Portimão vs Lagos: which Algarve town suits you?
Their January highs are within 1°C of each other (16°C and 16°C). Portimão has more grocery stores on foot, more pharmacies on foot and more doctors on foot; Lagos has fewer very hot days and cooler summer nights.
Portimão
38,487 peopleChoose Portimão if you want
- More grocery stores within a 15-minute walk (36, against 22)
- More pharmacies within a 15-minute walk (13, against 6)
- More doctors and clinics within a 15-minute walk (14, against 8)
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€3,259/m², against €3,949/m²)
Lagos
33,494 peopleChoose Lagos if you want
- Fewer very hot days (2 a year above 35°C, against 7)
- Cooler summer nights (22 nights a year above 20°C, against 30)
Side by side
Bold marks the better value where one is clearly better and both values are precise.
Climate
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 16°C | 16°C |
| January low | 8°C | 9°C |
| July high | 30°C | 28°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 7 | 2 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 30 | 22 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 70 | 72 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 36 min | 9 h 37 min |
| Sea in August | 20°C | 20°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 36 | 22 |
| Pharmacies | 13 | 6 |
| Doctors and clinics | 14 | 8 |
| Cafés | 52 | 53 |
| Restaurants | 162 | 225 |
Getting around
| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | 0.7 km | 0.8 km |
| Nearest bus station | 1.0 km | 0.6 km |
| Nearest hospital | 0.7 km | 0.8 km |
| Nearest beach | 1.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 4.3 km | 9.6 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €10.42/m² | €10.11/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €3,259/m² | €3,949/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +92% | +86% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 37.4 | 38.5 |
People
| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 | 33,494 |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 24.0% |
| Under 15 | 14.2% | 12.7% |
| Born in another country | 23.4% | 26.0% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Portimão | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 1 |
Month by month
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portimão | 16° | 16° | 19° | 20° | 23° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 27° | 23° | 19° | 16° |
| Lagos | 16° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 23° | 26° | 28° | 29° | 26° | 23° | 19° | 17° |
Portimão is warmer by 1°C or more in 4 months; in the other months the highs are within 1°C. Portimão in November · Lagos in November
Portimão or Lagos: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Portimão or Lagos?
They are within 1°C of each other: average January highs of 15.5°C in Portimão and 15.6°C in Lagos.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Portimão: 36 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 22 in Lagos.
Which is closer to an airport?
Both use Portimão Airport (PRM): 4.3 km from Portimão and 9.6 km from Lagos, in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Portimão vs Lagos: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/portimao-vs-lagos/