Should you visit Lisbon or Monaco?
Should I visit Lisbon or Monaco? 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.
Monaco
Monaco is a small city-state that is completely surrounded by France. The Italian Riviera is only a few kilometers to the east and the country enjoys a wonderful, Mediterranean climate. Monaco is also the second smallest independent state in the world, with the Vatican being the smallest. It is six times as large of the Vatican and also the world's most densely populated independent country. It is entirely urban and a fun place to spend a few days.
Which city is cheaper, Monaco 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 Monaco is €148. 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 Monaco 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.
Monaco's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €188. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €94.
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 Monaco cost around €43 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 €17.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon €33
Monaco €43
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:
-
Wine & Dine Food Tour:
$22
-
History and Flavors Half-Day Food Tour:
$29
-
Virtual Portuguese Cooking Lesson:
$31
-
Live Online Cooking Class from Pastel de Nata with Filipa:
$39
-
Live Fado & Alfama Tour with Traditional Dinner:
$40
-
Bohemian dinner party on a beautiful rooftop near the coast:
$42
-
3-Hour Self-Guided Locals' Food Tour:
$48
-
The magic of Pasteis de Nata cooking class in Lisbon:
$53
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour New To Lisbon:
$54
-
2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class:
$55
-
Zero-Waste Cooking Workshop:
$56
-
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.
The average price of local transportation around Monaco is €14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
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:
-
Airport Private Transfer in Van to Caldas da Rainha or Óbidos or Fátima:
$165
-
Airport Private Transfer in Van to Cascais or Sintra or Estoril:
$68
-
Airport Private Transfer to Caldas da Rainha or Óbidos or Fátima:
$99
-
Airport Private Transfer to Cascais or Sintra or Estoril:
$27
-
Airport Private Transfer to Costa da Caparica or Almada:
$19
-
Airport Private Transfer to Ericeira or Torres Vedras:
$46
-
Airport Transfer:
$44
-
Airport Transfer Lisbon:
$54
-
Algarve Private Direct Transfer from Lisbon:
$760
-
Arrival Private Transfer Business Car Lisbon airport LIS to Lisbon City:
$38
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Lisbon airport LIS to Lisbon City:
$49
-
Arrival Transfer at Family & Friends:
$19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Monaco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Monaco:
-
Private transfer: Monaco Airport (MCM) to Monaco:
$622
-
Private Departure Transfer from Monaco Hotels to Nice Airport:
$65
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$124
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Car:
$157
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car:
$108
-
Monaco Transfer: Monaco Cruise Port to Nice Airport:
$80
-
Monaco Private Transfer from Monaco-Ville to Nice Airport:
$174
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$118
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE:
$98
-
Between Monaco and Nice: Single Helicopter Transfer:
$199
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Monaco?
Prices for flights to both Monaco 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.
Monaco's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €18 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Lisbon Downtown Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City:
$1.24
-
Rua Augusta Arch Admission Ticket:
$3.03
-
Lisbon Historical Walking Tour:
$3.11
-
Rua Augusta Arch Admission Ticket:
$3.41
-
Contemporary Park of Nations Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.48
-
The Soul of Alfama Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap Lisbon:
$5.99
-
Museu Coleção Berardo Admission Ticket:
$6.22
-
Street Art Virtual Tour in Lisbon:
$6.22
-
Skip the Line: Pilar 7 Bridge Experience Admission Ticket:
$6.22
-
Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$7.96
-
Lisboa Story Centre Admission Ticket:
$8.09
-
Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$8.48
Typical Entertainment prices in Monaco
Here are a few typical costs in Monaco for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Monaco
Here are a few actual costs in Monaco for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
3 hours Deluxe Sightdriving tour:
$926
-
30 Minute Ferrari California T Sports Car Experience from Monaco:
$290
-
Beautiful Nice only for you sightseeing from Monaco:
$648
-
Cannes, Antibes and Nice Private Tour from Monaco:
$750
-
Cities of artists in Provence sightseeing tour from Monaco:
$778
-
Double Supercar Driving Experience from Monaco:
$1,004
-
French Riviera Tour:
$1,021
-
Full Day Monaco-Monte Carlo Tour with a Driver:
$965
-
Group tour of French Riviera from the port of Monaco/Monte-Carlo:
$112
-
Guided tour “Love stories of Monte Carlo”:
$496
-
Lamborghini Sports Car Experience from Monaco:
$211
-
Magic Christmas Tour in Monaco:
$764
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Monaco may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €21 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
-
Lisbon Pub Crawl:
$17
-
Lisbon Pub Crawl with Free Drinks:
$18
-
Lisbon Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Lisbon 4-Hour Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Alternative Pub Crawl with a Local Guide:
$28
-
3-Hour Portuguese History & Flavors Food & Wine Tour:
$30
-
Portuguese Wine Tasting and Cheese Lunch:
$44
-
From Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour:
$50
-
Christ the King and Arrábida Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Lisbon:
$58
-
From Private Wine Tour with Setúbal & Arrábida:
$61
-
Sintra: Full-Day Tour from Lisbon with Wine Tasting:
$64
-
Private Full-Day Arrábida Park and Wine Tour:
$67
Sample the Local Flavors in Monaco
Also in Monaco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Authentic Wine Tasting Experience:
$48
-
Monaco Shore Excursion: Private Tour of Nice and Eze with Wine Tasting:
$657
-
Private St-Jeannet, St-Paul-de-Vence, and Wine Tour from Monaco:
$843
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Monaco, we can see that Monaco 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 Monaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Monaco than you might in Lisbon.
Related Articles for Lisbon
