Europe

Money, cards and tipping in Portugal

Capital: LisbonPortugueseUpdated October 2026

EUREuro

Money in Portugal

Cards almost everywhere Cards are widely accepted, but some small cafés and tascas are cash-only or take only Portuguese Multibanco cards. Carry €20–40. US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not expected. Leave 5–10% for good restaurant service and round up taxi fares; cafés and bars need nothing.
ATMs: Multibanco bank ATMs don't add fees; Euronet machines in tourist areas charge and push conversion, so decline it.
Paying by phone: Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted. MB WAY, which locals use, needs a Portuguese bank card.
Price level: about 60% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Lisbon	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some tascas and tiny cafés take only cash or Multibanco. Carry €20–30.
Porto	Cards almost everywhere	Cards accepted nearly everywhere; some tascas and market stalls take cash or Multibanco only.
Algarve	Cards almost everywhere	Cards accepted widely; small cafés, beach bars and local markets may be cash only. Bring €30–50 for villages.
Madeira	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work widely; bars, poncha stalls and small restaurants in villages may be cash-only. Carry €30–50.
Sintra	Cards almost everywhere	Cards accepted at palaces, restaurants and cafés; some small bakeries and market stalls need cash.
Lagos	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work in most restaurants and shops; beach bars, market stalls and small bakeries may take only cash.
Albufeira	Cards almost everywhere	Cards are common; some beach bars, market stalls and small cafés want cash. Bring €30–50.
Cascais	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere; carry €20 for small cafés and market stalls.
Azores	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work in most places; some rural cafés, farm stalls and village shops want cash. Carry €30–50.
Faro	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work in most places; carry some cash for small cafés and market stalls.
Ericeira	Cards almost everywhere	Cards accepted at most places; surf shacks, small bakeries and market stalls sometimes need cash.
Coimbra	Cards almost everywhere	Cards accepted widely; some small tascas and student cafés prefer cash.
Douro Valley	Mixed: cards and cash	Hotels and quintas take cards; rural cafés, village stalls and small tascas can be cash-only. Carry €30–60.
Évora	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in most restaurants and hotels; small tascas, markets and rural wineries often prefer cash.
Braga	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere; small tascas and market stalls may be cash-only.
Aveiro	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work in most places; small pastelarias, market stalls and some seafood tascas prefer cash.
Nazaré	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in most restaurants and hotels; stalls, small tascas and beach stands may take only cash.
Silver Coast	Cards almost everywhere	Cards are widely accepted. Some small cafés and beach kiosks are cash-only.
Tavira	Cards almost everywhere	Cards are widely accepted. Some small cafés and market stalls are cash-only.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Portugal?

Not expected. Leave 5–10% for good restaurant service and round up taxi fares; cafés and bars need nothing.

Is Portugal cashless?

Cards almost everywhere. Cards are widely accepted, but some small cafés and tascas are cash-only or take only Portuguese Multibanco cards. Carry €20–40.

What currency does Portugal use?

The Euro (EUR). US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.