What to expect in Porto
Porto is Portugal ‘s second-largest city, and as such is less touristy than Lisbon and therefore less expensive. Nevertheless, it’s well worth a few days’ visit to discover it and the surrounding area. When you’re there, your travel budget will be almost half that of a trip to Paris. We’ll help you plan your travel budget so you can visit Porto in style!
Is the cost of living in Porto high?
Wikimedia – Rititaneves
As you can see, the cost of living in Porto is not very high compared to other major European cities, and you’ll appreciate it all the more as you’ll be able to try some good restaurants and indulge yourself even more. Portugal is rather well served in terms of air transport, and flights to Porto confirm this: low-cost airlines offer cheap flights (between €50 and €75 return, depending on the city of departure and the time of year). You can see for yourself by consulting the price comparisons on the Ulysse website.
What’s your budget for accommodation in Porto?
Porto has something for everyone! Backpackers or young backpackers will easily find a youth hostel in the center, often well-maintained and of high quality, at very affordable prices (around 15€ per night). Couples will find charming hotels from €50 per night for two. The prices below are intended as a guide and should be checked against the events taking place in Porto throughout the year. Prices are per person.
Youth hostel: from €15 per night
Hotel **: from €25 per night
Hotel ***: from €40 per night
Hotel ****: from €60 per night
Hotel *****: from €85 per night
Don’t forget to follow the offers in advance to get the best price for the period.
Find a hotel in Porto on Generation Voyage
Wikimedia – Rititaneves
How much can you afford to eat in Porto?
First of all, you’ll eat well in Porto. And since you’re in Portugal, prices will be lower than in France anyway. Just beware of the petiscos (a kind of tapas) that may be brought to you in some restaurants. You’ll have to pay for them if you decide to take them. If you want to eat cheaply, perhaps avoid the restaurants on both banks of the Douro, close to the Dom-Luís Bridge. The price ranges below will help you find out more about your food budget.
Prices for eating out in Porto:
Francesinha (specialty): it all depends on the restaurant. Prices range from €5 to €10.
Street food (kebab, etc…): from 3 to 5€.
Fast food: €5.50
Economy restaurant: approx. €6-8
Standard restaurant: approx. €12-20
Chic restaurant: €25 and up
Some price ideas in Porto
Single public transport ticket: €1.20
Can of Coke: €1.10 (in-store)
Beer (pint ): €1.40
Super Bock (local beer): €1.50
Pack of cigarettes: €4.20
Cab (1 km): €0.50
Visit to Estádio do Dragão : Single ticket to visit Porto stadium = €8 (€5 for 4-16 year-olds). Stadium visit + museum (15€, and 10€ for 4-16 year olds). Discounts for over 64s.
Visit to Casa da Música: €5 per person
1 ticket for the Funicular dos Guindais: €2
Your overall travel budget for Porto will be fairly low. Expect to spend an average of €50 per day if you eat out every day and do a lot of sightseeing. Of course, this figure will be lower if you sleep in a hostel and limit your superfluous expenses, or on the contrary if you take a more luxurious hotel. It all depends on your lifestyle during your trip to Porto. To help you calculate your travel budget to Porto and Portugal, you can use our travel budget calculator.