Which place is cheaper, Porto or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Vientiane or Porto?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Porto, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Vientiane or Porto?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal.
-
Vientiane Prices
Laos PricesPorto Prices
Portugal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $23Porto $179
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $23, while the average daily cost in Porto is $179. 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 Vientiane and Porto in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $8.15Porto $81
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $16Porto $162
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Porto
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane or Porto? 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Porto Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $1.93Porto $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
-
Tuk Tuk Ride$4.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station: $12
- Oporto Shared Departure Transfer: From Hotels to Airport: $14
- Private Departure Transfer: Porto city Hotels to Oporto Airport: $17
- Porto Airport Transfer: Private Meet & Greet, Flight Tracked: $17
- Oporto Airport Private Transfer to Matosinhos: $17
- Matosinhos Private Transfer to Oporto Airport: $17
- Oporto Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $17
- Private One-way Transfer from Porto to Porto Airport: $18
- Private One-way Transfer from Porto Airport to Porto: $18
- Porto Private Transfer to/from Matosinhos: $19
- Oporto Airport Private Transfer to Gaia: $19
- Porto Private Airport Arrival Transfer: $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Porto?
Prices for flights to both Porto and Vientiane 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
-
Food Meals for one dayVientiane $12Porto $71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $70
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Small-Group Street Food Tour with Tastings: $91
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Sé do Porto): $40
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Lapa): $40
- Porto Food Tour Market Tapas and Port Wine Cellar Experience: $69
- Dinner with Fado and Portuguese Traditional Music: $69
- Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour: $74
- Taste of the Ocean Authentic Porto Seafood Tour: $80
- Fabulist Food Tour: $80
- Authentic Porto Small Group Food Tour with Local Tastings: $85
- Porto Food Tour: $86
- Small Group Porto Food Tour Traditional Taverns and Local Dishes: $86
- Shopping, cooking and eating together at my home in Porto: $86
- Porto Food Tour with Craft Beer by Taste Porto (since 2013): $86
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.67Porto $28
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- 1-Day Tour to Vang Vieng with Private Guide: $200
- 1-Day Vientiane City Adventure: Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $110
- Explore Vientiane with Lao Art Museum Tour: $61
- From Plain of Jars Tour & Homestay: $1,650
- From Vang Vieng 2-Day Tour with Blue Lagoon: $443
- From Vang Vieng Tour with Cave Kayak & Zipline: $113
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $99
- Half Day Private Tour in City Highlights: $120
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour | Laos: $168
- Lao Art Museum Vientiane Admission & Cultural Experience: $10
- Lao Arts Museum & City Highlights Tour with Lunch: $122
- Lao Country Club Golf Experience in Vientiane: $80
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- Aveiro Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.42
- Enchanted Porto Walking Tour of the Historic Center: $3.42
- The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center: $3.42
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour in Porto: $3.42
- Porto Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $3.42
- Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto: $3.42
- Porto History and Culture Walking Tour with Local Guides: $3.43
- Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira: $3.43
- Self-Guided Tapas Tour of Porto: $3.43
- Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia: $3.43
- Self-Guided Tours in Porto with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.43
- Porto's #1 Walking Tour: $3.43
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.04Porto $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- 1 Demarcation Museum Tickets and Port Wine Tasting: $5.73
- Crazy Pub Crawl with 9 Drinks, Free Shots, Wild Games +VIP: $16
- 4-hour Guided Porto Pub Crawl with 6 drinks and VIP CLUBentry: $21
- Port & Wine Experience Museum with 3 Wine Tastings: $23
- Pub Crawl Porto: $24
- Porto Winery Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata: $26
- Poças Guided Visit and Wine Tasting of 3 Port Wines: $26
- Poças Guided Visit and Wine Tasting of 2 DOC Douro & 1 Port Wine: $26
- Classic Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR: $29
- Porto Halloween Pub Crawl 4 bars + 1 club, Scary Games & 7 Drinks: $29
- Port : Cockburn's Port Lodge Tour & Main Room Wine Tasting: $30
- Matriarca Cellar Shop: Wine Tasting: $34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Porto, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia and Porto is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto than you might in Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Porto Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Porto?
Porto has a larger population, and is about 27% larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane and Porto, 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 Vientiane or Porto?
Porto has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Vientiane experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Vientiane or Porto in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Vientiane as well as Porto. Vientiane attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Porto because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Vientiane is a little warmer than Porto in the summer. The daily temperature in Vientiane averages around 30°C (85°F) in July, and Porto fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Porto. In the summer, Vientiane often gets less sunshine than Porto. Vientiane gets 141 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Porto receives 308 hours of full sun.
Vientiane receives a lot of rain in the summer. Vientiane usually gets more rain in July than Porto. Vientiane gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Porto receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyVientiane 30°C (85°F)Porto 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Porto in the Autumn?
Both Porto and Vientiane are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vientiane throughout the year. Also, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Porto this time of year.
In the autumn, Vientiane is much warmer than Porto. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Vientiane in October average around 28°C (83°F), and Porto averages at about 17°C (62°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vientiane. Vientiane usually receives more sunshine than Porto during autumn. Vientiane gets 222 hours of sunny skies, while Porto receives 184 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Porto. In October, Vientiane usually receives less rain than Porto. Vientiane gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Porto receives 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberVientiane 28°C (83°F)Porto 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Porto in the Winter?
Both Porto and Vientiane during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Vientiane because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Porto for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Vientiane is generally much warmer than Porto. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 24°C (75°F), and Porto fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
It's quite sunny in Vientiane. In the winter, Vientiane often gets more sunshine than Porto. Vientiane gets 254 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Porto receives 124 hours of full sun.
Porto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Vientiane usually gets less rain in January than Porto. Vientiane gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Porto receives 171 mm (6.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryVientiane 24°C (75°F)Porto 10°C (50°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Porto in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Vientiane and Porto. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vientiane year-round. Also, many visitors come to Porto in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
It's very hot in Vientiane this time of the year. Vientiane is much warmer than Porto in the spring. The daily temperature in Vientiane averages around 31°C (88°F) in April, and Porto fluctuates around 14°C (56°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Porto this time of the year. In Vientiane, it's very sunny this time of the year. Vientiane usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Porto during spring. Vientiane gets 230 hours of sunny skies, while Porto receives 217 hours of full sun in the spring.
Porto receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Vientiane usually receives less rain than Porto. Vientiane gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Porto receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilVientiane 31°C (88°F)Porto 14°C (56°F)
Typical Weather for Porto and Vientiane
| Vientiane | Porto | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (85°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 31°C (88°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| May | 30°C (87°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Jun | 30°C (86°F) | 273 mm (10.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (85°F) | 266 mm (10.5 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (83°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 152 mm (6 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 176 mm (6.9 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.