Is Funchal a good place to live?

69/100 livability · Portugal
Funchal, Portugal scores 69/100 for livability — a strong place to live: cost 50/100, climate 100/100, safety 61/100. Warmest-month high ~21.6°C, coldest-month low ~14.8°C. Main natural-disaster exposure: storms (hurricane/cyclone). Safety 61/100 blends disaster (54) and crime (70).
Funchal — average monthly high (°C, WorldClim)
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Livability pillars (0-100)
50Cost100Climate61Safety
Disaster risk by type (1-5)
2Quake2Flood4Storm4Wildfire1Heat3Drought1Cold1Tsunami

How each score is calculated: CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). · ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. · Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). · LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. (hover the i)

How to read the scores — all on a 0–100 scale, higher is better.

What living in Funchal actually looks like

On cost, Portugal sits at 50 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — well below US prices — which maps to an affordability score of 50/100. The climate brings mild summers (warmest-month highs around 21.6°C) and mild winters (coldest-month lows near 14.8°C), scoring 100/100 on our comfort index. Personal safety is moderate at 61/100 — a blend of natural-disaster exposure (54/100; main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) and crime safety (70/100). Weighted together (0.35 cost, 0.30 climate, 0.35 safety) that produces an overall livability of 69/100 — a strong place to live. On balance, Funchal suits people who prioritise climate comfort best; weigh it against the disaster profile below before committing.

Natural-disaster risk in Funchal

Does Funchal get hurricanes or cyclones?

Storm risk in Funchal is high (4/5), reflecting its tropical-cyclone/severe-storm basin.

Is Funchal at risk of wildfires?

Wildfire risk in Funchal is high (4/5), based on regional fire-weather exposure.

Is Funchal prone to drought?

Drought risk in Funchal is moderate (3/5), from regional aridity and summer heat.

How scored: livability = 0.35·cost + 0.30·climate + 0.35·safety. Climate from WorldClim v2.1 normals; cost from World Bank PPP÷FX (real, open); earthquake from USGS (real); flood/storm/wildfire/drought/tsunami tiers indicative — verify before publish.

FAQ

Is Funchal a good place to live?

Funchal scores 69/100 for livability — cost 50, climate 100, safety 61.

Is Funchal safe?

Safety 61/100 = disaster safety 54 (main risk storms (hurricane/cyclone)) blended with crime safety 70.

What's the climate like in Funchal?

Warmest-month highs average ~21.6°C and coldest-month lows ~14.8°C (WorldClim climate normals).

How much does it cost to live in Funchal?

Portugal sits at 50/100 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — affordability score 50/100.

See also

All cities in Portugal → Best places to retire in Portugal → Digital nomad guide to Portugal → Natural-disaster risk in Portugal → Safest cities from storms (hurricane/cyclone) → Mediterranean-climate cities →

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