Which place is cheaper, Santillana or Porto?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Porto or Santillana?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Porto and Santillana can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Porto or Santillana?
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
Santillana
A quaint town outside of Santander in northern Spain, Santillana de Mar is renowned for its medieval architecture. One of Spain's prettiest villages, Santillana del Mar and its cobbled streets are lined with palaces, churches, and balconies full of flowers. There are plenty of traditional shops selling local specialties, and it is nearby the UNESCO world heritage site of the Altamira Caves for something a little different.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPorto €126Santillana €105
The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €126, while the average daily cost in Santillana is €105. 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 Porto and Santillana in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPorto €65Santillana €60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPorto €130Santillana €120
Compare Hotels in Porto and Santillana
Looking for a hotel in Porto or Santillana? 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: Porto Hotel Prices and Santillana Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Porto €21Santillana €17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers: $27
- Airport transfer with vintage Vw Kombi van: $107
- Arrival Transfer from Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Private Car/Van: $97
- Arrival Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Business Car: $76
- Aveiro Private Transfer to Porto: $79
- Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Business Car: $76
- Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Luxury Van: $92
- Effortless Wheels Seamless Transfer Experience Porto-Lisbon: $364
- Exclusive Private Transfer Gaia - Porto Airport: $46
- From Porto Bus Station: Transfer to/from Lisbon Oriente: $4.22
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Lisbon: $642
- From Private Transfer to Lisbon with Coimbra & Fatima: $627
Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Santillana?
Prices for flights to both Santillana and Porto 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 dayPorto €36Santillana €30
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class in Downtown Porto: $37
- Tastiest Calories Food Tour: $48
- Bolhão Market and Codfish Tasting Guided Food Tour: $52
- Porto Food Tour: Full Meal & Drinks: $56
- Porto Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $57
- 3-Hour Food Tour: $68
- Half-Day Food Tour: $68
- Portuguese Craft Beer and Food Tour: $74
- Semi - Private Oporto Food Tour: $74
- Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto: $75
- Secret Food Tour: $77
- Semi Private Oporto Fado Show with Dinner: $80
Typical Food Prices in Santillana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santillana:
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Breakfast€7.00
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Porto €25Santillana €23
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $1.07
- Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.09
- Ultimate Ribeira Walking Tour: $2.60
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center: $3.26
- From Portugal eSIM Tourist Data Plan: $4.81
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $5.35
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
- Porto (Gaia) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $7.65
- Porto (Gaia) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.82
- Casa São Roque Direct Entry Ticket: $8.56
Tours and Activities in Santillana
Here are a few actual costs in Santillana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Memorable Family Walking Tour in Ancient Santillana del Mar: $428
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPorto €19Santillana €4.29
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- Museu do Vitral Entry Ticket and Wine Tasting: $8.56
- Guided City Pub Crawl with Club Entry: $13
- Magic Train Tour and Port Wine Tastings: $15
- Mysterious Pub Crawl Interactive City Discovery Game: $19
- Pub Crawl with 5 Drinks: $19
- Porto Pub Crawl With Unlimited Beer: $20
- Pub Crawl with Shots and Drinking Games: $21
- Poças: Guided Tour & Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $21
- Poças Guided Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $21
- Rooftop Fado concert, Port wine tasting, Portuguese tart: $21
- Classic Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR: $22
- Pub Crawl Porto: $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Santillana
Also in Santillana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Santillana Uncorked: A Wine Tasting Adventure: $1,022
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Santillana, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Santillana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santillana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santillana 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto than you might in Santillana.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porto Expensive? and Is Santillana Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Porto or Santillana?
Porto has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Santillana. When comparing the sizes of Porto and Santillana, 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.
When is the best time to visit Porto or Santillana?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Porto or Santillana in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Porto as well as Santillana. Most visitors come to Porto for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Porto is around the same temperature as Santillana. Typically, the summer temperatures in Porto in July average around 21°C (69°F), and Santillana averages at about 19°C (66°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santillana. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Porto this time of the year. In the summer, Porto often gets more sunshine than Santillana. Porto gets 308 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santillana receives 213 hours of full sun.
Porto usually gets less rain in July than Santillana. Porto gets 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Santillana receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPorto 21°C (69°F)Santillana 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santillana in the Autumn?
Both Santillana and Porto are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Porto because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Porto is generally around the same temperature as Santillana. Daily temperatures in Porto average around 17°C (62°F), and Santillana fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
Porto usually receives more sunshine than Santillana during autumn. Porto gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Santillana receives 133 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santillana. It's quite rainy in Porto. In October, Porto usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santillana. Porto gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Santillana receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPorto 17°C (62°F)Santillana 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santillana in the Winter?
Both Santillana and Porto during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Porto this time of year.
Porto is around the same temperature as Santillana in the winter. The daily temperature in Porto averages around 10°C (50°F) in January, and Santillana fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
In the winter, Porto often gets more sunshine than Santillana. Porto gets 124 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santillana receives 91 hours of full sun.
Santillana gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Porto. Porto usually gets more rain in January than Santillana. Porto gets 171 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Santillana receives 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPorto 10°C (50°F)Santillana 9°C (49°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santillana in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Porto and Santillana. Many travelers come to Porto for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Porto is a little warmer than Santillana. Typically, the spring temperatures in Porto in April average around 14°C (56°F), and Santillana averages at about 12°C (53°F).
In Porto, it's very sunny this time of the year. Porto usually receives more sunshine than Santillana during spring. Porto gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while Santillana receives 148 hours of full sun in the spring.
Santillana receives a lot of rain in the spring. Porto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Porto usually receives less rain than Santillana. Porto gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Santillana receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPorto 14°C (56°F)Santillana 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Santillana and Porto
| Porto | Santillana | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (50°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) |
| Feb | 11°C (51°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (56°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| May | 16°C (60°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (69°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (69°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (67°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (62°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (55°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) |
| Dec | 11°C (51°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) |
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.