Which place is cheaper, Edinburgh or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Funchal or Edinburgh?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal or Edinburgh? 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: Funchal or Edinburgh?
Funchal
Funchal is the capital city of the autonomous region of Madeira on the island of Madeira. The city is located to the south between the cities of Santa Cruz and Camara de Lobos. It is actually named for the fennel plant which grows liberally on the island. The city was most significant as a shipping center between the 15th and 17th centuries. Today it has a population of over 100,000 people and is, arguably, one of the most picturesque cities in Portugal. It's appeal as a tourist destination has made it the leading Portuguese port for cruise line dockings.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Portugal, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFunchal €93Edinburgh €166
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €93, while the average daily cost in Edinburgh is €166. 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 Funchal and Edinburgh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Edinburgh €87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Edinburgh €174
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Edinburgh
Looking for a hotel in Funchal or Edinburgh? 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: Funchal Hotel Prices and Edinburgh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Edinburgh €20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer and Hiking PR8 Sao Lourenço : $44
- Transfer Madeira Airport - Funchal: $35
- Sunrise Transfer to Hike Pico Areeiro to Pico Ruivo: $71
- Private Transfer from Madeira Airport(FNC) to Madeira Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Funchal airport to Madeira south area: $59
- Private Transfer from Funchal Airport to Madeira Island: $123
- Private Transfer from Cristiano Ronaldo Airport to Funchal Hotels: $69
- Private One way Transfer Madeira Airport to or from Funchal: $22
- Premium Transfer Madeira Airport - Funchal: $44
- PR18 Levada do Rei Private transfer: $71
- Minibus Transfer: Funchal - Madeira Airport: $38
- Madeira airport transfer for up to 8 people: $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus€4.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Edinburgh to Inverness Direct transfer: $781
- From Loch Ness Private Day Tour with Transfers: $750
- Private Tour with transfer from Newhaven Cruise Port to Glasgow.: $298
- Private Transfer from Edinburgh to Gleneagles Hotel : $279
- Executive transfer from Edinburgh to St Andrews. : $266
- Private Luxury Transfer Edinburgh (One Way - 7 Passengers): $256
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $255
- Edinburgh to Stirling | Executive Transfer: $253
- Edinburgh Train Station to Edinburgh Hotel Transfers 1-3 Pax: $250
- Edinburgh to Glasgow Luxury Car Transfer: $241
- Edinburgh to Gleneagles Luxury Taxi Transfer: $241
- Glasgow to Edinburgh Luxury Car Transfer: $231
Is it cheaper to fly into Funchal or Edinburgh?
Prices for flights to both Edinburgh and Funchal 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 dayFunchal €31Edinburgh €46
Typical Food Prices in Funchal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Funchal:
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Coffee€1.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Funchal
For Funchal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Walking Food Tour Around Funchal: $31
- Madeira Nights Tour - Dinner and Show: $41
- Sunset Tour to Pico do Arieiro with Dinner and Drinks included: $76
- Gourmet Wine & Food Tour: $112
- Gourmet Wine & Food Tour: $112
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast€9.93
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Dinner at Filling Station€12
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Lunch for Two€18
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Sandwich€2.16
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Cheese & bread€8.45
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)€29
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2 Coffees and Scones€6.78
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Turkish Delight€1.64
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Soup at the Pub€6.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $87
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $120
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $167
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Funchal €15Edinburgh €23
Tours and Activities in Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
- Low Cost Wheelchair Handicap Half Day Tour, Fully Accessible Tour : $76
- “Le tour de Churchill” - From Funchal to Câmara de Lobos: $58
- Magnificent East Tour: $33
- 4 Hours Adventure Jeep Tour in Central Madeira Portugal: $47
- 4x4 Jeep Safari Porto Moniz - the "Farowest" tour - Full Day Small Groups : $71
- Accessible Half Day Tour Cabo Girão: $120
- Adventure Trikes Private Tour in Madeira : $158
- Amazing East Tour : $31
- Amazing West - Jeep Safari Tour - Full Day: $60
- Arieiro Peak, Santo da Serra and Cristo Rei 4x4 Experience: $49
- Around The Island - Two Days Tour From 9am To 5pm (Each Day): $65
- Around the island - Two days tour: $82
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets€37
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Movie Tickets for Two€14
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Donation for Storytellers€7.01
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Edinburgh's Landscapes Tours with a Local Guide: Private & Personalized: $152
- Walking Tour to Edinburgh Castle and Holyood palace: $25
- 1.5 hour Firth of Forth Sightseeing cruise: $23
- 2 Hour Holyrood Palace Private Walking Tour: $76
- 2-Day Highlands and Loch Ness Tour from Edinburgh: $260
- 2-Day Inverness and the Highlands Very Small Group Tour from Edinburgh: $227
- 2-Day Loch Lomond, West Highlands, Glencoe & Oban Tour: $182
- 3-Day Isle of Skye Inverness Highlands and Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh: $233
- 3-Hour Private Edinburgh Castle Tour: $274
- Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour from Edinburgh: $71
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland & Scottish Borders 1-Day Tour: $74
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and Borders Tour with Admission: $103
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Edinburgh €18
Sample the Local Flavors in Funchal
Also in Funchal, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Skywalk and 4x4 Adventure with Amazing Views and Wine Tasting: $49
- Half day jeep Wine tour and tasting, & sea cliff adventure: $53
- Bestselling Wine Tour, Tasting Experience & Skywalk 4x4 Adventure: $53
- Wine tasting and Jeep Adventure in Madeira's Majestic Countryside: $56
- Pub Crawl: $59
- Shore Excursion: Private Madeira Tour & Wine Tasting: $86
- Amazing Skywalk, Wine Tasting & 4x4 Adventure + Dolphin Watching: $97
- Guided Toboggan Ride and Madeira Wine Tasting Tour: $98
- Tuk Tuk Wine Tour - Madeira Island: $102
- Weekends Madeira Wine Tasting São Vicente: $109
- Wine Tour by Overland Madeira: $150
- Visiting local Vineyard With Wine Tasting & Lunch included: $158
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine€17
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern€1.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Funchal much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Funchal would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Funchal 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh than you might in Funchal.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Funchal Expensive? and Is Edinburgh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Edinburgh?
Edinburgh has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Funchal. When comparing the sizes of Funchal and Edinburgh, 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 Funchal or Edinburgh?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Funchal or Edinburgh in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Funchal and Edinburgh. Furthermore, most visitors come to Edinburgh for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Funchal is much warmer than Edinburgh in the summer. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 22°C (72°F) in July, and Edinburgh fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).
In Funchal, it's very sunny this time of the year. Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Edinburgh during summer. Funchal gets 227 hours of sunny skies, while Edinburgh receives 163 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Funchal usually receives less rain than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyFunchal 22°C (72°F)Edinburgh 14°C (58°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Edinburgh in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Funchal as well as Edinburgh. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Edinburgh because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, Funchal is much warmer than Edinburgh. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Funchal in October average around 21°C (70°F), and Edinburgh averages at about 10°C (49°F).
In the autumn, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 183 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Edinburgh receives 90 hours of full sun.
Funchal receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Funchal usually gets more rain in October than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberFunchal 21°C (70°F)Edinburgh 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Edinburgh in the Winter?
Both Edinburgh and Funchal are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year.
It's quite cold in Edinburgh in the winter. In January, Funchal is generally much warmer than Edinburgh. Daily temperatures in Funchal average around 16°C (61°F), and Edinburgh fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).
Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Edinburgh during winter. Funchal gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Edinburgh receives 48 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Funchal. In January, Funchal usually receives more rain than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryFunchal 16°C (61°F)Edinburgh 3°C (38°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Edinburgh in the Spring?
Both Edinburgh and Funchal during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Edinburgh for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
Funchal is much warmer than Edinburgh in the spring. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and Edinburgh fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
In the spring, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 182 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Edinburgh receives 132 hours of full sun.
Funchal usually gets more rain in April than Edinburgh. Funchal gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilFunchal 17°C (63°F)Edinburgh 7°C (45°F)
Typical Weather for Edinburgh and Funchal
| Funchal | Edinburgh | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (61°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 16°C (61°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (61°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 21°C (70°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (64°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 64 mm (2.5 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.