Thousands protest cost of living and rents in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Aveiro

Marches in four cities

Thousands of people marched on Saturday in several Portuguese cities against the rising cost of living and housing. The protests took place in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Aveiro and were organised by the platform Não dá mais para viver assim, which is backed by more than 30 unions, collectives and associations.

In Lisbon the march was scheduled for 17:00 at the Largo do Intendente, but dozens had gathered well before that time. The crowd grew from a few hundred to several thousand in under half an hour. Protesters then walked to the Largo de São Domingos near the Rossio, a route of about three hours watched over by police officers.

In Porto the demonstration was held at the Praça de D. João I. Police (PSP) figures given to Lusa put the crowd at about 1,500, while other reports put it at about 2,000. By the evening, more than two dozen tents had been pitched in front of the Teatro Municipal do Porto.

What protesters described

Ana Mendes, 35, who said she was taking part in a demonstration for the first time, rents a room in Chelas for 450 euros, which takes more than half of her salary. She works in a call centre and earns only the minimum wage despite holding a degree, and she shares the apartment with two other couples.

The salary barely covers the rent.

João Santos, 23, who holds a master's degree, said he is now unemployed after stopping work to care for his sick parents, and that he lost both of them during the summer. He carried a placard in Lisbon and voiced his frustration with the lack of state support.

This country gives zero help.

In Porto, a 53-year-old teacher named Paula Moreira joined the march with her children and carried a placard telling Montenegro to leave. Duarte, 24, said Portuguese people were losing their city centres and argued that the public should take to the streets rather than wait for the government alone to solve the housing problem. Bruna Lopes, also 24, said she has been looking for work for three months since finishing a master's degree.

Accusations against the government

The organising platform accuses the government of radicalising itself and moving closer to Chega, the party it cites in its criticism. It also accuses Montenegro of favouring the interests of large real estate companies over living conditions and social peace. Montenegro leads a centre-right government, which protesters in several cities described as passive in the face of rising costs.

The demonstrators' complaints rest on the rent data. Rents in Portugal reached a record 10.17 euros per square metre in the second quarter of 2026, up 10.2% from the same period of 2025. The highest rents are in Lisbon and Porto, where prices run between 18 and 25 euros per square metre. Protesters said rent increases were not matched by a comparable rise in purchasing power.

A symbol from Spain

The case of Maricarmen Abascal, a Spanish woman evicted from her home at the age of 87, was recalled in both Lisbon and Porto. In Lisbon it was cited as a symbol of the fight against property speculation. In Porto, protesters said her case had sparked demonstrations across Spain.