Moving to Lisbon with kids: schools, areas and costs

Quick answer: What do you need to know before moving to Lisbon with kids? Most international campuses sit west of the city, in Cascais, Oeiras and Sintra. Tuition for 2026-27 runs from about EUR 11,800 to EUR 24,300 a year at schools such as St. Dominic's International School, new rents in Lisbon average EUR 17.79 per square metre (INE), and children can apply for visas alongside you.

Last reviewed: November 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Key takeaways

At three schools that publish 2026-27 fees, tuition ranges from EUR 11,778 (Nursery at St. Dominic's) to EUR 24,308 (Grades 11 and 12 at TASIS Portugal).
The median rent of new leases in Lisbon municipality was EUR 17.79 per square metre in the second quarter of 2026, according to INE.
Since Lei 61/2025, most residence permit holders wait two years for family reunification, but minor children are exempt and can apply for residence visas at the same time as their parents.
The IFICI tax regime (Lei 82/2023) offers a 20% flat rate on qualifying salaries for 10 years and replaced NHR for newcomers.
Portuguese public schools started the 2026-27 year between 11 and 15 September 2026, under the calendar in Despacho 8368/2024.

Families moving to Lisbon with kids usually make two decisions at once: where to live and which school to choose. In Lisbon the two are tightly linked, because the large English-medium campuses are spread along the western suburbs rather than in the historic centre, and a 25-kilometre school run along the coast can take very different times depending on the hour.

This guide covers 2026-27: family areas and nearby schools, published fees, rents from Statistics Portugal (INE), the visa and tax rules that changed between 2023 and 2026, the school calendar and healthcare registration.

Where do families live in Lisbon?

Most relocating families choose between the coastal suburbs to the west and a few central districts, depending on whether the school run or the work commute matters more.

Cascais and Estoril: the classic choice for international school families: houses with gardens, the Cascais railway line into Cais do Sodré and short drives to St. Dominic's in São Domingos de Rana, St. Julian's in Carcavelos and the Linhó campuses of CAISL and TASIS Portugal.
Oeiras: between Lisbon and Cascais, popular with families working in the Taguspark business park, with the A5 motorway in both directions.
Sintra and Belas: greener and often cheaper per square metre, with Portuguese private schools such as Colégio Vasco da Gama in Meleças, close to the Sintra railway line. Expect longer drives to the coast.
Lisbon centre (Campo de Ourique, Estrela, Avenidas Novas, Belém): walkable and close to offices, but children at the western campuses face a daily drive or bus ride.
Parque das Nações: the former Expo 98 site on the river, with modern flats, the Oriente transport hub and quick airport access; check school bus routes before choosing a western campus.

Rent is the biggest variable. INE reports that the median rent of new leases in Lisbon municipality reached EUR 17.79 per square metre in the second quarter of 2026, up 5.1% in a year, against EUR 15.24 for Greater Lisbon and EUR 10.17 nationally. A 100 square metre flat at the Lisbon median costs roughly EUR 1,780 a month.

Which schools suit relocating families?

Greater Lisbon offers IB, American, British-style and Portuguese national pathways. These four illustrate the range, with details from each school's website.

St. Dominic's International School

Located in São Domingos de Rana, in the municipality of Cascais, St. Dominic's runs the IB Primary Years Programme from Nursery, the Middle Years Programme from Grade 6 and the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12. Its 2026-27 schedule lists annual tuition from EUR 11,778 in Nursery to EUR 23,166 in the Diploma years, with EAL provision and formal Portuguese pathways in primary. Tip: each new pupil pays a one-off capital levy of EUR 5,250 (EUR 8,925 for two new siblings).

Colégio Vasco da Gama

For a long stay with full integration in Portuguese, Colégio Vasco da Gama in Meleças (Belas, Sintra) teaches the national curriculum from pre-school to the end of secondary. Founded in 1959 and part of the International Schools Partnership group, it has been a Cambridge Educational Partner since 2018-19. The school says its 4.5-hectare site includes a riding school and a half-Olympic pool.

Carlucci American International School of Lisbon

CAISL, founded in 1956 and run by the not-for-profit Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa, offers an American education on its Linhó campus near Sintra. Its 2026-27 fees run from EUR 12,128 in Early Childhood to EUR 23,532 in Grades 9 to 12. Budget for the extras it lists separately: lunch from Grade 1 (EUR 1,212 a year) and a round-trip bus (EUR 3,632 a year).

TASIS Portugal

TASIS Portugal, also in Linhó, publishes 2026-27 tuition from EUR 13,007 in Pre-Kindergarten to EUR 24,308 in Grades 11 and 12, with lunch included; IGCSE and IB Diploma exam fees are charged separately. New pupils from Kindergarten pay a one-off campus enhancement fee of EUR 5,000.

How much does schooling cost in Lisbon in 2026-27?

Expect EUR 12,000 to EUR 24,500 a year in tuition, plus entry and annual fees that are easy to miss.

School	Youngest year	Grades 6 to 8	Final years	One-off entry cost
St. Dominic's (IB)	EUR 11,778	EUR 18,111	EUR 23,166	EUR 5,250 capital levy
CAISL (American)	EUR 12,128	EUR 17,756	EUR 23,532	EUR 600 registration
TASIS Portugal	EUR 13,007	EUR 20,028	EUR 24,308	EUR 5,000 campus fee

Annual tuition for 2026-27 from each school's fee page. St. Dominic's also charges annual registration of EUR 1,178 to EUR 2,316, CAISL a building fee of EUR 1,953 a year for five years and TASIS EUR 750 a year to re-enrol.

A worked example: two children in Grades 2 and 7 at St. Dominic's would pay EUR 18,111 plus EUR 14,250 in tuition (the younger child gets a 5% sibling discount), EUR 1,500 plus EUR 1,811 in registration and two capital levies (EUR 8,925 with the 15% sibling discount on the levy), so roughly EUR 44,600 in the first year before lunch, transport and uniforms. Compare that with a median Lisbon rent of around EUR 21,300 a year for 100 square metres.

Visas, residence and family members

EU citizens only register their residence. Non-EU families usually arrive on a national residence visa, under rules that changed in 2025 and 2026.

Passive income (often called the D7): the consulates measure means of subsistence against the 2026 minimum wage of EUR 920 a month, plus 50% for a second adult and 30% for each child. A couple with two children therefore needs to show about EUR 1,932 a month.
Remote work (the D8 or digital nomad visa): created by article 61-B of the Foreigners Act; the consulates ask for average monthly income over the last three months of at least four minimum wages, EUR 3,680 in 2026.
Golden visa: since the Mais Habitação law (Lei 56/2023), buying property no longer qualifies. Routes still in the law include EUR 500,000 in qualifying non-real-estate investment funds, EUR 500,000 for scientific research, EUR 250,000 for culture and heritage, or creating 10 jobs.
Children: article 58 allows family members to apply for accompanying residence visas at the same time as the main applicant. Lei 61/2025 introduced a two-year wait for family reunification, but minor children are exempt, as are the families of golden visa, EU Blue Card and highly qualified permit holders.

What replaced the NHR tax regime?

The non-habitual resident regime closed to newcomers in 2024 and was replaced by IFICI, the incentive for scientific research and innovation in article 58-A of the Tax Benefits Statute, added by the 2024 State Budget (Lei 82/2023). It taxes net employment and self-employment income from qualifying activities at a flat 20% for 10 consecutive years, provided you were not tax resident in Portugal in the previous five years. Qualifying roles include university research, jobs in certified start-ups and highly qualified professions in eligible companies, with registration rules in Portaria 352/2024/1. Anyone who already used NHR cannot apply.

When does the Portuguese school year start?

Public schools started the 2026-27 year between 11 and 15 September 2026, under Despacho 8368/2024, which set the calendar up to 2027-28 and was amended in August 2025 (Despacho 9989/2025). In the 2024 calendar, the first term ends on 15 December, Christmas break runs to 31 December, Carnival is 8 to 10 February 2027 and Easter 22 March to 2 April. Classes end on 4 June for Years 9, 11 and 12, on 11 June for Years 5 to 8 and 10, and on 30 June for pre-school and Years 1 to 4. International schools set their own calendars, often starting earlier, so confirm term dates with each school.

Healthcare: the pre-authorisation issued with a residence visa already assigns provisional tax, social security and National Health Service (SNS) numbers. Once you have an address, register each child at the local health centre (centro de saúde).

A practical checklist for your move

Shortlist two or three schools, then search for homes within a realistic school run.
Apply for school places while your visa is processed; many schools issue the enrolment letter consulates ask for.
Gather apostilled birth certificates, school reports for the last two years and vaccination records.
Get a Portuguese tax number (NIF) before signing a lease; most landlords ask for one, plus a deposit of one or two months.
If you may qualify for IFICI, check the registration deadline with your employer.

Families comparing Iberian cities will find a similar breakdown in our guide to moving to Valencia with kids.

Compare schools across Lisbon

Once you have narrowed down an area, compare curricula, fees and locations in our ranking of the best international schools in Lisbon, then book visits before you sign a lease.

More guides to schools in Lisbon

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to live in Lisbon for families?

It depends on the school. Families at international schools often choose Cascais, Estoril or Oeiras, because St. Dominic's, St. Julian's, CAISL and TASIS Portugal are all west of the city. Central districts such as Campo de Ourique or Parque das Nações suit parents who work in town, but the school run to the western campuses can take far longer at rush hour.

How much does an international school cost in Lisbon?

Published 2026-27 tuition at established schools runs from about EUR 11,800 for nursery to EUR 24,300 for the final IB or high school years. Add one-off entry levies of up to EUR 5,250, annual registration or re-enrolment fees, lunch and transport. CAISL, for example, lists a round-trip bus at EUR 3,632 a year.

Can my children move to Portugal on the same visa application?

Yes. The Foreigners Act lets family members apply for accompanying residence visas at the same time as the main applicant. The two-year wait for family reunification introduced by Lei 61/2025 does not apply to minor children. Consulates assess family income: for passive income visas they add 30% of the EUR 920 minimum wage per child.