Should you visit Lisbon or Amsterdam?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Lisbon and Amsterdam. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital, and most popular tourist destination in the Netherlands. There are over one million residents in the metro area. Amsterdam is most famous for its canals that criss cross across the city, but it also has a rich history, interesting culture, and liberal vibe that appeal to all types of travelers. The architecture, bridges, and cycling culture help this metropolitan area maintain its small town vibe, despite being the largest city in the country as well as the financial center.
Which city is cheaper, Amsterdam or Lisbon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €96, while the average daily cost in Amsterdam is €127. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Lisbon and Amsterdam in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Lisbon, €86 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Lisbon, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €43, such as in a hostel.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €76. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Amsterdam the cost is €152 on average.
Food
In Lisbon travelers spend around €31 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Food in Amsterdam costs travelers about €31 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon
€31
Amsterdam
€31
Typical Food prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class:
$55
-
Private Family-Friendly Food Tour:
$67
-
3-Hour Bike Food Tour:
$70
-
Lisbon Hands-on Portuguese Cooking Class:
$80
-
Lisbon by night - Walking Tour, Fado and Dinner:
$108
-
Drag Queen Cooking Party and Live Show:
$119
-
Half–Day Private Electric Tuk Tuk Guided Food Tour:
$119
-
Azeitão and Alentejo Wine and Food Tour from Lisbon:
$182
-
Lisbon Fado and Dinner Private Prestige Tour:
$327
-
Fado Dinner Show Private Night Lisbon Tour:
$273
Typical Food prices in Amsterdam
Some typical examples of dining costs in Amsterdam are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Amsterdam
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Amsterdam.
-
Live online cooking class from Classic European 2-course meal:
$23
-
Three course lunch/dinner voucher:
$42
-
Withlocals the 10 Tastings: Amsterdam's Favourite Private Food Tour with a Local:
$50
-
Private Pizza Canal Cruise Amsterdam:
$62
-
Dinner with an Amsterdam artist on the river:
$62
-
Amsterdam Nightlife Ticket & VIP Dinner at Hard Rock Café:
$63
-
Amsterdam Small Group Food Tour:
$69
-
Food Tour in the Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam:
$73
-
Delicious Dutch Dinner in an Amsterdam Canalhouse:
$75
-
The Pizzaboat Amsterdam Min. 8 pax:
$75
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Lisbon than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €17 on transportation in Lisbon on average per day.
The cost of a taxi ride in Amsterdam is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €19 per person, per day, on local transportation in Amsterdam.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lisbon
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lisbon:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Lisbon Airport: Shared Arrival and Departure Transfers:
$12
-
Lisbon Sailing Tour with Transfers:
$35
-
Lisbon Airport Transfer Service to Cascais Hotels:
$46
-
Private Transfer from/to Lisbon Airport:
$46
-
Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais, Estoril or Sintra:
$64
-
Lisbon Airport to City Center Private Transfer:
$68
-
Full-Day Kayak Tour with Picnic and Transfer:
$97
-
Transfer between Lisbon and Popular Cities in Portugal:
$260
-
Lisbon Airport to or from Algarve Private Transfer:
$358
-
Lisbon to Seville Private Transfer:
$666
Typical Local Transportation prices in Amsterdam
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Amsterdam are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amsterdam
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Amsterdam:
-
Private Transfer from Schiphol Airport (AMS):
$50
-
Ultra - Amsterdam Private Transfer from City Centre to Amsterdam Cruise Port:
$9.55
-
Ultra - Amsterdam Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Amsterdam City Centre:
$9.55
-
Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol:
$9.55
-
Private Departure Transfer from Amsterdam City Center to Airport Schiphol (AMS):
$32
-
Private Airport Transfer from Amsterdam to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS):
$32
-
Private Transfer from PTA Cruise Terminal to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS):
$32
-
Transfer in Private Vehicle from Amsterdam City to Airport:
$34
-
Premium Private Transfer from Amsterdam Hotels to Airport:
$35
-
Private Amsterdam Airport departure Transfer:
$38
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Lisbon, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €14 per day, per person.
Entertainment and activities in Amsterdam typically cost an average of €16 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
Here are a few actual costs in Lisbon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$8.48
-
Private 1.5-Hour Kickstart Tour w/ a Local:
$9.10
-
4-Hour Walking Tour and Free Tram Ride:
$16
-
Belém Guided Tour:
$17
-
Small Group Walking Tour of Belém:
$18
-
Self-Drive City Tour With GPS Audio Guide:
$20
-
Lisbon’s South Side, River Tejo & 3-Hour Walking Tour:
$22
-
Private Off the Beaten Path Tour with a Local:
$26
-
Old Lisbon Private Walk Tour:
$26
-
Lisbon Half-Day Private Tour:
$28
Typical Entertainment prices in Amsterdam
Below are a few samples prices from actual travelers for Amsterdam's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Amsterdam
For Amsterdam, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
From Private Giethoorn Tour by Car:
$108
-
Amsterdam 3-Hour Bike Tour: Backstreets and Hidden Gems:
$41
-
Giethoorn & Volendam Tour and 1-Hour Amsterdam Canal Cruise:
$108
-
Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken Spanish Tour:
$41
-
Giethoorn & the New Polders: Small Group Tour from Amsterdam:
$97
-
Amsterdam Combo: Madame Tussauds and Canal Cruise:
$37
-
Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken Full-Day Tour:
$37
-
Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$22
-
From Giethoorn & Enclosing Dike Full-Day Tour:
$101
-
Skip The Line: Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam:
$29
Alcohol
The average person spends about €12 on alcoholic beverages in Lisbon per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about €13 on alcoholic beverages in Amsterdam per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Also in Lisbon, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
From Private Wine Tour with Setúbal & Arrábida:
$61
-
Arrábida: Full-Day Private Tour with Wine Tasting:
$71
-
Port Wine Tasting & Tapas:
$90
-
Private Van Tour Evora and Alentejo Wine Tasting:
$91
-
Private Wine Tour in Lisbon:
$91
-
Lisbon Wine Tasting, Tapas and Old City Tour:
$118
-
Cheleiros and Bucelas Wine Tasting Tour from Lisbon:
$205
-
Setúbal Region & Arrábida: Full-Day Private Wine Tour:
$239
-
Sintra: Full-Day Tour from Lisbon with Wine Tasting:
$64
-
Portuguese Wine Tasting and Cheese Lunch:
$44
Sample the Local Flavors in Amsterdam
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Amsterdam:
-
Distillery Tour & Tasting:
$22
-
Amsterdam Bar Crawl:
$27
-
Amsterdam Shared Bar Crawl:
$31
-
Private Amsterdam Red Light District and pub tour:
$61
-
4 hour Amsterdam Brewery Tour:
$81
-
High Class Culinary Lunch in Amsterdam - Self-Guided Food & Wine Tour:
$102
-
Drew's 3-Hour Amsterdam Brewery and Bar Tour to Top Rated Bars:
$106
-
Discover 3 gastronomic restaurants in Amsterdam - self-guided food & wine tour:
$129
-
Experience 4 Culinary Restaurants in Amsterdam Self-Guided Food & Wine Tour:
$152
-
Amsterdam Bachelor Party Bar Crawl:
$488
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Amsterdam, we can see that Amsterdam is more expensive. And not only is Lisbon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lisbon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lisbon 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 Amsterdam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Amsterdam than you might in Lisbon.
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