Arouca vs Castelo de Paiva: cost of living compared
versus
Yearly saving in Castelo de Paiva
€432/year
For a single person buying a home, Castelo de Paiva works out cheaper. A home in Castelo de Paiva costs €8,520 less.
You will
Household
Transport
60 m²
More adjustments
AroucaCastelo de Paiva
Estimated home price · 60 m²€63,060Δ €8,520€54,540
On the day you buy
Down payment€6,306€5,454
Transfer tax (IMT)€0€0
Stamp duty · purchase€504€436
Stamp duty · loan€341€295
Total upfront€7,151€6,185
Monthly payment€218€189
Mortgage payments35 years at 3.00% · 90% financed
€2,621€2,267
€354less in Castelo de Paiva
Property tax (IMI)1VPT estimated at 50% of price
€95€82
€13less in Castelo de Paiva
Water, sewage and wasteOfficial tariffs · 4 m³/month
€262€197
€65less in Castelo de Paiva
ElectricityERSE regulated tariff · 1,469 kWh/year
€380€380
same in both
GasNo network: butane bottles
€360€360
same in both
Income tax refunded by the municipalityCastelo de Paiva keeps the 5%
no data for Arouca
Total per yearItems with data for both
€3,717€3,285
€432less in Castelo de Paiva
1 Property tax estimated using a taxable value (VPT) of 50% of market price. Enter the VPT from your property record for an exact figure.
Average rate on new housing loans: 3.00% (August 2026, Banco de Portugal).
excluded from comparison (missing for the other municipality)
Source: Portal das Finanças, taxas de IMI por município · 2025 · Source: Portal das Finanças, participação dos municípios no IRS · 2026 · Source: INE · 2nd quarter of 2026 · Energy: ERSE, October 2026
Beyond the cost
Mortgage payment ÷ 1 × local median gross salary
20%19%
1%better in Castelo de Paiva
House price rise over 5 yearsMedian sale price (€/m²), over 5 years
+55%+36%
19 pointsrose more in Arouca
Crime rateRecorded crimes per 1 000 residents
19.3/100014.3/1000
5.0/1000better in Castelo de Paiva
Average commuteOne way to work or school
18 min23 min
5 minbetter in Arouca
Average salary (gross)Average monthly earnings, by place of work
€1,264/month€1,163/month
€101/monthbetter in Arouca
Median salary (gross)Half of workers earn less than this, by place of work
€1,082/month€1,006/month
€76/monthbetter in Arouca
Purchasing power (Portugal = 100)Per-capita index
75.571.2
4.3better in Arouca
PharmaciesPer 1,000 people
0.30/10000.30/1000
same in both
Nearest emergency departmentAverage straight-line distance from where residents live to the nearest hospital emergency department
5.3 km13.0 km
7.7 kmbetter in Arouca
CrèchesPublic, non-profit (IPSS) and private crèches and childminders, children under 3 (above 100: more places than children)
