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Are you looking for a rental for one month during the course?  Or for a year or more?  If for one month or otherwise short term, you will need something furnished, equipped and with all utilities connected, and most of these places are offered as holiday rentals, not within your budget.   If you give more details, maybe I or someone else can provide a better answer.

BTW are you taking the CELTA course so you can teach in Lisbon, or elsewhere?

Good day Beijinho

Thank you for your reply.

I am looking for a flat I can rent for 2 months (with the possibility of longer rental). The plan is to rent the flat on a short term basis while I do my course from January - February.
However, I am actively looking for work in Lisbon, so if something comes up then I could consider long term rental. I have applied for a number of jobs and I am hoping to find a company that hires Non-EU citizens and assists with work permits.

Ideally I would love to get a teaching job in Portugal, however, I am cognizant of how strict Portugal employment laws are. So I doubt I would get a teaching job there, as Portuguese and EU nationals get first preference for such positions.

Anyway, I hope this answers your questions.

What would you say is a more realistic budget?

I'm curious to know where your friend's flat is located, and is it just for two months?  In my experience, you can certainly find rentals for that price if you're willing to sign a long term lease, and you will need residency and sometimes a Portuguese co-signer.  In that case you will be on your own for hooking up utilities, internet, housewares, etc.   But without residency, and for short term, you are pretty much limited to airbnb etc.  I think you will be paying closer to 600/mo and up.   For cheaper areas, consider being across the river in Barreiro, easily accessible by ferry, or Amadora, on the metro line, or various areas toward the airport.  There's always the chance that you can get lucky and find someone through word of mouth who will be out of town and is willing to sublet for a better price, fortunately it'll be low season.

My friend is in an area called Tapada Das Merces, if I am not mistaken.

But he might have a long term rental which explains what you were saying, I suppose.

Anyway, obrigado for your feedback, it has been very helpful.

Tapada das Merces is nowhere "near" Lisbon, is in Sintra.