Ponta Delgada vs Madalena: which Azores town suits you?
Their January highs are within 1°C of each other (16°C and 16°C). Ponta Delgada has more grocery stores on foot, more pharmacies on foot and more doctors on foot; Madalena has lower rents and cheaper homes to buy.
Ponta Delgada
20,056 peopleChoose Ponta Delgada if you want
- Retirees: Hospital 1.4 km away, 16°C January highs, 11 pharmacies within a 15-minute walk
- More grocery stores within a 15-minute walk (19, against 2)
- More pharmacies within a 15-minute walk (11, against 1)
- More doctors and clinics within a 15-minute walk (8, against 1)
Madalena
6,136 peopleChoose Madalena if you want
- Beach lovers: A beach 2.6 km from the centre
- Lower rents in the municipality (€4.29/m² a month, against €6.08/m²)
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€1,277/m², against €2,083/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 | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 16°C | 16°C |
| January low | 14°C | 14°C |
| July high | 23°C | 23°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 0 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 82 | 91 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 155 | 141 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 33 min | 9 h 28 min |
| Sea in August | 23°C | 23°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 19 | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 11 | 1 |
| Doctors and clinics | 8 | 1 |
| Cafés | 28 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 114 | 8 |
Getting around
| Measure | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | – |
| Nearest bus station | 10 km | – |
| Nearest hospital | 1.5 km | 9.5 km |
| Nearest beach | 3.4 km | 2.6 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 2.6 km | 7.7 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €6.08/m² | €4.29/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €2,083/m² | €1,277/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +73% | +79% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 43.8 | 36.8 |
People
| Measure | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,056 | 6,136 |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.8% | 21.7% |
| Under 15 | 11.7% | 14.0% |
| Born in another country | 4.7% | 5.8% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | Ponta Delgada | Madalena |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 13 | 15 |
Month by month
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponta Delgada | 16° | 16° | 16° | 17° | 18° | 20° | 23° | 24° | 23° | 21° | 19° | 17° |
| Madalena | 16° | 16° | 16° | 16° | 18° | 20° | 23° | 24° | 23° | 20° | 18° | 17° |
The average highs are within 1°C of each other in every month. Ponta Delgada in November · Madalena in November
Ponta Delgada or Madalena: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, Ponta Delgada or Madalena?
They are within 1°C of each other: average January highs of 16.3°C in Ponta Delgada and 16.1°C in Madalena.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Ponta Delgada: 19 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 2 in Madalena.
Which is closer to an airport?
Ponta Delgada is 2.6 km from João Paulo II Airport (PDL); Madalena is 7.7 km from Pico Airport (PIX), in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). Ponta Delgada vs Madalena: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/ponta-delgada-vs-madalena-azores/