How much does a trip to Spain cost

The short answer: your daily budget

Three scenarios per person per day, assuming two people share a double room:

Budget (€50–70): budget accommodation or hostel, set lunch menu at midday, public transport, and one entry or free museums.

Mid-range (€90–150): mid-range hotel, eating out twice, one or two entry fees, and a beer or coffee.

Comfort (€180 or more): better-located hotel, à la carte dinners, taxis, and experiences (flamenco, tours, boat trips).

Travelling solo makes the hotel room more expensive (no one to split it with); travelling as a couple or group brings the cost down.

Accommodation: the biggest line item

It's the largest expense, and the most seasonal. A mid-range double room averages €90–150 per night in high season and drops to €60–95 in low season. Split between two, that's €30–75 per person.

Budget options (guesthouses, rooms, hostels) cut costs considerably, and booking in advance makes a real difference in the more expensive cities. The date matters as much as the neighbourhood: check our best-time guide, because July, August, and public holiday weekends send prices soaring.

Food: the set lunch menu is your best friend

Spain works in your favour here. The menú del día — starter, main, dessert or coffee, and often a drink — costs €13–18 from Monday to Friday and is, by far, the best value meal of the day; at weekends it rises to €22–29. A café con leche runs €1.30–2, a small draft beer €2–3 (in some areas with a free tapa included), and a pintxo in the north €2.50–3.50.

A sit-down dinner à la carte comes to €25–40 per person. Team tip: eat a proper lunch with the set menu and keep dinner light — tapas or something simple.

Transport: cheap within cities, AVE between them

Within each city you barely spend anything: a single metro or bus ticket costs €1.30–2 and multi-trip passes are even better value; historic centres are walkable anyway. Between cities, the AVE and high-speed trains (Renfe, OUIGO, iryo) connect the main destinations in 1–3 hours, with tickets from €9–30 if you book early.

A car only makes sense for rural areas or the coast; in cities, parking is expensive and many centres have low-emission zones.

Tickets and experiences

The range is huge: from free to nearly €40. There's plenty that's free or nearly so — many cathedrals during certain hours, the Museo del Prado Monday to Saturday from 6 to 8 pm; top monuments run €12–16 (Real Alcázar de Sevilla, Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, Prado general admission); the highest-priced reach €22–26 (Alhambra, Sagrada Família) or €35–39 (Oceanogràfic de Valencia).

Book the big ones online (the Alhambra and Sagrada Família sell out weeks in advance) and take advantage of free time slots. A flamenco show runs around €25–35.

Expensive vs cheap: where your money goes

Not all cities cost the same. Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Madrid are the most expensive for accommodation and restaurants; Córdoba, Granada, Tarragona, and Málaga are noticeably more affordable for sleeping and eating. As a general rule, the south and inland areas are cheaper than the northeastern coast and the Basque Country.

If budget is the priority, combine one expensive city (a couple of nights) with a more affordable one nearby: the AVE makes it easy and your average trip spend goes down.

How we calculated this

These figures aren't a rough guess: we averaged real prices — hotel, set lunch menu, coffee, transport, and entry fees — verified city by city across eleven Spanish destinations in our guides. You can check and compare costs by city on our data page.

They're indicative and change with the season, how far in advance you book, and your travel style; use them as a starting point, not a fixed bill.