Funchal vs Faro: which town suits you?
Funchal has longer winter days, a warmer sea and less recorded crime; Faro has more grocery stores on foot, more pharmacies on foot and more doctors on foot.
Funchal
105,795 peopleChoose Funchal if you want
- Longer winter days (10 h 00 min of daylight on 21 December, against 9 h 37 min)
- A warmer sea in August (23°C, against 21°C)
- Less recorded crime in the municipality (28.2 per 1,000 residents, against 42.8)
- Fewer strong earthquakes nearby (1 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
- More grocery stores within a 15-minute walk (27, against 8)
- More pharmacies within a 15-minute walk (14, against 3)
Side by side
Bold marks the better value where one is clearly better and both values are precise.
Climate
Funchal: RegionalFaro: Town-level| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 17°C | 15°C |
| January low | 14°C | 10°C |
| July high | 25°C | 29°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 1 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 85 | 65 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 115 | 62 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 10 h 00 min | 9 h 37 min |
| Sea in August | 23°C | 21°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 8 | 27 |
| Pharmacies | 3 | 14 |
| Doctors and clinics | 2 | 24 |
| Cafés | 9 | 64 |
| Restaurants | 22 | 209 |
Getting around
| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | 0.8 km |
| Nearest bus station | 2.2 km | 0.9 km |
| Nearest hospital | 1.7 km | 0.7 km |
| Nearest beach | 3.8 km | 1.0 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 15 km | 3.9 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €11.51/m² | €8.33/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €3,538/m² | €3,150/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +113% | +86% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 28.2 | 42.8 |
People
| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,795 | 70,347 |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 22.8% |
| Under 15 | 11.9% | 12.5% |
| Born in another country | 8.4% | 17.1% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Funchal | Faro |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 3 |
Month by month
Funchal: RegionalFaro: Town-level| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchal | 17° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 20° | 23° | 25° | 26° | 24° | 22° | 19° | 18° |
| Faro | 15° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 22° | 26° | 29° | 29° | 26° | 23° | 19° | 16° |
At least one town's climate values are only known for the wider area, so the months are shown but not compared. Funchal in November · Faro in November
Funchal or Faro: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Funchal or Faro?
Average January highs are 17°C in Funchal and 15°C in Faro, but the figure for Funchal is only known for the wider area, so the difference is not reliable.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Faro: 27 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 8 in Funchal.
Which is closer to an airport?
Funchal is 15 km from Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC); Faro is 3.9 km from Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO), in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Funchal vs Faro: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/funchal-vs-faro/