Which place is cheaper, Santander or Coimbra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Coimbra or Santander?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Coimbra or Santander? 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: Coimbra or Santander?
Coimbra
Coimbra is located in Central Portugal in the Centro Region. It's the third largest city in the country with about 460,000 people living in the entire region. It is also where you'll find the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese speaking world. During the High Middle Ages, Coimbra served as the nation's capital and there are archaeological structures that date back to the Roman era.
Santander
Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCoimbra €103Santander €108
The average daily cost (per person) in Coimbra is €103, while the average daily cost in Santander is €108. 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 Coimbra and Santander in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCoimbra €44Santander €51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCoimbra €88Santander €102
Compare Hotels in Coimbra and Santander
Looking for a hotel in Coimbra or Santander? 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: Coimbra Hotel Prices and Santander Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Coimbra €11Santander €24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Coimbra
Also for Coimbra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Fátima Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $147
- Transfer Viseu - Porto: $157
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:
- Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $43
- Santander Private Transfer from Santander Airport to City centre: $43
- Santander Private Departure Transfer: $35
- Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $35
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $251
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $251
- Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $251
- One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into Coimbra or Santander?
Prices for flights to both Santander and Coimbra 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 dayCoimbra €48Santander €41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Coimbra
For Coimbra, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Chanfana: Cooking Traditional Portuguese Cuisine Experience: $49
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Coimbra €18Santander €18
Tours and Activities in Coimbra
For Coimbra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $3.21
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $3.21
- Coimbra Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $5.45
- Coimbra's Historical Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historical Highlights: $6.99
- Tomar: Unveiling the Templar Order with a Self-Guided Tour: $7.62
- Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $7.65
- Coimbra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Tomar Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Discover Coimbra's Legacy through a Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Portugal dos Pequenitos entry ticket: $16
Tours and Activities in Santander
Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
- From Cantabria Private Tour: $492
- From Gastronomic Tour: $128
- From Potes, Santillana and Altamira Day Tour: $42
- From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $64
- Full Day Self Guided Tour in Santillana del Mar and Comillas: $54
- Full Day Tour Lakes of Covadonga and Santillana from Santander: $46
- Gastronomy tour: $119
- Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $26
- Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander : $84
- Private Puente Viesgo Caves Full-Day Tour from Santander: $212
- 1-Hour City Cruise Around the Bay: $14
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCoimbra €12Santander €14
Sample the Local Flavors in Coimbra
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Coimbra:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Portugal: $27
When comparing the travel costs between Coimbra and Santander, we can see that Santander 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Coimbra Expensive? and Is Santander Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Coimbra or Santander?
Santander has a larger population, and is about 72% larger than the population of Coimbra. When comparing the sizes of Coimbra and Santander, 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.
When is the best time to visit Coimbra or Santander?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Coimbra or Santander in the Summer?
Both Santander and Coimbra during the summer are popular places to visit.
Coimbra is a little warmer than Santander in the summer. The daily temperature in Coimbra averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Santander fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
In Santander, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Coimbra. In the summer, Coimbra often gets more sunshine than Santander. Coimbra gets 308 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santander receives 213 hours of full sun.
Coimbra usually gets less rain in July than Santander. Coimbra gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Santander receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCoimbra 23°C (73°F)Santander 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Coimbra or Santander in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Coimbra and Santander.
In the autumn, Coimbra is a little warmer than Santander. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Coimbra in October average around 18°C (65°F), and Santander averages at about 16°C (60°F).
Coimbra usually receives more sunshine than Santander during autumn. Coimbra gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Santander receives 133 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Santander receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Coimbra gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Coimbra usually receives less rain than Santander. Coimbra gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Santander receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCoimbra 18°C (65°F)Santander 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Coimbra or Santander in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Coimbra as well as Santander.
In January, Coimbra is generally a little warmer than Santander. Daily temperatures in Coimbra average around 11°C (51°F), and Santander fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
In the winter, Coimbra often gets more sunshine than Santander. Coimbra gets 124 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santander receives 91 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Santander. Coimbra receives a lot of rain in the winter. Coimbra usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Santander. Coimbra gets 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Santander receives 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCoimbra 11°C (51°F)Santander 9°C (49°F)
Should I visit Coimbra or Santander in the Spring?
Both Santander and Coimbra are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Coimbra is a little warmer than Santander in the spring. The daily temperature in Coimbra averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and Santander fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Coimbra. Coimbra usually receives more sunshine than Santander during spring. Coimbra gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while Santander receives 148 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santander. In April, Coimbra usually receives less rain than Santander. Coimbra gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Santander receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCoimbra 15°C (59°F)Santander 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Santander and Coimbra
| Coimbra | Santander | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 11°C (51°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) |
| Feb | 12°C (53°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Mar | 13°C (56°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (71°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 18°C (65°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (57°F) | 128 mm (5 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) |
| Dec | 11°C (52°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
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.