The Portuguese are big fans of good and cheap. You could almost say it’s a national motto (especially up north !), where negotiating the price of a kilo of tomatoes is taken as seriously as signing a property contract. Between supermarkets, local markets, second-hand shops, and mobile apps, Portugal is bursting with tricks to help you shop smart without breaking the bank.

What follows isn’t marketing theory, it’s real life, day-to-day stuff, the kind of thing that fills your shopping basket. The idea is simple : where to buy, what to buy, and when, so you can spend less without sacrificing quality.

Portuguese Supermarkets, Play the Competition

Portugal has an extensive supermarket network, and each chain has its own personality, strengths, weaknesses, and loyal customer base. Knowing them well is already a form of saving.

Pingo Doce

You’ll find a great quality/price ratio here, with regular promotions. Be careful though: in the summer, especially in big cities, Pingo Doce raises its prices considerably as demand soars with tourists. The loyalty card (Cartão Poupa Mais) allows you to accumulate some very appealing discounts, even significant ones if you do most of your shopping there every month. People often say, “I don’t really look at promotions,” until the day they realise they’ve saved several dozen euros at checkout.

Continente

A very popular chain, Continente often offers competitive prices on national products, especially during large promotional campaigns. The Continente card can also be used in partner stores (like Worten, for electronics). The result: your Tuesday yoghurts might just help pay for next month’s fridge.

Minipreço

Portugal’s homegrown discount chain. You’ll find low-priced essentials, perfect for groceries, tins, milk, pasta, toilet paper. It’s the “it does the job” option, nothing fancy, but it works.

Auchan (formerly Jumbo)

Often slightly pricier on certain products, but with a wide range, organic options, vegetarian alternatives, and French products that can be hard to find elsewhere. Handy when you’re feeling nostalgic for a specific cheese that isn’t flamingo (Portuguese “Flamengo”) shaped.

Lidl

Lidl has practically become a national institution. The bakery section is legendary, pastéis de nata fly off the shelves faster than you can blink. European products, low prices, consistent quality. Some people shop only at Lidl, and honestly… fair enough.

Local tip : keep an eye on digital flyers or store apps. The Portuguese don’t just “go shopping”, they plan it. Fruit and veg week here, laundry week there. It’s a bit of a juggling act, but it pays off quickly !

Traditional Markets, Quality at the Best Price

If there’s one thing that makes the Portuguese tick, it’s their markets (“feiras”). You don’t just go there to buy things, you go to see, talk, compare, taste, and comment on last week’s weather. They’re present in every town and village, and often act as a weekly ritual gathering.

Fruit and Vegetables

Often cheaper than supermarkets and much tastier. Tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes, Algarve oranges, sweet potatoes from the south, and onions so big they could feed a family. You buy directly from the farmer, chat about the weather on their fields, and sometimes even walk away with a free bunch of coriander “just to try.”

Fish

In a country surrounded by the sea, you can’t skip it. In Setúbal (Lisbon region) or Matosinhos (Porto area), the fish markets are famous, prices are unbeatable and freshness is sometimes so extreme the fish is still stiff. Pro tip: if you’re unsure what to buy, just ask for “fish to grill” and trust the vendor, you’ll get the best catch of the day.

Our (free!) advice: go to the market late in the morning, especially on Saturdays. Vendors prefer selling off what’s left cheaply rather than packing it all up again. You’ll often witness spontaneous reverse auctions, “Alright, two kilos for the price of one and I’m heading home !”

Low-Cost Home Goods, Furniture and Décor Without the Price Tag

Furnishing an apartment without selling a kidney ? Yes, it’s possible in Portugal, and without ending up with a wobbly chair that threatens your spine.

Espaço Casa

One of Portugal’s leading brands for home goods: storage, textiles, décor, kitchenware, small furniture. The chain’s been around for over 17 years, with more than 70 stores in Portugal, Spain, and Angola. It’s the kind of place where “I’m just browsing” quickly turns into “Alright, get the trolley” (a bit like Action, you know exactly what I mean !).

Hôma (formerly Deborla)

Another Portuguese brand, specialising in homeware, decorative items, and small furniture. Plenty of clever storage ideas at reasonable prices, ideal if your “two-bedroom” feels more like a “one-and-a-half.”

Conforama, Leroy Merlin, AKI

For more serious furniture and DIY projects. You’ll regularly find great deals, especially on entry-level appliances and renovation materials.

IKEA

A must for small budgets, with stores near Lisbon and Porto. But beware: prices aren’t always the same as in France. Some imported items cost more, while others, made locally or distributed more widely in Portugal, are actually cheaper.

And of course, there’s always second-hand.

OLX and Custo Justo

You can find everything, furniture, appliances, lighting, even high-end pieces at almost laughable prices. Keep an eye on listings around Paços de Ferreira, a major furniture manufacturing region. You’ll often find top-quality items resold for a fraction of the price.

Facebook Marketplace

Very active in Portugal, especially in big cities. Expats leaving the country often sell all their furniture in a single week, sometimes in bulk. Locals are quick to respond, message fast if you see something you like. Here, the first person to say “I’ll come today” wins.

Clothing and Accessories, Between Vintage and Outlets

Portugal isn’t a particularly expensive country when it comes to clothing, but there are even better options than the big international names (Zara, Mango, H&M, etc.). And they’re well worth exploring.

Vintage Shops (“Lojas Vintage”)

Lisbon and Porto are full of small vintage stores offering second-hand clothes at low prices. Some even sell by weight. You pay per kilo and might just walk out with a leather jacket straight out of an ’80s rock concert.

Humana

A charity chain with a strong urban presence. Clothes are sorted, folded, displayed, and the prices drop week by week if the items don’t sell. You might snag a great coat for €5 just because you waited for the right Wednesday.

Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet

Located in Alcochete, it’s the largest outlet in the country. International brands, discounts up to 70%. You’ll see plenty of Lisboetas there on Saturday mornings saying, “I’m just having a look,” and leaving with three shopping bags.

Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet

Another northern gem (one of my personal favourites !). Famous for great deals, especially on the last Thursday of each month, when prices drop even further. A must if you’re nearby.

Local tip: take advantage of the official sales periods (“saldos”) in January and July. Discounts often start at 50% and can reach 70% by the end. It’s serious business, some Portuguese even buy their winter coats… in July.

Digital and Electronics, Where to Find the Best Deals?

Electronics can be pricey in Portugal, but there’s room to manoeuvre.

Worten

Appliances, tech, phones… you name it. Huge variety, regular sales, and often located in Continente shopping centres. It’s one of those “I’ll just see what they have” places, and you end up leaving with a new coffee machine under your arm.

Radio Popular

Less well-known among foreigners but often competitive on larger appliances, especially during promotional campaigns (“VAT-free weekends”, flash sales, etc.). Simple tip : always check the price of a fridge at Radio Popular before buying it elsewhere.

Apps and Digital Deals

More and more Portuguese people use their phones to save money every day. You’ll see people at the checkout scanning loyalty cards faster than their bank cards.

KuantoKusta

A Portuguese price comparison site, perfect for electronics, appliances, and even professional IT gear. Always worth checking before you buy.

OLX and CustoJusto

Second-hand platforms, of course. You can sell, buy, grab a coffee table for €15, or give a washing machine a second life.

Digital loyalty cards (Continente, Pingo Doce…)

Everything’s centralised now, coupons and exclusive discounts straight from your phone. In Portugal, not using a loyalty card at checkout is basically like leaving money on the counter.

Too Good To Go

This app lets you buy bakery, restaurant, or pastry shop leftovers at a discount. You don’t always choose what’s inside, but for a few euros, you’ll go home with a full bag.

Health and Pharmacies, Don’t Pay Too Much (It’s Better That Way !)

Medicines in Portugal are generally cheaper than in France, but prices vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. Yes, the same box of vitamins can cost more or less depending on where you go.

Download the Farmácias de Serviço app. It shows you which pharmacies are open (especially useful on Sundays and public holidays, speaking from experience) and helps you compare prices on non-prescription items like vitamins, balms, and skincare products. Super handy when you don’t want to pay €14 for what costs €8 two streets away.

Wine and Gastronomy, Small Prices, Big Pleasures

Portugal is a land of gastronomy, and the good news is, everyone can enjoy it without going broke. That’s also why the Portuguese spend so much time in cafés, restaurants, and pastelarias. It’s cultural, and not just for special occasions.

Wine

A good bottle (red, white, or the famous vinho verde) starts at around €3-4 in supermarkets. For even better deals, look for adegas (local wine cellars) where you can buy wine in bulk, sometimes by the litre, and fill your own bottle on the spot.

Pastelarias

For less than €2.50, you can enjoy a coffee and a pastel de nata. You pay, lean on the stainless-steel counter, chat for three minutes with the waiter, and carry on with your day. It’s a daily ritual (especially for morning workers), almost a right.

Popular Restaurants (“Tascas”)

The “menu do dia” (soup + main dish + drink + dessert or coffee) costs around €8-12 in most non-touristy areas. These are the workers’ lunches ; simple, hearty, satisfying. The kind of place where bread appears without asking, and the waiter starts calling you amigo after three sentences.

Expert tip : avoid hyper-touristic areas like Lisbon’s Baixa or Porto’s Ribeira. Just two streets away, prices drop by half and portions double. The best restaurants are often the ones without an English menu.

Transport, Cutting Down Daily Costs

Transport can take up a big chunk of your budget, but Portugal has systems designed for locals (that newcomers often discover a bit late).

Monthly passes

In Lisbon and Porto, travel cards cost around €40 per month and cover buses, metros, trams, and urban trains. For daily commuters, it’s unbeatable.

Bolt and Uber

Often more practical and cheaper than traditional taxis, especially at night or outside city centres. Many locals use them daily and don’t even consider owning a car anymore.

Via Verde

An essential app if you drive in Portugal or rent a car. It simplifies toll payments, private parking, and keeps clear expense records. When you drive often, it’s a real comfort! And here’s a tip: sometimes, your car (if it’s classed as Category 2, like an SUV) can be charged as Category 1 with Via Verde. It doesn’t apply to all cars, but it happened with my Renault Kadjar, so if that helps, great! You can check your vehicle’s class directly on the Via Verde website.

Bonus tip :

For intercity travel, go for Rede Expressos (long-distance buses) or CP trains (Comboios de Portugal). Book early, and you’ll find tickets as low as €5-10 per journey. It’s not a myth, you really can cross the country for the price of a Paris brunch !

Living or travelling in Portugal means embracing a warm, simple, and affordable way of life. Between local markets, Portuguese chains, apps, loyalty cards, and the everyday wisdom passed down through generations, it’s absolutely possible to buy good and cheap while supporting the local economy.

The key word, in the end, is adaptability. Compare, don’t be afraid to walk into unassuming places, chat with shopkeepers, take advantage of off-peak hours, and use those apps! Portugal offers endless alternatives, and those who thrive here financially aren’t necessarily the ones earning the most, but the ones who’ve learned how to play the game.