Should you visit Lisbon or Viseu?
Should I visit Lisbon or Viseu? 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.
Viseu
Viseu is the beautiful capital city of the Centro Region of Portugal, located northeast of Lisbon. The city, which is situated in the center of the famous Dao wine region, offers stunning natural scenery and beautiful ancient architecture. The best time to visit Viseu is during the summer from June through September when temperatures tend to range from 75-85° Fahrenheit and there is less rain. From October-May, temperatures tend to stay between 45-60° F and rainfall is at its highest.
Which city is cheaper, Viseu 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 Viseu is €79. 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 Viseu 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.
Travelers usually pay around €84 for a double occupancy room in Viseu If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end 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.
Food in Viseu costs travelers about €25 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lisbon €33
Viseu €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
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 Viseu, the average visitor spends €15 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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Óbidos Nazaré Alcobaça Batalha Fatima Private Transfer From Lisbon to Coimbra:
$280
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Transfers from/to Lisbon Airport to: Fátima Nazaré Alcobaça Óbidos Tomar Leiria:
$203
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Transfers from and to Lisbon-Algarve (Center Cities):
$625
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Transfer/Transport:
$45
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Transfer to Povoa do Varzim:
$591
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Lisbon City to Airport:
$18
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Lisbon City to Airport:
$22
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Transfer in Lisbon:
$50
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Transfer from Sintra-Cascais to Lisbon Airport:
$84
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Transfer from Lisbon to Óbidos (And Vice Versa):
$245
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Transfer from Lisbon to Évora (And Vice Versa):
$228
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Transfer from Lisbon to Vilamoura or Quarteira:
$398
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Viseu
Also for Viseu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Viseu Private Transfer to Porto:
$62
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Viseu Private Transfer to Oporto Airport:
$62
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Transfer IN or OUT Viseu - Van Vehicle:
$697
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Transfer IN or OUT Viseu - Sedan Vehicle:
$535
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Private Arrival Transfer From Viseu Airport to Porto City:
$127
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Porto Private Transfer to or from Viseu:
$72
Is it cheaper to fly into Lisbon or Viseu?
Prices for flights to both Viseu 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 Viseu, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €19 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 Viseu
For Viseu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Private Port Barrel Tour & Tasting:
$61
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Viseu spend on average €6.17 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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lisbon and Viseu, we can see that Lisbon is more expensive. And not only is Viseu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Viseu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Viseu 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 Viseu.
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