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

UK House Price Index for December 2025

The latest UK House Price Index shows that: The average monthly rate of house price growth in December was -0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 2.4% in the 12 months to December 2025. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,000.   Here are some thoughts from the Industry.…
Read More →
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

10 things all tenants need to know when renting now

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and will introduce major reforms to private renting in England. The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May this year. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Average monthly mortgage payment down £119 year-on-year in January

Rightmove’s monthly mortgage tracker shows that the national average monthly mortgage payment in January was £1,592, based on January’s average asking price for a home of £368,031: Average monthly mortgage payments are £119 (7%) lower than a year ago, despite the average price of a home rising by 0.5% year-on-year in January A big January…
Read More →
Countryside
Breaking News

Homes with a great view command premiums

Buyers are paying a 28% price premium for homes with a great view The latest research from Yopa reveals that homebuyers who want to secure a property with a great view are going to have to pay an average price premium of 28%, rising beyond 35% in the North East. Every house has windows, and…
Read More →
for sale sign london
Breaking News

More sellers looking to enter the property market

The latest research from eXp UK has revealed that an increasing number of home sellers are entering the UK market, as demonstrated by recent growth in online search interest for terms such as ‘estate agent’ and ‘best estate agent’. Previous research from eXp UK recently found that sellers started reentering the market in the opening…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right

Leading insurer provides the low-down on non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right Most home insurance policies in the UK are designed for ‘standard’ homes, but not every home is considered standard. Whether the property is built with timber frames, has a flat roof or is a listed building, it may fall…
Read More →