Which place is cheaper, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Funchal or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
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.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.
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 Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFunchal €93Santa Cruz de Tenerife €126
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €93, while the average daily cost in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126. 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Santa Cruz de Tenerife €48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Santa Cruz de Tenerife €96
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Looking for a hotel in Funchal or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Santa Cruz de Tenerife €64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Funchal hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $26
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Madeira Island - Arrival Private Transfer: $51
- Funchal Private Transfers Service to Madeira Airport: $29
- Madeira Airport (FNC) Arrival Transfer (Airport to Funchal Hotels or Address): $54
- Madeira Airport (FNC) Departure Transfer (Funchal Hotels to Madeira Airport): $54
- Madeira Airport Private Transfers Service To Funchal: $33
- Madeira Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfers Service: $49
- Madeira Airport Shuttle Transfer one way: $9.81
- Madeira Airport Transfers Round Trip (FNC): $65
- Madeira Island Transfers: $53
- Madeira airport transfer for up to 8 people: $49
- Minibus Transfer: Funchal - Madeira Airport: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $252
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $98
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $64
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $59
- Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Funchal or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Prices for flights to both Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 €31Santa Cruz de Tenerife €40
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 €15Santa Cruz de Tenerife €25
Tours and Activities in Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
- Portugal eSIM Tourist Data Plan: $4.81
- Sacred Art Museum of Funchal Entry Ticket: $11
- Old Funchal Walking Tour: $15
- Scenic Route - Nuns Valley Tour: $25
- Funchal Hop-On Hop-Off Tour 3 in 1: $27
- Christmas Lights in Funchal Tuk Tuk Tour: $27
- São Vicente Caves and Volcano Center Half-Day Tour: $27
- Majestic West Tour : $31
- Amazing East Tour : $31
- Magnificent East Tour: $33
- Exorbitant West Tour: $33
- Santana / Typical Houses Tour: $33
Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus : $75
- Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $49
- Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $44
- Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $109
- Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $258
- Taucho Flight Experience: $118
- Tenerife: Forestal Park Tenerife Entry Ticket: $28
- Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $128
- Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $64
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Santa Cruz de Tenerife €7.50
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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, we can see that Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Funchal. When comparing the sizes of Funchal and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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.