São Luis vs Cercal: which Alentejo town suits you?
Their January highs are within 1°C of each other (14°C and 14°C). São Luis has lower rents, cheaper homes to buy and less recorded crime; Cercal has more cafés on foot and a closer bus station.
São Luis
1,006 peopleChoose São Luis if you want
- Lower rents in the municipality (€6.17/m² a month, against €8.59/m²)
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€1,800/m², against €2,184/m²)
- Less recorded crime in the municipality (20.8 per 1,000 residents, against 36.9)
Cercal
3,772 peopleChoose Cercal if you want
- More cafés within a 15-minute walk (3, against 0)
- A bus station closer by (0.2 km, against 9.5 km)
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 | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 14°C | 14°C |
| January low | 7°C | 8°C |
| July high | 27°C | 28°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 2 | 3 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 6 | 7 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 78 | 78 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 33 min | 9 h 33 min |
| Sea in August | 19°C | – |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 1 | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 1 | 1 |
| Doctors and clinics | 0 | 1 |
| Cafés | 0 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 7 |
Getting around
| Measure | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | 22 km | 26 km |
| Nearest bus station | 9.5 km | 0.2 km |
| Nearest hospital | 32 km | 24 km |
| Nearest beach | 10 km | 11 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 63 km | 73 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | €6.17/m² | €8.59/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €1,800/m² | €2,184/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +64% | +115% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 20.8 | 36.9 |
People
| Measure | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,006 | 3,772 |
| Aged 65 and over | 30.2% | 31.3% |
| Under 15 | 11.3% | 11.9% |
| Born in another country | 8.5% | 4.5% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | São Luis | Cercal |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 1 |
Month by month
Town-level · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Luis | 14° | 15° | 18° | 19° | 22° | 25° | 27° | 28° | 26° | 22° | 17° | 15° |
| Cercal | 14° | 15° | 18° | 19° | 22° | 25° | 28° | 28° | 26° | 22° | 17° | 15° |
The average highs are within 1°C of each other in every month.
São Luis or Cercal: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, São Luis or Cercal?
They are within 1°C of each other: average January highs of 14.3°C in São Luis and 14.3°C in Cercal.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Cercal: 2 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 1 in São Luis.
Which is closer to an airport?
Both use Portimão Airport (PRM): 63 km from São Luis and 73 km from Cercal, in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). São Luis vs Cercal: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/sao-luis-vs-cercal/