Cascais vs Funchal (Madeira)
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Funchal (Madeira) edges it, 77 to 76, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Cascais is stronger on getting there & around; Funchal (Madeira) on climate. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Lisbon's beach town at the end of the coastal railway
Full Cascais profile →Where to stay in Cascais →Madeira's island capital with a nomad village
Full Funchal (Madeira) profile →Where to stay in Funchal (Madeira) →Where they differ
- Climate. Funchal (Madeira) leads on climate, 100 to 67, against Cascais. Comfortable months: 8 vs 12.
- Getting there & around. Cascais leads on getting there & around, 75 to 53, against Funchal (Madeira). Non-stop airport destinations: 153 vs 45.
Where they are close. Within five points on air quality, internet, cost of living, safety, healthcare, visa ease, quality of life.
Pick Cascais if you want
- more flights and easier getting around
Pick Funchal (Madeira) if you want
- a longer comfortable season (12 months against 8)
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 33 | 33 |
| Safety | 83 | 83 |
| Healthcare | 85 | 85 |
| Internet | 81 ✓ | 81 |
| Visa ease | 75 | 75 |
| Getting there & around | 75 ✓ | 53 |
| Climate | 67 | 100 ✓ |
| Air quality | 96 | 100 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 87 | 87 |
Cost
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.71 | 0.71 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 77.9 | 77.9 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 83 | 83 |
| Life expectancy | 81.2 yrs | 81.2 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 67.8 Mbps ✓ | 59.9 Mbps |
| Upload | 31 Mbps | 43.4 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad residence visa (D8) | Digital nomad residence visa (D8) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,131/mo | $4,131/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 153 ✓ | 45 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Cascais | Funchal (Madeira) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 12 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 6.7 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Cascais or Funchal (Madeira)?
- Funchal (Madeira) is cheaper: about $2,000 per month versus $2,000 for one person.
- Is Cascais or Funchal (Madeira) safer?
- Cascais scores higher on safety (83 vs 83), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Cascais or Funchal (Madeira)?
- Cascais: a measured median of 67.8 Mbps versus 59.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Cascais vs Setúbal
- Cascais vs Lagos (Algarve)
- Funchal (Madeira) vs Ponta Delgada (Azores)
- Funchal (Madeira) vs Corralejo (Fuerteventura)
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.