Funchal vs Santana: which Madeira town suits you?
Funchal has more grocery stores on foot, more doctors on foot and more cafés on foot; Santana has cheaper homes to buy and less recorded crime.
Funchal
105,795 peopleChoose Funchal if you want
- More grocery stores within a 15-minute walk (8, against 3)
- More doctors and clinics within a 15-minute walk (2, against 0)
- More cafés within a 15-minute walk (9, against 3)
- More restaurants within a 15-minute walk (22, against 12)
Santana
8,804 peopleChoose Santana if you want
- Beach lovers: A beach 2.5 km from the centre
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€1,605/m², against €3,538/m²)
- Less recorded crime in the municipality (15.4 per 1,000 residents, against 28.2)
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 | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 17°C | 15°C |
| January low | 14°C | 12°C |
| July high | 25°C | 23°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 0 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 85 | 16 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 115 | 121 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 10 h 00 min | 9 h 59 min |
| Sea in August | 23°C | 23°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Funchal | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 8 | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 3 | 2 |
| Doctors and clinics | 2 | 0 |
| Cafés | 9 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 22 | 12 |
Getting around
| Measure | Funchal | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | – |
| Nearest bus station | 2.2 km | 4.9 km |
| Nearest hospital | 1.7 km | 15 km |
| Nearest beach | 3.8 km | 2.5 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 15 km | 15 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Funchal | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €11.51/m² | – |
| Sale price per m² | €3,538/m² | €1,605/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +113% | +164% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 28.2 | 15.4 |
People
| Measure | Funchal | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,795 | 8,804 |
| Aged 65 and over | 21.0% | 24.1% |
| Under 15 | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Born in another country | 8.4% | 7.3% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Funchal | Santana |
|---|---|---|
| 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° |
| Santana | 15° | 15° | 15° | 16° | 18° | 21° | 23° | 24° | 22° | 20° | 17° | 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 · Santana in November
Funchal or Santana: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Funchal or Santana?
Average January highs are 17°C in Funchal and 15°C in Santana, but the figure for Funchal and Santana 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 3 in Santana.
Which is closer to an airport?
Both use Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC): 15 km from Funchal and 15 km from Santana, in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Funchal vs Santana: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/funchal-vs-santana/