São Miguel on €16/Day: Sleeping in Rental Car
DATA DASHBOARD
- Daily Rate (Per Person): €16.42
- Total Trip Cost (2 People): €229.85
- Trip Length: 7 Days
- Route: Full Island Loop (From Ponta Delgada)
- Trip Date: April 2025
- Accommodation: Sleeping in Rental Car
- Primary Tools: EconomyBookings, Cover4Rentals, Pingo Doce
THE SYSTEM
I consistently keep my daily budget under €20-€40 using two methods:
● €3/Day Rental Car Guide
● Sleeping in Rental Cars Guide
| ITEM | COST (2P) | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Car Rental | €47.85 | €6.84/day. The €3/Day Hack Surprice via EconomyBookings |
| Fuel | €60.00 | €8.57/day. Full island loop. |
| Stay | €0.00 | Slept in the rental car. Read how. |
| Food | €98.00 | €7/day per person. Shopped at Pingo Doce and Continente. |
| Activity | €24.00 | €9/person – Poça da Dona Beija (hot springs) €3/person – Lagoa das Furnas |
| TOTAL | €229.85 | 7 days at €16.42/day per person. |
A daily budget of €10-€40 is a choice. One day of work in Australia funds my entire weekly trip.
My Car Rental Experience in São Miguel
- Cost: Weekly rates at DiscoverCars.com start at €40. Cross-check against EconomyBookings. To avoid paying additional fees, follow my Rental Excess Insurance Guide.
- Provider Rating: Surprice. 5/5. Great company in Ponta Delgada. No issues whatsoever and super friendly. They provide a shuttle from the airport to their office. Allowed me to get the car 2 hours earlier and return 2 hours later without extra fees. Super quick and hassle-free return process.
Sleeping in a Rental in São Miguel
- Legality: Legally grey area, generally tolerated. No “camping behavior” (chairs, tables outside of the car). Check park4night app for good spots and refer to my Car Sleeping Guide for more details.
- Infrastructure: Some public toilets, generally clean.
- Vehicle Audit: Citroen C3. Great. Fuel efficient, seats folded flat.
- Fuel: The fuel prices are locked and updated monthly. Cheaper than mainland Portugal due to lower taxes.
- Tolls: No toll roads in the Azores.
Other Tips
- €4 50GB eSIM: If you need data, Lyca Mobile Portugal often runs a great promo – 50GB at €4/month. Check their site for active offers.
- Travelling to Faial or Pico?: You might find my report helpful. Or maybe heading to Terceira?
- Inter-Island Flight Hack: If you’re looking for inter island flights, try Multi City search option on Skyscanner and choose up to 3 flights. I managed to snatch a combined ticket with 3 flights (Lisbon-Horta, Horta-Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada-Terceira) for €204.58 total, €102.29 per person via Trip.com OTA (registered luggage included). You might have to play around with the dates.
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