Which place is cheaper, Milan or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Milan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Milan? 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 Milan?
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.
Milan
Milan, known to most of the world as the capital of fashion and style, is also the heart of Italian industry and economics. Between the stock exchange, cathedrals and boutiques, this metropolis is a city-lover's dream come true. It is an escape from the stresses of the real world, and provides a playground for all the world's most lavish luxuries.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Italy, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Milan €166
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Milan is €166. 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 Milan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Milan €96
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Milan €192
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Milan
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Milan? 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 Milan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Milan €35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Algarve vs Lisbon: Private Transfer to/from Algarve /Lisbon: $513
- Private transfer from Sintra to Porto with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(8pax): $109
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- Tuk Tuk Transfer With Sintra Pena Ticket From Meeting Point: $73
- Transfer Sintra to Lisbon Airport: $71
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Milan
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Milan:
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Train to Airport€7.00
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Malpensa Airport Train (for Two)€22
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Taxi From Airport€90
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Public Transit Day Pass€4.50
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Short Taxi Ride€7.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Milan
Also for Milan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Linate Airport to/from Milan Central Station Transfer: $5.35
- Bus Transfer from Malpensa Airport and Milan Central Station: $11
- Bus Transfer from/to Bergamo Airport: $11
- Bergamo Airport Transfer: $11
- Direct Transfer between Malpensa Airport and Center: $11
- Transfer Milan city center - Malpensa airport: $12
- Transfer Milan city center - Bergamo Airport: $12
- Transfer from Malpensa Airport to Milan city center: $12
- Serravalle Designer Outlet Roundtrip Bus Transfer: $27
- Private Luxury day Transfer from Linate Airport to Milan: $37
- Luxury Private Day Transfer from Milan to Linate Airport: $37
- Milan to Bergamo Airport (BGY) - Departure Private Transfer : $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Milan?
Prices for flights to both Milan 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 €42Milan €39
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 Milan
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Milan:
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Snack at Train Station€8.60
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Restaurant Pizza€6.60
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Casual Cafe Lunch (for Two)€27
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Three Course Dinner (for Two)€64
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Cappuccino€1.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Milan
For Milan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- PYT Milano Dinner Show with Live Music and DJ Set: $21
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Milan Gourmet Food Tour and Sightseeing with Local Guide: $38
- Gourmet Street Food Tour with Sightseeing and Tasting: $45
- Eating Milan Street Food Tour with Guided Tasting and Sightseeing: $46
- Tasty Milan Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $46
- Delicious Milan Street Food Tour Tasting and Sightseeing with Local Guide: $46
- Devour Milan Street Food Tour and Sightseeing: $46
- NO DIET CLUB - Best Food Tour in Milan !: $59
- NO DIET CLUB - Best Food Tour in Milan !: $60
- Local Market and Cooking Class with an Italian Chef: $70
- Italian Cooking Class with Food and Wine: $70
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Milan €31
Tours and Activities in Sintra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
- E-Bike Rental Self Guide Tour in Sintra and Cabo da Roca : $64
- Half Day Private Wine and Traditional Tile Making Tour: $157
- 1h sight seeing - Sintra Mountain Tour (price per car) - max 4persons: $119
- 2 Hour Private Picnic and Photoshoot Experience in Lisbon area: $149
- 2 Hours Romantic experience for two by sailboat in Cascais: $297
- 2 hours Private Sailing Experience in Cascais: $297
- 3 Hour Sintra Village and Beaches Tuktuk Tour: $125
- 4 hour Private MTB Enduro Trail Tour in Sintra Mountain: $171
- 4 hour Private MTB Enduro Trail Tour in Sintra Mountain: $153
- 4x4 Tours in Portuguese Classic Jeeps (UMM) around Sintra: $153
- Amazing Sintra tour: $91
- Cascais Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $260
Typical Entertainment Prices in Milan
For Milan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Stairs to Duomo Rooftop€7.00
Tours and Activities in Milan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Milan.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- The City Storytelling Experience: Art, History and Myths Come Together: $3.26
- Milano Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide by a Local: $4.19
- Giuseppe Verdi in Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.60
- Unique Self-Guided Audio Tour on Alessandro Manzoni: $4.60
- Self-Guided Audio Tour Exploring Age-Old Plants: $4.60
- Self-Guided Audio Tour Exploring the Famous Five Days: $4.60
- From Italy eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.81
- Stories of the Fashion Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Milan: $5.49
- The Best of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.36
- Branca Tower Entrance Ticket: $6.42
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Milan €24
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Milan
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Milan:
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Cocktail at a Bar€8.40
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Beer€3.35
Sample the Local Flavors in Milan
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Milan:
- Wine Tasting Experience in the City Centre: $43
- Wine Tasting Experience in Milan city centre: $44
- Milan Wine Tasting Experience: $52
- Italian Wine Tasting in Milan: $53
- Milan Wine Tasting Aperitivo: $56
- Milan Wine Tasting with Italian Sommelier: $86
- Private Food and Wine Tasting Experience in the Center of Milan: $87
- Wine Tasting with an Italian Sommelier: $93
- Best of Guided Tour with Duomo, Food & Wine Tasting: $159
- Food and Wine Tasting enjoying the New Milan: $164
- Brescia & Franciacorta Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
- Brescia and Franciacorta winery area. Cultural and wine tasting small group tour: $184
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Milan, we can see that Milan 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 Milan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Milan 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 Milan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Milan?
Milan has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Milan, 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 Milan?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Sintra or Milan in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Milan. Also, most visitors come to Milan for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Sintra is generally around the same temperature as Milan. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 23°C (73°F), and Milan fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Milan. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the summer, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Milan. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Milan receives 250 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets less rain in July than Milan. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Milan receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Milan 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Milan in the Autumn?
Both Milan and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Milan because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Sintra is a little warmer than Milan in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Milan fluctuates around 15°C (58°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Milan during autumn. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Milan receives 152 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Milan. In October, Sintra usually receives less rain than Milan. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Milan receives 103 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Milan 15°C (58°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Milan in the Winter?
Both Milan and Sintra during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Milan this time of year.
It's quite cold in Milan in the winter. In the winter, Sintra is much warmer than Milan. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sintra in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Milan averages at about 5°C (41°F).
In the winter, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Milan. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Milan receives 119 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually gets more rain in January than Milan. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Milan receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Milan 5°C (41°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Milan in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Milan. Furthermore, many travelers come to Milan for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Milan. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 16°C (60°F), and Milan fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Milan during spring. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Milan receives 176 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Sintra usually receives less rain than Milan. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Milan receives 76 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Milan 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Milan and Sintra
| Sintra | Milan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 60 mm (2.3 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 85 mm (3.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 102 mm (4 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 15°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 102 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 60 mm (2.4 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.