How Much We Spent in Lisbon for One Week
Earlier this year, Andy and I left Berlin for a few months of warmer, sunnier weather. After spending a month in Malaga, we had about two weeks until our month in Lisbon started. We decided to get to Lisbon early and do a bunch of touristy stuff before checking into the apartment we booked for a month, since sightseeing is always tough once we’re in work mode. (Not that we got to stay for the full month…) So we spent a week in Lisbon exploring, taking a few tours, and enjoying this gorgeous city. Here’s how much we spent in Lisbon.
Total Lisbon expenses
Portugal uses the euro, so amounts are listed in euros and US dollars. This is for two people for 7 nights in Lisbon. Also, please keep in mind that this was a bit of a splurge, so some of the costs are a bit higher than average.
1,286.23€ / $1,414.86 – accommodation
13€ / $14.30 – transportation
460.32€ / $506.35 – food and alcohol
509.28€ / $560.21 – activities
2,268.83€ / $2,495.72 – total
This does not include the cost of getting to Lisbon.
Total Lisbon hotel costs – $1,414.86
The biggest splurge of all was probably this hotel. But wow, was it worth it! We originally booked just two nights at Hotel da Baixa, because we’ve been burned before by booking too many nights, showing up, and realizing the bed was horrible or there was some other reason why the hotel wasn’t good.
But this one was different. When we checked in, for a room that was already a bit more expensive than we’d normally spend, they told us they were upgrading us for free. And it was fantastic.
We still had 5 nights not booked, so after spending one night in this wonderfully comfortable bed in a comfortable room (more details below) we went down to reception to see about booking the rest of the week. We were even willing to spend the price of the room we were in, rather than have to switch to our originally booked room type, but they offered to keep the same rate for the upgraded room.
For one week in Lisbon, we averaged $202.12 per night, or $101.06 per person per night on accommodation.
Where to stay in Lisbon, Portugal
If you’re up for a splurge on your trip to Lisbon, I highly recommend Hotel da Baixa. Our upgraded room was almost like a suite, with a partial wall separating the bed area from a seating area. The seating area had a desk and chair, a couch, and two small tables. There was plenty of space to store your luggage, if you don’t travel as light as we do.
The bed had a pillow top mattress that was one of the most comfortable mattresses I’ve ever slept on. I didn’t really like my pillow, but we quickly learned they had a pillow menu, so I picked another type, and it was great. I slept so well during our week in this hotel.
And the bathroom…OMG the bathroom was giant! The shower was a huge walk-in thing with a big rain shower head with various settings in the center on the ceiling, and then TWO normal shower heads on the side walls. You could probably fit 7 or 8 people in this shower…you know, if that was your thing.
The little details of the room made this a great place too. Curtains that actually blocked out the majority of the light. Curtains tracks that overlapped so there was never a gap between the two sides. Lights in appropriate places and different options so the room never felt darker or brighter than you’d want.
Lastly, the hotel had a deal where they’d give you anything you wanted from the mini bar for free if you didn’t get your towels and sheets changed that day. There was usually a beer, a soda, juice, water, and a few other things in there. We don’t need our sheets and towels changed every day (I mean, do you change yours this often at home?) so this was a great deal for us.
Oh, and there were free apples and pastel de natas in the lobby 24/7!
If you’re traveling to Lisbon, definitely check out Hotel da Baixa. It was one of the best hotels we’ve ever stayed in, and the location was great for sightseeing.
Total Lisbon transportation costs – $14.30
Because our hotel was centrally located, everything we wanted to do was within walking distance. We spent 13 euros on a taxi from the train station to our hotel when we first arrived in the city.
However, we realized later we could’ve spent less if we had used Uber. Andy and I aren’t used to using Uber because it isn’t much of a thing in Berlin, and usually when we travel, walking or public transport is the easiest choice. But Uber is very popular in Lisbon.
The subway/metro in Lisbon is also very easy to use, and affordable, we just didn’t need it during the week when we stayed in the hotel.
Total cost of food and drinks in Lisbon – $506.35
Overall food in Lisbon was reasonably priced. We had a few nicer meals and a bunch of cheap meals, and we even did a few meals sourced from the grocery store that we ate in our hotel room. But we also indulged in quite a few cocktails throughout the week, which is why the amount we spent on food in Lisbon is a bit high.
We also had to buy breakfast most days since we didn’t get the hotel’s breakfast. Sometimes we just ate a granola bar, but other days we went to local cafes for smoothies or other tasty breakfast options.
You certainly can spend less by limiting your alcohol consumption and eating cheap meals the whole time. But make sure you try the local food! Portugal has delicious food and wines.
For one week in Lisbon, we averaged $72.34 per day, or $36.17 per person per day, on food and alcohol.
Total cost of activities in Lisbon – $560.21
Speaking of food, as always, we found a few food tours in Lisbon to try. Since we love food tours so much, we took two different ones (Eating Europe and Devour), and they were both really good. I might give a slight edge to the Eating Europe tour, but the Devour one was very enjoyable, and I’d recommend either one of them.
We also did lots of exploring that didn’t cost a penny. Lisbon is a very beautiful city and you can easily walk around for hours admiring buildings and squares and the waterfront without spending any money. And lastly, we booked a private all day tour to see a few castles in Sintra and other points of interest in the area.
Lisbon food tour with Eating Europe
One tour was the Eats, Street Art & Undiscovered Lisbon food tour with Eating Europe. We’ve taken lots of Eating Europe food tours before, and this one lived up to previous experiences.
Our guide showed us around a few different neighborhoods, told us about the history, and of course, introduced us to lots of delicious foods. Simple yet delicious pork sandwiches called bifanas. Samosas from Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony. Meat, fish, wine, and of course, pastel de nata. All while learning the history of the neighborhoods we were wandering through, including fado music, street art, and more.
>>Read my full review of the Eating Europe Lisbon food tour here.
Lisbon food tour with Devour
Devour is another food tour company I’ve been able to try a few times. They started out in Spain and have recently expanded to a few other locations. We took the Tastes & Traditions of Lisbon Food Tour with Devour exploring a different part of the city.
There were some of the same foods, like the bifana and pastel de nata, but also plenty that we didn’t have on the other tour. Breakfast pastries, various canned fish, different wines and meats. And we got to explore a different part of the city and hear more stories about the history and culture.
>>Read my full review of the Devour Lisbon food tour here.
Sintra day tour
A visit to Sintra was high on my list for our Lisbon itinerary, but there were so many places I wanted to see that trying to do it on our own was overwhelming. When looking for tours, the private one wasn’t much more expensive than a small group tour, and it had the benefit of being customizable to what we wanted to do, so it was an easy choice. We booked this Sintra day tour from Lisbon.
The guide picked us up at our hotel in the morning and told us about Sintra as we drove there. We got to see a little of the town itself, plus a few castles (castle entrance fees were not included in the tour price, which we knew ahead of time), a section of the coast with insane wind, and the westernmost point on mainland Europe.
We also had a fancy lunch at a seaside restaurant, which was delicious, but also not included, so if I had a do-over, I’d ask him to take us someplace cheap and quick instead. And at the end of the day when we were almost back in Lisbon, he took us to an abandoned building that is a local hangout and has amazing views of the city.
Overall we had a fantastic day and got to see tons of stuff we never could’ve gotten to on our own, at least not without spreading it out over a few days. Having a driver also saved us from quite a lot (but not all) of steep uphill walking.
How much does it cost to go to Lisbon?
So our Lisbon travel budget is obviously a bit on the high end of things. We could’ve spent more, but we could’ve spent a lot less too, if we were budget travelers. That nice, comfortable hotel made our trip so much more enjoyable and restful that it was worth every penny. Food tours are always a good choice. And the Sintra tour was fun and made it so much easier for us to see everything we wanted in one day. So I have no regrets about how much we spent in Lisbon.
If you’re on a tighter budget, stay at a cheaper hotel or even a hostel. Drink less alcohol and eat cheaper meals. Seek out free and cheap activities, though I really do recommend taking one food tour if you can. Visit Sintra on your own, but be prepared to see less in one day if you’re taking trains and public transport.
For one week in Lisbon, we spent an average of $356.53 per day, or $178.26 per person per day. Keep in mind that more than half of our Lisbon travel costs was the hotel.
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