Should you visit Lisbon or Braga?
Should I visit Lisbon or Braga? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Braga
Located in the Cavado Valley of Northern Portugal, Braga is a medium sized city with both historical and modern characteristics. There is a university in town, known as Universidade do Minho, which gives the city a young feel with a lot of life. There are also many bars, clubs, and activities around to keep you entertained.
Which city is cheaper, Braga or Lisbon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €103, while the average daily cost in Braga is €90. 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 Braga in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €92 in Lisbon For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €43. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Braga the cost is €86 on average.
Food
In Lisbon travelers spend around €33 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.
On average, meal and food prices in Braga cost around €32 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €13.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon €33
Braga €32
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:
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Wine & Dine Food Tour:
$22
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History and Flavors Half-Day Food Tour:
$29
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Virtual Portuguese Cooking Lesson:
$31
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Live Online Cooking Class from Pastel de Nata with Filipa:
$39
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Live Fado & Alfama Tour with Traditional Dinner:
$40
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Bohemian dinner party on a beautiful rooftop near the coast:
$42
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3-Hour Self-Guided Locals' Food Tour:
$48
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The magic of Pasteis de Nata cooking class in Lisbon:
$53
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Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour New To Lisbon:
$54
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2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class:
$55
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Zero-Waste Cooking Workshop:
$56
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Withlocals Your Way: Lisbon Personalised Private Food Tour:
$56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Braga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Braga.
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Braga Food Tour With A Local Guide:
$53
Local Transportation
Lisbon's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €19 per person, per day on transportation in Lisbon.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €16 per day to get around in Braga.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers 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 Shared Transfer: To or From the Airport:
$11
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Lisbon Private Transfer to Airport:
$11
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Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer:
$11
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Lisbon Airport Shared Arrival Transfer:
$11
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Lisbon Private Transfer: To or From the Airport:
$11
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Private Transfer To or From Lisbon Airport:
$11
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Shared Transfer Between Airport and City Hotels:
$11
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Lisbon Shared Arrival Transfer from Airport, Train or Port:
$11
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Lisbon Shared Departure Transfer to Airport, Train or Port:
$11
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Lisbon Airport Arrival Shared Transfer:
$11
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Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer:
$11
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Lisbon Airport: Shared Arrival and Departure Transfers:
$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Braga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Braga:
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Transfer Aeroporto:
$50
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Private Transfer from Braga to Faro (FAO) Airport:
$1,769
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Private Premium Car Transfer from Braga to Lisbon with 2 Sightseeing Stops:
$318
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Porto Private Transfer to or from Braga:
$33
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Braga Private Transfer to Porto:
$37
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Braga City Tour Including Transfer to Bom Jesus:
$24
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Braga?
Prices for flights to both Braga and Lisbon 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Lisbon can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €19 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €13 per person, per day in Braga. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Lisbon Downtown Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City:
$1.24
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Rua Augusta Arch Admission Ticket:
$3.03
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Lisbon Historical Walking Tour:
$3.11
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Rua Augusta Arch Admission Ticket:
$3.41
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Contemporary Park of Nations Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
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The Soul of Alfama Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap Lisbon:
$5.99
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Museu Coleção Berardo Admission Ticket:
$6.22
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Street Art Virtual Tour in Lisbon:
$6.22
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Skip the Line: Pilar 7 Bridge Experience Admission Ticket:
$6.22
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Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$7.96
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Lisboa Story Centre Admission Ticket:
$8.09
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Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$8.48
Tours and Activities in Braga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Braga are as follows:
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Alto Minho: Private & Premium Tour - All Included:
$202
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Barcelos: 3-Hour Guided Walking Tour:
$25
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Braga Private Walking Tour:
$199
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Coimbra & Aveiro: Private Tour with Lunch Included:
$182
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From Santiago de Compostela Experience:
$348
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Gerês Tour from Braga:
$101
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Guimaraes & Braga - Private Tour:
$274
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Half Day Original Braga City Tour:
$55
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Half-Day Guided Barcelos Highlights Tour from Braga:
$52
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Peneda Gerês National Park Tour @ Starting in Braga:
$121
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Romantic tour in Braga:
$496
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Santiago de Compostela: Private Tour with Lunch Included:
$182
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about €17 on alcoholic beverages in Braga 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
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
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Lisbon Pub Crawl:
$17
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Lisbon Pub Crawl with Free Drinks:
$18
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Lisbon Pub Crawl:
$18
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Lisbon 4-Hour Pub Crawl:
$18
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Alternative Pub Crawl with a Local Guide:
$28
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3-Hour Portuguese History & Flavors Food & Wine Tour:
$30
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Portuguese Wine Tasting and Cheese Lunch:
$44
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From Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour:
$50
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Christ the King and Arrábida Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Lisbon:
$58
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From Private Wine Tour with Setúbal & Arrábida:
$61
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Sintra: Full-Day Tour from Lisbon with Wine Tasting:
$64
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Private Full-Day Arrábida Park and Wine Tour:
$67
Sample the Local Flavors in Braga
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Braga:
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Best of Porto Full Day Tour with Wine Tasting from Braga:
$100
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Douro Valley Full-Day Tour with Lunch and Wine Tasting from Braga:
$125
When comparing the travel costs between Lisbon and Braga, we can see that Lisbon 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.
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