Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Funchal or Puerto del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal 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: Funchal or Puerto del Carmen?
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.
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 Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to 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 dayFunchal €93Puerto del Carmen €173
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €93, 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 Funchal and Puerto del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Puerto del Carmen €98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Puerto del Carmen €196
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Puerto del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in Funchal 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: Funchal Hotel Prices and Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Puerto del Carmen €39
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
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 Funchal or Puerto del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen 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 €31Puerto del Carmen €51
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Funchal €15Puerto del Carmen €17
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Puerto del Carmen €60
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Puerto del Carmen, we can see that Puerto del Carmen 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 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 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 Puerto del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Puerto del Carmen?
Funchal has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Funchal 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.