We’ll begin with the excellent news: Portugal is a small nation and probably the most inexpensive nations in Western Europe. We have simply returned from our third time in Portugal and have a good suggestion what the prices of visiting this nation are proper now. It’s a charming nation of cliff-laden coastlines, with sea caves like Benagil and picturesque village surroundings lower than an hour inland. And that’s all earlier than even occupied with its hearty delicacies, which is filled with scrumptious pastries and seafood dishes.
As an entire, Portugal shouldn’t be costly to go to, particularly when in comparison with different European nations. But if you wish to lower your expenses even additional, there are particular methods to take action. Whether you select to remain in main cities or a distant village close to the Algarve, this information will present you what to anticipate to pay when visiting Portugal. Most importantly, it can assist you stretch your valuable {dollars} additional to have an much more unbelievable expertise for much less cash.
Is It Expensive to Visit Portugal?
As we’ve simply stated, Portugal shouldn’t be one of many stereotypical costly nations in Europe. Sure, you get the standard peak season charges, particularly in vacationer hotspots. But, total, Portugal is nice for these on a funds. It has such a laidback journey type that it naturally encourages decrease costs. You have beautiful landscapes and beautiful seashores; likelihood is you’ll be lapping up nature for nothing greater than public transportation prices at most.
Don’t simply take our phrase for it, although. How a lot it prices so that you can go to Portugal relies on your private preferences. Here are the completely different classes and their prices per journey type that it’s best to funds for.
Cost of Accommodation
Portugal has a fantastic choice of lodging and a strong vacationer infrastructure. The essential factor to notice is that it has areas of condensed tourism, which principally sit alongside its shoreline, whereas inland areas, particularly across the Spanish border, are practically empty of mainstream guests.
Larger cities like Lisbon and Porto provide wider decisions in lodging varieties, with many mid-range properties and even hostels. More distant areas have extra B&Bs and trip leases. Costs range relying on location, with demand being the issue that almost all spikes costs.
Keep in thoughts that for distant areas and trip leases, you’ll possible require automobile leases at an additional price. Accommodation location would possibly appear to be one thing you’ll be able to skimp on to save cash, however in actuality, it usually shifts the price elsewhere – both to public transportation or automobile rental. So ensure you incorporate these further bills into your lodging alternative when choosing the place to remain in Portugal. Private properties within the countryside are usually remoted, and with European bushfires, it’s clever to have a strong technique of impartial transport. However, we’ll cowl that price extra in our “transportation in Portugal” part.
Another factor to recollect is that peak seasons get busy, I imply actually busy, and lodging sells out shortly on the primary vacationer routes. You ought to all the time purpose to ebook upfront, particularly for summer time journey dates or to tremendous standard locations like Porto, Faro, Albufeira, or Lisbon. The final thing you need is to get lumped with dearer lodging since you took your candy time reserving. The finest offers go quick – be that due to location, lodging high quality, or worth for cash.
Accommodation is your largest journey expense when visiting Portugal, so it fairly actually pays to do your analysis. We’ll evaluate the main lodging varieties and provide you with an concept of what you will get in your buck.
Accommodation Types
Now that you just perceive all about tourism and lodging in Portugal, we’ve acquired a extra sensible, numbers-based breakdown of the place to remain. We know that funds shapes the place you select to remain when touring. Here’s what you’ll be able to count on for every funds degree when visiting Portugal.
Budget: $40 a Night
Portugal has two ranges of low-cost lodging: hostels and funds resorts. We’ll sort out every of those individually, however as a common rule, you’ll be able to count on to pay round $50-60 per evening for resorts. While if you happen to’re on a extremely tight funds, you’ll be able to wangle hostel stays for round $20-30. Call it a cheerful common of round $40 per evening.
Hostel stays usually contain dormitory rooms and shared services like kitchens. This is nice for assembly new individuals and saving cash on consuming out. If you’re a little bit of an introvert, you’ll be able to nonetheless reserve personal rooms at many hostels in Portugal; simply count on to pay larger costs, such as you’d spend on an affordable resort room.
Here are just a few examples of hostels with dorm room costs:
Budget resorts are higher for individuals who need their very own house and don’t thoughts consuming out. You get comfy however fundamental rooms and lower your expenses for extra thrilling issues, like sightseeing.
Here are just a few examples of funds resorts:
Mid Range: $100 a Night
Portugal is overflowing with mid-range resorts, particularly in standard vacationer locations. If you examine mid-range costs with extra funds choices, you’ll discover a tough estimate of round double the worth. As a common rule, for mid-range costs, you get extra centrally situated lodging with extra tastefully adorned rooms and comfy facilities. Think espresso machines and classy furnishings slightly than plain mattress and bedside desk designs.
Here are just a few examples of mid-range properties throughout Portugal:
Luxury: $300 a Night
The sky’s the restrict right here, however begin with tough estimates of round $180 to $400 per evening, as you’ll be able to usually snag a fantastic deal if you happen to journey on low season dates. Call it a cheerful common of $300 per evening. If you’re comfortable to pay more cash, although, luxurious resorts can shortly rise to above $400 and even $500 an evening—particularly if you happen to’re touring in Porto or Lisbon.
As a common rule, although, you will get the ball steadily rolling for luxurious lodging when you pay over $180 an evening. Here are just a few examples:
Cost of Transportation in Portugal
If you’re taking a metropolis break to Portugal, we gained’t lie; no public transport is important. If you keep central, you’ll be inside strolling distance of all the most important sights. This is nice in peak season, because it means you don’t must pay something or put up with all of the queues and cramped seating areas. Portuguese cities are actually simply accessible.
Even if you happen to keep within the metropolis outskirts, you’ll at most take one of many native buses, Metro, or prepare providers—all of which price round 2 {dollars} per one-way journey. So, total, if you happen to select a metropolis break, funds round just a few {dollars} a day for transportation in Portugal.
Those staying for per week or extra in Portugal, as a substitute of a brief metropolis break, ought to contemplate public transport. How it’s best to get throughout Portugal varies relying in your itinerary. For occasion, many individuals visiting Portugal cut up per week between Lisbon and Porto. In this case, you should purchase a prepare ticket to journey between the 2. Train tickets from Lisbon to Porto price lower than $20 when booked upfront – an enormous win. If you’re slowly touring Portugal by prepare or bus, funds between $10-15 a day on common.
Whether or not vacationers want a rental automobile varies relying on their Portugal itinerary. Are you planning on plenty of day journeys to distant areas the place there are restricted buses and trains? Or are you staying in a distant villa outdoors of main cities like Lisbon and Porto? If you reply sure to both of these, add a funds for automobile leases to your whole price. If you hire a automobile, ensure you have good journey insurance coverage.
If you might be planning a brief metropolis break, Budget $2 to $4 a day at most.
If you might be planning a vacation with day journeys to distant areas/staying in distant lodging: Budget $11 a day for common automobile rental costs.
If you propose an extended, multi-destination vacation, Budget round $15 a day on buses and trains.
What About Getting To Portugal To Begin With?
Another factor to contemplate is the way you’ll get to Portugal. Round-trip flights are the preferred method. Flight costs clearly range relying in your departure level, however round-trip flights from Europe are less expensive than from locations just like the USA or Canada.
Luckily, Portugal has some main worldwide airports with common charters. The essential three are Lisbon Airport, Faro Airport, and Porto Airport, with flights in peak seasons and past. Flight prices range little or no between these—all of it relies on whether or not you wish to go to the north, center, or south of Portugal.
As an instance, right here’s what it’s best to funds for round-trip flights to Porto, relying in your departure metropolis:
New York City to Porto: $500-800 for a return journey.
Los Angeles to Porto: $800-1,000 for a return journey.
London to Porto: $100-150 for a round-trip ticket.
Rome to Porto: $80-120 for a spherical journey.
Dubai to Porto: $600-800 for a return ticket.
Sydney to Porto: $1,500-700 for a spherical journey.
Cost of Food in Portugal
You gained’t break the financial institution with meals in Portugal. The nation has tens of millions of native eateries that serve tasty do-it-yourself items for a fraction of the worth you’ll be able to count on elsewhere in Europe—the typical meal prices simply $10 in Portugal, together with a drink and a hearty essential dish. A cappuccino prices lower than $2, whereas if you happen to head to the grocery store, you’ll discover 1kg of rooster for underneath $7.50 and a pint of milk for round $1.
Of course, whereas your meals funds will inevitably range broadly relying in your tastes and journey type, it’s best to know that Portugal has a baseline budget-friendliness. You’ll spend lower than you’ll in most of Europe to stay inside your funds degree of alternative. Whether you select wonderful eating each day or follow grocery buying and cooking for your self at self-catered lodging, Portugal is comparably low cost for its area in the case of meals.
So, what are you able to truly count on from meals in Portugal? Major cities have loads of fast-food eating places and supermarkets. Smaller cities have extra cafes and impartial grocery shops. If you wish to save money in your journey prices in Portugal, the easiest way is grocery buying and sticking to extra informal cafes and eating places. You don’t want the wonderful eating experiences anyway; do-it-yourself dishes at informal eateries are to die for.
We’ve acquired a whole information on conventional meals in Portugal, however listed here are just a few of our favorites that it’s best to attempt when visiting.
Pastel de Nata: A gentle egg custard tart is standard in bakeries and low outlets throughout Portugal. It’s served for breakfast and as a noon snack.
Piri Piri Chicken: Nandos launched this dish, which consists of rooster in a spicy sauce, to worldwide fame. It’s out there all around the nation.
Bacalhau: Bacalhau is a salted and dried cod dish with a barely acquired style. Portugal is famed for its fishing historical past, and bacalhau will be discovered all around the shoreline.
Arroz de Marisco: This is a extremely stereotypical Portuguese seafood dish. It’s not in contrast to paella, and it’s a tomato-based rice dish stocked with mussels, clams, prawns, and an total punchy taste.
Budget Food: $15 Per Day
If you might be on an actual funds, you’ll be cooking meals at your lodging and predominantly counting on groceries. In this case, you’ll be able to simply get by on $15 a day.
Mid-Range Food: $40 Per Day
A mid-range funds for meals in Portugal ought to account for a takeaway lunch (assume a panini or sandwich) and a sit-down dinner. Breakfast ought to both be a grocery snack, included in your resort, or cooked at dwelling.
Luxury Food: $100 Per Day
Luxury meals budgets account for 3 meals out a day. In Portugal, a meal with three programs for one prices round $30 and features a good glass of wine. If you funds for lunch and dinner out, this totals as much as $60, with an additional $20 for breakfast and $20 spare for advert hoc drinks like espresso. You gained’t be counting pennies or making an attempt to check costs on rivaling menus; it’s meals tasting with out psychological monitoring.
Cost of Activities
Activities in Portugal price as a lot as you need them to price. That might sound a weird assertion, however hear us out. Most of its vacationer areas are situated alongside the shoreline, with their essential sights being seashores with free entry to swim and sunbathe to your coronary heart’s content material. With its sunny local weather, Portugal is a improbable place to spend time outside in nature, completely without spending a dime. You might have a full day on the seaside without spending a dime or spend round $10 for a lounger and drink.
Even in the primary cities, Portugal has loads of free sights. Lisbon has seven free museums, for example, with out contemplating all of the structure, like cathedrals and dramatic bridges.
Before we get began on an exercise funds, bear in mind a few of these free issues to do for every of its most famed locations:
Faro
Walk the Old Town
Hit the seaside at Praia do Faro
Faro Cathedral
Porto
Porto Cathedral
Ponte de Dom Luis
Mercado Bom Sucesso
Lisbon
Gulbenkian Museum
Church of Sao Roque
Walking its markets
Besides its free sights, Portugal additionally has loads of paid issues to do. You can funds round $20 in entrance charges for issues like aquariums, soccer stadium excursions, castles, and palaces. Experience-based half-day excursions ought to price round $40, whereas extra luxurious full-day excursions to historic websites or areas of native tradition can price as much as $100.
Here are just a few examples of what you’ll be able to count on to pay for paid actions:
Budget: $0 to $10 a Day
You can simply get round with out spending greater than $10 a day for these on an actual funds. You’ll be sticking to free sights, like museums with free entrance and loads of seashores and climbing trails. This is probably the most cost-effective method of sightseeing, and it offers you an opportunity to attempt to discover some hidden gems that Portugal gives as a substitute of operating to the standard sights. It’s like an opportunity to get a bit extra inventive.
Mid-Range: $50 a Day
If you need a mixture of free and paid actions, a mid-range funds is for you. You ought to enable between $20 and $80 per day, with a mean of $50 a day to spend on actions in Portugal.
Obviously, the actions themselves range relying on the place you might be visiting. Still, as a common rule, you’ll be able to consider common normal admissions for issues like palaces and castles. You ought to then enable for another costly tour (like Sintra from Lisbon for $80) and spend the remainder of your time on free actions.
Luxury: $150 a Day
A luxurious funds will permit you to spend between $100 and $200 a day on sightseeing. Having a bigger funds for sights mainly offers you a ticket for smoother experiences. You can ebook personal experiences, extra comfy transfers, and splash on typical luxuries like wine tastings and gourmand meals tastings.
This funds can consider guided excursions; a full-day tour booked privately usually tots as much as across the $200 mark (like this personal Sintra tour). You also can take pleasure in skip-the-line tickets, excellent when touring in peak season.
A Budget For a Week in Portugal
Now you’ve a common gist of all of the completely different classes when budgeting to go to Portugal, let’s summarize. Most individuals go to Portugal for round per week, so we’ll tot up all the things for you and provide you with a tough estimate of what you’ll want in your keep.
For the sake of this part, we’ll assume that you just’ve already factored in further prices like journey insurance coverage. We’ll additionally assume that you’re flying financial system from the US at a $650 return flight (smack bang in the midst of common costs from NYC).
1. Accommodation
Accommodation in Portugal is at its steepest in standard vacationer locations just like the cities of Faro, Lisbon, and Porto. Here, you’ll discover extremely sought-after resorts that hike up their costs within the peak season or simply promote out utterly, leaving you with a lot fewer choices.
You have a mixture of hostels, mid-range, and luxurious resorts, although. That selection is good because it offers you so many expertise choices. In extra rural areas, you’ve decisions of B&Bs and trip leases. Here’s what we’d funds for per week at every funds degree.
Budget: $280
Mid-range: $700
Luxury: $2,100
2. Transport
Since you haven’t instructed us your particular itinerary, we’ll offer you a template transport itinerary. We’ll allocate you $15 each day (sufficient for long-distance trains, taxis, a rental automobile or many metro rides). And as we talked about earlier than, we’ll function on the idea that you just’re flying financial system from NYC at a charge of $650.
If this isn’t you, be happy to eradicate this part or add up your personal whole to the top funds.
Not together with flights: Budget $15 per day at a most for transport in Portugal.
Including flights: Budget $775 for return flights from NYC and transport for per week in Portugal.
3. Food
Food is a giant one; except for flights and lodging, it’s your largest expense. Everyone is aware of Portuguese meals is nice, so let’s get into budgeting for it.
Budget: $105
Mid-range: $280
Luxury: $700
4. Activities
Activities are an enormous a part of why you’re even visiting, so don’t compromise if you happen to may help it. Have an inventory of non-negotiable sights and actions you wish to expertise when visiting Portugal.
Budget: $70
Mid-range: $350
Luxury: $1,050
So, What Should You Budget For a Week in Portugal?
For these on a low funds, it’s best to simply be capable of spend per week in Portugal for underneath $1,200 with flights. A mid-range funds must be round $2,100, together with flight costs. If you’re on a luxurious funds, we’d counsel permitting simply round $4,600 for per week in Portugal, together with flights.
A Budget For Two Weeks in Portugal
What about if you wish to keep even longer? We know the way stunning Portugal is, and if you wish to journey throughout the nation and even simply take in the solar longer in a villa, two weeks is ideal. To reiterate, we assume you’ve already factored in further prices like journey insurance coverage. We’re additionally placing in a “placeholder flight” for example, with you flying financial system from NYC, US, at $650 return.
Here’s what two weeks in Portugal will price you:
1. Accommodation
Accommodation will clearly leap up from spending two weeks, not one, in Portugal. You is perhaps staying in numerous places and properties throughout this time, or you might get actually cozy in a single dwelling away from dwelling. Either method, right here’s what to anticipate.
Budget: $560
Mid-range: $1,400
Luxury: $4,200
2. Transport
In two weeks, you’ll be more likely to ebook automobile leases, so ensure that your journey insurance coverage is sorted. If not, you’ll most positively be utilizing plenty of transport. Our $15 estimate ought to nonetheless cowl you except you’ve younger driver premiums or one thing like that.
Not together with flights: Budget $210 for 2 weeks, permitting for $15 per day on transport.
Including flights: Budget $860 for return flights from NYC and transport for 2 weeks in Portugal.
3. Food
Portuguese meals truthfully transforms your journey in its personal proper – it’s simply so scrumptious. You’ll have all the things from Portuguese tarts to spicy rooster and extra seafood than you’ve ever seen in your goals. In two weeks, you’ll be able to rack up fairly the meals invoice; let’s see what you can be spending per funds degree.
Budget: $210
Mid-range: $560
Luxury: $1,400
4. Activities
Last however not least, we’ve actions: arguably the entire level of even touring to Portugal. You’ve acquired a lot that you would be able to expertise in two weeks. You can take many extra day journeys and expertise extra of Portugal’s wider areas, probably even switching between completely different bases in a multi-destination journey.
Regardless of your itinerary, right here’s what you’ll be able to count on to pay in your actions in two weeks:
Budget: $140
Mid-range: $700
Luxury: $2,100
$2,100 is ideal for a luxurious funds of $150 a day for sightseeing. This is sufficient for a number of personal day journeys, like spending $300-400 on a personal tour of Sintra, and loads of luxurious experiences like wine tastings as effectively. You’ll get to all the primary historic websites and sights with smoother crusing, like skip-the-line tickets and personal guides.
So, What Should You Budget For Two Weeks in Portugal?
For these on a low funds, $1,770 is sufficient for 2 weeks in Portugal with flights. A mid-range funds is round $3,520, together with flights. For these with a luxurious funds, enable $8,560 for 2 weeks in Portugal, together with flights.
Budgeting For Portugal: FAQs
Budgeting for Portugal is tremendous straightforward. There are a number of components to contemplate when making an attempt to save lots of money, together with whether or not you’re staying in main cities, taking day journeys to see native tradition, or sticking to seashores and delicacies tasting. Hopefully, you now know what class you fall into and the way a lot it’s best to funds.
In this part, we’ll cowl the commonest FAQs. Here’s what individuals ask when visiting Portugal.
How a lot does a meal price in Portugal?
Budget round $10 a meal at a cheap restaurant, together with a essential meal and drink. If a date evening is extra up your road, funds round $40 for a 3 course meal for 2 individuals at mid vary eating places.
Is Portugal costly for Americans?
Not in any respect. Portugal is a lot cheaper than America on common. It is round 50% cheaper to spend time in Portugal than in America, so Americans will discover the nation a pleasant break from these larger charges. Accommodation and meals are cheaper, and there may be much less of a tipping tradition (10% is optionally available and appreciated at formal eating places).
Can you reside in Portugal on $3000 a month?
You can simply reside in Portugal for $3,000 a month. The common whole price for a household of 4 dwelling in Portugal is $2,500 a month. For a single individual, that’s simply over $700.
Is Spain or Portugal cheaper?
As lengthy as you don’t select Lisbon and Porto, Portugal is massively cheaper than Spain. Porto and Lisbon are on a par with Spain’s costliest cities—it’s simply the way in which with European metropolis break locations, as all the things will get hiked up with the demand from short-haul vacationers.
What To Budget While Visiting Portugal
Travel bills for per week in Portugal price $1,200 on a decent funds, $2,100 on a mid-range funds, and $4,600 on a luxurious funds, all together with $650 return flights. There’s numerous variation, and your funds to go to Portugal varies massively relying in your journey type and preferences. With that stated, there’s the tourism infrastructure to cater to all funds ranges—an enormous bonus of visiting Portugal.
Looking for extra inspiration forward of your journey? Check out these 30 finest issues to do in Portugal, handpicked by yours really. There’s a lot to see throughout your entire nation. And who is aware of, perhaps you’ll have some further money to increase your keep now that you just’ve found out the way to funds for Portugal. You might add on a visit to different Western European nations close by, like Spain, France, or Germany.
Whatever your plans and funds sort, have a improbable keep in Portugal. You’ll like it.