In this article (8)
- 1. Flights: the number that swings your whole budget
- 2. Accommodation: 7 nights, the honest price bands
- 3. Food and drink: what you actually pay in restaurants
- 4. Getting around: the choice that changes your whole trip
- 5. Tours and activities: what to budget for the highlights
- 6. Three sample budgets for 7 nights, per couple
- 7. Where Madeira is unexpectedly cheap
- 8. Where Madeira is more expensive than you'd expect
The honest short answer for 2026: a week in Madeira for two people costs between €1,100 and €3,400 all-in, depending mostly on where you sleep and how you get around. Madeira is still noticeably cheaper than mainland Portugal for food and drink, competitive with the Canaries on flights, and — surprisingly — one of the better-value European destinations for private tours because guide rates haven't jumped the way Iceland or Croatia have.
This breakdown is built from what clients actually spend, not from booking-site averages. Prices are per couple, for 7 nights / 8 days, and split into three realistic tiers: backpacker, mid-range and comfort. Flights are the wildcard — everything else is predictable once you know the local price of a coffee (€0.90), a Poncha (€2.50) and a full lunch with wine (€22).
Flights: the number that swings your whole budget
From the UK: easyJet, Jet2 and TUI fly year-round to FNC from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh. Return fares run €80-180 in shoulder season (March-May, October-November), €150-320 in summer and €180-400 over Christmas / New Year and Flower Festival week.
From mainland Europe: TAP and Ryanair from Lisbon (€60-140 return), Lufthansa and easyJet from Germany and Switzerland (€150-260), KLM from Amsterdam (€180-280). Direct flights from North America don't exist — expect a Lisbon connection and total fares €650-950.
The one booking trick that still works: fly midweek (Tuesday-Thursday) into FNC and out of FNC on a Sunday. Weekend charter demand pushes Friday and Saturday fares 30-50% higher.
Accommodation: 7 nights, the honest price bands
- Backpacker (€25-55/night for a double): private rooms in guesthouses in Funchal (Residencial Vila Teresinha, 29 Madeira Hostel private rooms) or self-catering studios in the outer parishes. Total 7 nights: €175-385.
- Mid-range (€75-140/night): well-rated 3-4* hotels in Funchal (Windsor, Vila Galé, Sé Boutique) or a modern quinta apartment in Câmara de Lobos or Ponta do Sol. This is the sweet spot for most visitors. Total 7 nights: €525-980.
- Comfort (€180-350/night): Belmond Reid's, Savoy Palace, The Cliff Bay, Castanheiro Boutique or a design quinta on the north coast. Includes breakfast, pool, sea view. Total 7 nights: €1,260-2,450.
- Splurge tip: mix and match. Five nights mid-range in Funchal, two nights in a small north-coast quinta (Quinta do Furão, Quinta da Serra) gives you two very different Madeiras for the price of a straight comfort week.
Food and drink: what you actually pay in restaurants
Madeira is one of the last places in Western Europe where you can still sit down for a full traditional lunch — soup, main, dessert, coffee, glass of house wine — for €14-18 per person. The catch is knowing which restaurants: avoid anything with a picture menu on the seafront, and eat where you see local families on Sundays.
- Breakfast at your hotel or a pastelaria: €3-6 (coffee + pastel de nata + fresh orange juice)
- Casual lunch — prato do dia in a tasca: €10-15 per person
- Full dinner in a mid-range restaurant (Restaurante Regional da Camacha, Tasca Literária): €22-32 per person with wine
- Upscale dinner (Il Gallo d'Oro, William, Kampo): €70-110 per person tasting menu
- Poncha in a Câmara de Lobos bar: €2.50 · glass of Madeira wine: €3-5 · local beer (Coral): €1.20
- Supermarket weekly shop for a couple self-catering: €55-90 (Pingo Doce or Continente)
Getting around: the choice that changes your whole trip
There is no perfect answer here — the correct transport depends on how many days you actually want to drive versus be driven. My rule of thumb: if you have 3+ hiking or mountain-view days planned, rent a car for those days only and use taxis or a private driver on the town/coast days. Full-week rentals sound cheaper but you pay for parking in Funchal (€10-15/day at your hotel) and you'll leave the car parked for 2-3 days anyway.
- Rental car for 7 days (compact automatic, all-in with insurance): €190-320 in shoulder season, €280-450 in summer
- Fuel for a full week of touring: €55-80 (petrol is €1.55-1.70/litre; Madeira is small so total distance is modest)
- Airport transfer by taxi (FNC → central Funchal): €25-30 each way, fixed. Uber and Bolt run and are usually €18-24.
- Private driver for a full-day tour (8-10h, up to 4 people): €260-360 depending on route and vehicle
- Public bus (Horários do Funchal + Rodoeste): €2.50-4.50 per intercity ticket, doable for Funchal-Câmara de Lobos or Funchal-Machico but slow and infrequent for the north coast
Tours and activities: what to budget for the highlights
- Half-day private tour (4h, Câmara de Lobos + Cabo Girão + sunset): €160-220 for up to 4 people
- Full-day private tour of the west (Porto Moniz, Fanal, 25 Fontes): €280-380
- Full-day private tour of the east + north (Santana, Seixal, Porto Moniz): €280-380
- Group whale and dolphin watching (3h from Funchal marina): €40-55/person
- PR1 sunrise transfer with pickup and drop-off (Areeiro → Ruivo, one-way transfer only): €130-180 total for up to 4 people
- Monte cable car return + Botanical Garden combo: €22-27/person
- Wicker toboggan Monte → Livramento (a Madeira classic): €30 for a two-person sled
- Levada walk with local guide (small group): €35-55/person
Three sample budgets for 7 nights, per couple
- Backpacker: flights €180 + guesthouse 7 nights €280 + food €280 + one rental day €55 + buses €50 + two paid activities €120 = €965-1,150 all-in
- Mid-range: flights €280 + 3* hotel 7 nights €700 + food €490 + rental 5 days €200 + fuel €65 + one private driver day €300 + two group activities €180 = €2,200-2,400
- Comfort: flights €380 + 4* hotel 7 nights €1,600 + food €800 + one full week private driver arrangement €1,200 + two private tours (already included) + hotel spa €200 = €4,180-4,600
Where Madeira is unexpectedly cheap
- Coffee: €0.80-1.00 for an espresso, even in Funchal's main square
- Fresh fish: black scabbardfish with banana costs €12-14 at any traditional tasca — the same dish is €28-34 at a comparable Lisbon restaurant
- Local wine: Madeira wine at cellar door is €4-6/glass; the DOP wines from Seixal and São Vicente are €12-18/bottle in restaurants
- Taxis inside Funchal: base €3.25 + €0.80/km — a cross-town ride is usually €5-8
- Cable car ticket Funchal → Monte: €12.50 one-way, cheaper than most European city transport day passes
Where Madeira is more expensive than you'd expect
- Wine imported from mainland Portugal in restaurants — pick local and Madeira wines instead
- Anything sold at the Mercado dos Lavradores upper floor (the exotic fruits at €2-4 each are the classic tourist trap; buy the same fruits at Pingo Doce for €0.30-0.60)
- Beach umbrellas / sunbeds at Praia Formosa and Calheta: €10-15/day for the pair
- In-hotel laundry: €4-6/item is common — use a self-service laundry (Lavatap in Funchal) at €10-12/load instead
Frequently asked questions
Is Madeira an expensive destination?+
No, it's mid-priced by Western European standards. A mid-range week for two costs €2,200-2,400 all-in, roughly the same as a comparable week in Andalusia and about 25% less than the Amalfi Coast or Croatian coast.
What's the cheapest month to visit Madeira?+
Late January to mid-March (excluding Carnival week) and late October to mid-December (excluding the New Year fireworks week). Flights drop 30-50%, hotels 20-40%, and weather is still mild.
Do I need to tip in Madeira?+
Tipping is not obligatory. Rounding up or leaving 5-10% for good service in restaurants is normal but not expected. Private drivers and guides typically receive €10-20 per day per couple if you're happy with the service.
Is a rental car cheaper than a private driver?+
For a full week yes, on paper — but only if you actually use it every day. For a 7-day trip with 2-3 relaxed days in Funchal, a hybrid plan (rental car 4 days + private driver 1-2 days) usually beats the full-week rental once you add parking, fuel and airport handover time.
How much cash should I bring to Madeira?+
Very little — cards work everywhere including small tascas and the market. Bring €50-100 in cash for tips, small purchases at rural cafés and the toboggan ride in Monte (cash-preferred).
Once you know the local prices, Madeira sits comfortably in the mid-range of European destinations — with the unusual advantage that a small upgrade (private driver instead of rental car, mid-range hotel instead of guesthouse) buys a disproportionately better trip. If you'd like a personalised quote for your dates — flights excluded, everything else built to your budget — see our private Madeira tours or contact us with your travel window and party size.
