Quick answers: healthcare in Portugal
- How much does health insurance cost in Portugal for expats?
- Indicative international health insurance for a 32-year-old living in Portugal (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA) typically costs £181 to £335 a month, with a median of £259 and the cheapest at £156, based on 14 plan quotes from the 14 insurers on our panel, taken in 2026-09. Your price depends on your age, medical history, plan and deductible, and is only confirmed by the insurer.
- How much does expat health insurance cost by age in Portugal?
- Indicative median monthly premiums in Portugal (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA): age 25 US$237, age 35 US$312, age 45 US$417, age 55 US$658, age 65 US$1,085. Quotes taken 2026-09; the insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
- Do foreigners need health insurance in Portugal?
- It depends on the visa. Tourists: No insurance is needed to enter Portugal, according to the US State Department's Portugal page. Digital nomad visa (D8 residency visa for remote work): Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation. Digital nomad visa (temporary stay visa for remote work): Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation. Workers (residence visa for employment): Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation. Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Can foreigners use public healthcare in Portugal?
- Foreign citizens living or staying in Portugal, from the EU or elsewhere, can use the SNS once they are in the National User Registry and have a user number (número de utente). With a valid residence authorisation they are treated the same as Portuguese nationals and the SNS pays. Without one, a parish council declaration of 90 days' residence gives SNS-funded urgent care, maternal and child health and vaccinations, and other non-urgent care is charged to the patient. User fees (taxas moderadoras) now apply only when you go to a hospital emergency department without an SNS referral. UK visitors need a GHIC or EHIC for medically necessary state care.
- Do hospitals in Portugal ask foreigners to pay upfront?
- The UK FCDO says a GHIC or EHIC does not cover private healthcare or private clinics, is not an alternative to travel insurance, and that you may have to pay for medication. The US State Department says most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept US health insurance and most providers overseas accept only cash. Neither source gives a Portugal-specific rule on deposits or guarantees at private hospitals, so self-paying patients should expect to pay and claim back unless their insurer has an agreement with the hospital.
- What is the emergency number in Portugal?
- Call 112 for an ambulance in Portugal.
What health insurance costs in Portugal (indicative)
These are indicative prices, based on 14 plan quotes from the 14 international insurers on our panel, for one standard profile: a 32-year-old living in Portugal, inpatient and outpatient cover, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA. The typical monthly price is £181 to £335, with a median of £259 and the cheapest at £156. Your actual price depends on your age, medical history, the plan, your deductible and where you want cover, and is only confirmed by the insurer. Snapshot 2026-09-24. See the Health Insurance Cost Index.
Indicative prices: the 5 lowest of 14 plan quotes, monthly in GBP, cheapest mid-level plan in each insurer's range. Quotes taken 2026-09-24.
See the figures
| Age | Cheapest | Median | Higher end | Plans quoted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | US$123 | US$237 | US$309 | 15 |
| 35 | US$163 | US$312 | US$389 | 15 |
| 45 | US$209 | US$417 | US$497 | 15 |
| 55 | US$328 | US$658 | US$726 | 15 |
| 65 | US$492 | US$1,085 | US$1,226 | 14 |
Indicative. Single adult, inpatient and outpatient, cheapest mid-level plan per insurer, worldwide excluding the USA. Quotes taken 2026-09-29. The insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
How healthcare works for expats
Portugal has a tax-funded National Health Service (SNS), and foreign citizens who live or stay in Portugal can register for it. Expats in Lisbon and Porto also use private hospital groups such as CUF, Hospital da Luz, Lusíadas and Hospital Cruz Vermelha, which publish their own private price lists. Most residence and remote work visas require proof of insurance covering medical expenses, so most new arrivals hold private cover at least until they are registered with the SNS.
Public care and state schemes
Foreign citizens living or staying in Portugal, from the EU or elsewhere, can use the SNS once they are in the National User Registry and have a user number (número de utente). With a valid residence authorisation they are treated the same as Portuguese nationals and the SNS pays. Without one, a parish council declaration of 90 days' residence gives SNS-funded urgent care, maternal and child health and vaccinations, and other non-urgent care is charged to the patient. User fees (taxas moderadoras) now apply only when you go to a hospital emergency department without an SNS referral. UK visitors need a GHIC or EHIC for medically necessary state care.
Private hospitals
CUF (Hospital CUF Descobertas and CUF Tejo in Lisbon, Hospital CUF Porto), Hospital Cruz Vermelha in Lisbon, Hospital da Luz and Lusíadas are the main private providers. CUF publishes a price list for each hospital that applies only to self-paying patients, and says patients with insurance agreements should check their own terms, meaning insurers with a CUF agreement are billed under that agreement. CUF's lists include set prices for a vaginal birth and a caesarean. Hospital da Luz says it has private price lists, but they could not be read for this guide.
Paying up front
The UK FCDO says a GHIC or EHIC does not cover private healthcare or private clinics, is not an alternative to travel insurance, and that you may have to pay for medication. The US State Department says most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept US health insurance and most providers overseas accept only cash. Neither source gives a Portugal-specific rule on deposits or guarantees at private hospitals, so self-paying patients should expect to pay and claim back unless their insurer has an agreement with the hospital.
Typical medical costs in Portugal
Published prices, mostly from private hospitals. Pound figures are approximate conversions.
| Treatment | Price | About |
|---|---|---|
| Medical specialist consultation, Hospital CUF Descobertas and Hospital CUF Tejo1,2 Lisbon, per visit | €104 to €125 | £89 to £108 |
| Emergency department visit, private (Hospital Cruz Vermelha general emergency 08:00 to 22:00, extra procedures and medicines charged separately; CUF Descobertas/CUF Tejo adult emergency)1,2,4 Lisbon, per visit | €100 to €135 | £86 to £116 |
| Private hospital room (Hospital Cruz Vermelha standard double to CUF Tejo single medical room)2,4 Lisbon, per night | €230 to €745 | £198 to £641 |
| MRI scan (Hospital Cruz Vermelha, CUF Descobertas, CUF Tejo)1,2,4 Lisbon, per scan | €365 to €930 | £314 to £800 |
| Normal birth, Hospital CUF Descobertas1 Lisbon, per package | €5,100 to €5,250 | £4,388 to £4,517 |
| Caesarean section, Hospital CUF Descobertas1 Lisbon, per package | €6,650 | £5,722 |
| Colonoscopy (Hospital Cruz Vermelha full colonoscopy to CUF Descobertas/CUF Tejo upper range)1,2,4 Lisbon, per procedure | €297 to €830 | £256 to £714 |
| Oral hygiene and prevention dental appointment, CUF (standard CUF dental price list to CUF Medicina Dentária Braamcamp)5,6 Lisbon, per visit | €56 to €79 | £48 to £68 |
| Normal birth, Hospital CUF Porto (caesarean listed at 5,850)3 Porto, per package | €4,600 | £3,958 |
Health insurance rules for foreigners
Tourists
No insurance is needed to enter Portugal, according to the US State Department's Portugal page. UK visitors need a GHIC or EHIC for medically necessary state care. The FCDO says this card is not an alternative to travel insurance and does not cover private care, private clinics or medical repatriation, and it advises appropriate travel insurance.7,8
Digital nomad visa (D8 residency visa for remote work)
Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation. They must also show average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the Portuguese monthly minimum wage.9
Digital nomad visa (temporary stay visa for remote work)
Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation.10
Workers (residence visa for employment)
Applicants must show valid travel insurance that covers necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation.11
Residence permit holders (type D residency visas generally)
The type D residency visa checklist asks for proof of health insurance that covers medical expenses in Portugal. Once holders have a valid residence authorisation and SNS registration, they use the SNS on the same terms as nationals. The only user fee left is for a hospital emergency visit without an SNS referral.12,13,14
Tips before you buy cover
- For a D8 visa, check that your policy states cover for urgent medical care and repatriation. The consular checklists ask for exactly that wording, not just general health cover.
- Register for an SNS user number as soon as you have your residence authorisation. You then use public care on the same terms as nationals and pay a user fee only if you go to a hospital emergency department without a referral.
- Private prices in Lisbon vary widely. An MRI costs from 365 euros at Hospital Cruz Vermelha to up to 930 euros at CUF, and a room costs from 230 to 745 euros a night. Choose a policy limit with multi-night stays in mind.
- If you plan to have a baby in Portugal, check your policy's maternity cover and waiting period. CUF Descobertas lists a normal birth at 5,100 to 5,250 euros and a caesarean at 6,650 euros.
- Before you buy, check that your insurer has an agreement with CUF or other hospitals you are likely to use. CUF's published prices apply only to self-paying patients.
Compare cover for Portugal
Instant prices from the whole market, and an adviser if you want one.
Sources
- 1.Hospital CUF Descobertas - Lisboa: tabela de preços particulares (INF.0013.37), CUF (2026-02)
- 2.Hospital CUF Tejo - Lisboa: tabela de preços particulares (INF.1795.25), CUF (2026-02)
- 3.Hospital CUF Porto: tabela de preços particulares (INF.0015.39), CUF (2026-02)
- 4.Tabela de Preços, Hospital Cruz Vermelha (2026)
- 5.CUF Medicina Dentária Braamcamp: tabela de preços (INF.2207.17), CUF (2026-01)
- 6.Medicina Dentária: tabela de preços CUF (INF.3125.01), CUF (2025-02)
- 7.Portugal travel advice: Health, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (2026-08)
- 8.Portugal International Travel Information, US Department of State (2026)
- 9.Residency Visa for Remote Work - Digital Nomads (checklist), VFS Global for the Portuguese consular network (USA) (2025-07)
- 10.Temporary Stay Visa for Remote Work - Digital Nomads (checklist), VFS Global for the Portuguese consular network (USA) (2025-01)
- 11.Residence Visa for Employment (checklist), VFS Global for the Portuguese consular network (USA) (2025-07)
- 12.Portugal Residency Checklist for Long Stay (type D), VFS Global for the Portuguese consular network (USA) (2026)
- 13.Acesso de cidadãos estrangeiros à prestação de cuidados de saúde no Serviço Nacional de Saúde, Entidade Reguladora da Saúde (ERS) (2026-08)
- 14.Taxas moderadoras do SNS, Entidade Reguladora da Saúde (ERS) (2026-02)
- 15.Euro foreign exchange reference rates: Pound sterling (GBP), European Central Bank (2026-09)
- 16.Hospital CUF Porto: informação útil (preçário), CUF (2026)
Costs and rules change. Always check with the hospital, the insurer or the relevant authority before relying on a figure.