Renda vs. rendimento
Both renda and rendimento relate to money earned or received, but their usage varies significantly based on geography and context. Generally, Brazil uses renda for personal income, whereas Portugal prefers rendimento for the same concept. Additionally, renda in Portugal usually refers to the monthly rent paid for a house.
Renda
B1In Brazil, renda is the standard term for the total money a person or family earns from work or business. In Portugal, renda almost exclusively refers to the rent paid to a landlord for accommodation or land.
Qual é a renda mensal da sua família?
(What is your family's monthly income? (Brazilian context))
No Brasil, todos precisam declarar o Imposto de Renda.
(In Brazil, everyone needs to declare Income Tax.)
Em Lisboa, a renda dos apartamentos está muito alta.
(In Lisbon, the rent for apartments is very high. (Portuguese context))
Ele vive de renda passiva dos seus investimentos.
(He lives on passive income from his investments.)
Já pagaste a renda ao senhorio este mês?
(Have you paid the rent to the landlord this month? (Portuguese context))
Rendimento
B2In Portugal, rendimento is the general word for personal earnings, salary, or wages. In Brazil, while it can mean earnings, it is frequently used in banking and finance to describe the yield, profit, or interest gained from an investment.
Em Portugal, o imposto chama-se IRS, Imposto sobre o Rendimento das Pessoas Singulares.
(In Portugal, the tax is called IRS, Personal Income Tax.)
O rendimento da caderneta de poupança foi baixo este ano.
(The savings account yield was low this year. (Brazilian context))
Os meus rendimentos não são suficientes para comprar um carro novo.
(My earnings are not enough to buy a new car. (Portuguese context))
Este investimento oferece um alto rendimento garantido.
(This investment offers a high guaranteed return.)
O rendimento escolar do aluno melhorou muito.
(The student's school performance improved a lot. (General usage meaning performance))
Summary
To summarize, use renda when talking about personal income in Brazil, but use it to mean house rent when in Portugal. Use rendimento when talking about personal income in Portugal, but use it to describe investment yields or financial performance when in Brazil.