Should you visit Albufeira or Rabat?
Should I visit Albufeira or Rabat? 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.
Rabat
While not high on the tourist destination list, Rabat is a quiet gem of a city with stunning colonial architecture and palm-lined streets. This political capital is a laid-back, pleasant alternative to the more cosmopolitan Casablanca.
Located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg, Rabat plus the city of Temera are home to a combined metropolitan population of 2.6 million.
Which city is cheaper, Rabat 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 Rabat is €33. 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 Rabat 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 €42 for a double occupancy room in Rabat 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.
In Rabat travelers spend around €9.41 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Albufeira €38
Rabat €9.41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rabat
For Rabat, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Best Moroccan Cooking Class with Chef Khadija ( Over 35 years Experience ):
$25
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Rabat Family Cooking Class:
$50
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Cooking Class in a Family Home:
$55
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Walking Food Tour:
$55
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Rabat Food Tour in the Old Town:
$56
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Rabat Food Tour Like a Local:
$56
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Rabat Restaurant Cooking Class:
$56
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Food Tour in Rabat:
$103
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Rabat than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €1.60 on transportation in Rabat on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Albufeira
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Albufeira:
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Transfer Algarve - Up to 7 People:
$871
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Transfer Algarve - Up to 3 People:
$746
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Lisbon Airoport Private Transfer To Algarve ( 8 Seats Van ):
$566
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Private Transfer Algarve-Lisbon (5 to 8 passangers):
$442
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Private Transfer Lisbon - Pine Cliffs Algarve (5 to 8 passangers):
$442
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Sevilha Airoport Private Transfer To Algarve ( 8 Seats Van ):
$417
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Private Transfer Central Algarve - Lisbon:
$398
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Private Transfer Lisbon - Central Algarve:
$398
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Private Transfer Lisbon - Pine Cliffs Algarve (up to 4 passangers):
$360
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Enjoy Three Days in Algarve ( Hotel & Transfers & Tours ):
$330
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Transfer From Albufeira Algarve To Lisboa:
$235
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Safe & Clean Economic Private Transfer Albufeira > Lisbon:
$139
Typical Local Transportation prices in Rabat
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Rabat:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rabat
Also for Rabat, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Airport transfer from Rabat to Agadir:
$230
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One-Way Transfer from Rabat Fez:
$125
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One-Way Transfer from Rabat to Fez:
$124
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Private Airport Transfer: Rabat-Sale Airport (RBA) to Rabat:
$18
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Private Airport Transfer: from Rabat to Rabat-Sale Airport (RBA):
$18
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Private Arrival Transfer Rabat Sale Airport to Rabat City:
$28
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Private Departure Transfer from Rabat City to Rabat Sale Airport:
$28
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Private Round-Trip Transfer between Rabat Sale Airport and Rabat City:
$55
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Private Transfer From Rabat To Fez:
$124
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Private Transfer from Rabat City to Rabat (RBA) Airport:
$50
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Private Transfer from Rabat to Casablanca (CMN) Airport:
$156
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Private Transfer from Rabat to Fez:
$124
Is it cheaper to fly into Albufeira or Rabat?
Prices for flights to both Rabat 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Rabat, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €2.16 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Albufeira
Here are a few actual costs in Albufeira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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'Leaozinho' Pirate Ship Cruise from Albufeira:
$30
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1.5 Hour Quad Off-Road Tour from Albufeira:
$31
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Abulferia: 3-Hour Yacht Cruise to Benagil:
$34
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Albufeira 1.5 hour Off-Road Tour Buggy Adventure Tour:
$40
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Albufeira 1.5-Hour Off-road Quad Tour:
$75
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Albufeira 3-Hour Off-Road Quad Tour:
$137
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Albufeira Beach Tour:
$25
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Albufeira Coast and Countryside Mountain Bike Tour:
$73
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Albufeira Jeep Safari Tour (Full Day):
$65
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Albufeira to Algibre Trails Bike Tour:
$73
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2-Hour Caves and Cliffs Kayaking Experience:
$40
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2.5-Hour Dolphin Watching and Caves Cruise:
$31
Tours and Activities in Rabat
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Rabat.
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Private Half-Day City Tour:
$45
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Rabat Shopping Tour:
$56
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Travel consultant ,scam protector and Tour guide:
$60
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Guided Art & Photography Tour:
$62
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Best of Rabat Tour (half-day):
$63
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Rabat Half Day City Tour:
$104
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From Tangier Day Tour by High-Speed Train with Guide:
$112
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Rabat Private Photography Tour:
$149
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Full-Day Private Photography Tour in Rabat:
$149
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From Hiking and Kayaking Adventure at Dayet Erroumi:
$163
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Rabat Private Walking Tour:
$168
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Rabat & Casablanca Tour from Casablanca:
$218
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.
Sample the Local Flavors in Albufeira
Also in Albufeira, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Small group Wine Tasting Tour from Albufeira:
$61
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sunset wine tasting from Albufeira:
$87
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Half Day Small Group Premium Wine Tour from Albufeira:
$93
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Wine Tour & Walking 7 Hanging Valleys - Coast Algarve:
$156
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From Algarve: Medieval Évora with Lunch and Wine Tasting:
$319
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Algarve Art and Wine Tour from Albufeira:
$653
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Albufeira and Rabat, we can see that Albufeira is more expensive. And not only is Rabat much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Albufeira is in Europe and Rabat is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Rabat would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rabat 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 Albufeira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Albufeira than you might in Rabat.
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