings priced at €2,300 or below climbed from 30,285 to 34,270, a rise of about 13 percent, while the segment still represents roughly 88 percent of the market examined. The typical size of these homes shrank by around 12 percent, and one-bedroom units expanded their market share by 4.5 percentage points, pushing larger T3 and T4 apartments into a smaller slice of supply.

Sylvia Bozzo, marketing manager at Imovirtual, emphasized that the number of low-cost listings does not fully reflect tenant options, noting a trend toward smaller dwellings. In the €2,000-€2,300 bracket, listings jumped 34 percent overall, with Lisbon accounting for about 76 percent of the growth and seeing a 43 percent increase, while Porto’s supply rose 14 percent. Rental prices in this band stayed relatively stable, with Lisbon’s average edging up 0.8 percent and Porto’s by 3.1 percent, though some cities like Leiria saw declines. The data highlight regional disparities, suggesting a national rent ceiling does not guarantee uniform housing quality across Portugal.