2026 Lisbon Travel Cost Study
Is Lisbon expensive?
Work out what your trip costs, then read what we measured: hotel prices for every month, eating out, activities, car hire, tax and transport.
Lisbon trip cost calculator
Set your nights, travellers, style and month. Hotel prices are the medians of our study for that month and star class; meal and car prices are published figures. The link to your budget can be copied and shared.
Your trip
€920
€460 per person · €115 per person per day
| Hotel | €412 |
|---|---|
| Eating out | €208 |
| Activities | €202 |
| Car hire | €0 |
| Public transport | €58 |
| Airport metro | €8 |
| Tourist tax | €32 |
Short answer Not by Western European standards, but it depends on the month. Eurostat puts restaurant and hotel prices across Portugal lower than in Spain, Italy or France (a national figure). In our 2026 study a 4-star hotel night in Lisbon cost a median €78 in February and €128 in May. A mid-range trip of 4 nights for two costs about €920, or €115 per person per day; on a budget about €764, in comfort about €1,942. Flights are extra.
How to spend less in Lisbon
- Travel in February. A 4-star room cost a median €78 then, against €128 in May.
- Pick 3-star. A 3-star night cost a median €72, against €103 for 4-star.
- Arrive on a weekday in summer. In July and August, 88 % of hotels charged more on the Saturday than on the Tuesday before it.
- Buy the day pass from the fourth ride. It costs €7.25, a single ride €1.90, so it pays off from ride number 4.
- Eat the dish of the day at lunch. Guides put a cheap meal at €7.50 to €20.
- Do the Lisboa Card maths. Count your paid sights first: the card only pays off once they add up to more than what is left after transport. Lisboa Card and tickets.
Flights are not part of this study: their price depends on where and when you fly from.
What a trip to Lisbon costs for two
A trip of a few days costs two people about €743 for 3 nights, €920 for 4 nights and €1,098 for 5 nights at mid-range, flights not included. For a five-day trip (5 nights), bring about €549 per person.
The same 4-night trip in three styles, any time of year: hotel, 2 meals out per person a day, 2 activities, a public-transport pass every day, the airport metro both ways and the tourist tax.
| Style | Hotel | Eating out | Activities | Transport, airport, tax | Total | Per person per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget 3-star hotel, cheap meals | €288 | €176 | €202 | €98 | €764 | €96 |
| Mid-range Our default 4-star hotel, mid-range meals | €412 | €208 | €202 | €98 | €920 | €115 |
| Comfort 5-star hotel, one fine dinner a day | €778 | €864 | €202 | €98 | €1,942 | €243 |
By length of stay (mid-range, two people)
Hotel prices in Lisbon by month
A hotel night in Lisbon cost a median €72 (3-star), €103 (4-star) or €195 (5-star) per room for two. For a 4-star hotel the cheapest month was February 2027 (€78 a night), the most expensive May 2027 (€128).
We read 1,718 prices of 342 hotels on Google Hotels on 21 October 2026: one Tuesday and one Saturday night in every month from October 2026 to September 2027, for 2 adults in one room (85 3-star, 97 4-star and 23 5-star hotels; the other 137 have no star rating on Google or fewer stars). The middle half of 4-star nights cost €79 to €128.
By month and star class
Google shows a different set of hotels for every date, so a month is compared within one star class: a 4-star room in February against a 4-star room in May. The cheapest and priciest months are ranked over the 10 months without a note below.
| Month | 3-star | 4-star | 5-star |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 read 6 days ahead, not ranked | €54 | €107 | €195 |
| November 2026 | €59 | €96 | €171 |
| December 2026 | €58 | €90 | €158 |
| January 2027 | €60 | €80 | €167 |
| February 2027 | €64 | €78 | €150 |
| March 2027 | €76 | €87 | €163 |
| April 2027 | €85 | €105 | €217 |
| May 2027 | €102 | €128 | €242 |
| June 2027 | €101 | €120 | €225 |
| July 2027 | €106 | €121 | €204 |
| August 2027 | €92 | €111 | €175 |
| September 2027 few prices yet, not ranked | €106 | €154 | €307 |
Medians per room per night for 2 adults, as shown on Google Hotels. 5-star months rest on 11 to 20 prices each, so read them as a guide. Prices read months ahead can differ from what you see closer to the date.
Weekends
We compared the same hotel on a Saturday and on the Tuesday before it, in the same month (466 pairs). A 4-star hotel charged a median 3.9 % more on the Saturday, and 59 % of 4-star pairs were pricier. 3-star and 5-star hotels showed no difference in the median. In July and August, 88 % of all hotels charged more on the Saturday, a median 9.3 % more.
Hotels we checked
- Hotel do Chiado Baixa & Chiado
A hotel on Rua Nova do Almada in the Chiado district, steps from the Armazéns do Chiado mall and the Santa Justa Elevator.
- Memmo Alfama - Design Hotels Alfama
A design hotel on Travessa das Merceeiras in Alfama, close to the Lisbon Cathedral and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia viewpoint.
- Bairro Alto Hotel Bairro Alto & Príncipe Real
A luxury hotel on Praça Luís de Camões, on the edge of Bairro Alto and Chiado, with a spa.
- Hotel Jeronimos 8 Belém
A boutique hotel on Rua dos Jerónimos in Belém, with a rooftop terrace and the Jerónimos Monastery about 190 metres away.
Rated 8 or more on Booking.com. More areas and hotels: where to stay in Lisbon.
How Portugal compares with other European countries
On Eurostat's price level index for restaurants and hotels, Portugal stands at 75.5, Italy at 106.9 (EU average = 100, 2024).
The index compares what the same restaurant meals and hotel stays cost in each country. It is a national figure for 2024, not a price for Lisbon alone.
- Portugal 75.5
- Spain 83.9
- Greece 86.4
- Croatia 95.4
- Italy 106.9
- France 110
- Germany 112.1
- Netherlands 124.6
Source: Eurostat, price level indices (prc_ppp_ind), restaurants and hotels, EU27 = 100, read 21 October 2026.
How much eating out costs in Lisbon
A meal out in Lisbon costs about €11 for a cheap meal, about €13 for a main dish at a mid-range restaurant and about €95 per person for fine dining.
These are published prices, not our measurement: what travel and restaurant guides state, quoted word for word, all read on 21 October 2026. The calculator uses the median of each group, with each source counted once.
| Meal | Used in the calculator | Published figures |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal a dish of the day or a simple meal | about €11 median of 4 sources |
|
| Main dish, mid-range restaurant one main dish per person | about €13 median of 2 sources |
|
| Fine dining per person, tasting menus and upscale restaurants | about €95 median of 3 sources |
|
Drinks
A small beer or a pint costs €1.50 to €3.50 in Lisbon, an espresso about €1 and a glass of house wine €2.50 to €4, according to published prices.
| Drink | Middle figure | Published figures |
|---|---|---|
| Beer a small beer (imperial) or a pint | about €2 |
|
| Espresso a bica at a café | about €1 |
|
| Glass of wine house wine at a bar or restaurant | about €3.62 |
|
A good way to eat well for less: the prato do dia (dish of the day) at lunchtime. To taste the city with a local, see our Lisbon food tours.
What activities cost in Lisbon
Our measurement: the "from" prices of the tours and tickets on our pages, as shown on GetYourGuide on 19 October 2026. Median per person.
| Type | Median |
|---|---|
| Day trips from Lisbon | €71 €59–€101 |
| Lisbon food tours | €75 €70–€80 |
| Lisbon tours: city, walking, bike and hop-on hop-off | €27 €22–€30 |
| Tuk tuk tours in Lisbon | €23 €11.80–€46 |
| Sintra day trip from Lisbon | €24 €19.90–€38 |
| Lisbon boat tours and sunset cruises | €30 €24–€52 |
| Lisbon attraction tickets and the Lisboa Card | €26 €17.20–€28 |
| Cooking classes in Lisbon (incl. pastel de nata) | €68 €61–€78 |
| Wine tours and tastings from Lisbon | €59 €33–€80 |
| Fado shows in Lisbon | €26 €14.20–€54 |
| Algarve day trip from Lisbon | €134 €119–€143 |
| Fatima, Nazare and Obidos day trip from Lisbon | €88 €79–€95 |
| Cascais day trip from Lisbon | €24 €23–€24 |
Middle half: the 25th to 75th percentile of from-prices. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 19 October 2026.
- Lisbon: Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos & Batalha Full Day from €31 per person
- Lisbon: Food and Wine Small Group Walking Tour from €70 per person
- Lisbon: 1-or 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour from €22 per person
- Lisbon: Private City Tour By Tuk-Tuk With Expert Guide from €11 per person
- Sintra: Pena Palace and Park Entrance Ticket from €12 per person
- Lisbon: Tagus River Cruise with Welcome Drink from €15.01 per person
How much a rental car costs in Lisbon
There is no single price: published average daily prices for a rental car in Lisbon run from €20 to €138, with €51 in the middle.
Published prices, not our measurement. They disagree widely and depend on dates, the car, insurance and fuel. The calculator uses these three values for the three styles.
- €47 a day:
On average, car rentals in Lisbon cost around €47 per day
roadgenius.com - €55 a day:
Average Price €55.00/day
hertz.com - €138 a day:
The average car hire cost in Lisbon is 138 € per day
skyscanner.ie - €10–€30 a day:
a compact car can be rented for around €10-30 per day
expatolife.com
Advertised minimums, not typical prices: from €22 a day (momondo.ie) · from €12.29 a day (lisbonairport.pt) · from €6 a day (momondo.ie).
To see concrete prices for your dates at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS): Compare cars on DiscoverCars
In the city itself you rarely need a car: the metro, trams and trains reach most sights and day trips.
Tourist tax, public transport and the Lisboa Card
The city's flyer says children up to thirteen do not pay the tourist tax; the calculator counts every traveller.
Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
For a three-day visit, the 72-hour Lisboa Card (€62) is worth it if the entries and discounts you will use cost more than €40 at full price; below that, single tickets and the €7.25 day pass are cheaper. The €22 difference is the public transport the card includes.
| Card | Price | Transport worth | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | €31 | €7.25 1 × €7.25 day pass | €24 |
| 48 hours | €51 | €14.50 2 × €7.25 day pass | €37 |
| 72 hours | €62 | €22 3 × €7.25 day pass | €40 |
Card prices from the official seller, Turismo de Lisboa, read 21 October 2026. Which sights the card includes: see our Lisboa Card and tickets page.
Key findings of the 2026 Lisbon Travel Cost Study
- Restaurant and hotel prices across Portugal were 75.5 % of the EU average in 2024, according to Eurostat's price level index (EU = 100). This is a national figure, not Lisbon alone.
- In our sample of 1,718 Google Hotels prices (342 hotels, stays from October 2026 to September 2027), a 4-star night in Lisbon cost a median €103 per room for two adults, with the middle half between €79 and €128. A 3-star night cost a median €72, a 5-star night €195.
- Of the 10 months we could compare, May 2027 was the most expensive for a 4-star hotel (a median €128 a night) and February 2027 the cheapest (€78), a difference of 64%.
- For the same 4-star hotel, a Saturday night cost a median 3.9 % more than the Tuesday before it. In July and August, 88 % of hotels charged more on the Saturday.
- Guides and food-tour companies publish prices of €7.50 to €20 for a cheap meal, €10 to €18 for a main dish at a mid-range restaurant, and €70 to €150 per person for fine dining.
- Published average prices for a rental car in Lisbon disagree widely: 4 car-rental and travel sites state between €20 and €138 a day. The real price depends on the dates, the car, insurance and fuel.
- Our calculator puts a mid-range trip of 4 nights for two at about €920: one shared 4-star room at the all-year median, two meals out a day each, two tours at their from-prices, a daily public-transport pass, the airport metro both ways and the tourist tax. Flights, breakfast and drinks are not included.
Source: 2026 Lisbon Travel Cost Study, things-to-do-in-lisbon.com (CC BY 4.0)
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: download the data · embed the chart
Method, data and reuse
What we measured ourselves
- Hotels: 1,718 prices of 342 hotels on Google Hotels, read on 21 October 2026. One Tuesday and one Saturday night per month, October 2026 to September 2027, 2 adults, one room; paid ads, listings without a price and duplicates left out. These are the prices advertised for those dates when we read them, not what guests later paid. Months are compared within a star class because Google shows a different set of hotels for each date. October 2026 was read at short notice and September 2027 had few prices yet; both are shown but not ranked.
- Activities: the "from" prices of the 83 tours and tickets on our 13 activity pages (the table above), as shown on GetYourGuide on 19 October 2026; the calculator offers 12 of them, the most-booked one per page.
What we cite
- Meals, drinks and car hire: figures published by travel guides, food-tour companies and rental platforms, found in Google results in Portugal and quoted word for word with their date. A range counts with its midpoint, each source once per group. No figures from forums or social media, and none whose page shows a date in 2022 or earlier; many pages show no date at all.
- Tourist tax, fares and the Lisboa Card: the City of Lisbon, Metropolitano de Lisboa and Turismo de Lisboa.
- Price level: Eurostat, price level index for restaurants and hotels (EU = 100), 2024.
How the calculator adds up
- Hotel: nights × rooms (one per two travellers) × the median for the style's star class in that month (or the whole year).
- Eating out: nights × travellers × meals a day at the style's meal price; in comfort, one fine dinner a day and the other meals at mid-range prices.
- Car: days × the style's daily price. Activities: the from-price per person or per group.
- Tourist tax: travellers × nights (at most 7) × €4; every traveller counted (children up to thirteen do not pay).
- Transport: nights × travellers × the 24-hour pass; airport: two metro rides per traveller, counted separately, so arrival and departure days may count a ride twice.
Each line is rounded to whole euros.
Lisbon travel costs: questions
How much money should I bring to Lisbon?
For a mid-range trip, plan on about €115 per person per day: a 4-star hotel shared by two, two meals out, activities, public transport and the tourist tax. On a budget it is about €96, in comfort about €243. For a five-day trip (5 nights), plan on about €549 per person, €1,098 for two, at mid-range. Flights are extra. Work out your own trip.
Is Lisbon expensive to visit?
It depends on the month and your style. A 4-star hotel night cost a median €78 in February and €128 in May in our study, and guides put a main dish at a mid-range restaurant at about €13. Across Portugal, Eurostat puts restaurant and hotel prices at 75.5 % of the EU average (2024).
Is Portugal cheaper than Italy?
For restaurants and hotels, yes: Eurostat's price level index puts Portugal at 75.5 and Italy at 106.9 (EU average = 100, 2024). Spain is at 83.9, France at 110. These are national figures, not city prices. See the comparison.
How much is a beer in Lisbon?
Published prices put a small beer (imperial) or a pint at €1.50 to €3.50, about €2 in the middle. An espresso costs about €1, a glass of house wine €2.50 to €4. Sources.
What is the cheapest month to visit Lisbon?
For a 4-star hotel, February 2027 was the cheapest month in our sample (a median €78 a night) and May 2027 the most expensive (€128). For a 3-star hotel, December 2026 was cheapest (€58) and July 2027 the most expensive (€106).
Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
For three days, the 72-hour card costs €62 and includes public transport worth €22 (three day passes). It is worth it if the entries and discounts you will use cost more than €40 at full price; otherwise single tickets and day passes are cheaper. Compare the card and tickets.
How much is the tourist tax in Lisbon?
€4 per person per night, for at most 7 nights per stay, according to the City of Lisbon. The city's flyer says children up to thirteen do not pay. Hotels usually charge it on arrival or departure.
How much is a rental car in Lisbon per day?
There is no single price: published average daily prices run from €20 to €138, with €51 in the middle. Prices depend on dates, the car, insurance and fuel, so check DiscoverCars for your dates at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport.
Sources
Our measurement
- Hotel prices: Google Hotels, read 21 October 2026
- Activity prices: GetYourGuide, read 19 October 2026
Meal and drink prices (cited)
All read 21 October 2026
Car hire prices (cited)
All read 21 October 2026
Official sources
All read 21 October 2026
- Tourist tax per night: informacoeseservicos.lisboa.pt
- Transit day pass: metrolisboa.pt
- City pass 24h: shop.visitlisboa.com
- City pass 48h: shop.visitlisboa.com
- City pass 72h: shop.visitlisboa.com
- Price level index, restaurants and hotels: Eurostat