Which place is cheaper, Nice or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Nice?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Nice? 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 Nice?
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.
Nice
Nice, in the French Riviera, is one of the most popular destinations in France. It's located on the southeast coast along the Mediterranean Sea and is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean. It is an energetic city that attracts all types of vacationers from every age group and demographic. It's the 5th largest city in the country and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes departement. The metropolitan area has a population of about 1 million.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Nice €131
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Nice is €131. 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 Nice in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Nice €59
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Nice €118
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Nice
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Nice? 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 Nice Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Nice €25
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nice
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nice:
- Private Transfer: Nice City Center to Côte d'Azur Airport(NCE): $40
- Private Transfer from Nice City to Nice Airport: $43
- Arrival Transfer from Côte d'Azur Airport NCE to Nice City in Private Car: $44
- Monaco to Hercule Monte Carlo Port Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Private transfer from Nice to Cannes: $47
- Port de la Santé to Nice Intl Airport (NCE) - Private Departure Transfer: $49
- Villefranche-sur-Mer - Port to Nice hotels- Arrival Transfer: $49
- Villefranche Port to Nice Intl Airport (NCE) - Departure Transfer: $49
- Villefranche-sur-Mer - Port de la Santé to Nice hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Nice Intl Airport (NCE) to Villefranche Port- Arrival Transfer: $49
- Nice hotels to Port de la Santé - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Nice Intl Airport (NCE) to Port de la Santé- Arrrival Private Transfer: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Nice?
Prices for flights to both Nice 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 €42Nice €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 Nice
Some typical examples of dining costs in Nice are as follows:
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Slushee€2.50
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Strawberries€4.00
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Loaf of Bread€3.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nice
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nice.
- Nice Small-Group Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties & Wine Tasting: $84
- Viator Exclusive: Organic French Dinner in the Garden of Nice: $95
- The Flavors of Nice Food Tour: $103
- Old Nice Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $104
- Nice Evening Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $104
- Viator Exclusive: Local Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice: $107
- 3.5-Hour Original Old Town Food Tour: $107
- Private French Cooking Class with a Fun Local Noel: $112
- PRIVATE Award-Winning Nice Food Tour: 6 or 10 Tastings: $112
- Food Tour + Wine Pairing Lunch with a local Sommelier: $133
- Half Day Afternoon Walking Food Tour with Dinner: $147
- Dinner in the vineyard French Riviera: $192
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Nice €12
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
Tours and Activities in Nice
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nice are as follows:
- Vieux Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.13
- Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.13
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41
- Ticket to Musée National du Sport: $6.42
- Nice Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Monaco Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.95
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.95
- Nice's Old Town Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Navigating A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Nice city tour: audio guide app in your smartphone: $7.49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Nice €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 Nice
Also in Nice, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Nice Bar Crawl | Best Bars In 1 Night! VIP + FREE SHOTS: $5.99
- Pub Crawl Party with VIP Entry and Free Shots: $16
- Pub Crawl Nice with Drinking Games and Optional Drink special: $17
- Nice : Guided Pub / Bar Crawl with Shots and Nightclub Entry: $21
- Riviera Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots and VIP Entry: $23
- Nice Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $45
- New Year's Eve Pub Crawl with Shots and VIP Club Entry: $52
- New Year’s Eve Bar Crawl Nice France: $53
- Provence Organic Wine Tasting Half Day Tour from Nice: $65
- Wine Tasting: Tour de France in Nice City Centre: $74
- Half-Day Saint Paul de Vence and Wine Tasting Tour: $82
- Half-Day Wine Tasting and Saint Paul de Vence Tour from Nice: $84
When comparing the travel costs between Sintra and Nice, we can see that Nice 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 Sintra Expensive? and Is Nice Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Nice?
Nice has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Nice, 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 Nice?
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 Nice in the Summer?
Both Nice and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Nice for the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Sintra is around the same temperature as Nice. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sintra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Nice averages at about 23°C (73°F).
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Nice. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Nice receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Nice 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Nice in the Autumn?
Both Nice and Sintra during the autumn are popular places to visit. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Nice because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Nice. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 19°C (66°F), and Nice fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
Nice gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Sintra usually gets less rain in October than Nice. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Nice receives 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Nice 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Nice in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Nice. Also, the shopping scene and the cuisine are the main draw to Nice this time of year.
Sintra is a little warmer than Nice in the winter. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Nice fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
Sintra gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sintra usually receives more rain than Nice. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Nice receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Nice 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Nice in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Nice. Also, many travelers come to Nice for the beaches and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Sintra is a little warmer than Nice. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sintra in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Nice averages at about 13°C (56°F).
Sintra usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Nice. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Nice receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Nice 13°C (56°F)
Typical Weather for Nice and Sintra
| Sintra | Nice | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 78 mm (3.1 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.