Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Braga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Braga or Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Braga or Madrid? 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: Braga or Madrid?
Braga
Located in the Cavado Valley of Northern Portugal, Braga is a medium sized city with both historical and modern characteristics. There is a university in town, known as Universidade do Minho, which gives the city a young feel with a lot of life. There are also many bars, clubs, and activities around to keep you entertained.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Porto, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best Contiki Tours to Spain, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBraga €112Madrid €136
The average daily cost (per person) in Braga is €112, while the average daily cost in Madrid is €136. 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 Braga and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBraga €54Madrid €77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBraga €108Madrid €154
Compare Hotels in Braga and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Braga or Madrid? 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: Braga Hotel Prices and Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Braga €20Madrid €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Braga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Braga:
- Traditional Vinho Verde Tour in Bowl with Private Transfer (Porto and Braga): $131
- Braga Private Transfer:To/From the Oporto Airport: $102
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
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Taxi Ride€26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Madrid Barajas Airport: Transfer to/from Atocha Bus Station: $7.48
- Madrid Barajas International Airport - Private Arrival Transfer: $22
- Private transfer from Atocha Station to Madrid city center: $22
- Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $26
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid Airport To Madrid: $27
- Private transfer: Barajas Airport (MAD) to Madrid City Center: $29
- Madrid Barajas Airport Private Transfer To Alcobendas: $32
- Private Arrival Transfer from Barajas Airport: $40
- Private Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD): $42
- Private Transfer From Madrid Barajas Airport to Madrid: $44
- Private Transfer from Airport to the City of Madrid Round Trip: $48
- Madrid City Center: Private Transfer to Madrid Airport: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Braga or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Braga 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 dayBraga €40Madrid €34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Braga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Braga.
- Small-Group Braga Food Tour With A Local Guide: $84
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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Coffee€2.00
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Ice Cream€3.00
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Kebabs (for 2)€16
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Croissant€1.50
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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:
- Tipsy Tapas Food Tour with Drinks and Food: $27
- Drunken Tapas Food Tour with Dinner in Madrid: $33
- Tapas Dinner Party Food Tour with Guide: $33
- Tapas Crawl Food Tour with 6 Tapas and 4 Drinks: $35
- Madrid Tipsy Tapas Guided Food Tour with Dinner: $42
- Madrid Tipsy Tapas Tour with Dinner and Drinks: $43
- Madrid Tapas Dinner Party with Guide: $43
- Paella and Sangria Workshop with Dinner and Drinks: $47
- Skip the Line: Flamenco Show with Dinner and Workshop in Madrid Ticket: $49
- San Miguel Market and Street Food Tour: $52
- Traditional Paella & Sangría Workshop & Spanish Dinner in Madrid: $53
- The Authentic Morning Madrid's Food Tour: $59
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Braga €16Madrid €34
Tours and Activities in Braga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Braga are as follows:
- KAYAK TOUR I Going down the Lima River in Kayak | AV: $66
- 1h Buggy Tour | Arches of Valdevez | Peneda Gerês: $76
- 2h Buggy Tour | Arcos de Valdevez | Peneda Gerês: $131
- 4X4 Tour – Minho Litoral - Beaches and Mountains between Viana do Castelo and Caminha: $82
- 4X4 Tour - Discovering Serra d´ Arga: $175
- Alto Douro Walk & WineTour: $197
- TOUR HD BRAGA MERCEDES V EXT LONG: $225
- TOUR HD BRAGA SEDAN: $198
- Barcelos, Braga & Guimarães Tour: $109
- Braga & Guimarães: Premium Day Tour: $321
- Braga Private Walking Tour: $254
- Braga Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $216
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Madrid Essential: Free Walking City Tour: $1.07
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Madrid Mountains Free Walking Tour: $3.27
- History & Culture Guided Walking Tour: $4.28
- Escape Game and Tour: $4.28
- 2 Hour Madrid Walking Tour : $4.36
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour : $4.36
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour: $5.35
- Marvels of Madrid Walking Tour: $5.35
- Madrid Old Town & Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $5.35
- Ticket Entrance to the Madrid Nougat Museum: $5.35
- Wonders of Madrid City Walking Tour: $5.35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBraga €21Madrid €20
Sample the Local Flavors in Braga
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Braga:
- Wine Tasting & Lunch | Quinta de Santa Cristina Vinho Verde: $50
- Green Wine Region-Small Group Tour with Lunch and Wine Tastings, from Porto city: $142
- Douro Valley Private Tour from Lunch & Wine Tour: $288
- Vinho Verde Private Wine Tour: $535
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
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Beer€5.00
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Drinks and Tapas (for 2)€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Pub Crawl with Tapas and VIP Club Entry: $9.62
- Madrid Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entrance: $11
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Pub crawl & Party Tour Madrid: $14
- Pub Crawl Madrid Running since 2005 Bar Exploration: $16
- Guided Pub Crawl Madrid Experience and Club Entry: $16
- Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $16
- Pub Crawl Madrid: $19
- Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor: $22
- Wine Tasting Experience with 4 Spanish Wines: $26
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting Experience: $49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Braga and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Braga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Braga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Braga 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid than you might in Braga.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Braga Expensive? and Is Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Braga or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Braga. When comparing the sizes of Braga and Madrid, 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.