Funchal vs Machico: which Madeira town suits you?
Funchal has more cafés on foot; Machico has a closer bus station, a closer airport and lower rents.
Machico
12,567 peopleChoose Machico if you want
- Beach lovers: A beach 0.5 km from the centre
- A bus station closer by (0.6 km, against 2.2 km)
- A shorter trip to an airport (2.1 km, against 15 km)
- Lower rents in the municipality (€5.98/m² a month, against €11.51/m²)
Side by side
Bold marks the better value where one is clearly better and both values are precise.
Climate
Regional · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 17°C | 17°C |
| January low | 14°C | 15°C |
| July high | 25°C | 24°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 0 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 85 | 103 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 115 | 118 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 10 h 00 min | 10 h 00 min |
| Sea in August | 23°C | 23°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 8 | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 3 | 3 |
| Doctors and clinics | 2 | 2 |
| Cafés | 9 | 6 |
| Restaurants | 22 | 19 |
Getting around
| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | – |
| Nearest bus station | 2.2 km | 0.6 km |
| Nearest hospital | 1.7 km | 13 km |
| Nearest beach | 3.8 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 15 km | 2.1 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €11.51/m² | €5.98/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €3,538/m² | €2,070/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +113% | +112% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 28.2 | 23.3 |
People
| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,795 | 12,567 |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 20.3% |
| Under 15 | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| Born in another country | 8.4% | 8.6% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Funchal | Machico |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 1 |
Month by month
Regional · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| 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° |
| Machico | 17° | 17° | 18° | 19° | 20° | 23° | 24° | 25° | 25° | 23° | 20° | 18° |
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 · Machico in November
Funchal or Machico: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Funchal or Machico?
Average January highs are 17°C in Funchal and 17°C in Machico, but the figure for Funchal and Machico is only known for the wider area, so the difference is not reliable.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Funchal: 8 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 7 in Machico.
Which is closer to an airport?
Both use Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC): 15 km from Funchal and 2.1 km from Machico, in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Funchal vs Machico: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/funchal-vs-machico/