Which place is cheaper, Dublin or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Dublin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Dublin? 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: Sintra or Dublin?
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.
Dublin
Dublin is the vibrant and fun capital city of Ireland and home to over a third of the country's population. There are almost 2 million people in the metropolitan area. It's also the most common entry point into the country for visitors. Once you arrive, its a good idea to head over to the main tourist office in St. Andrew's Church off Grafton Street. They can give you maps and information to make sure your trip is efficient and fun. Many people enjoy seeing what remains of the Georgian architecture throughout the city. Much of the city is also modernist in style with many blocks made up of offices.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best Walking Tours in Ireland, and The Best Luxury Tours to Ireland.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Dublin €143
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Dublin is €143. 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 Sintra and Dublin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Dublin €68
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Dublin €136
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Dublin
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Dublin? 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: Sintra Hotel Prices and Dublin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Dublin €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Algarve vs Lisbon: Private Transfer to/from Algarve /Lisbon: $513
- Estoril, Cascais or Sintra Private Transfer to Lisbon: $27
- Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais / Sintra / Estoril: $51
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- Private transfer from Sintra to Porto with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(8pax): $109
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:
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Rental Car for a Day€15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:
- One-Way Bus Transfer from/to Dublin Airport: $9.99
- Belfast | Coach transfer from / to Dublin: $12
- Airport Transfer and Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket: $36
- Private Transfer from Dun Laoghaire Port to Dublin Airport (DUB): $46
- Private Dublin Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $61
- From Dublin Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Dublin: $74
- 4 to 8 People Private Transfer from Dublin Airport to City Centre: $76
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from Dublin airport DUB to Dublin: $82
- Departure Private Transfer by Business Car from Dublin to Dublin airport DUB: $82
- Private Sedan(4 seats) Transfer from Dublin City Center to Dublin Airport: $95
- Private Sedan (4 seats) Transfer from Dublin Airport to Dublin City Center: $95
- One Way Transfer Dublin Airport to or from Dublin : $99
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Dublin?
Prices for flights to both Dublin and Sintra 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 daySintra €42Dublin €49
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
Typical Food Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:
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Lunch Lynam's Pub€3.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dublin.
- Walking Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $29
- Dublin 3-Course Dinner and Live Shows at The Irish House Party: $31
- No Diet Club - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $59
- Dublin Irish Night Show, Dance and Traditional 3-Course Dinner: $60
- Grand Canal Cruise with Dinner: $72
- Delicious Walking Food Tour: $80
- Delicious Dublin Food Tour: $82
- Private Cooking Class in a Modern Home with Sea Views in Skerries, Dublin: $84
- Howth Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour: $95
- Private Market Tour and Irish Cooking Class in a Modern Skerries Home: $102
- Irish Craic & Cuisine: Cooking Class & Dinner in Central Dublin: $106
- Dublin Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Dublin €25
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dublin
Here are a few typical costs in Dublin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Wild Wicklow Tour€26
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Guinness Brewery for Two€27
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St Pauls Cathedral€4.50
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Dublin Writer's Museum€6.30
Tours and Activities in Dublin
Here are a few actual costs in Dublin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Dublin Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $4.36
- Retracing Viking Origins on a Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.60
- Dublin city tour: audio guide for smartphone in French: $5.35
- Dublin city tour: audio guide in your smartphone: $5.35
- Self Guided City Audio Tour in Dublin: $5.45
- Turtle Bunbury's A Self-Guided Audio Tour from a Celebrated Author: $5.99
- Temple Bar Self-Guided Must-See Highlights Tour: $6.31
- City Highlights Self-guided Walking Tour: $6.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.36
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.42
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.42
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Dublin €17
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Dublin
Also in Dublin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Authentic Brewery Tour: $11
- Generation Pub Crawl: $15
- Dublin Epic Pub Crawl: Experience Dublin's pubs and nightlife: $15
- "Dublin Delight Pub Expedition" Pub Crawl: $16
- The Dublin Liberties Distillery: Tour with Whiskey Tasting: $18
- Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $21
- Skip the Line: Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tasting in Dublin Ticket: $22
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery Experience: $24
- City Pub Crawl Experience: $24
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery: Trilogy Experience: $24
- Roe and Co Distillery Cocktail Workshop Experience: $27
- Dublin Jameson Distillery Tour with Whiskey Tastings & Cocktail: $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Dublin, we can see that Dublin is more expensive. And not only is Sintra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sintra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sintra 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 Dublin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dublin than you might in Sintra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sintra Expensive? and Is Dublin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Dublin?
Dublin has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Dublin, 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 Sintra or Dublin?
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 Sintra or Dublin in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Dublin. Furthermore, many visitors come to Dublin in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Sintra is a little warmer than Dublin. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sintra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Dublin averages at about 16°C (60°F).
In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Dublin during summer. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies, while Dublin receives 166 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Dublin. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Dublin 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Dublin in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Dublin. Additionally, most visitors come to Dublin for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene during these months.
In October, Sintra is generally much warmer than Dublin. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 19°C (66°F), and Dublin fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the autumn, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Dublin. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dublin receives 97 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in October than Dublin. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 70 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Dublin 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Dublin in the Winter?
Both Dublin and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Dublin because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Sintra is much warmer than Dublin in the winter. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Dublin fluctuates around 6°C (42°F).
Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Dublin during winter. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Dublin receives 56 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Sintra. In January, Sintra usually receives more rain than Dublin. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Dublin 6°C (42°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Dublin in the Spring?
Both Dublin and Sintra during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, the activities around the city are the main draw to Dublin this time of year.
In the spring, Sintra is much warmer than Dublin. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sintra in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Dublin averages at about 8°C (47°F).
It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the spring, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Dublin. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dublin receives 157 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in April than Dublin. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Dublin 8°C (47°F)
Typical Weather for Dublin and Sintra
| Sintra | Dublin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 70 mm (2.7 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 65 mm (2.5 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 76 mm (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.