The housing market is expensive both for buying and renting in Portugal, making it difficult to afford a home on one’s own. For this reason, renting a room continues to be a solution for students and young people who have moved away from home, but also for those going through situations such as separation, divorce, unemployment, or financial strain, including families with children who are forced to share a home. But what is this market like at the moment? The latest data from idealista reveal that the supply of rooms for rent in the country increased by 79% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Consequently, demand pressure fell by around 44% over the past year.
This idealista analysis therefore highlights “a strong mismatch between supply and demand in this segment of the housing market”. Even so, the median price of rooms for rent in Portugal stood at 480 euros per month (€/month), rising by 1% over the past year, revealing price resilience, especially in the most pressured markets.
“The data show that the current adjustment in the room rental market results mainly from a strong increase in supply rather than from a structural drop in demand. With more rooms available, the pressure on each listing decreases and the market becomes more balanced,” explains Ruben Marques, spokesperson for idealista.
Still, “prices remain relatively stable, especially in large cities, which confirms that renting a room continues to be a sought-after solution for students, young professionals, and people on the move,” adds Ruben Marques.
Room rents
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Demand for rooms for rent more evenly distributed across existing supply
Demand for rooms for rent in Portugal fell across the board over the past year in most of the district capitals and islands analysed. The sharpest drops in the number of interested parties per listing were recorded in Portalegre (-69%), Guarda (-56%), Coimbra (-49%), Porto (-44%) and Lisbon (-40%).
By contrast, six cities recorded an increase in demand for rooms for rent, namely Évora (47%), Vila Real (34%), Funchal (27%) and Setúbal (20%), highlighting distinct local dynamics. Interest also grew in Faro and Leiria by around 9% in both district capitals.
In the opposite direction to demand, the supply of rooms for rent increased significantly in most of the large cities analysed. The largest increases in room stock were observed in Coimbra and Bragança (both with 133%), followed by Porto (93%), Portalegre (76%), Ponta Delgada (62%), Guarda (60%) and Viana do Castelo (59%). In Lisbon, the increase was 57%.
Demand and supply of rooms for rent in Portugal
Change between the 4th quarter of 2025 and the same period of the previous year
District capitals/islands | Demand | Supply
Bragança | −13% | 133%
Coimbra | −49% | 133%
Porto | −44% | 93%
Portalegre | −69% | 76%
Ponta Delgada | −5% | 62%
Guarda | −56% | 60%
Viana do Castelo | −13% | 59%
Viseu | −5% | 57%
Lisbon | −40% | 57%
Aveiro | −12% | 46%
Vila Real | 34% | 45%
Santarém | −23% | 38%
Castelo Branco | −15% | 31%
Braga | −6% | 28%
Faro | 9% | 28%
Funchal | 27% | 11%
Leiria | 9% | 8%
Évora | 47% | 7%
Setúbal | 20% | 2%
Source: idealista
Room rents tend to stabilise
Despite the sharp fall in demand and the significant increase in supply, prices for rooms for rent remained relatively stable in most district capitals and islands.
The largest annual increases in room rental prices were recorded in Funchal (17%), Coimbra (10%), Viana do Castelo (8%), Setúbal (7%) and Castelo Branco (7%). In the opposite direction, falls in room rents were observed in Guarda (-7%), Lisbon (-5%) and Portalegre (-4%).
Lisbon stands out as the most expensive market in the country, with a median price of rooms for rent of 570 euros/month, followed by Funchal (525 euros/month) and Porto (450 euros/month). The most affordable markets are found in Guarda (200 euros/month), Bragança (220 euros/month) and Vila Real (240 euros/month).
Prices of rooms for rent by districts and islands
Median prices in the 4th quarter of 2025
Change between the 4th quarter of 2025 and the same period of the previous year
District capitals/islands | Prices (euros/month) | Annual change
Funchal | 525 | 17%
Coimbra | 330 | 10%
Viana do Castelo | 350 | 8%
Setúbal | 400 | 7%
Castelo Branco | 240 | 7%
Évora | 350 | 4%
Viseu | 270 | 4%
Santarém | 310 | 3%
Ponta Delgada | 412 | 3%
Braga | 350 | 1%
Porto | 450 | 0%
Faro | 400 | 0%
Aveiro | 350 | 0%
Leiria | 300 | 0%
Vila Real | 240 | 0%
Bragança | 220 | 0%
Portalegre | 250 | −4%
Lisbon | 570 | −5%
Guarda | 200 | −7%
Source: idealista
Methodology
For this analysis, only cities with a stable base of listings on idealista throughout the analysed period and with a minimum of 30 listings were considered. The analysis is based on idealista data relating to rooms for rent, comparing the 4th quarter of 2025 with the 4th quarter of 2024. The evolution of the number of interested parties per listing, changes in available supply, and the evolution of median advertised prices are analysed.