Should you visit Santorini or Faro?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Faro, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
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.
Faro
Faro (or sometimes Faros) is the capital city of the scenic Algarve Region of Portugal, located at the edge of the Ria Formosa National Park. This is a fantastic place to experience the beauty, culture, and traditions of Portugal in laid back atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Faro offers everything from ancient architecture to beautiful beaches all while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Algarve Region.
Which city is cheaper, Faro or Santorini?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €131, while the average daily cost in Faro is €130. 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 Santorini and Faro in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Santorini can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €66, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €132.
The prices for places to stay in Faro can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €59, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €118.
Food
In Santorini travelers spend around €38 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.
Faro food costs typically run travelers around €41 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Santorini €38
Faro €41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner:
$56
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Wine & Food Tour:
$69
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A taste of Mediterranean Cuisine Dinner:
$86
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Santorini Volcano and Thirassia Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$92
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Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings:
$100
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Akrotiri Easy Hike, Beach Visit and Cooking Class:
$106
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Santorini : Sunset Sea Kayak & Snorkel with Dinner:
$118
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Santorini : Cooking Class, Easy Hike, and Snorkeling:
$131
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Santorini Sunset Fishing Trip with Dinner and Drinks:
$154
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Santorini Cooking Class with Wine Tasting & Lunch:
$177
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Santorini Cooking Class and Wine-Tasting Tour:
$177
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5-Hour Food Tour w/ Minibus:
$194
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Santorini than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €23 on transportation in Santorini on average per day.
To get around in Faro, the average visitor spends €6.90 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini:
$3,542
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Premium Santorini Private Day Tour Lagoon 450, BBQ, drinks, transfer:
$933
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Private Deluxe Transfer:
$86
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Tour of Caldera on Sailing Boat & Bus Transfer:Volcano-Hot springs-Thirassia-Oia:
$75
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Santorini Private Ride Transfer Services:
$65
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Santorini Taxi Service & Airport, Hotel and Port Transfers:
$65
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Santorini Airport Transfer to Fira or Imerovigli:
$56
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Transfer from Santorini Airport&Port all destination except OIA up to 4 customer:
$37
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Santorini Airport Hotels Transfer Shuttle Bus Service:
$28
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Santorini transfer service:
$17
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Oia Sunset: Evening Shuttle Transfer and Free Time:
$16
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Transfer Service:
$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Faro
Also for Faro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Braga:
$1,769
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Madrid:
$1,407
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Sierra Nevada:
$1,061
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Málaga:
$909
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Cádiz:
$761
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Chauffeur ALGARVE ALL CITIES Private Transfer to LISBON (1 to 8 passengers):
$498
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Chauffeur ALGARVE ALL CITIES Private Transfer to SEVILLE (5 to 8 passengers):
$498
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Private Transfer Lisbon - Eastern Algarve:
$460
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Faro Airport Private Transfer to SEVILLE (5 to 8 passengers):
$440
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Chauffeur ALGARVE ALL CITIES Private Transfer to SEVILLE (1 to 4 passengers):
$435
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Private Transfer Lisbon - Pine Cliffs Algarve (5 to 8 passangers):
$435
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Private Transfer from Faro (FAO) Airport to Lisbon:
$424
Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Faro?
Prices for flights to both Faro 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Santorini, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €29 per day, per person.
In Faro, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €56 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
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2-Hour Private Guided Tour in Akrotiri Prehistoric City:
$179
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3 Hour Santorini Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup:
$50
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5-Hour Private Tour of Southern Santorini:
$346
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5-Hour Santorini Photography Day Tour:
$606
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Archaeological Bus Tour To Akrotiri Excavations & Red Beach:
$40
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Best of Santorini Experience: 6-Hour Private Tour:
$58
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Best of Santorini Full-Day Private Guided Tour:
$649
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Cruise Traveller's Shore Excursion:
$59
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Discover Prehistoric Akrotiri & Winery Tour:
$171
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DreamCatcher Sunset Sailing Cruise in the Caldera:
$121
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Explore Akrotiri GroupTour:
$583
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Explore Akrotiri: Private Guided Tour with Hotel Pick-Up:
$272
Tours and Activities in Faro
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Faro.
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3 Days in BMW R nineT Scrambler Tour:
$523
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7 Fountains Walking Tour from Faro:
$118
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7-Day Off The Beaten Track Algarve Walk Tour:
$2,687
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8 Days Tour - North & South of Portugal:
$1,896
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Algarve Beauties cave Tour - Benagil cave and Marinha beach from Faro:
$64
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Algarve Dolphin Watching & Marine Life Eco Tour:
$56
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Algarve Private & CustomTour:
$93
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Algarve Tour:
$435
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Algarve: Animaris Desert Island & Ria Formosa Day Tour:
$36
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Amoreira River Kayak Tour:
$50
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Amoreira River Stand Up Paddle Tour:
$50
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Barranco Grottos & Caves Stand Up Paddle Tour:
$62
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Santorini, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €21.
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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5-Hour Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting:
$59
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Private Wine Tasting in a Winery With Caldera View:
$65
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Santorini Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting:
$69
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4-Hours Santorini Vothonas Village Tour with Wine Tasting:
$89
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Half-Day Santorini Tour Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Authentic Santorinian Tour at Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting:
$93
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Santorini Small-Group Wine Tour:
$98
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Sunset and Wine Tasting Tour by Electric Bike:
$100
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Santorini-Wine Tour Αround Megalochori Village:
$111
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Santorini Small Group Tour with Wine Tasting:
$115
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$117
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Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village:
$124
Sample the Local Flavors in Faro
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Faro:
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Traditional Portuguese Guitar performance with Exhibition Museum & Wine Tasting:
$21
When comparing the travel costs between Santorini and Faro, we can see that Santorini 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.
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