Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or Albufeira?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen?
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.
Puerto del Carmen
Located on the south-eastern coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen is a popular resort area best known for its high concentration of bars, pubs, restaurants, and clubs. By day, visitors frequent the beaches for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, and other watersports - and by night, they flock to enjoy the live music and drinks of the area's thriving nightlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlbufeira €148Puerto del Carmen €173
The average daily cost (per person) in Albufeira is €148, while the average daily cost in Puerto del Carmen is €173. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Albufeira and Puerto del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlbufeira €74Puerto del Carmen €98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlbufeira €148Puerto del Carmen €196
Compare Hotels in Albufeira and Puerto del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Albufeira Hotel Prices and Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Albufeira €34Puerto del Carmen €39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albufeira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Albufeira:
- Transfer Vilamoura - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $79
- Transfer Vilamoura - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor): $71
- Transfer Vilamoura - Alamos Golf (Portimão): $71
- Transfer Vila Real de Santo Antonio - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor): $164
- Transfer Vila Nova de Cacela - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $64
- Transfer Vila Nova de Cacela - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $140
- Transfer Vila Nova de Cacela - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor): $151
- Transfer Tavira - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $47
- Transfer Silves - Balaia Golf (Albufeira): $41
- Transfer Silves - Alamos Golf (Portimão): $55
- Transfer Quarteira - Benamor Golf (Conceição): $79
- Transfer Quarteira - Alamos Golf (Portimão) : $71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto del Carmen
Also for Puerto del Carmen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lanzarote : Parasailing activity with hotel transfer: $102
Is it cheaper to fly into Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAlbufeira €48Puerto del Carmen €51
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Albufeira
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Albufeira.
- A Portuguese Dinner and Cocktail Experience with pick up: $49
- Portuguese Dinner and Cocktail Experience with Pick up: $52
- Dinner at the Vineyards in Lagoa: $60
- Algarve Bike and Food Tour with Sea Food and Wine Tasting: $61
- Sunset Safari with Traditional Dinner : $65
- 6-Hour Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise from Albufeira: $74
- Half-Day-Orange Picking &Jam Cooking/Lunch with the Orange Farmer: $109
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Albufeira €39Puerto del Carmen €17
Tours and Activities in Albufeira
Here are a few actual costs in Albufeira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Algarve Coast & Chapel of Bones ( Private Van Tour ): $52
- Safari Experience with Traditional Tapas: $76
- 3 Hour Cruise Experience from Vilamoura: $33
- 70 Minutes Guided Secrets of Albufeira Walking Tour: $22
- Albufeira 1 hour Off-Road Tour Quad Adventure Tour: $19
- Albufeira 1.5-Hour Off-road Quad Tour: $44
- Albufeira 2 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour: $49
- Albufeira 2 hour Off-Road Tour Quad Adventure Tour: $35
- Albufeira 3.5 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour: $65
- Albufeira 6-Hour Off-Road Quad Tour: $202
- Albufeira Algarve 4Hours Benagil Tasting Experience: $96
- Albufeira Beach BBQ with Caves and Coastline Cruise : $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlbufeira €26Puerto del Carmen €60
Sample the Local Flavors in Albufeira
Also in Albufeira, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Exclusive Wine Tasting Experience in Porches (Algarve): $49
- Sunset Wine Tasting With BBQ in Porches: $49
- Wine Tasting Tour in Algarve Winery : $58
- Half Day Safari Tour with Wine Tasting: $58
- Winery Tour with Wine Tasting and Tapas: $63
- Small-Group Wine Tour & Silves Exploration (from Albufeira): $68
- Wine Tour and Tasting - Semi-Private from Albufeira: $71
- Albufeira Coast Tour w/ Wine tasting & Chicken lunch: $74
- From Private Lagos Tour Whith Wine Tasting: $92
- Lagos and Ponta Da Piedade Private Tour & Algarvian Wine Tasting: $107
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Albufeira and Puerto del Carmen, we can see that Puerto del Carmen is more expensive. And not only is Albufeira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Albufeira would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Albufeira and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Puerto del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto del Carmen than you might in Albufeira.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Albufeira Expensive? and Is Puerto del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Albufeira or Puerto del Carmen?
Puerto del Carmen has a larger population, and is about 89% larger than the population of Albufeira. When comparing the sizes of Albufeira and Puerto del Carmen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.