Money and costs in Portugal

Whether you plan to spend your vacation in Portugal mainly in its villages and less urban areas or whether you want to focus on the big cities, such as Lisbon and detailed, proper vacation planning, including reference to the various costs, is necessary for a successful and enjoyable trip to Portugal. There are, of course, different travel styles and different nature of travelers, which require different costs, but there are several important parameters, in everything related to this field, that should be taken into account.

exchange of money

If you hold international credit cards (which are considered the most popular means of payment abroad today) you will surely be happy to find out that these cards - Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted everywhere. At the same time, it is highly recommended to arrive in Portugal with local cash - euros, which It is possible to exchange in Israel, before going on vacation (at a bank or at authorized money changers) or after landing, at the airport. It is highly recommended to check in advance the exchange rate of the euro and the rate offered to you at the place where you wish to make the exchange. In addition, it is very important to check with the credit company the fees required for each transaction you carry out abroad with your international credit card as well as the fees required for withdrawing cash from the ATM. This way you can know which payment method is more profitable for you during your vacation in Portugal - cash or credit card. 

varying costs

Portugal, admittedly, is not cheap for travelers as it was in the distant past, in the 80s and 90s, and as of today aligns with other European countries, in regards to the costs of traveling and staying there, at the same time, it is considered cheaper compared to its neighbor Spain and compared to destinations in the West And in Northern Europe, which makes a vacation there, for Israelis, particularly worthwhile. The significant savings can be made in the places of accommodation you choose and also in the places where you do your shopping. As is the case with any trip, staying in reputable and prestigious hotels will cost much more compared to staying in cheap hotels or hostels. Eating out, in restaurants, is not relatively expensive and it is often possible, especially if you stay overnight in the same place for several days, to shop at the supermarket, instead of eating at restaurants or other places. 

The costs of the vacation in Portugal depend on the type of trip

A vacation for those with a low budget will cost, for each day in Portugal, around 50 euros per person. This cost includes accommodation in hostels (€15-22 per bed) or accommodation in a double room in a basic level hotel at a cost of €35 per night and a full lunch in a restaurant at a cost of €8-10 per person. 

A vacation for those with an average budget will cost between 50 euros and 120 euros per day per person. This cost includes a double room in an average hotel at a cost of 50-100 euros per couple per night, lunch or dinner in a good restaurant between 22 and 40 euros and entrance to museums at a cost of 3-8 euros per person.

For lovers of pampering, a vacation in Portugal will cost an average of around 120 euros per day per person, which includes accommodation in boutique hotels at an average cost of 120 euros per couple per day and lunch at a good and considered restaurant at an average cost of 80 euros.

Important tips and information

The amount of tips in Portugal is very similar to that accepted in Israel. In restaurants, it is customary to leave about 10 percent of the cost of the meal as a tip, although the locals usually leave a little more. Tips in bars and fast food stalls are not acceptable and in hotels it is customary to leave about 1 euro per bag, while in taxis it is not customary to officially leave a tip but it is acceptable, and assuming the taxi ride was to your satisfaction, round the payment up. When you are in the big cities, you should check the possibility of joining free tours. These tours are offered by locals and include stops at special points of interest.