Which place is cheaper, Sintra or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Riga or Sintra?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Sintra? 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: Riga or Sintra?
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.
Sintra
Located just 28 kilometers from Lisbon, Sintra is a town that was, for a long time, home to Portuguese royalty leading up to the 1910 revolution. In town you will find a Royal Palace and in the surrounding area there is a Moorish Castle, and the Pena Palace, which dates back to the 19th century. The town is on the Estoril Coast near the Sintra Mountains, making its setting very dramatic, beautiful and picturesque. The surrounding hills are actually designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because they offer a great combination of both cultural importance and natural beauty.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €104Sintra €115
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €104, while the average daily cost in Sintra is €115. 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 Riga and Sintra in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €53Sintra €57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €106Sintra €114
Compare Hotels in Riga and Sintra
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Sintra? 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: Riga Hotel Prices and Sintra Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €15Sintra €21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Riga Airport to Hotel Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport RIX: $32
- Riga Airport Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer From Riga Airport To Riga City Center: $38
- Riga Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Klaipeda: $39
- Riga Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Klaipeda: $39
- Riga City to Riga Airport - Private Transfer: $52
- Riga Airport to Riga City - Private Transfer: $52
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Hotel with English speaking driver: $54
- Riga Airport to City Center Private Transfers: $59
- Private Transfer from Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Car or Van: $70
- Paintball Adventure: Expert Guide & Transfers Included!: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Estoril, Cascais or Sintra Private Transfer to Lisbon: $27
- Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais / Sintra / Estoril: $51
- Transfer from Lisbon Airport to Sintra: $53
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
- Transfer Sintra to Lisbon Airport: $71
- Tuk Tuk Transfer With Sintra Pena Ticket From Meeting Point: $73
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Sintra?
Prices for flights to both Sintra 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
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Food Meals for one dayRiga €33Sintra €42
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $96
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $114
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $131
- Taste Market Tour & Cooking Masterclass: $138
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $139
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $152
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sintra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sintra.
- Private Portuguese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Lisbon Local: $220
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €21Sintra €23
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.95
- Riga Old Town Legends Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.39
- Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $7.49
- Complete Self-guided Audio Tour on your Phone: $8.45
- Boat tour in Canal and Daugava: $9.62
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Riga Nightlife Ticket: $11
- Canal Boat Sightseeing Tour: $13
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
Tours and Activities in Sintra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
- Discover Enchanted A Fairy-Tale Free Tour: $1.28
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $3.74
- Sintra Myths and Legends Interpretative Center Entry Ticket: $4.28
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Pena Palace In-app Audio Tour (WITHOUT A TICKET): $7.44
- Sintra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Monserrate Palace and Park Skip-the-Line Ticket: $13
- Sintra Sightseeing Train Tour: $13
- National Palace of Sintra and Gardens Fast Track Ticket: $14
- National Sintra Palace Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $16
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour in Sintra: $16
- Castle of the Moors E-Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Sintra €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $25
- Pub Crawl in Riga: $33
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $37
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $54
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $55
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $96
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $523
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,320
Sample the Local Flavors in Sintra
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sintra:
- Half-Day Tour in Cascais / Sintra with Brunch and Wine Tasting: $60
- Hiking and Wine Tasting Experience: $71
- Half Day in Sintra and Cabo da Roca with Wine Tasting: $82
- Wine Tasting Tour: $82
- Private tour wine tasting in Setubal: $96
- Excursion from Lisbon to Setúbal: Nature, Beach and Wine Tasting: $125
- Private Tour Sétubal, Palmela, Arrábida with wine tasting: $175
- Hidden Gems: Sintra & Cascais Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
- From Lisbon Private Tour to Porto with Port Wine Tasting: $235
When comparing the travel costs between Riga and Sintra, we can see that Sintra is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Sintra Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Sintra?
Riga has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Riga and Sintra, 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 Riga or Sintra?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Riga or Sintra in the Summer?
Both Sintra and Riga are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Riga because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Riga is generally cooler than Sintra. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 17°C (63°F), and Sintra fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In July, Riga usually receives more rain than Sintra. Riga gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Sintra receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyRiga 17°C (63°F)Sintra 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Riga or Sintra in the Autumn?
Both Sintra and Riga during the autumn are popular places to visit. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Riga this time of year.
Riga is much colder than Sintra in the autumn. The daily temperature in Riga averages around 7°C (45°F) in October, and Sintra fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
Riga usually gets less rain in October than Sintra. Riga gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Sintra receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberRiga 7°C (45°F)Sintra 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Riga or Sintra in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Riga and Sintra. Many travelers come to Riga for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Riga. In the winter, Riga is much colder than Sintra. Typically, the winter temperatures in Riga in January average around -5°C (23°F), and Sintra averages at about 12°C (53°F).
Sintra receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, Riga usually receives less rain than Sintra. Riga gets 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain, while Sintra receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryRiga -5°C (23°F)Sintra 12°C (53°F)
Should I visit Riga or Sintra in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Riga as well as Sintra. Many visitors come to Riga in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Riga is generally much colder than Sintra. Daily temperatures in Riga average around 5°C (42°F), and Sintra fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
Riga usually gets less rain in April than Sintra. Riga gets 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Sintra receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilRiga 5°C (42°F)Sintra 16°C (60°F)
Typical Weather for Sintra and Riga
| Riga | Sintra | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -5°C (23°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Feb | -4°C (24°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) |
| Mar | -0°C (31°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Apr | 5°C (42°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| May | 12°C (53°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (63°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| Oct | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 2°C (36°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Dec | -2°C (28°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 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.