Should you visit Lisbon or Funchal?
Should I visit Lisbon or Funchal? 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.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Funchal 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 Funchal is €75. 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 Funchal 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.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €82 in Funchal For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
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.
In Funchal travelers spend around €25 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon €33
Funchal €25
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
Typical Food prices in Funchal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Funchal:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Funchal
For Funchal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Madeira Evening Tour with Dinner and Performance:
$44
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Madeira Nights Tour - Dinner and Show:
$45
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“Petiscos” cooking experience & Market Tour:
$70
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Madeira Sunset by 4x4 with Dinner from Funchal:
$70
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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Funchal than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €7.95 on transportation in Funchal on average per day.
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 Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Service Airport Transfer:
$25
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Private Airport Transfer: from Funchal to Madeira Airport (FNC):
$19
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One-Way Private Transfer from Madeira Airport to Funchal or Monte:
$14
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Madeira: Private Transfer to or from Palheiro Golf or Choupana:
$15
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Madeira: Private Transfer to or from Camara de Lobos:
$15
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Madeira: Funchal Shared Transfer to or from Airport:
$11
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Madeira Private Transfer: To/From Funchal Airport:
$18
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Madeira Private Arrival Transfer:
$32
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Madeira Funchal Airport FNC Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car:
$34
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Madeira Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfers Service:
$19
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Madeira Airport Round Trip Private Transfers Services:
$34
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Madeira Airport Private Transfers Service To Funchal:
$21
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Funchal?
Prices for flights to both Funchal 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Funchal, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €12 per day, per person.
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 Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
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3-Hour Madeira Scenic Island Tour (Price per Sidecar - 1 or 2 passengers):
$143
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3d Fun Art Museum Ticket:
$11
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4x4 Full-Day Tour to Explore Portugal's Scents and Flavors:
$51
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Amazing Skywalk and more... Half day Tour in Open Roof 4x4:
$40
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Arieiro Peak & Nun´s Valley in Open Roof 4x4 Tour + Dolphins Watching:
$81
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Arieiro Peak and Nun´s Valley Half day Tour in Open Roof 4x4:
$40
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Ariero Peak, Santana "Biosphere Reserve" & more...Full day Tour in Open Roof 4x4:
$49
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Best of Funchal Private Tour:
$243
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Best of Funchal private walking tour with local specialities tasting:
$467
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Best of Madeira Private Tour Half Day:
$54
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Boat and Open Roof 4x4 Tour:
$1,595
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Botanic Garden Tour:
$50
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Funchal, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €13.
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 Funchal
Also in Funchal, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Funchal City Tour with Madeira Wine Tasting:
$15
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Half Day Traditions and Enchanting Valleys - Eira do Serrado, Curral das Freiras, Monte, Madeira Wine Tasting:
$49
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Skywalk & Professional Wine Tasting and Vineyards Tour in Open Roof 4x4:
$60
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Shore Excursion: Private Madeira Tour & Wine Tasting:
$94
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Cabo Girão Skywalk+Vineyards+Wine Tasting Tour in Open Roof 4x4+Dolphin Watching:
$98
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Full-Day Madeira Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch:
$166
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Madeira wine tasting and sightseeing private tour from Funchal:
$534
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Funchal, we can see that Lisbon 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 Lisbon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lisbon than you might in Funchal.
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