Coimbra vs Faro: which town suits you?
Coimbra has cooler summer nights, cheaper homes to buy and less recorded crime; Faro has warmer winters, fewer very hot days and fewer frosts.
Coimbra
140,796 peopleChoose Coimbra if you want
- Cooler summer nights (6 nights a year above 20°C, against 65)
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€2,295/m², against €3,150/m²)
- Less recorded crime in the municipality (27.6 per 1,000 residents, against 42.8)
- Fewer strong earthquakes nearby (0 of M5+ since 1900, against 3)
Faro
70,347 peopleChoose Faro if you want
- Winter-sun seekers: 15°C January highs and no frost days
- Retirees: Hospital 0.7 km away, 15°C January highs, 14 pharmacies within a 15-minute walk
- Warmer winters (15°C January highs, against 14°C)
- Fewer very hot days (1 a year above 35°C, against 7)
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 | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 14°C | 15°C |
| January low | 5°C | 10°C |
| July high | 28°C | 29°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 7 | 1 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 6 | 65 |
| Frost days a year | 5 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 112 | 62 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 18 min | 9 h 37 min |
| Sea in August | – | 21°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 23 | 27 |
| Pharmacies | 15 | 14 |
| Doctors and clinics | 19 | 24 |
| Cafés | 54 | 64 |
| Restaurants | 204 | 209 |
Getting around
| Measure | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | 2.6 km | 0.8 km |
| Nearest bus station | 1.8 km | 0.9 km |
| Nearest hospital | 0.3 km | 0.7 km |
| Nearest beach | 38 km | 1.0 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 73 km | 3.9 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €7.76/m² | €8.33/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €2,295/m² | €3,150/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +70% | +86% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 27.6 | 42.8 |
People
| Measure | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 140,796 | 70,347 |
| Aged 65 and over | 27.0% | 22.8% |
| Under 15 | 10.7% | 12.5% |
| Born in another country | 14.8% | 17.1% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Coimbra | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 0 | 3 |
Month by month
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coimbra | 14° | 15° | 18° | 19° | 22° | 26° | 28° | 29° | 26° | 22° | 17° | 14° |
| Faro | 15° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 22° | 26° | 29° | 29° | 26° | 23° | 19° | 16° |
Faro is warmer by 1°C or more in 4 months; in the other months the highs are within 1°C. Coimbra in November · Faro in November
Coimbra or Faro: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Coimbra or Faro?
Faro, with an average January high of 15.3°C against 13.6°C.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Faro: 27 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 23 in Coimbra.
Which is closer to an airport?
Coimbra is 73 km from Aerodromo Goncalves Lobato (Viseu Airport) (VSE); Faro is 3.9 km from Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO), in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Coimbra vs Faro: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/coimbra-vs-faro/