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Travel Portugal on Budget: Tips from Our 24-Day Trip
The moment you think about visiting a European country, one question comes up — how expensive will this trip be?
After travelling across western Europe and expensive Greece, I assumed Portugal might also stretch our budget.
But while planning a 24-day trip across Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, and the Algarve with my spouse and our 10-month-old baby, it started to feel far more affordable than expected.
As we travelled, we noticed small things that made a real difference to our daily costs of Portugal as travellers.
In some cases, what felt unusual was that short taxi rides were actually cheaper than public transport in Portugal.
I also learned which local cafés served €1.50 coffee and where to find simple, affordable meals.
By the end of the trip, we had figured out simple ways to cut travel costs in Portugal without missing out — tips we rarely saw in most Portugal travel guides.
So in this post, I share Portugal budget travel tips which can help you save a lot, especially as a first time traveller in the country.
It includes simple budget travel tricks and Portugal-specific tips, so you can enjoy the country’s beaches, mountains, food, and experiences without overspending.
5 important tips for saving money in Portugal as a traveller
- Use miradouros instead of paid viewpoints – Free viewpoints in most cities offer views similar to paid ones.
- Eat breakfast at a padaria instead of cafe – Local bakeries offer cheap coffee, bread, and pastries.
- Check Bolt before taking a bus – For two people, taxis can sometimes be cheaper.
- Fly to Madeira or the Azores with hand luggage only – Choosing hand-luggage-only tickets on domestic flights can make island flights noticeably cheaper.
- Use supermarket restaurants – Stores like Pingo Doce serve fresh meals at lower prices.
Cost of travelling in Portugal
Portugal travel expenses compared to other European countries
The cost of travelling in Portugal is much lower than many European countries compared in terms of monument entrance fees, food, accommodation, and taxis.
Here is how our travel costs compared with Austria, Spain, and Greece.
What is cheaper in Portugal than elsewhere in Europe?
How much we spent in Portugal as mid-range travellers
For our 24-day trip across Portugal, we spent around €8000 for two people in November, which was off-season. Everything for our kid was free as he was just 10month old
This covered most travel expenses, including:
Suggested travel budgets for Portugal
These are rough Portugal travel cost per day estimates per person during the off-season. Prices can be higher in summer.
How much money to take to Portugal for a week?
A couple can expect to spend around €2,200–€2,250 per week in Portugal in off-season for accommodation, food, local transport, a few taxi rides, and some paid activities.
10 day trip to Portugal cost
Based on our trip, a 10-day mid-range trip for a couple would cost around €3,200–€3,500, depending on the season. This includes accommodation, food, intercity transport, and some activities.
Accommodation tips for budget travel in Portugal
Pick hotels that don’t have elevators
Many areas in Portugal have older buildings, and even outside historic centres, smaller buildings often do not have elevators.
Because access is only by stairs to upper floors, room prices in these buildings are usually cheaper.
This can be inconvenient if you have heavy luggage or a stroller.
In Lisbon, where accommodation is most expensive, this helped us save money.
Stay in neighbourhoods slightly outside tourist hotspots
These areas are usually the most expensive and crowded with tourists.
Instead, look for neighbourhoods about 10–15 minutes walking distance from the main sights.
Guesthouses here are often cheaper, and the area feels more local.
For example, in Porto, instead of choosing the Ribeira riverside promenade, we stayed near Coronel Pacheco Square.
It was still within walking distance of famous places like Livraria Lello, but prices were noticeably lower.
Tips for eating out on a budget in Portugal
Eat breakfast at a padaria instead of cafe
A padaria is a local bakery where people buy fresh bread, pastries, and coffee. You can even take parcel, go to a nicer square and eat.
I first tried this in Albufeira in the Algarve, where I stopped at a small padaria for breakfast. And I tried delicious Portuguese spongy cake Pão de ló – loved it.
Most people were locals, and some small shop owners were buying bread to sell later in their cafés or stores.
Breakfast is way cheaper than cafes, with coffee, bread, and pastries costing only a few euros.
Use markets & supermarket restaurants for affordable meals
One of the cheapest ways to eat in Portugal is at supermarkets like Continente or Pingo Doce.
These are not pre-packed meals to heat later, but freshly prepared local food.
I first tried this in Continente in Lisbon, where I found a delicious arroz doce (Portuguese rice pudding) late at night.
Later in Pingo Doce in Funchal, I found comida fresca counters selling Madeira specialities like fried corn cubes – and it is one of the very few vegetarian dishes of Portugal.
Getting a veggie local food in a supermarket restaurant was shocking
Supermarket restaurant meals are affordable and lets you eat local Portuguese food without stretching your budget.
Getting around in Portugal on a budget
Check taxi prices before you take a bus or metro within the cities
Lisbon and Porto have metros, buses, and trams, while Funchal, Algarve relies mostly on buses.
Public transport works well and is enough to get around without a car.
But for short distances, Bolt or Uber rides can sometimes cost less than two bus or metro tickets.
This is quite unusual, as public transport is usually cheaper in most countries, but we noticed this more than once in Portugal.
Most city buses in Portugal including Lisbon work on a flat fare system.
Regardless of the distance, you usually pay around €2 to €2.50 per ride, depending on the city.
For example, after our cliffside boat tour in the Algarve, we needed to go from Albufeira Marina to the old town, about 2.6 km away.
Two bus tickets would have cost €5, but a Bolt ride was only €3.20.
So at times, taking a taxi instead of a bus can actually save money in Portugal, especially if you are travelling as a couple or in a group.
Take tuk tuk tours only when necessary
Tuk tuk tours are common across Portugal, from flat Algarve to hilly Funchal. It is tempting to take them everywhere if you want to see more with less walking.
But they are not worth it in every city. They cost around €70 to €130 for a 2-hour private tour and are not a local mode of transport. Taking them everywhere will quickly increase your budget.
We took a tuk tuk tour in Lisbon, and it was absolutely worth it.
It made navigating steep cobbled streets much easier and helped us cover a lot in just 4 hours.
In Porto, we skipped it. Most places were within walking distance, and trams covered the rest. Porto feels far more compact than Lisbon.
So we chose tuk tuk tours only where they actually added value, instead of using them everywhere.
Skip expensive Portugal tourist city cards
Tourist city cards may look useful, but they are often not worth the price. While they usually include public transport, entry to all attractions is not always free, and many only offer discounts.
You usually cannot visit enough attractions in 24–48 hours to make the card worth it.
For example, the Lisbon Oceanarium which we visited during a rainy evening only offers a small discount with the Lisboa Card, not free entry.
Instead, simpler transport options often work better.
The Navegante 24-hour pass in Lisbon costs around €10 and covered all our buses and trams without forcing us to rush between attractions.
In Sintra, the loop bus ticket was far more practical as it connects the main palaces and viewpoints directly.
Many attractions allow children under about 12 to enter for free, so a tourist card for kids may not save money.
Instead, you may end up spending more and feel pressured to visit more places just to make it worth it.
Use trains for short distances and buses for longer routes
If you are looking for the cheapest way to travel in Portugal, always compare train and bus prices before booking.
Trains are not always the cheapest option, and for longer distances, buses can often cost less.
For shorter routes, regional or urban trains are usually cheaper and more frequent.
The train from Faro to Tavira (42km) cost us €3.50, while the same route by bus would have cost €6 to €7.
For longer distances, buses are usually more affordable. For example, the Porto to Lisbon journey (313 km) costs around €6–€12 by bus, while a second-class train ticket costs about €16-24.
You can check prices either on Portugal’s official train booking wesbite/app– which I never found user friendly. And you get price info of only trains
It is better to compare bus and train options together on Omio. It is easier to use and helps you decide faster.
So if you want to travel Portugal on a budget, regional trains work best only for shorter routes within about 100 km.
Rent a car only when your itinerary requires it
Renting a car in Portugal for the whole trip is unnecessary and only increases your costs.
There are buses, metros, and taxis within cities to get around, and trains, FlixBus, Alsa or Rede Expressos connect cities in an affordable way.
During our 24-dayes Portugal only trip, we rented a car for only 7 days—4 days in Madeira to reach viewpoints and coastal spots, and later after Sintra to explore nearby beaches and continue to the Algarve with a few stops.
My husband who drove loved the experience of being on Portugal’s road. As we limited it to just a few days and never within the city, it wasn’t stressful
So decide whether to rent a car based on your itinerary and whether the places in Portugal are accessible by public transport.
Renting a car for the entire Portugal trip is never economical.
You should never drive within the city, especially in Lisbon.
And driving in Sintra is another fatal mistake you might make.
Sightseeing in Portugal on a budget
Visit miradouros instead of paid viewpoints
Miradouros are public viewpoints across Portuguese cities, and most offer excellent views for free.
Many churches and monuments sell terrace access tickets, such as Clérigos Tower in Porto.
The Clérigos Church is free to enter, but the €10 tower ticket did not feel worth it to us, as we had already seen similar views from the upper Ribeira area and near Porto Cathedral.
Same thing in Lisbon — we spent time at some of the most gorgeous lookout points and never paid for a single one. We intentionally chose free miradouros instead.
So while exploring any city in Portugal, look for free viewpoints before paying for terrace access.
Choose attractions wisely in Portugal
Portugal has many beautiful monasteries, cathedrals, and palaces, with entry fees of €10–€20. Visiting all of them adds up and can feel repetitive.
Choose a few that genuinely interest you. A quick 5–10 minute read is enough to decide—no need to research for hours.
I loved Jerónimos Monastery from the outside—the detailing alone was impressive.
But the crowds were huge, and the €18 entry did not feel worth it, so I skipped it.
Instead, I chose Alcobaça Monastery, which was calmer, cheaper, and far more memorable, with the story of King Pedro and the marble tombs.
In Sintra, I explored the courtyards of Pena Palace but skipped the long queue to go inside.
Instead, I visited the National Palace of Sintra for its stunning ceilings.
And also the gorgeous Palace of Monserrate – a mix of Moorish, Portuguese and English architecture.
Churches, like the blue-tiled Chapel of Souls in Porto, are free to enter. But I did pay €5 to enter Carmo Convent, which did not feel worth it.
So spend a few minutes checking what is inside before buying tickets. This helps you avoid paying for places that may not feel worth it.
Join free walking tours in Portugal
Like most of Europe, walking tours are a good way to understand Portuguese cities without spending much.
While paid tours are available, many free ones led by local guides cover major landmarks and stories, making them an easy way to explore on a budget.
I usually join at least one walking tour wherever I travel. In Porto, our free walking tour guide shared interesting stories about the city’s history.
One that stayed with me was about King Pedro, whose heart is preserved in the city, with even a heart-shaped Porto special dessert dedicated to him.
Although the tours are called free, travellers usually leave a small tip for the guide. Even with the tip, it still costs much less than most organised city tours.
Planning tips for travelling Portugal on a budget
Best time to visit Portugal on a budget
Travel costs in Portugal vary a lot by season.
Summer (June to August) is peak season, with the highest flight and hotel prices. October to May is generally cheaper, but December to February is storm season, especially along the coast.
Our trip was from late October to mid-November, which was off-season. This helped us find better hotel deals and cheaper activities without crowds.
Accommodation prices can drop 30–50% outside summer. So, to have a more affordable Portugal trip, plan your visit during October–November or March–May for the best balance of price and weather.
Travel with hand luggage when visiting islands
Flying is the only practical way to reach Portuguese islands like Madeira and the Azores from the mainland, unless you are on a cruise.
No matter which airline you choose—TAP Air Portugal, easyJet, or Ryanair—flights to Portuguese islands use smaller aircraft due to challenging runway conditions, making checked baggage more expensive.
If you are travelling for a longer trip like we did, you will likely have larger suitcases.
In that case, it is cheaper to store your extra luggage on the mainland instead of carrying it on the flight.
When we flew from Lisbon to Madeira, we had two trolley bags, but flights were cheaper without checked baggage.
If we had used Lisbon airport lockers, we would have paid almost 3 times what we paid at Bounce. So airport lockers aren’t always the cheapest.
This saved us about €43 compared to paying for two checked bags, even after including the storage cost.
So flying with hand luggage only to Portuguese islands can help reduce your travel costs.
Buy monument entry tickets smartly in Portugal
Some attractions in Portugal offer family tickets, which can be cheaper than buying individual entries.
At Alcobaça Monastery, we did not prebook tickets and noticed a family ticket at the counter. Individual tickets were €15 each, while children under 12 enter free.
Normally, it would have cost €30 for the two of us, but with the family ticket, we paid €24 in total.
These family ticket options are not always visible online, so it can be better to buy tickets at the entrance unless it is a very popular attraction like the Sintra palaces.
Easy mistakes that can increase your travel cost in Portugal
My personal experience travelling Portugal on a budget
Travelling across Portugal for 24 days with my spouse and our 10-month-old baby showed me that Portugal is a very affordable destination compared to Central, North and Western European countries.
By staying in guesthouses slightly outside historic centres, using buses and regional trains, and choosing local bakeries and simple restaurants, we kept our daily costs under control without feeling restricted.
Being selective helped the most.
We did not try to enter every monument, rent a car everywhere, or buy tourist cards in every city.
Instead, we mixed free viewpoints, walking through historic towns, a few paid attractions, and memorable activities like the Madeira basket ride and Algarve boat tours.
With some planning, you can enjoy Portugal’s food, architecture, beaches, and culture without overspending.
Many of my readers, especially from the United States, ask me if Portugal is very expensive for travellers.
With some planning, you can travel Portugal on a budget and still enjoy its food, architecture, beaches, and culture.
FAQ
Is 100 euros a day enough in Portugal?
€100 per person per day is enough for backpack-style Portugal travel. It can cover a hostel or simple guesthouse, meals at local bakeries or small restaurants, public transport, and a few low-cost attractions.
What is the cheapest city to visit in Portugal?
Porto is generally cheaper than Lisbon for accommodation and food. Smaller towns like Nazaré, Aveiro, and Braga are even more affordable.
Which is the cheapest souvenir to buy from Portugal?
Piri piri sauce (€2–€3 per bottle) and mini ginja liqueur bottles (€2–€3 for 40 ml) are among the cheapest souvenirs to buy from Portugal.
is Algarve expensive to visit?
No. The Algarve is usually cheaper than Lisbon. While activities like boat tours and water sports cost money, beaches are free to visit, so you can still keep overall costs low.
What is the average cost of a meal in Portugal?
A simple meal at a local Portuguese restaurant usually costs around €5–€6 per person for lunch. This is often a prato do dia, such as grilled fish with rice, served with bread and a drink.
Which is the cheapest way to get to Spain from Portugal?
Buses are the most affordable way to travel from Portugal to Spain compared to flights. There are a few train options, but many direct buses run on routes like Lisbon to Madrid, Faro to Seville, Porto to Bilbao, Coimbra to Madrid & many more.
We took a Rede Expressos direct bus from Faro in Algarve to Spain’s Seville. It cost €30 per person. A direct flight was around €142, and we could not find a train from Faro to Seville
