Affordable new builds in Portugal: where to find a new studio or T1 and what it costs

Updated: 5 November 2026 · RE/MAX Extra

A new flat in Portugal doesn't have to be an expensive purchase, but it isn't a cheap one either: it all comes down to the city. Below you'll find what new studios (T0) and one-bedroom flats (T1) cost in our catalogue right now, where there are most of them and where they're cheapest, how they compare with sale prices in the official statistics, and what you need to know if you're buying a flat in a building still under construction.

What we count as a new build and how we worked it out

The figures below come from listings of T0 and T1 flats for sale in our catalogue on 28 October 2026. We count a flat as a new build if it belongs to a development (empreendimento), or was built in 2025 or later, or is marked as new ("Novo") and was built in 2023 or later (or has no year of construction given). The "Novo" label alone isn't enough, because it is also used for refurbished flats in old buildings.

The same flat is often listed by several agencies in the network, so listings with the same price, floor area and number of bedrooms in the same municipality count as one flat. Listings under €50,000 are left out: these are data-entry errors, not flats.

Catalogue prices are asking prices: what sellers want today. The final sale price may differ. The catalogue is updated daily, so the numbers on the city pages can differ slightly from the tables in this article.

What new studios and T1 flats cost nationwide

In all, the catalogue has 1,256 new-build T0 and T1 flats, of which only 29 are studios and the rest T1. The median price is €317,750, the median price per square metre is €5,123/m², and the median floor area of a T1 is 64 m².

The cheapest new flat in the catalogue currently costs €86,500, but there are very few like it: only 5 flats are under €150,000. More than half of new T0 and T1 flats (688 of 1,256) cost over €300,000. All new T0 and T1 flats nationwide, from cheapest to dearest, are on the page new T0 and T1 flats in Portugal.

Where most new builds are

Porto (200) and Lisbon (174) have the most new T0 and T1 flats, but their prices differ. In Porto the median is €297,500 and 37 flats can be found up to €250,000. In Lisbon the median is €548,750, and 5 flats out of 174 are under €250,000.

In the Algarve (Faro district), new builds are expensive: Lagos has no new T0 or T1 flats under €495,000, and the median in Portimão is €378,000. In Almada and Seixal (Setúbal district) the medians are below Lisbon's, at €334,000 and €385,000, but the catalogue has no new flats there up to €250,000. Around Porto, in Vila Nova de Gaia and Matosinhos, the median is about €290,000–300,000, almost the same as in Porto itself.

Where new builds are cheaper

Affordable new builds are in the north and centre of the country. Below are the municipalities where the median price of a new T0 or T1 is no more than €250,000 (with at least eight different flats in the catalogue).

The largest supply of affordable new builds is in Paços de Ferreira, in Porto district: 43 flats, a median of €179,900 and 37 up to €200,000. Cheaper still, but with less choice, are Valença (€159,250) and Vila Nova de Cerveira (€179,000) in Viana do Castelo district, and Tondela (€185,000) in Viseu district.

By district

The remaining districts have few new T0 and T1 flats in the catalogue: 15 between them. Of the 149 new flats up to €200,000 nationwide, 137 are in the districts of Porto, Braga, Viana do Castelo, Viseu, Aveiro and Coimbra; the districts of Lisbon, Setúbal and Faro have almost none.

New builds against the market: compared with INE sale prices

The National Statistics Institute (INE) publishes the median price per square metre for all home sales in each municipality. Nationwide, in the 12 months to June 2026, it was €2,264/m². Comparing this with the prices of new T0 and T1 flats in the catalogue shows how much dearer a new build is than the typical home in the same city.

In all 12 municipalities a small new flat costs more per m² than the median sale. The gap is narrowest in Porto (+41%) and Almada (+44%) and widest in Aveiro (+128%) and Braga (+121%). This is partly because INE's statistics cover all sales, including older homes and large flats.

The figures in the table are of different kinds: the catalogue shows asking prices, INE shows prices of completed sales. Treat this as a guide, not a valuation of any particular flat.

Buying off-plan: the promissory contract and the deposit

While a building is going up, seller and buyer can sign a promissory contract (contrato-promessa de compra e venda), a commitment to complete the sale later. The law expressly extends it to flats in buildings under construction or yet to be built. The rules are in the Civil Code.

• Form. A promissory contract for the sale of a building or a flat in it, whether finished, under construction or yet to be built, must be in writing, the parties' signatures must be witnessed in person, and the person certifying them confirms that the building has a use licence or a construction licence (Article 410(2) and (3)).
• All money paid under the contract is a deposit. Whatever the buyer pays the seller under a promissory contract counts as a deposit (sinal), even if it's called an advance or part of the price (Article 441).
• If the contract isn't honoured. If the buyer pulls out through their own fault, the seller keeps the deposit. If the seller is at fault, the buyer can claim double the deposit (Article 442(2)).
• Specific performance. Instead of this, the party not at fault can go to court to obtain the sale itself (Articles 442 and 830). For promissory contracts to buy a flat, this right can't be excluded by contract (Article 830(3)).

Handover dates, the payment schedule and what happens if there's a delay are set by the contract itself. Before signing, it's worth showing it to a lawyer (advogado or solicitador): this section summarises the law and isn't legal advice.

The warranty on a new flat

If a private individual buys a home from a professional seller, such as a developer or another company selling property as part of its business, consumer rights law applies (Decree-Law 84/2021). For contracts signed from 1 January 2022, it sets these periods of seller liability for defects that show up after the flat is handed over:

• 10 years for defects in load-bearing structural elements (Article 23(1)(a));
• 5 years for all other defects (Article 23(1)(b)).

A defect that shows up within these periods is deemed to have existed when the flat was handed over, and as a rule the buyer doesn't have to prove this (Article 23(4)). The buyer can demand free repair or replacement, a price reduction or termination of the contract (Article 24); these rights carry over to the next owner if the flat is sold. They expire three years after the buyer notifies the seller of the defect (Article 25). The home's quality and safety characteristics are set out in its technical data sheet, the ficha técnica da habitação (Article 22(3)).

What else to consider

• Taxes on purchase: which ones apply and how to calculate them, in our article on property taxes.
• Mortgages: the terms for non-residents, in our article on mortgages for non-residents.
• NIF (tax number) and bank account: how to get them, in our article on the NIF and opening a bank account.
• Costs after buying: IMI (annual property tax), condominium fees and insurance, in our article on the running costs of a property.
• If you plan to let the flat, compare the purchase price with rents: see our article on renting a home in Portugal.

Where to start

1. Work out your budget including taxes and decide whether you need a mortgage.
2. Pick cities from the tables and open their new-build pages: for example, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga, Coimbra or Lisbon.
3. Compare with existing homes: the flats catalogue, for example in Porto, shows what flats in the same city cost overall.
4. Before paying a deposit, check the promissory contract and the building's licence.

How a purchase works, from the NIF to the notary, is covered in how to buy property in Portugal, and prices by area in Porto neighbourhoods and suburbs and Lisbon neighbourhoods and surroundings. Our team can help you shortlist new builds and arrange viewings: get in touch.

This article is for information only and is not legal or tax advice. Rates and rules change — always check official sources and a professional before a transaction.