Which place is cheaper, Rome or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Rome?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Rome? 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 Rome?
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.
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Rome €170
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Rome is €170. 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 Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Rome €89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Rome €178
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Rome
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Rome? 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 Rome Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Rome €21
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 Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
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Metro Ride (for Two)€2.00
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Train to the Airport€15
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Taxi to Airport€45
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Bicycle Rental (Full Day)€10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
- Shuttle Bus Transfer to or from Ciampino Airport: $6.42
- Bus Transfer Between Airport and Rome Termini Station: $6.42
- Shuttle Bus Transfer to or from Fiumicino Airport: $7.49
- Transfer Ciampino Airport - Rome center: $7.64
- Transfer Fiumicino Airport - Rome center: $7.64
- Transfer Rome center - Ciampino Airport: $7.64
- Fiumicino Airport from/to Vaticano Transfer: $8.73
- Bus Transfer from Rome to Milan or Vice Versa: $11
- Transfer from Termini Station to the Maximo Shopping Center: $15
- Civitavecchia Port to/from Vatican City Bus Transfer: $16
- Transfer between Fiumicino Airport and Rome Termini: $17
- Ciampino Airport Rome (CIA) to Rome - Arrival Private Transfer: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome 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 €42Rome €47
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 Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€14
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4 Ice Cream Sandwiches€2.99
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Cafe e doce€4.00
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Pizza (Fast Food)€2.65
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)€32
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Cheese and bread€10
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Espresso€2.00
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Dinner€58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
- Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
- Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $31
- Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
- Food Tour of the Vatican with Farmers Market and Wine Tasting: $32
- Rome Food Tour with Wine Tasting and Farmers Market in Prati Area: $32
- Guided Food Tour with Food and Drink Tastings: $33
- Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $36
- Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
- Painting & Pizza Party with Unlimited Wine: $40
- Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
- Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $43
- Wine Tasting and Food Tour at Vatican and Trionfale Farmers: $43
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Rome €36
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 Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)€69
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Coliseum Tickets (for Two)€33
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Roma Pass€30
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Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)€20
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Segway Tour€75
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bergamo Old Town: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Cambridge: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.26
- Piazza del Popolo and Historical Sights Walking Tour in Rome: $3.27
- Shared 4 Hours Guided tour of the House of the Emperor Hadrian: $5.11
- From 1-Way Bus Ticket to Naples or Vice Versa: $5.31
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $5.33
- Bergamo Old Town: City Exploration Game and Tour: $5.35
- Twilight Treasures: An Evening Tour Through Rome's Rich History: $5.44
- Civitavecchia's Stories and Secrets: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- What Emperor Hadrian Lost: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Ancient Rome: $5.99
- St. Peter's Basilica Rome Audio Tour Experience: $5.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Rome €18
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 Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
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Bottle of Wine€6.50
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Pint of Beer€6.34
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Beer€10
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
- Trionfale and Prati Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $31
- Trionfale Farmers Market and Vatican Quarter Food and Wine Tour: $32
- Vatican Food and Wine Tasting Tour next to the Sistine Chapel: $32
- Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
- Vatican Quarter and Trionfale Farmers Market Food and Wine Tour: $43
- Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $52
- Tipsy Tour: Fun Bar Crawl In Rome With Local Guide : $53
- Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
- Frascati Wine Tasting Experience & Vineyards Tour : $61
- Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
- E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $68
- Private Wine Tasting in Trastevere: $71
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Rome?
Rome has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Rome, 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 Rome?
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 Rome in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Rome. Furthermore, most visitors come to Rome 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 Rome. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 23°C (73°F), and Rome fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Rome this time of the year. In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Rome during summer. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Rome. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Rome receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Rome 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Rome in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Rome. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Rome because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Sintra is around the same temperature as Rome in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Rome fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the autumn, Sintra often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Rome. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 198 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets less rain in October than Rome. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Rome receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Rome 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Rome in the Winter?
Both Rome and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Rome this time of year.
In the winter, Sintra is a little warmer than Rome. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sintra in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Rome averages at about 8°C (47°F).
Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Rome during winter. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Rome receives 127 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Sintra. In January, Sintra usually receives more rain than Rome. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Rome receives 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Rome 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Rome in the Spring?
Both Rome and Sintra during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Rome for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Rome. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 16°C (60°F), and Rome fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In Rome, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the spring, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Rome. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Rome receives 204 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in April than Rome. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Rome receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Rome 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Rome and Sintra
| Sintra | Rome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 81 mm (3.2 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 (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 42 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 94 mm (3.7 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.