Healthcare · Portugal

Registered Nurse Salary in Lisbon, PT

The average registered nurse in Lisbon, PT earns $26,004 per year — about $1,625 /mo after a simplified national tax estimate. Versus the Portugal average this metro is 27% lower, with a cost-of-living index of 100.

Observed data:city percentiles from public labour-market sources for this exact role and metro.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is EUR). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

After tax?

$19,503/yr

~25% effective national income tax on the median. Excludes most payroll/social levies and local taxes.

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Afford rent?

$1,648/mo 1BR

About 101% of estimated take-home — budget looks tight with ~$1,869 short /mo after modeled costs. Modeled, not a listing.

Cost of living calculator →

Compared with…?

% vs Lisbon median (FX-adjusted abroad).

Average salary
$26,004
gross / year
Est. take-home
$19,503
~25% effective tax
Hourly equivalent
$12.77
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs. Portugal avg
-27%
below average

Gross salary figures come from public labour-market data. Take-home, rent, savings, inflation, and trends are simplified models for research — not payroll, listings, or immigration advice. Methodology.

The Lisbon registered nurse paycheck versus what housing actually costs

Headline registered nurse pay in Lisbon, PT is 22 400 € a year, but a modeled modest 1-bedroom takes about 101% of estimated take-home. After a simplified national tax estimate, typical rent, and everyday costs, the leftover is about -1610 € a month — the number that decides whether the metro is livable on the median.

Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care across clinics, hospitals, and community settings. Nursing pay in Lisbon, PT moves with setting (hospital vs clinic), shift differentials, and overtime — the 22 400 € median is a full-time base-ish figure, not a 1.0 FTE guarantee without extras. Specialty units are how nurses reach 22 400 € without leaving the metro. Employers screening registered nurses in Lisbon, PT still list Patient care, Clinical assessment, EMR, and Empathy as core. The local band runs from about 14 900 € at the 10th percentile to 33 800 € at the 90th.

The percentiles on this page are observed metro figures for Registered Nurse in Lisbon, PT, not a national median multiplied by a pay index. That matters: you are looking at how this labour market actually priced the role, including local industry mix. They are still estimates of the market — not a promise of what one employer will offer.

Among the 2 Portugal metros we can compare for this role, Lisbon posts the highest median. The next metro, Porto, sits at 19 700 € (-12% vs Lisbon). Use those gaps to test a relocation thesis: a 15% cash raise that lands in a much more expensive metro can disappear in rent.

Lisbon’s COL index (100) sits nearer the global baseline, so headline and adjusted pay are not far apart (22 400 € vs 22 400 €). Rent still matters: the 1-bedroom model is 1420 € / month, about 101% of take-home, with leftover near -1610 €.

If you are comparing a Lisbon office offer with a location-flexible one, the Portugal national median for this role is about 30 800 €. Local pay is 27% lower — a 8400 € gap. Remote employers often anchor to the national figure; on-site employers in Lisbon are anchoring to this page.

World Bank consumer-price inflation for Portugal was about 2.3% in 2025; an illustrative model tied to inflation and the occupation’s outlook suggests pay has risen about 12% over the last few years. Employer-sponsored work visa is the usual skilled-hire route (moderate for typical hires): Skilled foreign workers usually need a job offer and an employer-sponsored work authorisation. Rules, quotas, and salary thresholds change often — confirm on the official government immigration site before relocating. At 0.8× Portugal GDP per capita, this median is below national GDP per capita — unusual for a professional median, and a reminder to check hours and setting. Unemployment was about 6.2% in 2025. None of that is tax, immigration, or career advice — run the calculators and confirm rules officially.

How to read a registered nurse offer in Lisbon

Start with gross cash, not the recruiting headline. If an offer lands near 22 400 €, you are in the lower half of this metro’s observed distribution; near 22 400 € you are already paid like a stronger local hire. Then subtract a realistic tax path (simplified national effective rate here is about 25%, leaving 16 800 € a year) and a housing number you would actually accept — not only the 1420 € model.

Because the 90th percentile is about 2.3× the 10th, two registered nurse jobs in Lisbon can be different careers that share a title. Ask what sits in the package (bonus, overtime, equity, on-call) before you treat 22 400 € as a fair target.

Demand and the registered nurse pipeline

Occupation-level employment for registered nurses is projected at about +6% over ten years. That is a national sketch of demand, not a forecast that Lisbon will hire at that rate. Local openings still follow Lisbon’s industry mix — hospitals, studios, public employers, or product companies — which is already baked into the observed percentiles more than into the outlook percentage.

Registered Nurse pay in Lisbon: 14 900 € to 33 800 €

Observed distribution for this role in Lisbon, PT — not a national average copied into a city name.

$17,29710TH$26,00425TH$26,004MEDIAN$26,00475TH$39,23890TH
Estimated pay distribution — the curve peaks at the median and widens with the pay range.
PercentileAnnual salary
10th percentile (entry)$17,297
25th percentile$26,004
Median (50th)typical$26,004
75th percentile$26,004
90th percentile (senior)$39,238

How does your salary compare?

Enter what you earn (or an offer) to see where it ranks for a registered nurse in Lisbon, PT.

Your percentile
25th

$26,004 puts you in the 25th percentile. You earn more than about 25% of registered nurses in Lisbon, PT. That’s below the median. There may be room to negotiate.

$17,297$26,004$39,238

Cost of living, rent & savings

Lisbon’s prices (COL index 100 vs a US baseline of 100) decide whether 22 400 € is a strong or a hollow paycheck. After that adjustment the median is worth about $26,004 in baseline-priced terms.

Est. rent (1BR)
$1,648/mo
Other living costs
$1,846/mo
Savings potential
-$1,869/mo after tax & costs

Rent and leftover use a COL-scaled single-adult model and the same simplified tax estimate as above (Flat ~25% effective-rate estimate. Rough national income-tax estimate; excludes social security, local taxes, and credits.). Adjust assumptions in the COL calculator.

Economy & work context

World Bank consumer-price inflation for Portugal was about 2.3% in 2025. Use the inflation calculator to adjust a past salary or offer for purchasing power.

GDP per capita (2025)
$32,082
Unemployment (2025)
6.2%
Public holidays (2026)
17

Inflation, GDP, and unemployment from World Bank Open Data; holidays from Nager.Date. See the Portugal salary hub for more context.

Remote equivalent

The Portugal national median for this role is about $35,756— a common benchmark for remote or location-flexible offers. Local Lisbon pay is 27% lower.

Historical trend

Illustrative median pay over the last few years — about +12% across the window.

$23,218
2022
$23,915
2023
$24,611
2024
$25,308
2025
$26,004
2026

Illustrative model based on approximate inflation and the role’s long-term outlook — not a surveyed year-by-year history.

Visa notes for a registered nurse moving to Portugal

Employer-sponsored work visa

Skilled foreign workers usually need a job offer and an employer-sponsored work authorisation. Rules, quotas, and salary thresholds change often — confirm on the official government immigration site before relocating.

Difficulty for typical skilled hires: moderate. General orientation only — confirm on the official Portugal immigration site before relocating or accepting an offer.

Compare Registered Nurse pay

See how a registered nurse stacks up against similar healthcare roles in Portugal.

What’s your take-home?

Calculator opens with this page’s median ($26,004) and Portugal tax model — tweak hours, period, or offer amount.

Registered Nurse salary in other Portugal cities

Same role, different city — % gap is vs Lisbon.

CityMedian
Porto, PT$22,870/yr

Registered Nurse salary in other countries

Capital/largest city sample for each market. % gap converts foreign medians into EUR before comparing with Lisbon.

CountryLocal median
Switzerland flagSwitzerlande.g. Geneva$149,636/yr
United States flagUnited Statese.g. Los Angeles$136,000/yr
Denmark flagDenmarke.g. Copenhagen$92,757/yr
Israel flagIsraele.g. Tel Aviv$82,623/yr
Norway flagNorwaye.g. Oslo$81,031/yr
Ireland flagIrelande.g. Dublin$78,361/yr
Australia flagAustraliae.g. Sydney$77,372/yr
Belgium flagBelgiume.g. Brussels$73,717/yr
United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdome.g. London$70,426/yr
Canada flagCanadae.g. Toronto$68,239/yr

Related Healthcare jobs in Lisbon

Job openings & next moves

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Browse live job openings for this role, or close the skills gap that separates the median from the top percentiles.

Calculators and guides for take-home pay, living costs, and reading the numbers behind an offer.

Frequently asked questions

What does a registered nurse earn in Lisbon, PT?
The observed median is about 22 400 € per year, or 1900 € per month before tax and 11 € per hour at 2,080 hours. Entry-to-senior context is the 14 900 €–33 800 € band.
Is Lisbon a high-paying city for registered nurses in Portugal?
Lisbon pays about 27% less than the Portugal median for this occupation. High-paying in cash is not the same as high-paying after rent: COL is 100 and modeled leftover is -1610 € / month.
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Lisbon on the median?
A modeled modest 1-bedroom is about 1420 € / month, roughly 101% of estimated take-home (1400 € / month after a simplified national tax). The same model is about 1610 € / month short — a roommate, a cheaper neighbourhood, or above-median pay would be the usual fixes. Listings vary by area; this is a COL-scaled estimate, not an asking rent.
Why is the registered nurse salary range in Lisbon so wide?
The 90th percentile (33 800 €) is about 2.3× the 10th (14 900 €). That usually means mixed settings and seniority under one title — not that every employer pays randomly. Read offers against the quartile that matches the actual job, not only the median.
What is take-home pay for a registered nurse in Lisbon, PT?
A simplified Portugal income-tax estimate on the median is about 16 800 € per year (25% effective). Real net pay changes with local taxes, social contributions, benefits, and filing status. Use the prefilled salary calculator to vary the gross.
Which skills show up for registered nurse jobs in Lisbon?
Common requirements for this occupation include Patient care, Clinical assessment, EMR, Empathy, and Triage. Lisbon employers still vary by sector; use the skills as a screening list, not a guarantee that every posting in Lisbon, PT asks for all of them.
Where do these Lisbon, PT registered nurse figures come from?
City percentiles are observed labour-market figures for this role and metro (via OfficialSalary / related public sources), shown in EUR. They describe the market, not your contract.