Lisbon over London – the safest EU cities for working professionals relocating after lockdown

June 12, 2020

The latest research by Spotahome, the international rental marketplace, has highlighted which of Europe’s most popular capital cities for working professionals is home to the best mix of rental affordability and safety; for those looking to move once travel lockdown restrictions have eased.

Spotahome attributed each city with a safety rental score, based on a combination of its safety rating and the monthly cost of renting an apartment in the city centre, to find which cities offered the most affordable option with the greatest peace of mind.

Lisbon tops the table with a very respectable safety index score of 72 and an average monthly rent of £803, resulting in an overall safety rental score of 11.1. The Spanish capital of Madrid ranks second, with a safety index score of 70 and an average monthly rent of £886 resulting in a score of 12.7 overall.

Other cities to rank highly include Berlin (13.9), Brussels (15.1) and Rome (17.5).

London remains one of the most popular cities in the world, but with a safety index score of 48 and an eye-watering average monthly rent of £1,762, the UK capital sits at the other end of the table scoring 37.1.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Dublin ranks just above London with an overall score of 30, just behind Paris (22.1).

City
Nation
Safety Index Score
Average Monthly Rent (1 bed city centre apartment)
Rental Safety Index Score
Lisbon
Portugal
72
£803
11.1
Madrid
Spain
70
£886
12.7
Berlin
Germany
59
£821
13.9
Brussels
Belgium
50
£755
15.1
Rome
Italy
48
£842
17.5
Paris
France
48
£1,066
22.1
Dublin
Ireland
51
£1,526
30.0
London
UK
48
£1,762
37.1
Rental safety index score based on the average rent per month divided by the overall safety index score.

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Residential projects remain under pressure

Infrastructure keeps UK construction moving through a sluggish spell Residential and non-residential projects remain under pressure, while infrastructure and utilities work give the industry a much-needed lift The value of underlying work starting on-site during the latest three months declined 2% and stood 18% below last year’s levels. Residential construction starts fell 8% against the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Homebuyers hold tight ahead of Autumn Budget

but should they wait to make their move?   The latest research from Yopa has revealed that mortgage market activity has reversed in recent months, with approvals falling at an average monthly rate of 3.9% over the last four months, having previously increased by an average of 1.5% per month over the previous four months, suggesting…
Read More →
Breaking News

House price growth accelerates in Q2

The latest Property Market Index Review by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the property market continued to build momentum during the second quarter of 2026, with UK house prices increasing by 1.1%, while London recorded a second consecutive quarter of positive growth.   The Benham and Reeves Market Index Review…
Read More →
Breaking News

House prices hold steady despite impact of higher interest rates

House prices were unchanged in September (0.0%), following a -0.3% fall in August The average property price is now £298,441, compared to £298,395 in August Prices were also unchanged annually (0.0%) compared with September last year Northern Ireland continues to lead UK annual growth, at +7.4% Latest first-time buyer prices reveal what a 2.5% deposit…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 5/10/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Architect-founded KnowYourNest brings property scores into the home search, with a free 1–10 score and full KnowYourNest reports from £9.95 By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR NestLink today launches free NestScore checks and KnowYourNest property intelligence reports for buyers and homeowners across England and Wales.…
Read More →
Breaking News

Gap between house prices and earnings narrows

Gap between house prices and earnings narrows – but higher borrowing costs limit affordability gains UK’s house price to income ratio falls from 7.6 to 7.3, an 11-year low, as earnings continue to outpace house price growth For first-time buyers, homes now cost less than six times earnings, falling from 6.1 to 5.9 However, monthly…
Read More →