Is Portugal expensive to visit? Travel Costs You Should Know
Planning a visit to the Portugal? Then, you are in for a treat. Portugal is a sun-soaked gem of the Europe that is famous for its stunning coastlines. Add the historic cities and the incredible cuisine to the mix and you have the perfect holiday destination. But, a big question that almost every traveller asks is this – Is Portugal expensive?
The good news is Portugal caters to all types of holidaymakers – budget, mid-range and luxury too. You can stretch your money surprisingly far when you compare to other western European countries.
Portugal offers excellent value for travellers from around the world. Read on to know all about what you can expect to spend while visiting Portugal with a PORTUGALVISA.
Is Portugal expensive? What to Expect?
Portugal sits comfortably amongst the most affordable destinations of the Europe for travellers. This means, you do not have to worry about splurging a lot for your visit.
Did you know? The cost of living in the Portugal is around 30% lower when you compare to the UK.
This means, you can easily save on your holiday expenses while making beautiful memories. Whether it is the restaurant meals, public transport or the attractions. All of them come with the budget-friendly price tags.
While the Lisbon and Porto are on the pricier side, you will find that the rural areas are budget-friendly. A decent meal will usually range between £10-15 per person while museum entries rarely exceed £10!
Then, there are the small towns and the coastal villages that offer even better value.
One thing that you must prepare for is the seasonal costs. These can impact your expenses during the Portugal visit. The summer months, especially the July and August see the prices climb. On the other hand, Spring and Autumn seasons provide the ideal weather with the better rates.
So, the answer to the question “is Portugal expensive?” largely depends on your travel style. Read on to know more!
How expensive is Portugal? The Trip Duration Edition
1. How expensive is a one week trip to Portugal?
A week in the Portugal offers you the enough time to explore one region of the Portugal thoroughly. For a seven-day trip, you should budget roughly £600-800 per person, excluding the flights. This budget will cover the:
- Moderate Accommodations
- Meals
- Local Transport
- Attractions
One of the biggest things that will be a part of your trip budget is the accommodations. These can range around £40-70 per night (hostels or dormitories). Then, the mid-range hotels in the Lisbon or Porto average about £60-90 per night for the double rooms.
Then, comes the food expenses which will run around £150-200 per person. This is assuming you will have breakfast at the accommodation. Then, follow it up with modest lunches and dinner at the local restaurants. If you want to have drinks or coffee, you can add another £50-100.
The cost of travelling through the local transport remains reasonable. A week-long transport pass costs approximately £20. Have day trips planned? Each day trip travel will add about £15-30 to your budget.
As for the activities, you should add around £100-150 to your weekly budget. Most museums charge £5-10 entry. Free walking tours (with tips) provide excellent value for exploring cities.
Still worried about is Portugal expensive? Well, it is not!
So, simply plan your trip and kickstart your preparations today!
Also check, Is Azores Expensive? What You Need to Know in 2025?
2. How expensive is a two week trip to Portugal?
By planning a two week trip, you can enjoy a comprehensive Portugal experience. As for the budget, it should range anywhere between £1,100-1,500 per person, excluding the flights.
With this timeframe, you can explore multiple regions of the Portugal. You can perhaps travel to Lisbon first. Then, follow it up with a visit to the Porto and end with the Algarve coast.
While booking accommodations, you might get the weekly discounts on the rentals. Try to book these for at least one location. These would cost about £60-90/night and come with the cooking facilities. The food costs for the two weeks can run to about £300-400 per person. This will assume some sort of self-catering along with visits to the restaurants. For the home cooking, you can get fresh, affordable ingredients from the local markets.
For your transport, make sure to get a rail pass if you are making the rail journeys. Also, get a pass in major cities if you are staying longer there.
Then comes the activities which might add about £200-300 to the budget. Many of the museums in the Portugal offer the free entry on specific days. Apart from this, there are the nature activities like the hiking or the beach days.
A car rental for two weeks makes more sense. You can get some discounts and are flexible to make visits to the smaller towns and the natural areas!
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3. How expensive is a one month trip to Portugal?
With a month-long stay, you are literally transforming your tourist visit to temporarily living in the Portugal. Try to budget about £2,200-3,000 for a month.
With the longer duration of stay, your accommodations can get cheaper. Try booking the apartment rentals. Here, you can expect to pay about £700-1,200 monthly for decent accommodations. The historic centres cost more than the residential neighbourhoods which are just a short walk away!
As for the food, the expenses can run around £600-800 if you combine eating out and the cooking. Try to get comfortable shopping at the local markets for the cooking. Weekly food shopping costs just about £30-50 per person.
Then, there is the transport which will be quite affordable. A monthly pass in the Lisbon costs approximately £35 and covers all the public transport.
If you are looking for the activities across the month, they might total around £300-500. This slower pace of the living lets you enjoy the free community events as well. Many attractions also provide the monthly passes for the regular visitors.
Have a long vacation in mind? Worried about how expensive is Portugal?
Well, it is not expensive at all!
So, do not be worried anymore. Instead, plan your trip to create beautiful memories for life!
If you are loves Indian food then this guide helps you, Best Indian Restaurants in Portugal to Eat with Family and Friends
Is it expensive to backpack in the Portugal?
Backpacking represents one of the most affordable travel options in the Portugal. The budget travellers can manage on £30-45 daily. This makes Portugal one of Europe’s best backpacking destinations.
Hostels make for the backbone of the budget accommodation. The dorm beds typically cost £15-25 nightly in the major cities. On the other hand, there are the private rooms too. These run up to £15-25, but still cheaper than the budget hotels.
You can go for the street food or the market meals to keep the food expenses low. Expect to spend around £15-20 daily on the food as a backpacker.
Backpackers can conveniently use the public transport to move from one place to another in the Portugal. There are the city buses, metros and trains which connect most destinations affordably.
You can also find the free and the low-cost activities in the Portugal. There are the free walking tours, public beaches and hiking trails that cost nothing.
The backpacking community in the Portugal also shares many money-making tips generously. You can also connect with the fellow travellers to check out the hidden gems which will not break your bank.
Now, you do not have to be worried thinking about are Portugal expensive? for the backpacking. The costs are certainly on the lower side and you can easily enjoy your backpacking adventure!
Important Things to Know Before Planning Portugal Trip
1. Are hotels expensive in the Portugal?
Hotel prices in the Portugal offer excellent value when compared to the other European countries.
The three star hotels typically charge around £50-80 per night for a double room. The four star hotels start at about £80-100.
The local of the hotel impacts the prices significantly. The Baixa or the Chiado neighbourhoods of the Lisbon command the premium prices. But, if you move just 10-15 minutes away, you can save about 20-30% on the accommodations.
You can also opt for the boutique hotels which cater to the various price points. These range from £70-150 per night. These hotels usually repurpose of the historic buildings to provide a unique stay without the luxury pricing.
Also check, Best Portuguese drinks for Travellers: Avoid These!
In the chain hotels, you will find the consistency with the better value in the business districts. The average around £60-199 nightly.
As for the budget hotels, these range anywhere between £40-60 per night. Here, you can find the clean basic accommodations. Alternatively, you can go for the family-run establishments. These include the personalized service and the local recommendations.
Try to always book around 2 to 3 months ahead, if possible. This way, you get the best rates. However, you might come across last-minutes deals which will make your trip quite exciting!
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2. Is food expensive in the Portugal?
One of the best value experiences in the Portugal is the Food. The meals in the restaurant typically cost 30-50% less when you compare to the UK. A three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant runs to about £15-25 per person.
Always try to go for the local specialities in the Portugal. A plate of the grill sardines may cost just £7-10. Then, there is popular pastel de nata (custard tart) that sells for just £1-1.50 each!
The coffee culture of the Portugal is also on the affordable side. An espresso or the (“um café”) costs just €0.70-1.20. Then, there are the wines too!
The prices of these wines will usually delight the visitors from the UK. The good local wines will cost about £3-5 per glass in the restaurants. The bottles in the supermarket start from around £3-5. If you go for the excellent options, they might go up to £7-10!
Now, what about Lunch in Portugal?
Well, the lunches are also quite value for money. The “prato do dia” (plate of the day) includes a main dish, drink, sometimes dessert or coffee for €8-12. These usually comprise the substantial and home-style meals!
If you want to cook then you will be happy to know that the grocery prices are 10-20% lower than the UK. You can easily get the fresh produce from the local markets which will cost lesser.
The seafood which is quite popular in the Portugal is also reasonably priced. Dishes made from fish cost just £10-15 in the local restaurants.
Overall, you can easily get budget options or luxury ones too depending on the type of food you want to have in the Portugal!
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3. How expensive are activities in the Portugal?
Portugal boasts a reasonable pricing for tourism activities. The entrance fee for museums is around €5 – €10 for most of them. But a few allow free entrance on the first Sunday of every month or on some weekdays.
The majority of historical places charge an affordable fee. The most expensive ones are palaces and castles with a fee between €8 – €15. While the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém tower issue combined tickets for the customer’s interest.
Wine tasting offers a decent pricing. The initial price is €5 and could reach €25 which is moderate for these kinds of wineries. This also includes food pairings which are offered at many places.
Beach activities can be done at very little costs, mostly equipment rental. The price for sun loungers and umbrellas at developed beaches is €10 – €20 per day. However, wide stretches of the coastline for beaches are completely free to access.
Boat trips around the coastline and along the Douro River are moderately priced for the standard of living. The cost usually ranges from €15 to €50. For longer or more luxurious trips one will have to pay more, but group bookings could get discounted rates.
Cultural performances are not on the pricier side. The regular activities with fado dinner shows in Lisbon priced at €30-50. But to add variety, there are also the classical concerts and regional folk performances which usually cost €15-25.
The city cards provide a range of discounts for sporty tourists. The Lisboa Card, which costs €20 for 24 hours, encompasses public transport and many other attractions which one could enter for free with a tourist card. The same cards are available for Porto as well other cities!
Also check, First time in Portugal tips: From detailed info to 7-day plan
4. Is transportation expensive in the Portugal?
Traveling within Portugal is certainly economical. Intra-city public transport costs €1.50-2.00, while day passes are cheaper at €6-7.
Traveling by train is affordable as well; journeys between major Portuguese cities are reasonably priced. For instance, traveling from Lisbon to Porto via train will cost you anywhere between €25-40 based on the type of train you choose.
Buses often provide cheaper alternatives to trains. Intercity buses typically cost €15-30 for longer routes. Comfort levels vary but generally remain acceptable.
Traveling via taxi or ride sharing service is very cheap as well. Starting fares are usually around €3.50, while pricing per kilometer ranges from €0.80-1.00.
Car rentals are slightly higher at €25-40, and you will spend an additional €1.70-1.90 per liter of gasoline. Also, worth noting is that diesel fuels are cheaper and offer superior mileage.
5. Is Portugal cheaper than Spain or Italy?
Portugal stands as a notably less expensive destination when you compare to the Spain or the Italy.
Here is a quick comparison between Portugal and Spain/Italy
- Accommodations – 15-25% cheaper than Spain & 30-40% in Italy
- Meals – 20% cheaper than Spain & 30-35% in Italy
- Transport – 10-15 affordable than Spain & 25-30% lower than Italy
- Grocery – 10% cheaper than Spain & 20-25% lower than Italy
- Activities – 15-20% affordable than Spain & 25-35% lower than Italy
So, is Portugal expensive than Spain or Italy? Absolutely not!
Instead, it is much cheaper and allows some great experiences for the holidaymakers!
Conclusion
Overall, if you are thinking that is Portugal expensive? Then it is not. You can easily choose Portugal as the first choice for delightful vacation with your near and dear ones!
Portugal offers the remarkable value for visitors when it comes to the accommodations, dining, transportation and the activities. The country delivers an enticing combination of the affordability and the quality when you compare to the other European destinations.
So, why wait any longer? Book your Portugal Schengen Visa Appointment now to get started!
FAQs
Portugal is generally more affordable than most of the West Europe countries. The living costs around about 30% lower than the France or Germany. While the Lisbon and Porto on the pricier side, Portugal remains a competitively priced destination in the Europe!
On an average, tourists in the Portugal spend about €70-90 per day. This budget includes the accommodation, food, transport and the activities. This makes Portugal an accessible destination for a wide range of the travellers.
Lisbon is more expensive than the Porto. A one-bedroom city centre apartments range from €1,200-€1,500 in Lisbon versus €900-€1,200 in Porto. Then, there are the other living costs like the dining and the utilities which are higher in the Lisbon than the Porto. But, overall, Lisbon and Porto are on the affordable side compared to the other European capital cities or metros.
Food and drink in the Portugal are quite affordable. A daily food budget of €25-30 allows you to enjoy the local cuisine through the economical like the street food and the family-run restaurants. Then, there is the staple grocery items which are budget-friendly, if you feel like cooking yourself!
Algarve happens to be a popular tourist area in the Portugal if you compare it to the other destinations. Therefore, you can expect it be expensive than the less touristy parts of the Portugal. However, Portugal remains one of the most affordable countries in the Western Europe.
Portugal offers a mix of the free and the paid tourist attractions. Many of the historic sites and the museums charge entry fees. But, there are also many public spaces, beaches and the cultural events which are free. This enables Portugal to provide the budget-friendly options for the visitors.
Public transport in the Portugal is both affordable and reliable. You can grab a monthly pass that costs about €30-40, if you intend to travel in the Portugal for a month. This is applicable for the major cities like the Lisbon or the Porto. Such passes will give you the convenient access to the urban and regional travel at the reasonable prices.
Portugal is budget-friendly for the couples as well as the families. A family travelling with four members can easily live in the Portugal for a month at just about €2,400-2,500. This may exclude rent. On the other hand, a couple can easily enjoy a month-long stay in the Portugal at around €1800-2800.
The best time to travel to the Portugal for the lower prices is during the shoulder seasons. These include the Spring (April to June) and Autumn (September to October). These months feature the fewer tourists and the affordable accommodations when compared to the peak summer season in the Portugal.
