Country comparisons
Portugal vs Italy
Both are Southern-European draws with the euro and the same Schengen 90-in-180 rule, yet they pull opposite ways on the two things that matter most: the income you must prove and the tax you actually pay. Portugal asks for a much higher nomad-visa income but welcomes you in English, while Italy sets a lower bar and offers real flat-tax regimes, in exchange for heavier paperwork.
Side by side
| Portugal | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa (D8) | Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa |
| Income requirement | ~EUR 3,680/mo (D8 digital nomad visa, ~4x minimum wage) | ~EUR 24,789/yr minimum (Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa, 3x the healthcare-exemption threshold; some consulates apply ~EUR 28,000) |
| Tax residency | Resident after 183 days or main home in PT; old NHR closed, narrow IFICI (NHR 2.0) successor. | Resident if >183 days OR habitual home/centre of interests in Italy; forfettario (15%) or impatriati (~50% exemption) regimes |
| Cost of living | Moderate | Moderate |
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
| Healthcare | Foreigners on short visits rely on travel medical insurance or an EU GHIC/EHIC for medically necessary care, while residents register with Portugal's public health system (SNS). | Visitors carry travel insurance or a GHIC (EU reciprocity); nomad and long-stay applicants need private health cover of at least 30,000 EUR, and legal residents can enrol in the national health service (SSN). |
| Driving | Visitors can generally drive on a valid foreign licence for short stays, and an International Driving Permit is recommended (and effectively required for some nationalities such as Indian licence holders). | Visitors can drive on a foreign licence, with an International Driving Permit recommended for non-EU holders, but residents must convert to or obtain an Italian licence. |
The bottom line
On the visa maths, Italy wins at entry: its 2024 digital nomad visa wants roughly 24,789 euros a year (about 2,065 a month), against Portugal's D8 floor of around 3,680 euros a month, so Portugal expects nearly double the income. On tax, Italy also has the edge for the self-employed, with the regime forfettario's 15 percent flat rate and the impatriati break, whereas Portugal's generous NHR scheme has closed and its narrower IFICI successor may not fit you. Portugal answers with an easier landing: English almost everywhere, a well-trodden path, and a single budget near 1,500 to 2,400 euros a month, though Lisbon and Porto have crept up. Italy's south can undercut that at 1,200 to 1,800 euros while Milan runs far higher, so where you settle decides as much as which country you pick. These are estimates, so confirm with the consulate.
Pick Portugal if you want an English-friendly, well-trodden landing and can comfortably prove the higher D8 income.
Pick Italy if your remote income is lower or you run your own business, and the flat-tax regimes plus the lifestyle outweigh the extra paperwork.
Read the full guides
Put it to work
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Digital-Nomad Visa Checker
See which digital-nomad visas you could actually get with your passport and income, ranked, with the binding reason per country.
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Tax-Residency Reality Checker
Go beyond the 183-day myth: model the treaty tie-breaker and see whether two countries could both claim you as a tax resident.
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Cost-of-Relocation Calculator
Estimate the all-in, one-time cost of moving to a country (shipping, visa fees, flights, deposits) as low, likely and high bands.
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