How Much Does a Trip to Lisbon Cost?

Portugal is quickly becoming a popular destination for American travelers who want to get more bang for their buck in Europe. It’s a pretty easy place to travel — the people are friendly, the public transportation works well, and the weather is often very nice. How much does a trip to Lisbon cost? Is it expensive to go to Lisbon for one week? On our family vacation to Portugal and Italy, I was impressed by how affordable it and less crowded it is than many other major cities in Europe.

What kind of trip to Portugal?

This cost breakdown assumes that a family of four visit Lisbon for a week with at least two day trips for a total of 6 days/7 nights (not including travel days on airplanes). If you’re visiting other parts of Portugal, you could easily reduce a week in Lisbon to 4 or 5 days. This could be combined with Porto or the Algarve or another country in Europe; we visited Italy and flew to Lisbon for a week.

This budget is based on our recent winter trip to Portugal from January 6 to 12. We stayed in Lisbon for 6 days and took a couple of day trips. We found that January was an ideal time to visit Portugal because it was not crowded at all (note that we arrived after the New Year’s travel rush was over), and the weather was perfect. We had a lot of sun, no rain, and temperatures in the 60s and low 70s.

Read more: A Family Vacation to Italy and Portugal and How we packed carry-on only for Europe

How much does a trip to Portugal cost? Flights

Flights to Portugal from the U.S. are not cheap, unfortunately. Search on Google Flights and look at the calendar for month by month to find when the low fares come, and if possible, stay flexible with origin airports. Portugal’s main airline, TAP, has nonstop flights from several U.S. cities.

For lower fares, look for Norwegian Airlines flights from several major U.S. cities — they pop up once or twice a week throughout the year. There isn’t a big difference between flying from the east and west coasts, but the cost of plane tickets can definitely vary depending on where you live.

For example, flights from San Francisco to Lisbon are usually around $1000 round trip, but there are weekly flights on Norwegian for less. Currently, nonstop flights from San Francisco to Lisbon on TAP Airlines cost $1098 while flights on Norwegian with one stop cost $700 in September.

The same nonstop route drops to the $900 range for October and $808 for November through April of next year (except the second half of December). Note that Norwegian is a low-cost airline so charges for “extras” like checked bags and seats.

Total airfare San Francisco to Lisbon: approx. $850 per person = $3400 total

How much does a trip to Portugal cost? Transportation

Taking the metro and taxis in Lisbon:

Some days, you’ll be able to walk, but depending on where you’re going, you may need to take a taxi or metro. Taking taxis in Lisbon is a smart choice for a family; you pay one fee for transportation for all of you, and the fares are low! Taxis can be found at most city squares and other points of interest. (Uber is another option in Lisbon.)

You can also take the metro in Lisbon. The system is not very big, with just 4 lines, but we had some issues with broken ticket machines and found taxis to be more convenient and about the same price. The metro costs €1.50 per ticket. Average cost of taxi/metro per day: $15-20 x 4 days = $60-80

Getting to Cascais:

While staying in Lisbon, you can easily take a suburban train to Cascais for a day trip. Catch the train from Cais do Sodré train station (the final stop on the green metro line in Lisbon). The trip to Cascais takes about 30 minutes. Sit on the side closest to the water for beautiful views of the coastline. Because this is a suburban train, seats cannot be reserved and tickets cannot be purchased online in advance. Train to and from Cascais: $15 for 2 adults and 2 kids

Getting to Belém: The town of Belém is a must-see, and because it’s connected to Lisbon, it’s easy and cheap to get there. You can take public transportation to Belem, but we chose a taxi for convenience. The cost of the fare depends on where you are in Lisbon, but we paid about $10 per ride. Taxi to and from Belém: $20

Transportation to and from the airport: You can take the metro to and from the airport, but for just about $10, you can take a taxi, which will drop you off right at your hotel/apartment. (Of course, the cost depends on where in Lisbon you’re staying.) Taxi to and from the airport: $20

Total transportation while in Lisbon: $120

How much does a trip to Lisbon cost? Accommodations

Apartment rental in Lisbon:

While in Lisbon, we opted for this beautiful apartment on a quiet street under the castle. We chose to rent an apartment because of the convenience of a kitchen and our need for 3 bedrooms (my in-laws were also with us). Note that this apartment is a little more expensive than many other rentals in Lisbon, and if you need just one or two bedrooms, you can easily find something for much less.

7-night apartment stay in Lisbon: $1200

How much does a trip to Lisbon cost? Meals

To give you an idea of how much it cost us to eat out, here are some example meal expenses:

• Cappuccino and pastel de nata: $3.75
• Lunch for 3 at Pois Cafe: $42
• Lunch for 4 at O Oceanario aquarium: $31
• Groceries at Pingo Doce: $19
• Lunch for 4 with wine at Bebedouro Wine Bar: $60
• A bottle of local wine purchased at a grocery store: $5

We’re not big eaters and don’t go out for luxurious meals, but we ate well for less than we paid in Italy and less than half the price of what we pay in California! A typical lunch included a salad, fish, rice or potatoes, and red wine.

We saved money and gained convenience by buying food to make a simple breakfast and dinner on most days — eating in is especially important with kids! But food in Lisbon is inexpensive, so even if you plan to eat out three times a day, you shouldn’t worry too much. Here’s what we spent on food in Lisbon:

Breakfast (coffee, pastry, fruit); lunch at a restaurant; dinner in the apartment with pasta, cod cakes (bolinhos de bacalhau) or fresh bread with cheese and meats; snacks from a cafe or bakery, & local wine: Approximately $80 per day 

Total meals for 6 days: $460 

One Week Trip in Lisbon: Attractions

Fortunately, many of the best things to do in Lisbon are free: strolling in Baixa, relaxing on the waterfront, exploring the hills of Alfama, watching the sunset from one of the city’s many hilltops, listening to street musicians in the evenings. But there are a few things you should spend money to do in Lisbon and nearby Belém.

St. George’s Castle:

Despite the fact that Castelo de S. Jorge is not much more than stone walls and towers, it’s one of the highlights of a visit to Lisbon because of its history and views over the city. Entrance to the castle: $22 (10 euros per adult, kids under 12 free, ages 13-25 are half price)

The Hieronymite Monastery:

The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is a must-see. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an outstanding example of the architectural style from Portugal in the 15th century. Entrance to the monastery: $20 ($10 per adult, kids up to age 12 are free, adults with kids under 18 get a 50% discount)

The Tower of Belém:

The Tower of Belém is one of the best known sights in Lisbon, but it’s actually located in Belém, a suburb of Lisbon, just down the street from the monastery (above). While the tower is not as impressive as the monastery, it’s worth a visit. Entry to the monastery: $14 ($7 per adult, kids up to age 12 are free, adults with kids under 18 get a 50% discount)

The Aquarium of Lisbon:

At the end of a busy trip, we rewarded our kids with a day that was designed with them in mind. Our visit to the Oceanário de Lisboa was a highlight for all of us! Entrance to the aquarium: $55 (entry to the permanent and temporary exhibits for 2 adults and 2 kids 12 and under)

National Tile Museum:

Located in a convent from the year 1509, the Museu Nacional do Azulejo gives visitors a visual history through tilse (azulejos), the unique art form of Portugal. Entrance to the museum: $11 (5 euros per adult, kids free, ages 13-17 are half price)

Total for attractions in Lisbon: $122

Lisbon trip costs: Shopping and Miscellaneous Expenses

Souvenirs: We packed carry-on only (see how we did that here), so we had very little space for souvenirs. We bought a few small items: postcards, ceramics, tins of sardines, and small keepsakes for my kids.

Our total for souvenirs/gifts: approximately $100

Optional additional costs:

Airport parking $200

Travel insurance: $140 (this may be included with your credit card)

How much does a trip to Lisbon cost? Total one week Lisbon trip cost: $5400 (family of two adults & two kids)

You can easily bring this total down by renting a less expensive apartment through Airbnb. Keep in mind that the total may go up depending on cost of flights. Traveling as a couple? Take off $2000 from this total.

What do you think: how much does a trip to Lisbon cost? What questions do you have about Lisbon trip costs? Let me know in the comments below!

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