You Can Order A Beer For Less Than $2 A Bottle In One Of Europe's Cheapest Cities
The historic center of Porto, in the Northern coastal area of Portugal, stands out as a World Heritage Site attracting travelers from across the globe. Despite being a party to Portugal's annual inflation rate of 2.1% year-on-year, TimeOut still ranked it among the continent's "Best Cheapest Cities to Visit" in 2025, and at least part of its appeal lies in its affordable libations. Birmingham Live highlighted that the cost to buy a bottle of beer is €1.72 ($1.94 as of May 2025) per bottle in local tascas and cafes.
It's also speculated that a francesinha sandwich – a toasted sandwich layered with various hot meats — is sold somewhere between €9 to €12 (about $10.15 to $13.53) while tourists can access a metro ride with just €1.40 ($1.58). The pleasant twist is that these pocket-friendly prices do not stop with affordable meals and drinks. The Telegraph Travel compiled a list of accommodations, some with booking fees that start at €16 ($18.05) per night while some are €43 (48.49) per night, as at the time of writing.
You might notice a similar trend of ease of living in larger parts of Portugal compared to some European countries. For instance, according to Numbeo, Portugal's average monthly salary after tax is about €1,052.50 (about $1,186.58 as of May 2025), versus €1,711.55 ($1,930.20) in Spain, which is one of the three best countries to retire abroad. This is a 38.5% gap that underpins generally lower local prices in cities like Porto.
Where you can get $2 beers in Porto
Porto's tascas and neighborhood bars outside the main tourist strips keep beer prices refreshingly low. An imperial — about 20 centiliters, or 6.7 ounces — of Super Bock or Sagres runs about €1 ($1.13 as of May 2025), while a 50-centiliter pint averages €1.92 ($2.16). A bottle of house beer in most cafés costs roughly €1.50 ($1.69), and a casual tasca dinner with two courses and a drink generally lands between €12 and €18 ($13.52 and $20.28). You can skip the Douro riverfront if you're chasing bargains; head instead to Cedofeita, an artsy district dotted with student-friendly bars. On Rua das Flores, veer one block east and you'll hit unmarked pubs where locals drink for less.
If you plan to visit, beds in hostels or budget hotels generally land between €20 and €40 ($22.52 and $45.05) a night, casual restaurant meals hover at €8 to €12 ($9.01 to $13.51), and street snacks such as bifanas or pastéis de nata run just €2 to €5 ($2.25 to $5.63). Moving around is just as kind on the budget; single metro, bus or tram tickets cost roughly €1.20 to €1.50 ($1.35 to $1.69). These prices are as of May 2025 but they stay grounded because the city resists heavy tourism markups.
Meals, museums, and more in Porto
You can visit Porto because of its world-famous port wine and enjoy it with a three-course meal all at pocket-friendly rates. These culinary wonders are offered at local tascas, where traditional dishes like bacalhau à brás (salt cod) or tripas à moda do Porto (tripe stew) dominate menus. These meal-combos are absolutely perfect for picnics in the Crystal Palace Gardens or along the Douro River.
Tourists in Porto enjoy access to varying cultural experiences, because here, museum tickets average as low as €12 ($13.50 as of May 2025), with highlights like the Serralves Contemporary Art Museum where the tickets are €24 ($27.01). Then, there's the Porto Cathedral cloisters, which is free for children and costs €3 ($3.38) for adults to access it. If you want to save, walking tours of the UNESCO-listed Ribeira district or sunset views from the Dom Luís I Bridge cost nothing but time.
When you pair these low-cost options of say, a €1.50 ($1.69) beer at a tasca, a €10 ($11.25) lunch special, and a €3 ($3.38) museum ticket, you'll find that visitors can explore Porto's charm without exceeding a total cost of €30 ($33.77) daily, minus transportation and accommodation. Hence, it is a budget-friendly location to explore. Just note that when the plans leave the group chat and you find yourself in Porto or any city in Europe, Rick Steves warns you to avoid some ATMs.