Lisbon, Sept. 29, 2026 (Lusa) - The median rent for new residential tenancy agreements rose 10.2% year-on-year in the second quarter to €10.17 per square metre, up from 9.1% in the previous quarter, according to INE.
According to the «Local Housing Rent Statistics» published by Statistics Portugal (INE) on Tuesday, the median rent rose by 7.5% compared with the first quarter of 2026.
From April to June, the number of new tenancy agreements exceeded that recorded in the same quarter of 2025 (35,266 new agreements), representing a 0.4% increase in letting activity.
Compared with the corresponding quarter of 2025, the median rent increased in all NUTS III sub-regions, with the highest rents recorded in Greater Lisbon (€15.24 per square metre (m²)), the Autonomous Region of Madeira (€12.78 per square metre), the Setúbal Peninsula (€11.99 per square metre), the Algarve (€11.56 per square metre) and the Porto Metropolitan Area (€10.83 per square metre).
Meanwhile, the Alentejo Coast (21.6%) and Terras de Trás-os-Montes (17.6%), Madeira (17.4%) and the Lezíria do Tejo sub-region (17.0%) stood out with the largest year-on-year changes.
Rents were above the national average (€10.17 per square metre) in the sub-regions of Greater Lisbon (€15.24 per square metre), the Autonomous Region of Madeira (€12.78 per square metre), the Setúbal Peninsula (€11.99 per square metre), the Algarve (€11.56 per square metre) and the Porto Metropolitan Area (€10.83 per square metre).
Of the five NUTS III sub-regions with median rents above the national average, only Madeira recorded a year-on-year change higher than that observed for the country as a whole (10.2%) In the second quarter of 2026, INE also reported a year-on-year increase in the median rent across the 24 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, with Guimarães (20.7%) standing out as having the highest year-on-year change and Lisbon having the highest median rent (€17.79 per square metre), although its year-on-year rate of change (5.1 %) was lower than the national figure (10.2%).
Ten of the 24 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants recorded year-on-year rates of change in the number of new tenancy agreements higher than the national average (0.4%)—Almada (17.2%), Lisbon and Seixal (both 5.6%) stood out as having the highest increases.
Conversely, the number of new tenancy agreements fell in 14 of the municipalities under review, with Matosinhos (-14.0%) and Maia (-13.2%) being the most notable.
Compared with the previous quarter, the median rent increased in 24 of the 26 NUTS III sub-regions, with the largest increase occurring in the Azores (16.3%). Baixo Alentejo (-3.7%) and Alto Alentejo (-3.6%) recorded decreases.
In the second quarter of 2026, all municipalities in Greater Lisbon and the Setúbal Peninsula with more than 100,000 inhabitants recorded median rents higher than the national average (€10.17 per square metre), although only Loures (€13.03 per square metre and 16.1%), Vila Franca de Xira (€11.39 per square metre and 10.4% ) and Amadora (€14.03 per square metre and 10.3%) recorded year-on-year increases in rent levels higher than the national average (10.2%).
In the Porto Metropolitan Area, all municipalities recorded median rents above the national benchmark, with Maia (€10.04 per square metre and 5.9%) being the sole exception, along with Gondomar (€9.23 per square metre and 8.2%) and Santa Maria da Feira (€7.03 per square metre and 9.3%), which also recorded more modest year-on-year changes.
Among the remaining municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, only Funchal (€14.49 per square metre and 17.0%) recorded a median rent and a year-on-year rate of change higher than the national figures.
The INE also indicates that 10 of the 24 municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants recorded year-on-year rates of change in the number of new tenancy agreements greater than the national average (0.4%), and Almada (17.2%), Lisbon and Seixal (both at 5.6%) recorded the largest increases.
Conversely, the number of new contracts fell in 14 of the municipalities under review, most notably in Matosinhos (-14.0%) and Maia (-13.2%).
PD/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
