However, despite this, during the same period, advertised rental homes received, on average, 17 contacts before leaving the market, idealista's latest analysis reveals. When compared to the same period last year, the number of contacts per listing decreased by 45% (at the time, they received, on average, 32 contacts).

"Despite a slight decrease in the number of contacts since the beginning of the year, demand for rental listings remains high. This slowdown does not necessarily reflect a decline in interest from families, but rather an increase in the availability of properties for rent," explains Ruben Marques, spokesperson for idealista, acknowledging that rents remain high and "remain unaffordable for a large portion of the Portuguese population."

Where is rental demand highest?

The Portuguese city where rental listings received the most expressions of interest in the second quarter of 2025 was Portalegre, with an average of 53 contacts, followed by Faro (33), Évora (32), Ponta Delgada (30), Santarém (27), Leiria (27), Setúbal (27), Funchal (25), Guarda (25), Castelo Branco (24), Vila Real (21), Beja (20), and Bragança (20).

With an average of less than 20 contacts per rental listing are the cities of Viseu (18), Aveiro (15), Braga (14), Lisbon (14), and Viana do Castelo (13). The cities that received the fewest contacts, on average, were Porto (8) and Coimbra (7). It is worth noting that the low number of contacts per rental property may be related to the greater supply in these markets.

Fewer contacts per rental property

The average number of contacts per rental property listing decreased in 18 major cities in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year. The largest declines were recorded in Coimbra (-73%), Porto (-62%), Viseu (-56%), Bragança (-51%), and Lisbon (-49%).

There was also a decrease in visits to rental property listings in Vila Real (-43%), Setúbal (-42%), Aveiro (-41%), Braga (-41%), Santarém (-40%), Viana do Castelo (-33%), Leiria (-31%), Ponta Delgada (-21%), Castelo Branco (-19%), Évora (-19%), Beja (-16%), Portalegre (-8%), and Faro (-4%).

On the other hand, Guarda recorded a 40% increase in the number of contacts per rental property listing, being the district capital with the highest increase. Next comes Funchal, where contacts increased by 7% in the same period.