Should you visit Lisbon or Faro?
Should I visit Lisbon or Faro? 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.
Faro
Faro (or sometimes Faros) is the capital city of the scenic Algarve Region of Portugal, located at the edge of the Ria Formosa National Park. This is a fantastic place to experience the beauty, culture, and traditions of Portugal in laid back atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Faro offers everything from ancient architecture to beautiful beaches all while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Algarve Region.
Which city is cheaper, Faro 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 Faro is €130. 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 Faro 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.
The prices for places to stay in Faro can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €59, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €118.
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.
Faro food costs typically run travelers around €41 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon €33
Faro €41
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
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.
To get around in Faro, the average visitor spends €6.90 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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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Transfer To or From Paris:
$1,709
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Private Lisbon route: Transfers, city tour and full day Sintra w/ driver & guide:
$1,680
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Transfer 3 legs: Lisbon - Algarve - Porto - Lisbon:
$1,443
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Transfer Lisboa - Barcelona:
$1,354
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Transfer from Lisbon to Madrid (And Vice Versa):
$1,300
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Private ONE WAY transfer from Lisbon to Seville with private pick up & drop off:
$1,151
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Transfer from Lisbon to Sevilha (And Vice Versa):
$1,013
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Transfer To or From Barcelona:
$989
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Seville PRIVATE Transfer from Lisbon with 1 Optional stop in Évora:
$886
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Chauffeur LISBON Private Transfer to SEVILLE (5 to 8 passengers):
$886
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Lisbon to Sevile Transfer:
$832
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Full Day Transfer from Lisbon to Oporto:
$809
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Faro
Also for Faro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer to Lisbon from Algarve:
$246
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Transfer from Faro airport to Zambujeira do Mar:
$228
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Transfer from Faro airport to Vilamoura or Quarteira:
$37
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Transfer from Faro airport to Vale do Lobo or Quinta do Lago:
$37
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Transfer from Faro airport to Tavira:
$56
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Transfer from Faro airport to Porches:
$62
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Transfer from Faro airport to Ponta Grande Resort:
$44
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Transfer from Faro airport to Paraiso de Albufeira:
$44
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Transfer from Faro airport to Olhos de Água:
$44
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Transfer from Faro airport to Lagos:
$87
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Transfer from Faro airport to Isla Canela or Cristina:
$109
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Transfer from Faro airport to Huelva:
$174
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Faro?
Prices for flights to both Faro 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.
In Faro, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €56 per person, per day.
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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Évora Private Tour from Lisbon:
$326
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Évora and Arraiolos - 8 Hour Private Tour:
$54
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Évora and Estremoz: Private Full-Day Tour from Lisbon:
$388
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Évora and Megaliths Full-Day Private Tour from Lisbon:
$315
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Óbidos Experience:
$40
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Óbidos, Alcobaça, Batalha & Nazare Private Tour:
$121
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10 Days Private Tour in Portugal from Lisbon:
$2,476
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10 Hour Private Tour: Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais and Estoril Highlights:
$213
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12-Day Portugal and Andalucia Tour from Madrid:
$1,595
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2 Day Street Art Private Tour from Lisbon:
$933
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2 Days Private Tour In the Algarve from Lisbon:
$682
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2 Days Tour to Heart of Serra da Estrela from Lisbon:
$398
Tours and Activities in Faro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Faro.
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3 Days in BMW R nineT Scrambler Tour:
$523
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7 Fountains Walking Tour from Faro:
$118
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7-Day Off The Beaten Track Algarve Walk Tour:
$2,687
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8 Days Tour - North & South of Portugal:
$1,896
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Algarve Beauties cave Tour - Benagil cave and Marinha beach from Faro:
$64
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Algarve Dolphin Watching & Marine Life Eco Tour:
$56
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Algarve Private & CustomTour:
$93
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Algarve Tour:
$435
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Algarve: Animaris Desert Island & Ria Formosa Day Tour:
$36
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Amoreira River Kayak Tour:
$50
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Amoreira River Stand Up Paddle Tour:
$50
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Barranco Grottos & Caves Stand Up Paddle Tour:
$62
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
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 Faro
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Faro:
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Traditional Portuguese Guitar performance with Exhibition Museum & Wine Tasting:
$21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Faro, we can see that Faro 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 Faro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Faro than you might in Lisbon.
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