Lisbon vs Madrid: which should you visit?

Not opinion — measurement. Month-by-month weather under disclosed thresholds, the currency picture at a dated central-bank rate, verified venue depth, and the live events calendar. Every number on this page carries its source.

yellow and white tram on road during daytime
Lisbon
white concrete building under blue sky during daytime
Madrid

The verdict, computed

Choose Lisbon for:

  • Weather: Lisbon leads in Mar and May–Sep and Nov–Jan.

Choose Madrid for:

  • Weather: Madrid leads in Feb and Apr and Oct.
  • Food scene: 9,545 catalogued food & drink venues vs 4,350.
  • Live events: 1,820 listed in the next ~120 days.

When each city wins

Measured weather favors Lisbon in Mar and May–Sep and Nov–Jan and Madrid in Feb and Apr and Oct.

City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Lisbon Lisbon in Jan: good — 15° highs, 8 rain days. Lisbon in Feb: good — 17° highs, 8 rain days. Lisbon in Mar: good — 18° highs, 10 rain days. Lisbon in Apr: ideal — 20° highs, 9 rain days. Lisbon in May: ideal — 23° highs, 3 rain days. Lisbon in Jun: ideal — 26° highs, 5 rain days. Lisbon in Jul: ideal — 29° highs, 1 rain days. Lisbon in Aug: good — 29° highs, 0 rain days. Lisbon in Sep: ideal — 26° highs, 6 rain days. Lisbon in Oct: good — 24° highs, 10 rain days. Lisbon in Nov: ideal — 19° highs, 10 rain days. Lisbon in Dec: good — 16° highs, 10 rain days.
Month winner Jan: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is good to Madrid's mixed. Feb: Madrid wins — Both good; Madrid has 5 rain days to Lisbon's 8. Mar: Lisbon wins — Both good; Lisbon has 10 rain days to Madrid's 12. Apr: Madrid wins — Both ideal; Madrid has 8 rain days to Lisbon's 9. May: Lisbon wins — Both ideal; Lisbon has 3 rain days to Madrid's 6. Jun: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is ideal to Madrid's good. Jul: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is ideal to Madrid's mixed. Aug: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is good to Madrid's mixed. Sep: Lisbon wins — Both ideal with 6 rain days; Lisbon's 26° highs sit closer to the 23.5 °C comfort midpoint. Oct: Madrid wins — Madrid is ideal to Lisbon's good. Nov: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is ideal to Madrid's good. Dec: Lisbon wins — Lisbon is good to Madrid's mixed.
Madrid Madrid in Jan: a shoulder month — 11° highs, 7 rain days. Madrid in Feb: good — 14° highs, 5 rain days. Madrid in Mar: good — 16° highs, 12 rain days. Madrid in Apr: ideal — 20° highs, 8 rain days. Madrid in May: ideal — 25° highs, 6 rain days. Madrid in Jun: good — 30° highs, 6 rain days. Madrid in Jul: a shoulder month — 35° highs, 0 rain days. Madrid in Aug: a shoulder month — 35° highs, 1 rain days. Madrid in Sep: ideal — 27° highs, 6 rain days. Madrid in Oct: ideal — 22° highs, 8 rain days. Madrid in Nov: good — 15° highs, 6 rain days. Madrid in Dec: a shoulder month — 11° highs, 7 rain days.

Weather: Open-Meteo multi-year normals; bands per the disclosed best-months thresholds. Winner per month = better band, then fewer rain days, then highs nearer 23.5 °C.

Your money, measured

One currency: the euro

Lisbon and Madrid share the same currency (the euro), so exchange-rate moves can't favor one over the other.

The shared currency's year

The euro is essentially flat against the US dollar over the past year — no currency tailwind either way.

euro
100 10596euro: 100.0 on 4 Aug 2025euro: 100.5 on 11 Aug 2025euro: 100.9 on 18 Aug 2025euro: 101.1 on 25 Aug 2025euro: 101.3 on 1 Sept 2025euro: 101.4 on 8 Sept 2025euro: 101.7 on 15 Sept 2025euro: 101.9 on 22 Sept 2025euro: 101.4 on 29 Sept 2025euro: 101.0 on 6 Oct 2025euro: 100.0 on 13 Oct 2025euro: 100.8 on 20 Oct 2025euro: 100.7 on 27 Oct 2025euro: 99.6 on 3 Nov 2025euro: 100.0 on 10 Nov 2025euro: 100.2 on 17 Nov 2025euro: 99.8 on 24 Nov 2025euro: 100.7 on 1 Dec 2025euro: 100.8 on 8 Dec 2025euro: 101.6 on 15 Dec 2025euro: 101.6 on 22 Dec 2025euro: 101.7 on 29 Dec 2025euro: 100.9 on 5 Jan 2026euro: 101.1 on 12 Jan 2026euro: 100.6 on 19 Jan 2026euro: 102.3 on 26 Jan 2026euro: 102.4 on 2 Feb 2026euro: 102.8 on 9 Feb 2026euro: 102.5 on 16 Feb 2026euro: 101.9 on 23 Feb 2026euro: 101.2 on 2 Mar 2026euro: 99.9 on 9 Mar 2026euro: 99.3 on 16 Mar 2026euro: 100.3 on 23 Mar 2026euro: 99.3 on 30 Mar 2026euro: 99.9 on 7 Apr 2026euro: 102.0 on 14 Apr 2026euro: 101.8 on 21 Apr 2026euro: 101.0 on 28 Apr 2026euro: 101.0 on 5 May 2026euro: 101.5 on 12 May 2026euro: 100.5 on 19 May 2026euro: 100.6 on 26 May 2026euro: 100.7 on 2 Jun 2026euro: 100.1 on 9 Jun 2026euro: 100.3 on 16 Jun 2026euro: 98.5 on 23 Jun 2026euro: 98.5 on 30 Jun 2026euro: 98.9 on 7 Jul 2026euro: 98.6 on 14 Jul 2026euro: 98.7 on 21 Jul 2026euro: 98.3 on 28 Jul 2026euro: 99.7 on 3 Aug 2026euro 99.7
Currency value against the US dollar, indexed to 100 one year ago — above 100 means the currency strengthened (your dollars buy less). Source: European Central Bank reference rates, as of 2026-08-03.

Price levels (country-wide indicator)

Price levels in Portugal run about 66% of US levels (World Bank PPP, 2025) — a dollar stretches roughly 1.5× further than at home.

Price levels in Spain run about 70% of US levels (World Bank PPP, 2025) — a dollar stretches roughly 1.4× further than at home.

Editorial daily-cost estimates

City Budget Mid-range Luxury
Lisbon $52 $150 $400
Madrid $50 $130 $300

Editorial estimates in USD per person per day, quoted from our editor-signed Lisbon budget guide and Madrid budget guide — not a measurement. Model a full trip in the cost comparison tool.

Depth of things to do

Attractions & sights
Attractions & sights: Lisbon 465, Madrid 398 in our verified catalog.
Food & drink venues
Food & drink venues: Lisbon 4,350, Madrid 9,545 in our verified catalog.
Museums
Museums: Lisbon 63, Madrid 57 in our verified catalog.
Parks & gardens
Parks & gardens: Lisbon 41, Madrid 35 in our verified catalog.

Lisbon's catalog is led by Belém Tower, Estádio da Luz, Estádio José Alvalade.

Madrid's catalog is led by Bernabéu, Museo del Prado, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

Counts from the TTDI verified venue catalog (every venue carries an external identity source). Catalog density partly reflects source coverage per city.

Things to do in Lisbon → Things to do in Madrid →

What's actually on

Our events feed lists 1,820 upcoming events for Madrid; it has no coverage for Lisbon yet — a coverage limit, not a quiet city.

Next up in Madrid

  • 4 Aug Museo Banksy Madrid Museo Banksy Madrid
  • 4 Aug Museo Banksy Madrid Museo Banksy Madrid
  • 4 Aug Museo Banksy Madrid Museo Banksy Madrid
This week in Madrid →

From the live events feed we sync daily — listings exist only where measured coverage does.

Side by side

Distance apart
503 km
Time zones
1 h apart
City population
545,000 vs 3,223,000
Local language
Portuguese vs Spanish
Currency
Both use the euro

Or visit both

503 km apart, and plenty of trips pair them. One search covers the connection:

Lisbon to Madrid
Mode Fare from Fastest
Train from £73.68 13 h 55 min
Bus Most booked from £7.79 7 h 20 min
Flight from £46.65 1 h 15 min
Madrid to Lisbon
Mode Fare from Fastest
Train from £73.68 8 h 1 min
Bus Most booked from £8.66 7 h 25 min
Flight from £67.60 1 h 20 min

Lowest fares as observed on Omio in August 2025. Live prices vary.

Compare trains, buses & flights Lisbon ⇄ Madrid on Omio →

Book the connection

One search across trains, buses & flights — live times and prices for Lisbon ⇄ Madrid.

Answered from the data

Which is better to visit right now, in August?

Lisbon, on measured weather: Lisbon is good to Madrid's mixed.

Which is cheaper, Lisbon or Madrid?

World Bank PPP (country-level, not city prices) puts Lisbon's country at ~66% of US price levels and Madrid's at ~70% — an edge to Lisbon before you factor in season and neighborhood.

When should I pick Lisbon over Madrid?

Mar and May–Sep and Nov–Jan — measured weather favors Lisbon then.

When should I pick Madrid over Lisbon?

Feb and Apr and Oct — measured weather favors Madrid then.

Which has more to do?

In our verified catalog, Lisbon lists 465 attractions and 4,350 food & drink venues; Madrid lists 398 and 9,545. Madrid also has the larger live-events calendar (1,820 vs 0 listed).

Go deeper

Lisbon

Madrid