Which place is cheaper, Coimbra or Santorini?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santorini or Coimbra?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Coimbra, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Santorini or Coimbra?
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.
Coimbra
Coimbra is located in Central Portugal in the Centro Region. It's the third largest city in the country with about 460,000 people living in the entire region. It is also where you'll find the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese speaking world. During the High Middle Ages, Coimbra served as the nation's capital and there are archaeological structures that date back to the Roman era.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantorini €175Coimbra €103
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €175, while the average daily cost in Coimbra is €103. 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 Santorini and Coimbra in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantorini €93Coimbra €44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantorini €186Coimbra €88
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Coimbra
Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Coimbra? 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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Coimbra Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santorini €28Coimbra €11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- VIP Limo Transfers From & To Santorini Port: $82
- VIP Limo Transfers From & To Santorini Airport: $33
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Santorini HTL-APT(JTR): $32
- Transfer to Akrotiri : $43
- Transfer Perissa To Oia : $46
- TRANSFERS Santorini PRIVATE Transfer: $31
- Shuttle Transfers From or To Santorini Port: $21
- Shared transfer to/from the airport/port : $74
- Shared Transfer From Airport and Port to Santorini: $17
- Shared Transfer : $33
- Shared Departure Transfers to Airport or Port Santorini : $33
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Santorini Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port: $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Coimbra
Also for Coimbra, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Viseu - Porto: $157
- Fátima Private Transfer to/from Lisbon: $147
Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Coimbra?
Prices for flights to both Coimbra and Santorini 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 daySantorini €48Coimbra €48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Romantic Sunset Caldera Cruise with Dinner: $70
- Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $70
- Volcanic Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $80
- Catamaran Tour with BBQ Dinner, Drinks, and Music: $91
- Volcano and Hot Springs Sunset Dinner Cruise: $96
- Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $120
- Sunset Cruise with Swim Stops, Dinner, and Drinks: $120
- Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings: $123
- Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini with dinner: $123
- Luxury Sunset Cruise with Dinner & Open Bar: $128
- Sunset Sea Kayak with Light Dinner: $128
- Hands on Cooking Class with a Chef: $134
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Coimbra
For Coimbra, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Chanfana: Cooking Traditional Portuguese Cuisine Experience: $49
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santorini €36Coimbra €18
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- Santorini Panoramic Blue Shade Tour-Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia: $62
- Santorini Private Half Day Tour : $218
- Santorini Secrets & Gems for Cruise Passengers: $96
- 3 Hour Sightseeing Tour in the Magical Santorini: $74
- 3 Hour Tour in Oia: $120
- 3 Hours Private Santorini Tour: $136
- 3-Hour Santorini Highlights Tour: $71
- 4 Hour Eat and Drink Private Tour in Santorini: $296
- 4 Hours Private Tour in Santorini with Pick up: $87
- 4 hrs island tour and photoshooting, Oia Blue domes, Red beach : $196
- 4-Hour Private Custom Santorini Tour: $161
- 5 Hour Santorini Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $71
Tours and Activities in Coimbra
For Coimbra, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Hours Private Walking Tour in Coimbra : $199
- A tour between Cascades and Schist Villages, Piodão: $120
- An adventure through the Forest and Palace of Bussaco - Coim: $70
- An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã: $76
- An adventure through the Schist Villages of Lousã (with walk): $131
- Arista Tour - Penacova Windmills and Landscapes (noon): $76
- Bairrada Winery Route Experience, full-day from Coimbra: $134
- Coimbra Private Walking Tour: $254
- Coimbra Private Walking Tour with U.C. Tickets Early Access: $44
- Coimbra Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $5.45
- Coimbra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.84
- Coimbra's Historical Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantorini €26Coimbra €12
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $60
- Top Sights Day Trip, Wine Tasting, & Oia Sunset: $63
- Fira Town Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
- Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $75
- Notos Day Tour through History & Wine Tasting: $98
- Santorini 4 Hour Private Oia Tour & Wine Tasting : $105
- Wine Tour with Sunset in Oia: $106
- Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Fira: $109
- 5 towns in 5 hours: Santorini Most Popular Tour with Wine tasting: $117
- Wine Tour Santorini: $118
- Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $131
- Santorini 4-Hour Private Tour including Wine Tasting, Shore Excursion: $136
Sample the Local Flavors in Coimbra
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Coimbra:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Portugal: $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Coimbra, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Coimbra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Coimbra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Coimbra 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Coimbra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is Coimbra Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santorini or Coimbra?
Santorini has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Coimbra. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Coimbra, 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.