Which place is cheaper, Santander or Porto?
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 Porto or Santander?
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 Santander can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Porto or Santander?
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.
Santander
Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours from Madrid, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Barcelona.
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Porto Prices
Portugal PricesSantander Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPorto €160Santander €138
The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €160, while the average daily cost in Santander is €138. 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 Santander in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPorto €72Santander €51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPorto €144Santander €102
Compare Hotels in Porto and Santander
Looking for a hotel in Porto or Santander? 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: Porto Hotel Prices and Santander Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Porto €21Santander €24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto by Luxury Van : $108
- Airport Transfers: $30
- Arrival Transfer from Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Private Car/Van: $106
- Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Luxury Car: $149
- Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Luxury Van: $106
- Douro Valley Private One-Way Transfer (Régua, Pinhão, Lamego): $191
- From Private transfer to Lisbon with up to 3 Stops: $269
- From Transfer to Lisbon with up to 3 City Stops: $269
- Funchal to Porto Moniz: Volcanic Pools Day Transfer: $70
- Gaia Private Transfer to Oporto Airport: $17
- Gaia Private Transfer to Porto: $20
- Madeira: Porto da Cruz to Machico Hiking Tour with Transfer: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $290
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $290
- Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $67
- One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $48
- Santander Private Departure Transfer: $39
- Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Santander?
Prices for flights to both Santander 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
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Food Meals for one dayPorto €63Santander €70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pastel de Nata Cooking Class Antero de Quental: $42
- Porto Walking Food Tour: $66
- Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour: $78
- Semi - Private Oporto Food Tour : $83
- Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto: $83
- Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class in Porto with Chef Maria: $89
- Semi Private Oporto Fado Show with Dinner: $90
- Porto Heritage Night Tour With Fado Show And Dinner Included: $94
- Porto Food & Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option: $94
- Porto Food Tour of 8 Tastings: Custard Tart, Bifana & Hidden Gems: $95
- Private Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $96
- Fado Show with Dinner in a Traditional Fado House: $102
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Porto €25Santander €18
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
- Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto: $1.17
- Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.20
- Self Guided Tour in Porto with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.58
- Porto - Origin & Present - Guided Tour: $3.59
- Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia : $3.59
- Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira: $3.59
- Porto Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.59
- Porto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.49
- Porto Highlights the Original Walking Tour: $4.78
- Porto by the Ocean: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure: $7.16
- Amazing Secrets of Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure: $7.16
- Love in Romantic Exploration Game and Tour: $7.16
Tours and Activities in Santander
Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Barcena Mayor and Carmona Tour from Santander Small Groups: $72
- Bilbao and Castro Urdiales Day Tour from Santander: $80
- City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $31
- Comillas, Modernism & Gaudi with entrance tickets -small groups: $81
- El Soplao Cave Visit with entrance ticket- small groups: $102
- Exclusive Private tour of the peninsula and the Magdalena Palace.: $266
- Exclusive Tour of Santander with Cathedral and Booty Centre: $239
- From Cantabria Private Tour: $543
- From Gastronomic Tour: $142
- From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $80
- Gastronomy tour with tastings - small groups: $131
- Guided kayak tour of Santander Bay with a tour guide.: $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPorto €19Santander €14
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
- Wine Experience Museum with 3 Wine Tastings: $24
- Private visit with wine tasting in Alijó Douro: $24
- Pub Crawl Porto: $26
- Flavours of Portugal – Wine Tastings at WOW Wine School: $30
- Taylor's Port Cellars Visit & Port Wine Tasting: $30
- Halloween Pub Crawl 4 bars, 1 club, Scary Games & 7 Drinks: $30
- Authentic Oporto Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $33
- Porto Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR: $36
- Porto City Tour with Wine Tasting: $41
- 5 Port Wine Tasting with pairings: $42
- Luxury Yacht Cruise with Wine Tasting & Snacks: $54
- Port and Douro Wine Walking Tour With 10 Wine Tastings: $54
Sample the Local Flavors in Santander
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santander:
- Wine Tourism and Cheese in Cantabria: $209
When comparing the travel costs between Porto and Santander, we can see that Porto is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porto Expensive? and Is Santander Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Porto or Santander?
Porto has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Santander. When comparing the sizes of Porto and Santander, 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 Porto or Santander?
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 Porto or Santander in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Porto as well as Santander. The summer months attract visitors to Porto because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Porto is generally around the same temperature as Santander. Daily temperatures in Porto average around 21°C (69°F), and Santander fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santander. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Porto this time of the year. In the summer, Porto often gets more sunshine than Santander. Porto gets 308 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santander receives 213 hours of full sun.
Porto usually gets less rain in July than Santander. Porto gets 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Santander receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPorto 21°C (69°F)Santander 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santander in the Autumn?
Both Santander and Porto are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Porto this time of year.
Porto is around the same temperature as Santander in the autumn. The daily temperature in Porto averages around 17°C (62°F) in October, and Santander fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
Porto usually receives more sunshine than Santander during autumn. Porto gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Santander receives 133 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santander. It's quite rainy in Porto. In October, Porto usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santander. Porto gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Santander receives 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPorto 17°C (62°F)Santander 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santander in the Winter?
Both Santander and Porto during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Porto for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In the winter, Porto is around the same temperature as Santander. Typically, the winter temperatures in Porto in January average around 10°C (50°F), and Santander averages at about 9°C (49°F).
In the winter, Porto often gets more sunshine than Santander. Porto gets 124 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santander receives 91 hours of full sun.
Santander gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Porto. Porto usually gets more rain in January than Santander. Porto gets 171 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Santander receives 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPorto 10°C (50°F)Santander 9°C (49°F)
Should I visit Porto or Santander in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Porto and Santander. Many visitors come to Porto in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Porto is generally a little warmer than Santander. Daily temperatures in Porto average around 14°C (56°F), and Santander fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).
In Porto, it's very sunny this time of the year. Porto usually receives more sunshine than Santander during spring. Porto gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while Santander receives 148 hours of full sun in the spring.
Santander receives a lot of rain in the spring. Porto gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Porto usually receives less rain than Santander. Porto gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Santander receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPorto 14°C (56°F)Santander 12°C (53°F)
Typical Weather for Santander and Porto
| Porto | Santander | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 10°C (50°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) |
| Feb | 11°C (51°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Mar | 12°C (54°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (56°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| May | 16°C (60°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (69°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (69°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Sep | 20°C (67°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (62°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (55°F) | 152 mm (6 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) |
| Dec | 11°C (51°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 157 mm (6.2 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.