Azores housing and COLA at a glance
Azores, Portugal (DoD locality PT015).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $1,281 a month (1,081 EUR) and receives $690 for utilities and maintenance, $1,970 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $293 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| E-2 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| E-3 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| E-4 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| E-5 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| E-6 | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| E-7 | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| E-8 | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| E-9 | $1,646 | $1,481 | 1,389 EUR |
| W-1 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| W-2 | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| W-3 | $1,646 | $1,481 | 1,389 EUR |
| W-4 | $1,646 | $1,481 | 1,389 EUR |
| W-5 | $1,711 | $1,540 | 1,444 EUR |
| O-1E | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| O-2E | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| O-3E | $1,646 | $1,481 | 1,389 EUR |
| O-1 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| O-2 | $1,281 | $1,153 | 1,081 EUR |
| O-3 | $1,303 | $1,173 | 1,100 EUR |
| O-4 | $1,646 | $1,481 | 1,389 EUR |
| O-5 | $1,711 | $1,540 | 1,444 EUR |
| O-6 | $1,844 | $1,659 | 1,556 EUR |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $690 a month with dependents, $517 without (582 EUR with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $568, paid once when you sign a lease (479 EUR).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 EUR = $1.184834 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Azores
The COLA index here is 110 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 10% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $283 | $298 | $314 | $330 | $346 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $319 | $336 | $354 | $372 | $390 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $264 | $279 | $293 | $308 | $323 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $274 | $289 | $304 | $319 | $335 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $301 | $317 | $334 | $351 | $368 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $344 | $363 | $383 | $402 | $421 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $385 | $406 | $428 | $449 | $470 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $422 | $445 | $468 | $492 | $515 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Azores compares
The COLA index of 110 is the 3rd-highest of 3 Portugal localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the bottom 15% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 2nd of 3 in Portugal.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $1,281 for E-1 to E-5, $1,303 from E-6 to E-8 (+$22), and $1,646 at E-9 (+$343); officers $1,281 for O-1 to O-2, $1,303 at O-3 (+$22), $1,646 at O-4 (+$343), $1,711 at O-5 (+$65), and $1,844 at O-6 (+$133). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $2,263 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index is 110 (October 1, 2026), the same as on December 1, 2025, though it ranged from 108 to 110 in the months between.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | 110 | $293 |
| July 1, 2026 | 108 | $235 |
| December 1, 2025 | 110 | $293 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 EUR = $1.16117 on July 16, 2026 and $1.184834 on October 1, 2026 (+2.0%). The E-5 ceiling of 1,081 EUR is worth $1,281 today against $1,255 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $26 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Portugal localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon | $2,370 | 140 |
| Other (Portugal) | $1,096 | 138 |
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.