Which place is cheaper, Dublin or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Funchal or Dublin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal or Dublin? 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: Funchal or Dublin?
Funchal
Funchal is the capital city of the autonomous region of Madeira on the island of Madeira. The city is located to the south between the cities of Santa Cruz and Camara de Lobos. It is actually named for the fennel plant which grows liberally on the island. The city was most significant as a shipping center between the 15th and 17th centuries. Today it has a population of over 100,000 people and is, arguably, one of the most picturesque cities in Portugal. It's appeal as a tourist destination has made it the leading Portuguese port for cruise line dockings.
Dublin
Dublin is the vibrant and fun capital city of Ireland and home to over a third of the country's population. There are almost 2 million people in the metropolitan area. It's also the most common entry point into the country for visitors. Once you arrive, its a good idea to head over to the main tourist office in St. Andrew's Church off Grafton Street. They can give you maps and information to make sure your trip is efficient and fun. Many people enjoy seeing what remains of the Georgian architecture throughout the city. Much of the city is also modernist in style with many blocks made up of offices.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Portugal, The Best Walking Tours in Ireland, and The Best Luxury Tours to Ireland.
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Funchal Prices
Portugal PricesDublin Prices
Ireland Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFunchal €116Dublin €179
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €116, while the average daily cost in Dublin 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 Funchal and Dublin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Dublin €68
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Dublin €136
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Dublin
Looking for a hotel in Funchal or Dublin? 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: Funchal Hotel Prices and Dublin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Dublin €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Funchal, Madeira Cruise Port to Madeira Hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $188
- Madeira Airport (FNC) to Funchal Cruise Port - Round Trip Private Transfer: $79
- Airport Transfers Funchal Airport: $35
- Arrival and departure transfers to Funchal and Airport: $18
- Funchal Airport (FNC) to Funchal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $64
- Funchal Airport Transfers: Experience Hassle-Free Travel: $45
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Funchal hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Madeira Island - Arrival Private Transfer: $94
- Caniçal Transfer for PR8 Hike São Lourenco: $33
- Pico do Arieiro Sunrise Hiking Transfer: $39
- Transfer to PR1 Pico do Arieiro & Pico Ruivo Trail: $38
- Madeira Airport (FNC) to Funchal, Madeira Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $39
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:
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Rental Car for a Day€15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:
- One-Way Private Transfer to Killarney: $852
- One-Way Private Transfer to Cork City: $699
- One-Way Private Transfer to Shannon Airport: $676
- One-Way Private Transfer to Limerick: $640
- Dublin Airport:, Executive/chauffeur transfer to Belfast: $606
- Dublin Glasnevin National Cemetery Audio Tour with Transfers: $372
- Jameson and Guinness Private Tour with Transfers: $340
- Dublin Zoo: Skip-the-Line Tickets with Private Transfers: $335
- Private Max 5 Luxury Electric Limousine Transfer, Dublin City to Dublin Airport: $251
- Navan To Dublin Airport Private Luxury Car Transfer: $239
- Dublin Airport & City Transfers : $239
- Dublin Airport: Private 1-Way Minivan Transfer to Dublin: $228
Is it cheaper to fly into Funchal or Dublin?
Prices for flights to both Dublin and Funchal 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 dayFunchal €54Dublin €85
Typical Food Prices in Funchal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Funchal:
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Coffee€1.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Funchal
For Funchal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Walking Food Tour Around Funchal: $33
- Madeiran Traditional Dinner: $95
Typical Food Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:
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Lunch Lynam's Pub€3.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dublin.
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $32
- Food on Foot: Dublin Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $33
- Belvedere Irish Night Show, Dance and Traditional 3-Course Dinner: $59
- Dublin Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $70
- Dublin Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $70
- NO DIET CLUB - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $71
- Grand Canal Cruise with Dinner: $82
- Irish Dinner & Dance Show at Johnnie Fox’s: $88
- Ultimate Dublin Food Tour: $93
- Delicious Walking Food Tour: $94
- Delicious Dublin Food Tour: $96
- Howth Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Funchal €15Dublin €25
Tours and Activities in Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
- Sacred Art Museum of Funchal Entry Ticket: $18
- Old Funchal Walking Tour: $20
- Quick & Fun 30-Minute Tuk Tuk Tour with Local Guide: $23
- KAYAK Rental or Guided tour with snorkeling: $29
- Funchal Walking Tour: Tradition, History and Flavor: $29
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $29
- Nun's Valley Tour: $32
- SUP Rental or Guided tour with snorkeling: $34
- Nun's Valley & Pico dos Barcelos Madeira Island Tour: $35
- Tour to Nun's Valley, Pico dos Barcelos and Eira do Serrado: $36
- Santana / Typical Houses Tour: $36
- Amazing East Tour : $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dublin
Here are a few typical costs in Dublin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Wild Wicklow Tour€26
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Guinness Brewery for Two€27
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St Pauls Cathedral€4.50
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Dublin Writer's Museum€6.30
Tours and Activities in Dublin
Here are a few actual costs in Dublin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- A Self Guided Walking Tour of Dublin's Docklands: $12
- Dublin Private Walking Tour: $161
- (Small Group) Cliffs of Moher and Castle Tour from Dublin: $154
- (Spanish) Cliffs of Moher and Galway tour from Dublin: $90
- 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour: $27
- 2 Hour Walking Tour of Dublin's City Centre: $29
- 2-Day Southern Ireland Tour from Dublin:Including Blarney and Cliffs of Moher: $238
- 2-Hour Historical Walking Tour from Dublin : $23
- 5-Day Tour of West Ireland: Blarney Stone & Cliffs of Moher: $1,688
- 6 Hour Private Tour of Dublin: $89
- 6-Day Tour of Southern Ireland from Dublin: $1,033
- 90 Minute Dublin Walking tour and Sightseeing tips: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Dublin €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Funchal
Also in Funchal, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Portuguese Wine Tasting with Sommelier: $40
- Half day jeep Wine tour and tasting, & sea cliff adventure: $62
- Bestselling Wine Tour, Tasting Experience & Skywalk 4x4 Adventure: $63
- Half-Day Wine Tour- Shared: $89
- Shore Excursion: Private Madeira Tour & Wine Tasting: $93
- Guided Toboggan Ride and Madeira Wine Tasting Tour: $107
- Tuk Tuk Wine Tour - Madeira Island: $112
- Weekends Madeira Wine Tasting São Vicente: $119
- Visiting local Vineyard With Wine Tasting & Lunch included: $208
Sample the Local Flavors in Dublin
Also in Dublin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Dublin Ireland Bar Crawl: $15
- Generation Pub Crawl: $16
- Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $24
- Dublin Pub Tour in Spanish: $24
- The Black Experience Pub Tour: $24
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery Experience: $26
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery: Trilogy Experience: $26
- City Pub Crawl Experience: $29
- Jameson Whiskey Distillery Tour with Tastings: $36
- Dublin Jameson Distillery Bow St. Tour and Tasting 45 mins: $37
- Dublin Jameson Distillery Guided tour and Tasting in French: $37
- Pub Crawl Walking Tour Through the Heart of Irelands Capital: $38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Dublin, we can see that Dublin is more expensive. And not only is Funchal much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Funchal would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Funchal 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 Dublin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dublin than you might in Funchal.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Funchal Expensive? and Is Dublin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Dublin?
Dublin has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Funchal. When comparing the sizes of Funchal and Dublin, 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 Funchal or Dublin?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Funchal or Dublin in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Funchal as well as Dublin. Also, many visitors come to Dublin in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Funchal is a little warmer than Dublin in the summer. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 22°C (72°F) in July, and Dublin fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Funchal this time of the year. In the summer, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Dublin. Funchal gets 227 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dublin receives 166 hours of full sun.
Funchal usually gets less rain in July than Dublin. Funchal gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyFunchal 22°C (72°F)Dublin 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Dublin in the Autumn?
Both Dublin and Funchal are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Dublin for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene during these months.
In the autumn, Funchal is much warmer than Dublin. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Funchal in October average around 21°C (70°F), and Dublin averages at about 11°C (52°F).
Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Dublin during autumn. Funchal gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Dublin receives 97 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Funchal. In October, Funchal usually receives more rain than Dublin. Funchal gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 70 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberFunchal 21°C (70°F)Dublin 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Dublin in the Winter?
Both Dublin and Funchal during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Dublin because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Funchal is generally much warmer than Dublin. Daily temperatures in Funchal average around 16°C (61°F), and Dublin fluctuates around 6°C (42°F).
In the winter, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Dublin. Funchal gets 141 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dublin receives 56 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Funchal. Funchal usually gets more rain in January than Dublin. Funchal gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryFunchal 16°C (61°F)Dublin 6°C (42°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Dublin in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Funchal and Dublin. Furthermore, the activities around the city are the main draw to Dublin this time of year.
Funchal is much warmer than Dublin in the spring. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and Dublin fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Dublin during spring. Funchal gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Dublin receives 157 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Funchal usually receives more rain than Dublin. Funchal gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Dublin receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilFunchal 17°C (63°F)Dublin 8°C (47°F)
Typical Weather for Dublin and Funchal
| Funchal | Dublin | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (61°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Feb | 16°C (61°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (61°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Oct | 21°C (70°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 70 mm (2.7 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 65 mm (2.5 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (64°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 6°C (44°F) | 76 mm (3 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.