Which place is cheaper, Saint Andrews 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 Saint Andrews?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Funchal or Saint Andrews? 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 Saint Andrews?
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.
Saint Andrews
Saint Andrews is a small town on the east coast of Scotland, facing the North Sea. It is best known as the home of golf and host to the oldest university in Scotland, University of Saint Andrews.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in United Kingdom, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United Kingdom.
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Funchal Prices
Portugal PricesSaint Andrews Prices
UK Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFunchal €116Saint Andrews €298
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €116, while the average daily cost in Saint Andrews is €298. 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 Saint Andrews in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFunchal €52Saint Andrews €133
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFunchal €104Saint Andrews €266
Compare Hotels in Funchal and Saint Andrews
Looking for a hotel in Funchal or Saint Andrews? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Funchal €9.94Saint Andrews €60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival and departure transfers to Funchal and Airport: $18
- Transfer Privado e Confiável: Aeroporto → Funchal (ou vice-versa): $21
- Private Transfer Madeira Airport: $30
- Funchal Airport(FNC) to Funchal hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $32
- Madeira: PR8 -Ponta de São Lourenço Natural Reserve Transfer: $33
- Caniçal Transfer for PR8 Hike São Lourenco: $33
- Airport Transfers Funchal Airport: $35
- Transfer to Pico do Arieiro Self-Guided Hike (Morning slot): $36
- Self Guided Transfer to Ponta de São Lourenço Natural Reserve: $36
- Transfer to PR1 Pico do Arieiro & Pico Ruivo Trail: $38
- Pico do Arieiro Sunrise Hiking Transfer: $39
- Transfer Sunrise Self-Guided Hike Pico do Arieiro : $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Funchal or Saint Andrews?
Prices for flights to both Saint Andrews 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 €54Saint Andrews €122
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Funchal €15Saint Andrews €52
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
Tours and Activities in Saint Andrews
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Andrews are as follows:
- Private St Andrews Dark Side Tour: $171
- Private St Andrews Town Tour for Future Students: $171
- Private St. Andrews Tour with Dedicated Local Guide: $171
- Private St. Andrews: Home of Golf Old Course Walking Tour: $176
- Rebels, Romance & Raisins St. Andrew's Walking Audio Tour: $7.99
- St Andrews Castle Entry Ticket: $24
- St Andrews Must-Sees Daily Walking Tour (11am & 2pm): $21
- St Andrews Old Course History Tour, for the Golfer: $22
- St Andrews Tours: Town, Golf and Old Course History: $23
- St Andrews Walking Tours: $25
- The Bike and E Bike Tour of St. Andrews and Beyond: $72
- The Original St Andrews Photo Shoot Tour: $89
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFunchal €16Saint Andrews €30
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Saint Andrews, we can see that Saint Andrews 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 Saint Andrews would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Andrews 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 Saint Andrews Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Funchal or Saint Andrews?
Funchal has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Saint Andrews. When comparing the sizes of Funchal and Saint Andrews, 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 Saint Andrews?
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 Saint Andrews in the Summer?
Both Saint Andrews and Funchal during the summer are popular places to visit. Furthermore, many visitors come to Saint Andrews in the summer for the beaches, the hiking, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences.
Funchal is much warmer than Saint Andrews in the summer. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 22°C (72°F) in July, and Saint Andrews fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).
It's quite sunny in Funchal. In the summer, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 227 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Andrews receives 184 hours of full sun.
Funchal usually gets less rain in July than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Saint Andrews receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyFunchal 22°C (72°F)Saint Andrews 14°C (58°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Saint Andrews in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Funchal and Saint Andrews. Furthermore, most visitors come to Saint Andrews for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Funchal is much warmer than Saint Andrews. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Funchal in October average around 21°C (70°F), and Saint Andrews averages at about 10°C (49°F).
Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Saint Andrews during autumn. Funchal gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Andrews receives 100 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Funchal gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Funchal usually receives more rain than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Saint Andrews receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberFunchal 21°C (70°F)Saint Andrews 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Saint Andrews in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Funchal as well as Saint Andrews. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to Saint Andrews because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Saint Andrews can be very cold. In January, Funchal is generally much warmer than Saint Andrews. Daily temperatures in Funchal average around 16°C (61°F), and Saint Andrews fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).
In the winter, Funchal often gets more sunshine than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 141 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Saint Andrews receives 58 hours of full sun.
Funchal receives a lot of rain in the winter. Funchal usually gets more rain in January than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Saint Andrews receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryFunchal 16°C (61°F)Saint Andrews 3°C (38°F)
Should I visit Funchal or Saint Andrews in the Spring?
Both Saint Andrews and Funchal are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty are the main draw to Saint Andrews this time of year.
Funchal is much warmer than Saint Andrews in the spring. The daily temperature in Funchal averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and Saint Andrews fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
Funchal usually receives more sunshine than Saint Andrews during spring. Funchal gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Saint Andrews receives 155 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Funchal usually receives more rain than Saint Andrews. Funchal gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Saint Andrews receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilFunchal 17°C (63°F)Saint Andrews 7°C (45°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Andrews and Funchal
| Funchal | Saint Andrews | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (61°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Feb | 16°C (61°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Mar | 16°C (61°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (72°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Sep | 23°C (73°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Oct | 21°C (70°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Dec | 18°C (64°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 59 mm (2.3 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.