UK vs Portugal: tax, inflation and house prices compared
On OECD figures, the UK's tax revenue in 2024 was 34.4% of GDP; Portugal's was 35.1% of GDP. In 2025 the IMF gives 3.4% for the UK's inflation rate and 2.2% for Portugal. OECD figures for 2025 put the UK's house price-to-income ratio at 115.7 (100 = long-term average), lower than Portugal's 132.6 (100 = long-term average).
Total tax revenue
On OECD figures, the UK's tax revenue in 2024 was 34.4% of GDP; Portugal's was 35.1% of GDP. The UK's figure was not higher than Portugal's in any year from 2014 to 2024.
| Year | UK | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34.4% of GDP | 35.1% of GDP |
| 2023 | 35.0% of GDP | 35.3% of GDP |
| 2022 | 35.2% of GDP | 35.9% of GDP |
| 2021 | 34.2% of GDP | 35.1% of GDP |
| 2020 | 32.8% of GDP | 35.1% of GDP |
| 2019 | 32.5% of GDP | 34.5% of GDP |
| 2018 | 32.8% of GDP | 34.7% of GDP |
| 2017 | 32.7% of GDP | 34.2% of GDP |
| 2016 | 32.5% of GDP | 34.1% of GDP |
| 2015 | 31.9% of GDP | 34.5% of GDP |
| 2014 | 31.7% of GDP | 34.2% of GDP |
The OECD's total tax revenue is every compulsory, unrequited payment to general government, including social security contributions, collected by all levels of government in a calendar year, shown as a share of GDP.
Inflation, average consumer prices
In 2025 the IMF gives 3.4% for the UK's inflation rate and 2.2% for Portugal. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 9 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 2.7% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | 0.9% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | minus 0.1% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | 1.2% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | 1.6% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
The IMF measures inflation as the percentage change in the average level of each country's consumer price index over a calendar year compared with the year before.
Price-to-income ratio, standardised
OECD figures for 2025 put the UK's house price-to-income ratio at 115.7 (100 = long-term average), lower than Portugal's 132.6 (100 = long-term average). From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 10 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 132.6 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2024 | 117.5 (100 = long-term average) | 117.1 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2023 | 123.7 (100 = long-term average) | 117.2 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2022 | 131.9 (100 = long-term average) | 117.8 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2021 | 126.0 (100 = long-term average) | 112.9 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2020 | 121.5 (100 = long-term average) | 108.6 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2019 | 117.7 (100 = long-term average) | 98.0 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2018 | 120.4 (100 = long-term average) | 92.8 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2017 | 120.8 (100 = long-term average) | 87.8 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2016 | 118.1 (100 = long-term average) | 82.4 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2015 | 111.4 (100 = long-term average) | 79.5 (100 = long-term average) |
The OECD divides each country's nominal house price index by nominal net disposable income per head, then shows the result as a percentage of that country's own long-term average, so 100 means house prices relative to incomes are at their long-term average for that country.
More figures for the UK and Portugal
| Figure | UK | Portugal | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation in household energy prices | 1.6% | minus 0.2% | 2025 | OECD |
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $50,083 | 2025 | IMF |
| Real GDP growth | 1.2% | 1.9% | 2025 | IMF |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 6.0% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 89.7% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 82.4 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 10.4% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 42.7% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 75.1% | 73.9% | 2025 | OECD |
| Real minimum wage per hour | $17.13 an hour | $10.16 an hour | 2025 | OECD |
| Core defence expenditure | 2.56% of GDP | 2.10% of GDP | 2026 | NATO |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 1.7% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
| GDP, current prices | $4.01 trillion | $346.4 billion | 2025 | IMF |
Each value is for the latest year both the UK and Portugal have in that body's data. International bodies adjust national figures so that countries can be compared, so UK values can differ from the ONS's.
Ranked tables with the UK and Portugal
- UK inflation compared with EU countries
- UK tax revenue compared with other countries
- UK house prices to income compared with other countries
More about Portugal: Portugal in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- OECD: Revenue Statistics: comparative tablesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
d13c5d3b336f1be8…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e36fb78dc58c5b50…· publisher's page - OECD: Analytical house price indicatorsread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
1508e2fba50db14f…· publisher's page
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