Should you visit Riga or Lisbon?
Should I visit Riga or Lisbon? 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.
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Lisbon or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €82, while the average daily cost in Lisbon 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Riga and Lisbon in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €42. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Riga the cost is €84 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €94 in Lisbon For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Riga is €12 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.
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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
-
Transfer service Riga airport:
$37
-
Transfer from Riga to Tallinn:
$283
-
Taxi Transfer:
$42
-
Riga to Vilnius transfer with Sightseeing:
$347
-
Riga to Tallinn transfer with Sightseeing:
$335
-
Riga Tank Ride - 2 Hours - Guided with Return Transfers:
$1,192
-
Riga Return Airport Transfer:
$66
-
Riga Party Bus Airport Transfer:
$382
-
Riga Limo Airport Transfer:
$133
-
Riga International Airport RIX Luxury Van Private Departure Transfer:
$54
-
Riga International Airport RIX Luxury Van Private Arrival Transfer:
$54
-
Riga Airport to City Center Private Transfers:
$51
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:
-
Lisbon Shared Transfer: To or From the Airport:
$9.58
-
Lisbon Shared Transfer: To or From the Airport:
$11
-
Lisbon Private Transfer to Airport:
$11
-
Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer:
$11
-
Lisbon Airport Shared Arrival Transfer:
$11
-
Lisbon Private Transfer: To or From the Airport:
$11
-
Private Transfer To or From Lisbon Airport:
$11
-
Shared Transfer Between Airport and City Hotels:
$11
-
From Freeport Shopping Experience with Transfers:
$11
-
Lisbon Airport Arrival Shared Transfer:
$11
-
Lisbon Shared Departure Transfer to Airport, Train or Port:
$11
-
Lisbon Shared Arrival Transfer from Airport, Train or Port:
$11
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Lisbon?
Prices for flights to both Lisbon and Riga 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
Riga food costs typically run travelers around €26 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
In Lisbon travelers spend around €34 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
Meals for one day
Riga €26
Lisbon €34
Typical Food prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
-
Private Guided Virtual Food Tour of Riga:
$12
-
Central Market Latvian Food Tour:
$34
-
Riga Medieval Dinner:
$102
-
Riga Medieval Dinner:
$102
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:
-
Virtual Portuguese Cooking Lesson:
$31
-
Live Online Cooking Class from Pastel de Nata with Filipa:
$39
-
Bohemian dinner party on a beautiful rooftop near the coast:
$42
-
2-Hour Pastel de Nata Cooking Class:
$51
-
The magic of Pasteis de Nata cooking class in Lisbon:
$53
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour New To Lisbon:
$54
-
Withlocals Your Way: Lisbon Personalised Private Food Tour:
$56
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Local Baker:
$57
-
Private Groups: Pastel de Nata cooking class and tasting in Lisbon's pastry shop:
$57
-
Authentic Portuguese dinner with a local chef:
$58
-
Lisbon Food Tour:
$62
-
Lisbon Old Town Food Tour by Sitway:
$63
Entertainment
Riga's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €17 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.
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.
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
-
"Best of Riga" 6-hour Private Car & Walking Tour:
$373
-
2 Day Gastronomy Tour In Latgale:
$267
-
2 Day Gauja National Park Tour:
$199
-
2 Day Kurzeme Winery Tour:
$224
-
ATV-QUAD rent and guided tours:
$48
-
All Inclusive Honest History Tour - Āraiši, Cēsis, Līgatne, Sigulda:
$248
-
Alternative Riga Photoshoot Tour:
$49
-
An audio tour of Old from St Peter's Church to the Monument of Freedom:
$5.00
-
Art Nouveau Small Group Walking Tour of Riga:
$193
-
Art Nouveau Walking Tour in Riga:
$57
-
Beer Bike Experience:
$45
-
Best of Riga Walking Tour:
$231
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
-
Lisbon Historical Walking Tour:
$3.11
-
Sintra Myths and Legends Interpretative Center Entry Ticket:
$3.99
-
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
-
Skip the Line: Pilar 7 Bridge Experience Admission Ticket:
$6.22
-
Street Art Virtual Tour in Lisbon:
$6.22
-
Lisboa Story Centre: 1-Day Admission Ticket:
$7.41
-
Lisboa Story Centre Admission Ticket:
$8.09
-
Capuchos Convent Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$8.71
-
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
Alcohol
The average person spends about €16 on alcoholic beverages in Riga per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Lisbon spend on average €14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Pub Crawl in Riga:
$37
-
Pub Crawl- Your best night out in Riga with our local guide!:
$47
-
Riga Public Pub Crawl:
$60
-
Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl:
$64
-
Riga Brewery Tour:
$83
-
Riga Brewery Tour:
$83
-
Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl:
$83
-
Riga Wine Tasting Session:
$115
-
Gauja National Park Tour: Castles and Wine Tasting:
$149
-
Culinary, Historic and Wine Tour to Sigulda and Cesis:
$224
-
Exclusive Latvian Wine Tasting In Riga:
$380
-
1.5-Hour Latvian Wine Tasting Experience:
$476
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
-
1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session:
$22
-
3-Hour Portuguese History & Flavors Food & Wine Tour:
$30
-
Portuguese Wine Tasting and Cheese Lunch:
$56
-
Christ the King and Arrábida Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Lisbon:
$58
-
Craft Beer, Port & Wine Tour:
$68
-
Food & Wine Tasting Walking Tour:
$75
-
Santuário Cristo Rei-Sesimbra-Castle Palmela-Bacalhoa Winery with wine tasting:
$81
-
Full-Day Évora Wine Tour:
$84
-
Wine Tasting in Lisbon:
$87
-
Private Van Tour Arrabida and Wine Tasting:
$89
-
Wine tasting Private Day Tour ARRABIDA:
$92
-
Van Private Tour Arrábida Wine Tour:
$96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Lisbon, we can see that Lisbon is more expensive. And not only is Riga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Riga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Riga 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 Riga.
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