Which place is cheaper, Santo Domingo or Lisbon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Lisbon or Santo Domingo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lisbon or Santo Domingo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Lisbon or Santo Domingo?
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.
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every type of traveler.
Traveling to Santo Domingo on a budget is entirely achievable with some strategic planning. Accommodations range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. The Zona Colonial, the historic district, offers several affordable lodging options that provide easy access to major attractions. Hostels offer comfortable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers, too. Eating on a budget is also feasible in Santo Domingo. Local eateries, known as "comedores," serve traditional Dominican dishes at reasonable prices.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, and The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic.
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Lisbon Prices
Portugal PricesSanto Domingo Prices
Dominican Republic Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLisbon €167Santo Domingo €90
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €167, while the average daily cost in Santo Domingo 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Lisbon and Santo Domingo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLisbon €63Santo Domingo €36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLisbon €126Santo Domingo €72
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Santo Domingo
Looking for a hotel in Lisbon or Santo Domingo? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Santo Domingo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lisbon €25Santo Domingo €4.16
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
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Taxi Ride€6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon Airport Private Departure Transfer (Lisbon Hotels or Address to Airport): $11
- Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer: $13
- Shared Arrival Transfer: From Lisbon Airport to Hotels: $13
- Lisbon Private Airport Departure Transfer: $15
- Lisbon Airport Private Transfer to Lisbon: $16
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotels to Lisbon Airport or Cruise: $16
- Lisbon Airport Transfer: $19
- Lisbon Airport (LIS) Private Transfer to Lisbon City/Hotels: $20
- Lisbon Hotel to Airport Premium transfer: $21
- Transfer from Lisbon Airport (LIS) to Lisbon City Center: $21
- VIP transfer from the airport to Lisbon hotels: $24
- Lisbon to Jardim do Tabaco Quay Port - Departure Private Transfer: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santo Domingo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santo Domingo:
- VIP Suburban Private Transfer from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana: $170
- VIP Private Transfer from Las Americas Airport AILA To Punta Cana: $172
- Uvero Alto to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Transfer from the Americas Inter. Airport to Punta Cana: $235
- Transfer from Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) to Samana Cruise Port: $122
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel throughout Santo Domingo Dom Rep: $45
- Transfer Private Airport SDQ to your Hotel in Santo Domingo: $65
- Taxi & Transfer From And To Punta Cana International Airport: $20
- Experience at the Museo del Ron Dominicano, Private Transfer.: $28
- Bahía de las Águilas w/ Private Transfer: $250
- Santo Domingo transfer to downtown (one-way private): $106
- Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Santo Domingo?
Prices for flights to both Santo Domingo 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayLisbon €73Santo Domingo €48
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Lisbon Premium Cruise with Sangria, Pizza & Music: $35
- Lisbon Premium Music Cruise with Portugal Wine & Pizza: $35
- Lisbon Night Cozy Boat Cruise with Open Bar & Pizza: $41
- Lisbon Luxury Cozy Cruise with Drinks & Pizza: $41
- Lisbon Luxury Cruise Experience with Sangria & Pizza: $41
- Lisbon Sunset Luxury Boat Vibes with Drinks & Pizza: $41
- Portuguese street food cooking class with Drinks: $56
- Sexy Cabaret Show with Dinner in Lisbon: $77
- Show in Lisbon with Dinner: $77
- Award-Winning Guided Walking Food Tour with Local Drinks: $82
- Lisbon Dinner Cruise with Fado Show on the Tagus River: $82
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santo Domingo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santo Domingo.
- Cooking Class in Santo Domingo:6 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $42
- Food Tour & Paradise Beach Day with Drinks: $140
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lisbon €24Santo Domingo €13
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Alfama Walking Tour Lisbon: $0.70
- Bairro Alto + Downtown Walking Tour: $0.70
- Lisbon Walking Tour - Discover Belém and the Discoveries Age: $1.76
- Self-Guided Tours in Lisbon with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.54
- Discover Complete Walking Tour with Belém & Sintra: $3.54
- Lisbon Belém Walking Tour with Dog Lilly and Guide Annie: $3.54
- Lisbon Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.54
- Lisbon City Center Tour - The Unmissable Lisbon: $3.54
- Alfama Tour in Lisbon Old Town: $3.54
- Walk Lisbon Like a Local: Bairro Alto & Downtown Experience: $3.54
- Historical Walking Tour of Lisbon: $3.55
- Lisbon (Chiado-Baixa) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.53
Typical Entertainment Prices in Santo Domingo
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Santo Domingo are as follows:
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Snorkeling Tour€38
Tours and Activities in Santo Domingo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santo Domingo are as follows:
- 6 Hours Private Cultural Tour in Santo Domingo: $190
- Cabarete Caves & Nature Adventure: $128
- Cacao trail and making of chocolate tour from Santo Domingo: $190
- City Tour Historico Santo Domingo: $55
- City Tour Santo Domingo Platinum: $60
- Colonial Zone: Historical Tour with Visit to Columbus Lighthouse and Los Tres Ojos Park: $90
- Cumayasa Private Buggies Tour from Santo Domingo: $135
- Dominican Food, Rum, and Beer Tasting Experience: $35
- Experience the Three Eyes Park and Columbus Lighthouse: $45
- From Punta Cana: Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $70
- From Punta Cana: Sightseeing Tour of Santo Domingo, Zona Colonial, and Three Eyes: $85
- From Catalina Island Day Tour: $85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLisbon €18Santo Domingo €6.85
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 Nightlife Experience Bars Games and Club Entry: $19
- Lisbon Port Wine Tasting at Taylors Shop and Tasting Room: $20
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry: $24
- Lisbon Wild Pub Crawl: $24
- Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif at Portuguese Wine Bar: $28
- Halloween Haunts: Lisbon Pub Crawl Experience: $30
- Carcavelos Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting: $53
- Private Full-Day Wine Tour Lisbon | Setúbal Peninsula: $59
- Wine Tasting with a Perfumer: $65
- Wine Tasting and Culture: $75
- Lisbon Small-Group Portuguese Food and Wine Tour: $78
- Small-Group Évora & Monsaraz Tour with Wine Tasting from Lisbon: $79
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Santo Domingo, we can see that Lisbon is more expensive. And not only is Santo Domingo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lisbon is in Europe and Santo Domingo is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Santo Domingo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santo Domingo 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 Santo Domingo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lisbon Expensive? and Is Santo Domingo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Santo Domingo?
Santo Domingo has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Lisbon. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon and Santo Domingo, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.