A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Porto vs. Budva for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Porto or Budva?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Porto and Budva can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Porto or Budva?

Porto

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.

Budva

A coastal resort in Montenegro, Budva is probably the country's most popular tourist destination. Not only does it host a number of great beaches, but it is also home to a picturesque old town center located on a small peninsula. Some of its best features include narrow winding lanes, historic buildings, churches, and small squares.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Montenegro, and The Best Adventure Tours to Montenegro.


Which place is cheaper, Budva or Porto?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €160, while the average daily cost in Budva is €113. 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 Porto and Budva in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Porto 72
    Budva 37
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Porto 144
    Budva 74
Compare Hotels in Porto and Budva

Looking for a hotel in Porto or Budva? 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.

Hotels in Porto


Hotels in Budva


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: Porto Hotel Prices and Budva Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Porto 21
    Budva 20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto

Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Funchal to Porto Moniz: Volcanic Pools Day Transfer: $70
  • Madeira: Porto da Cruz to Machico Hiking Tour with Transfer: $39
  • Madeira: Vereda do Larano Trail One-Way Transfer Service: $23
  • Porto Airport Transfer: $24
  • Porto Airport: Transfer to/from Valenca Do Minho Station: $12
  • Private Transfer to Lisbon from Tarouca: $293
  • Private Transfer to Porto from Tarouca: $135
  • Private transfer between Porto and Algarve with 1 stop: $558
  • Service Transfer Airport to Porto or Vila Nova de Gaia: $64
  • Transfer Oporto - Aeroport / Up to 4 passengers: $30

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budva

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Budva are as follows:


  • Daily Car Rental
    65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budva

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Budva:

  • Private Transfer from Bar to Tivat Airport (TIV): $168
  • Private transfer Tivat/Kotor/Budva-Podgorica: $149
  • Private Transfer from Petrovac to Tivat airport: $131
  • Kotor to Budva one way transfer: $111
  • Private Transfer from Petrovac to Tivat Airport (TIV): $111
  • Tivat to Budva private one way transfer: $107
  • AIRPORT TRANSFER Montenegro Budva Tivat Podgorica Kotor Perast: $68
  • Private Transfer from Budva to Podgorica Airport and city: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Budva?

Prices for flights to both Budva and Porto 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Porto 63
    Budva 53

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto

For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Porto Food & Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option: $94

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Porto 25
    Budva 22

Tours and Activities in Porto

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.

  • Porto Six Bridges Panoramic Cruise on the Douro River: $21
  • Experience Porto's Charm: 3-Hour Guided Walking Tour: $35
  • Porto Sunset River Cruise: Douro Magic at Dusk: $35
  • Douro River Boat Cruise with Port Wine and Snacks: $48
  • Porto Douro River Sightseeing Sailing Cruise at Sunset or Daytime: $48
  • 3-Hour Porto Highlights on a Electric Bike Guided Tour: $52
  • Tour on the Douro River in a Classic Boat: $54
  • Sunset or Daytime, Charming Sailboat Cruise on the Douro River: $54
  • 6 Bridges cruise , Douro river with sunset option: $54
  • Aveiro and Costa Nova Half Day Tour from Porto with Boat Ride: $55
  • Luxury Yacht Tour on the Douro River - Sunset or Daytime: $58
  • Fun Private Tuk Tuk Tour: $66

Tours and Activities in Budva

Here are a few actual costs in Budva for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Private Swimming and Boat Tour Trsteno Beach Budva: $179
  • 1-Hour Guided Lipa Cave Adventure in Montenegro: $19
  • Adrenaline Speedboat Tours through the Bay of Kotor: $118
  • Boka Bay: Kotor, Cave, Herceg Novi, & Lady of the Rocks Tour: $69
  • Budva 1 hour Private walking tour: $85
  • Budva Bay: Boat Tour with Snorkeling and Sightseeing: $76
  • Budva Bay: Kayak & SUP Tour to Coastal Caves: $54
  • Budva Diving - Scuba Diving Experience: $74
  • Budva old town private tour: $236
  • 2-Hour «Night Lights» Kayak Tour: $54
  • 3-Hour Paddle Board or Kayak Tour to Coastal Caves: $53
  • City Private Tour: $138

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Porto 19
    Budva 14

Sample the Local Flavors in Porto

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:

  • Luxury Yacht Cruise with Wine Tasting & Snacks: $54
  • Port Wine Tour | 3 Cellars | 7 Tastings | 12 Participants Maximum: $60
  • Port Wine Lodges Tour Including 7 Port Wine Tastings (English): $62
  • Authentic Food and Wine Tour in Porto by Food Lover Tour: $81
  • Douro Valley Tour: Wine Tasting, Cruise and Lunch from Porto : $96
  • Douro Valley Wine Tour: 3 Vineyard Visits, Wine Tastings, Lunch: $113
  • Complete Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Wine Tastings and River Cruise: $118
  • Douro Valley Half-Day Wine Tour with Winery and Lunch From Porto: $131
  • Authentic Small Group Douro Wine Tour with Lunch & River Cruise: $131
  • Small Group Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch and Cruise: $149
  • Douro Valley Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting, Lunch and Boat: $150
  • Douro Valley Tour - 3 Wine tastings, Lunch & river Cruise: $152


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Budva, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Budva much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Budva would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budva 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto than you might in Budva.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porto Expensive? and Is Budva Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Porto or Budva?

Porto has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Budva. When comparing the sizes of Porto and Budva, 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.