Which place is cheaper, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
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.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Santa Cruz de Tenerife €126
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126. 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Santa Cruz de Tenerife €48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Santa Cruz de Tenerife €96
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Santa Cruz de Tenerife? 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Santa Cruz de Tenerife €64
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:
- Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $43
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $59
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $64
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $98
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $252
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Prices for flights to both Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 €42Santa Cruz de Tenerife €40
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Santa Cruz de Tenerife €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
Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tenerife: Forestal Park Tenerife Entry Ticket: $28
- Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $44
- Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $49
- Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $64
- Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus : $75
- Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $109
- Taucho Flight Experience: $118
- Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $128
- Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $258
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Santa Cruz de Tenerife €7.50
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
When comparing the travel costs between Sintra and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, we can see that Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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.
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.