Affordable rent · RSAA
Affordable rent in Ponta Delgada: RSAA rent ceilings
Under the RSAA, the monthly rent in Ponta Delgada cannot exceed €362 for a T0, €463 for a T1, €603 for a T2 or €742 for a T3. In return, the rent is exempt from IRS.
- Official source: Diário da República
- Portaria n.º 454/2026/1
- Data of 22 October 2026
Photo: Bo Mertz · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key figures
Monthly ceilings in Ponta Delgada
The T2 ceiling ranks 70th highest of 308 municipalities and 2nd of 19 in the Azores.
- T0, maximum rent per month
- €362
- T1, maximum rent per month
- €463
- T2, maximum rent per month
- €603
- T3, maximum rent per month
- €742
Simulator
Work out the ceiling for your property
The ceilings
Rent ceilings by size in Ponta Delgada
| Size | Ceiling | +10% parking | +10% class A or A+ | +20% both |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | €362 | €398.20 | €398.20 | €434.40 |
| T1 | €463 | €509.30 | €509.30 | €555.60 |
| T2 | €603 | €663.30 | €663.30 | €723.60 |
| T3 | €742 | €816.20 | €816.20 | €890.40 |
| T4 | €812 | €893.20 | €893.20 | €974.40 |
| T5 | €952 | €1,047.20 | €1,047.20 | €1,142.40 |
Cumulative uplifts (art. 2(4)). Above T5, add €50 per bedroom beyond the fifth: a T6 has a ceiling of €1,002.
The ceiling against the Ponta Delgada market
The T2 ceiling (€603) is 14% below the market estimate: letting at the ceiling costs the landlord about €97 a month. The quartiles of the T2 estimate run from €450 to €940: the ceiling sits between the 1st quartile and the median. With private parking and class A or A+, the T2 ceiling rises to €723.60 and covers the estimate.
| Size | RSAA ceiling (€/month) | Market est. (€/month) | Difference | Ceiling (€/m²) | Market (€/m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 · 48 m² | 463 | 450 | +3 % | 9.65 | 9.38 |
| T2 · 85 m² | 603 | 700 | −14 % | 7.09 | 8.24 |
| T3 · 115 m² | 742 | 755 | −2 % | 6.45 | 6.57 |
Aluseg estimate, not an official figure: INE median of €7.33/m² (2025, 457 new leases) × INE size ratio for Região Autónoma dos Açores × reference floor area.
The ceiling against income in Ponta Delgada
A person on the median income in Ponta Delgada receives €1,135 a month after income tax (INE, 2024). The T2 ceiling (€603) takes 53 % of that income, against 62 % for the market rent (€700). For a couple on two median incomes, 27 % against 31 %.
Income per person after income tax, not household income: see how we read this number.
Looking for an affordable-rent home in Ponta Delgada?
Ask the landlord whether the lease will be in the RSAA (they file it with the IHRU, art. 6) and check the advert: up to €463 for a T1, €603 for a T2.
IRS saved at the ceiling in Ponta Delgada
A T2 in Ponta Delgada let at the ceiling earns €7,236 a year. Outside the RSAA, IRS on that gross rent would reach €1,809 (25% rate) or €723.60 (10% rate, for rents up to €2,300 a month). Under the RSAA, the tax is €0.
| Size | Rent at the ceiling (€/month) | Rent per year (€) | IRS at 25% (€/year) | IRS at 10% (€/year) | IRS under the RSAA (€/year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | 362 | 4,344 | 1,086 | 434.40 | 0 |
| T1 | 463 | 5,556 | 1,389 | 555.60 | 0 |
| T2 | 603 | 7,236 | 1,809 | 723.60 | 0 |
| T3 | 742 | 8,904 | 2,226 | 890.40 | 0 |
| T4 | 812 | 9,744 | 2,436 | 974.40 | 0 |
| T5 | 952 | 11,424 | 2,856 | 1,142.40 | 0 |
Gross rent, no deductible expenses. Exemption: art. 6 of annex III. Rates: Landlord IRS in 2026.
Ceilings in the Azores
Ponta Delgada has the 2nd highest T2 ceiling of 19 municipalities in the Azores. The highest is Madalena (€671) and the lowest is Horta (€392). The district median is €504: Ponta Delgada is 20% above the median.
| Municipality | T0 (€/month) | T1 (€/month) | T2 (€/month) | T3 (€/month) | T2 market, est. (€/month) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madalena | 364 | 531 | 671 | 784 | 465 | +44 % |
| Ponta Delgada | 362 | 463 | 603 | 742 | 700 | −14 % |
| Lagoa | 331 | 424 | 552 | 680 | 625 | −12 % |
| Praia da Vitória | 304 | 392 | 506 | 623 | 630 | −20 % |
| Calheta de São Jorge | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Corvo | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Lajes das Flores | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Lajes do Pico | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Nordeste | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Povoação | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Santa Cruz da Graciosa | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Santa Cruz das Flores | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| São Roque do Pico | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Velas | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | 565 | −11 % |
| Vila do Porto | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Vila Franca do Campo | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | – | – |
| Angra do Heroísmo | 264 | 339 | 441 | 543 | 530 | −17 % |
| Ribeira Grande | 259 | 332 | 432 | 533 | 540 | −20 % |
| Horta | 224 | 308 | 392 | 475 | 460 | −15 % |
From the highest T2 ceiling to the lowest. Market: Aluseg estimate from INE data; – = no data.
Rent under the RSAA with everything in order
Lease, Tax Authority and rent receipts in a free account.
FAQ: affordable rent in Ponta Delgada
What is the maximum rent for a T2 in Ponta Delgada under the RSAA?
€603 a month, the 70th highest ceiling in the country. With private parking or an energy certificate of A or A+ it rises to €663.30; with both, to €723.60.
Is the T2 ceiling in Ponta Delgada above or below the market rent?
It is 14% below the Aluseg estimate for an 85 m² T2, about €700 a month (INE, 2025).
How do I get the IRS exemption?
Report the lease to the Tax Authority and file it with the IHRU by 15 January of the following year. See the RSAA guide.
What if the rent goes over the ceiling?
The exemption is lost from the breach and the tax is settled with compensatory interest (art. 7 of annex III).
Sources and methodology
Source: Portaria n.º 454/2026/1, de 13 de outubro (PDF) and Decree-Law 97/2026, annex III, read on 22 October 2026. Uplifts calculated by us (art. 2(4)). For information only, not legal or tax advice.