Portimão vs Olhão: which Algarve town suits you?
Their January highs are within 1°C of each other (16°C and 15°C). Portimão has cooler summer nights, more pharmacies on foot and more doctors on foot; Olhão has fewer very hot days, fewer rainy days and a warmer sea.
Portimão
38,487 peopleChoose Portimão if you want
- Beach lovers: A beach 1.5 km from the centre
- Cooler summer nights (30 nights a year above 20°C, against 71)
- More pharmacies within a 15-minute walk (13, against 7)
- More doctors and clinics within a 15-minute walk (14, against 7)
Olhão
29,239 peopleChoose Olhão if you want
- Fewer very hot days (1 a year above 35°C, against 7)
- Fewer rainy days (61 a year, against 70)
- A warmer sea in August (22°C, against 20°C)
- Lower rents in the municipality (€8.09/m² a month, against €10.42/m²)
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 | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 16°C | 15°C |
| January low | 8°C | 10°C |
| July high | 30°C | 29°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 7 | 1 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 30 | 71 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 70 | 61 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 36 min | 9 h 37 min |
| Sea in August | 20°C | 22°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Portimão | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 36 | 26 |
| Pharmacies | 13 | 7 |
| Doctors and clinics | 14 | 7 |
| Cafés | 52 | 52 |
| Restaurants | 162 | 125 |
Getting around
| Measure | Portimão | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | 0.7 km | 0.2 km |
| Nearest bus station | 1.0 km | 0.0 km |
| Nearest hospital | 0.7 km | 7.8 km |
| Nearest beach | 1.5 km | 3.1 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 4.3 km | 12 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Portimão | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €10.42/m² | €8.09/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €3,259/m² | €2,771/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +92% | +88% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 37.4 | 40.3 |
People
| Measure | Portimão | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 | 29,239 |
| Aged 65 and over | 22.0% | 20.3% |
| Under 15 | 14.2% | 14.9% |
| Born in another country | 23.4% | 13.5% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Portimão | Olhão |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 5 |
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° |
| Olhão | 15° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 22° | 26° | 29° | 29° | 26° | 23° | 19° | 16° |
Portimão is warmer by 1°C or more in 4 months; in the other months the highs are within 1°C. Portimão in November · Olhão in November
Portimão or Olhão: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Portimão or Olhão?
They are within 1°C of each other: average January highs of 15.5°C in Portimão and 15.3°C in Olhão.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Portimão: 36 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 26 in Olhão.
Which is closer to an airport?
Portimão is 4.3 km from Portimão Airport (PRM); Olhão is 12 km from Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO), in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Portimão vs Olhão: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/portimao-vs-olhao/