Rental rates for rooms surge by nearly 100% over the course of a year.
At the onset of 2025, the city of Coimbra reported a striking increase of 364% in the supply of rental rooms. This significant growth was followed by Porto (137%), Lisbon (128%), Viseu (72%), Portalegre (65%), and Guarda (53%), as per recent data. Notable increases, although less dramatic, were observed in Bragança (36%), Braga and Aveiro (18% each), Viana do Castelo (17%), Setúbal (10%), and Leiria (2%).
Conversely, the supply of rental rooms declined in Évora (-40%), Ponta Delgada (-37%), Vila Real (-27%), Faro (-26%), Castelo Branco (-24%), Funchal (-21%), and a few other cities. Santarém remained steady at 0% during this period.
According to idealista's data, rent prices for rooms increased in 13 out of the 19 district/autonomous region capitals analyzed. Funchal saw the most significant price surge, with rent prices rising by 50%. Additional notable price increases were observed in Faro (33%), Aveiro (32%), Setúbal (30%), Évora (23%), Braga (17%), Viana do Castelo (17%), and Portalegre (14%). Coimbra, Ponta Delgada, Porto, Vila Real, and Leiria saw more moderate price increases, while prices remained stable in Santarém and Viseu.
Several cities, including Castelo Branco (-23%), Bragança (-15%), Lisbon (-8%), and Guarda (-5%), reported decreases in rent prices for rooms. Among Portugal's major cities, Lisbon continues to hold the highest rental prices, followed by Funchal, Porto, Faro and Ponta Delgada, Aveiro, Setúbal, Évora, Braga, and Viana do Castelo.
The most economical cities for renting a room in Portugal are Guarda (190 euros/month), Bragança (200 euros/month), Castelo Branco (230 euros/month), Portalegre (250 euros/month), Vila Real (250 euros/month), and Viseu (260 euros/month). Factors contributing to Coimbra's substantial rise in rental room supply may include the city's student population from the University of Coimbra, its relatively affordable housing compared to larger cities, and potential changes in local rental market dynamics.
In light of the increasing rental room supply in Coimbra, there might be potential opportunities for investing in real-estate, considering the city's attractive housing market. Alongside the rise in room supply, rent prices for rooms also saw a significant increase of 50%.
