Want to spend your vacation at a slow pace? Head over Spain! With its atmosphere, you wouldn’t help but take it easy in the said country. Such mood is perfect for honeymoons, leisure strolls, and lazy afternoons.
A slow-paced travel, however, would make your days longer. Subsequently, your stay might be costlier. If you want to keep the prices reasonable, you should have a budget plan ready before your trip. That said, here’s a guide on how much does it cost to go to Spain.
Cost Considerations
You should consider the following factors while calculating the trip to Spain cost:
- Number of travelers
- Length of your stay
- Your itinerary
- How much are you willing to spend
Logically, the cost would go higher if you’re traveling with a partner or your family. You would have to multiply the daily expenses by the number of people, after all.
The price would go higher if you stay longer in the country. There are exceptions, though. Some travelers on a tight budget can stretch their euros for up to 36 days without spending much. A vacationer who has only a week to spare, on the other hand, would likely spend thousands in a rush to see everything.
Cost Breakdown
The bulk of the trip to Spain cost would depend on how much you’d spend on airfare. Upon landing, the accommodation, meals, and tourist activities in the country would decide the overall price.
Airfare
Kayak is one of the many aggregators online that lists the cheapest flights for a specific travel. An initial search of deals for a round-trip ticket to Spain yielded the following results:
- Boston to Barcelona: $325
- Newark to Barcelona: $361
- New York to Barcelona: $375
- Boston to Madrid Barajas: $382
- Miami to Barcelona: $417
- Oakland to Barcelona: $435
Note that these deals are updated every 48 hours, so check their site regularly.
You could also find low-priced round-trip tickets at Cheapflights.com. Some of the costs include:
- New York to Barcelona: $348 to $396
- Chicago to Madrid: $600 to $633
- Los Angeles to Barcelona: $349 to $903
- Dallas to Madrid: $711 to $1,002
Peak and Low Season
Peak season in Spain falls in April to mid-October. The prices tend to shoot up in July and August as festivals in the country occur during these months.
Off-season, on the other hand, is from late October to November. Rain is expected during these months so only a few visitors come to Spain.
The best prices of tickets usually appear from December to March. Keep an eye on deals and book as fast as you can to save on airfare.
Accommodation
Spain is one of the places in the world with the most number of visitors. Tourists flocking the nation reach 20 million each year! That said, thousands of accommodations that fit any budget are available in the country.
For an idea of the cost of accommodation, here are average prices:
- Dorm hostel: $13 to $28
- Private hotel/hostel room: $17 to $90
- Five-star hotel: $160 to $220
- Mountain refuges, monasteries, and pilgrim accommodation: Starts at $17
- Campsites: $5.45 to $7 + tent
At present, there are more than 16,000 hotels, 14,000 rural houses, 150,000 apartments, and 1,100 campsites in the country.
Despite the sheer number, it could be hard to book for a place to stay in during the peak season. Thus, you should reserve well ahead of your trip. Spain.info has a wide range of accommodation listings to help you choose.
Paradores
Staying in Paradores is a distinctive choice of accommodation in Spain. You could find this type of hotel in the country’s most beautiful places. Some of them are even located in historic sites.
The hotel could be a former castle, monastery, or other Spanish monuments that providers converted to accommodate visitors. Prices are similar to top class hotels, ranging from $160 to $200. The exact cost varies depending on the location and popularity of the place.
Rural Houses
Some homeowners in the country convert their properties into tourist accommodations. Most of these rural houses, called in Spanish as “Casas Rurales”, are available for a week-long stay. You can rent by room or by the property. Prices per person start at $33.
Food and Drinks
Some travelers have the tendency to overspend on food. They tend to say that eating should not be restricted by your budget. While that principle is alright for tourists who have so much money to spare, it’s not advisable if you’re a backpacker. That said, here are sample costs of meals in Barcelona:
- Budget breakfast: $3.26 to $7
- Budget lunch: $5.43 to $10
- Budget dinner: $9 to $17
- A pint of beer: $3 to $5
- A glass of table wine: $1.09 to $3.26
Saving on Meals
To save more on costs, you could try self-catering. A week’s worth of groceries would only range about $25 to $55+. The average prices if you’re cooking for yourself vary depending on the city you’re in.
The overall cost of meals, if you’re eating out, would also depend on where you are in the country. For instance, it’s generally more expensive to eat in Barcelona than in Madrid and Sevilla. Thus, opt for places where you could find cheap dishes.
Most restaurants serve a three-course meal including drinks at lunchtime. If you’re getting up late, this could be a bargain. The average price of a “Menu del Dia” ranges from $11 to $22.
Specialties in Spain
Don’t ever miss eating Spain’s paella! This hearty rice meal is loaded with seafood, chicken, saffron, and vegetables that are guaranteed to fill you up. Tapas are equally popular, costing $1.63 to $4.36 a portion.
Also, sample Spain’s wine like Sherry, Rioja, and Cava.
Local Transportation
Exploring Spain is something you would not be tired of. To fully take in all the sights, it is best to walk within a Spanish city. If your time is limited, though, you could get around by bus, train, or taxi.
Buses in Spain
Both cities and provincial capitals in Spain have bus networks. A single ticket cost between €1 and €2 ($1.09-2.18). If you’re staying in an expensive city like Barcelona, you could save more by buying a stack of 10 tickets.
You can buy your ticket on the bus or from tobacconists. A stack of tickets, which you can also use in trains, are available at any metro station.
Trains in Spain
Cities in Spain, particularly Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Bilbao, and Seville have metro systems. The network ranges from limited to extensive. Some sample prices include:
- Single ticket: around $1.63
- MetroBus (10-trip tickets in Madrid): around $13
- T-10 (10-trip tickets in Barcelona): around $12
You could also book your train tickets online. Here’s a beginner’s guide on how to order passes and get around the country using the metro.
Taxis in Spain
Taxis are scattered in large Spanish cities. You could hail one in the street if the taxi’s green light (or libre sign) is on. The flag fall in Madrid is about $2.61 to $3.16 depending on the time of day. The charge per kilometer is $1.14 to $1.31.
According to Lonely Planet, it would only cost about $11 if you cross towns of major cities by taxi.
Attractions
Museums, monasteries, and palaces in Spain are sights to behold. Visit one or two of them during your trip to appreciate the country’s vibrant art and architecture. Some of the top-rated attractions include:
- Museo del Prado: $16.34, $26.15 with official guide
- Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba: Free for children under 8 years old, $40 guided tour
- Guggenheim Bilbao: $11
- La Sagrada Familia: 16.34
- Museo Picasso: $15.25
Activities
Aside from its magnificent structures, Spain offers plenty of other activities that highlight the country’s culture. One of them is the popular bullfighting or “corrida”. To watch, you would have to pay a ticket costing $5.45. However, prices may go as high as $160 if you’re seeing the show during the bullfight season (March to October).
If you’re the outdoor type, try scaling Spanish mountains like the Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Gredos. Another option is rafting in various rivers across the country. The fee is $38 for two hours.
Other activities to enjoy in Spain include:
- Skiing: $22 to $33 equipment rental, $27 to $44 daily lift pass
- Waterskiing: Starts at $33 for 15 minutes
- Windsurfing: Starts at $27 for 1-hour board and sail rental
Calculating the Spain Vacation Cost
How much does it cost to go to Spain? It depends on the way you like to travel. Most budget travelers spend about $45 a day, mid-range $115, and luxury $310.
If you would stick to your plan, you’ll only spend $315 (budget) or $805 (mid-range) for a week’s stay in Spain. Add a cheap ticket costing $600+ and you would get the following figures:
- Budget: $915 to $965
- Mid-range: $1,405 to $1,455
Note that these prices only include major factors that affect the Spain vacation cost. It could always go lower or higher depending on how you’d spend your trip.
Additional Costs
Some of the miscellaneous expenses you should prepare for include:
- Internet
- Medicines
- Souvenirs
- Clothes
- Festivals
- Domestic flights