Parliament Orders Study on Living Costs in Madeira
The Portuguese Assembly approved a new group to study the real cost of living in Madeira, to help guide fair funding and future economic decisions.
The Portuguese Assembly approved a new group to study the real cost of living in Madeira, to help guide fair funding and future economic decisions.
During their 2025 election campaign, the PSD promised a €1,200 minimum wage. Now, after the local elections, the president suggests the minimum wage could end up being even lower than in other parts of Portugal.
The Madeira Hotel Workers’ Union has proposed a 15% pay rise, a minimum €150 monthly increase, shorter 35-hour weeks, and 25 vacation days for all employees.
Portugal substantially changes its immigration and citizenship laws. See what’s new and how to prepare if you want to live, work, or bring family.
Reputation under fire: Madeira is once again being ridiculed as a viral TikTok shows a tourist at Madeira’s Mercado dos Lavradores laughing to tears and rolling on the floor after being charged a staggering €72 for a few pieces of fruit.
Politics is now focusing on Mercado dos Lavradores, where it emerged that sellers pay up to €5,000 per month for stalls, leaving little room for fair pricing or honest practices.
MEO has announced full 5G and mobile coverage in Madeira’s main highway tunnels, after investing €3.5 million over five years to expand digital connectivity.
Cable cars for Funchal residents? Smarter traffic systems? A modernized bus fleet? Politicians across the spectrum are sharing ideas to reduce car dependence and tackle Madeira’s traffic problems.
Madeira’s tourism sector, which contributes 12% to Portugal's tourism and an unforgiving 40% of the island’s GDP, faces mounting pressures. Experts at the Tourism Conference urge clear policies, Visitor Impact Management, and improved transport solutions.
The closure of the Funchal cable car from January 5, 2026, involves a €4 million project focusing on the Funchal station, cable replacement, and updating the system’s technology.
Ride-hailing drivers protested in Funchal after Madeira suspended new TVDE licenses to prevent competition, leaving €700 training wasted, drivers unable to work, and tensions running high.