Should you visit Albufeira or Madrid?
Should I visit Albufeira or Madrid? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Albufeira
Located in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal, Albufeira was once a small fishing village which has since evolved into a popular destination for tourists attracted by the area's beaches, pleasant climate, and fresh seafood.
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
Which city is cheaper, Madrid or Albufeira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Albufeira is €118, while the average daily cost in Madrid is €107. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Albufeira and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €59. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Albufeira the cost is €118 on average.
Travelers usually pay around €118 for a double occupancy room in Madrid If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about €38 per day in Albufeira for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Madrid can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €27 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Albufeira €38
Madrid €27
Typical Food prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee
€2.00
-
Ice Cream
€3.00
-
Kebabs (for 2)
€16
-
Croissant
€1.50
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)
€16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Virtual Cooking Class: The Spanish Paella Experience:
$24
-
Florida Retiro Dinner Show:
$38
-
Murder Mystery Dinner Experience:
$49
-
Virtual cooking - spanish "tortilla de patatas":
$50
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show with Dinner and Workshop in Madrid Ticket:
$52
-
Private Food Tour in The 10 Tastings:
$53
-
Homemade pasta cooking class and lunch in the heart of Madrid:
$58
-
Mamaz Social Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$60
-
3-hour Virtual Spanish Cooking Class in Madrid:
$62
-
Opera and Zarzuela Show and Dinner:
$62
-
Authentic Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$68
-
Zarzuela Opera and Dinner at La Castafiore Restaurant in Madrid:
$68
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Albufeira is €27 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in Madrid, the average visitor spends €15 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albufeira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Albufeira:
-
Transfer Algarve - Up to 7 People:
$871
-
Transfer Algarve - Up to 3 People:
$746
-
Lisbon Airoport Private Transfer To Algarve ( 8 Seats Van ):
$566
-
Private Transfer Algarve-Lisbon (5 to 8 passangers):
$442
-
Private Transfer Lisbon - Pine Cliffs Algarve (5 to 8 passangers):
$442
-
Sevilha Airoport Private Transfer To Algarve ( 8 Seats Van ):
$417
-
Private Transfer Central Algarve - Lisbon:
$398
-
Private Transfer Lisbon - Central Algarve:
$398
-
Private Transfer Lisbon - Pine Cliffs Algarve (up to 4 passangers):
$360
-
Enjoy Three Days in Algarve ( Hotel & Transfers & Tours ):
$330
-
Transfer From Albufeira Algarve To Lisboa:
$235
-
Safe & Clean Economic Private Transfer Albufeira > Lisbon:
$139
Typical Local Transportation prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Transfer Chauffeur Drive:
$122
-
Arrival Private Transfer Business Car MAD to Madrid:
$51
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Car MAD to Madrid:
$78
-
Arrival Private Transfer MAD to Madrid in a Minibus:
$140
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Avila City by Business Car:
$247
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Luxury Van:
$70
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Standard Minibus:
$126
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid MAD to Madrid, Toledo or Avila Luxury Van:
$69
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Car:
$58
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van:
$56
-
DUCA - Hassle-Free transfer from Madrid to Vicentine Coast:
$743
-
Departure Private Transfer Luxury Car Madrid to MAD:
$80
Is it cheaper to fly into Albufeira or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Albufeira change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Albufeira's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €31 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In Madrid, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €27 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Albufeira
Here are a few actual costs in Albufeira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
'Leaozinho' Pirate Ship Cruise from Albufeira:
$30
-
1.5 Hour Quad Off-Road Tour from Albufeira:
$31
-
Albufeira 1.5 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour:
$40
-
Albufeira 1.5-Hour Off-road Quad Tour:
$75
-
Albufeira 3-Hour Off-Road Quad Tour:
$137
-
Albufeira Beach Tour:
$25
-
Albufeira Coast and Countryside Mountain Bike Tour:
$73
-
Albufeira Jeep Safari Tour (Full Day):
$65
-
Albufeira to Algibre Trails Bike Tour:
$73
-
Algarve 4x4 Combi Tours:
$199
-
Algarve Coast Full-Day Private Tour:
$93
-
Algarve Coastline and Beaches Land Tour:
$622
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
-
Free Walking Tour:
$1.21
-
Madrid's Private Tour with your Family: Highlights & Hidden Gems:
$4.04
-
A local's Tuck into the city's history and some tapas on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
History Tour of The Town Too High To Die Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.13
-
Madrid from the Inquisition to Multiculturalism Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Madrid Private Tour: Fun Old Town Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Teatro Real: Ticket and 1-Hour Audio Tour:
$8.24
-
Skip the Line: Museo Lázaro Galdiano Admission Ticket:
$8.71
-
Madrid of the Austrias Walking Tour:
$9.69
-
Skip the Line: Ticket for the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid:
$9.95
-
Madrid 90 Minutes Kickstart Private Tour:
$9.95
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Albufeira may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €21 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Madrid, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €16.
Sample the Local Flavors in Albufeira
Also in Albufeira, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Small group Wine Tasting Tour from Albufeira:
$61
-
sunset wine tasting from Albufeira:
$87
-
Half Day Small Group Premium Wine Tour from Albufeira:
$93
-
Wine Tour & Walking 7 Hanging Valleys - Coast Algarve:
$156
-
From Algarve: Medieval Évora with Lunch and Wine Tasting:
$319
-
Algarve Art and Wine Tour from Albufeira:
$653
Typical Alcohol prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer
€5.00
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
-
5-Hour Pub Crawl:
$13
-
Madrid Pub Crawl:
$14
-
Pub Crawl in Madrid:
$15
-
Pub Crawl Madrid by Madpartycrew:
$19
-
Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor:
$20
-
Private Pub Crawl Madrid:
$21
-
Wine Tasting Experience:
$32
-
Madrid Wine Tasting, Flamenco Class, and Pub Crawl:
$44
-
Madrid 6-Hour Tapas and Flamenco Bar Crawl:
$46
-
Madrid Tapas and Mysteries Walking Tour with Private Option and Pub Crawl:
$47
-
Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid:
$58
-
Segovia and Spanish Versailles Full-Day Tour with Wine Tasting:
$62
When comparing the travel costs between Albufeira and Madrid, we can see that Albufeira is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
Related Articles for Albufeira
Related Articles for Madrid
