Spain has it all. Bustling cities contrast beautifully with serene beaches and beautiful forest trails. The food is light, bright, and infused with a melting pot of Mediterranean cultures.
Plus, it’s easy to get around and there are endless destinations from which to choose. Before you get too deep into the planning, though, it’s important to take a look at the budget.
How much will the trip cost? What prices aren’t negotiable and which are? Where can you save money to put toward those unicorn experiences without which your trip will feel incomplete?
These are critical questions to answer, whether you’re traveling with college friends, honeymooning, or attending a family reunion abroad. Naturally, the exact costs for your trip will depend on your unique situation, but we’re here to help you do your best to plan.
In this guide, we’ve done the legwork for you. Below, you’ll find a basic rundown of the most salient costs on any trip, from accommodations and flights to activities and transportation.
In each section, we’ll help you trim the fat wherever you can, so you can travel affordably without sacrifice. Ready to learn how? Let us be your guide!
Average Trip to Spain Cost in 2024
An average one-week trip to Spain for two people in 2024 can cost up to $4,000.
- Average Accommodation Cost: $100 per night
- Average Flight Cost: $700 per person
- Food, Drink & Activities: $100
- Transportation: $300
- Total Cost: $3,800
As you can see, a one-week trip to Spain for two people is less costly than you might think, provided you don’t go all out. Because Spain’s accommodations and food are pretty affordable and its public transportation system is quite robust, you can save considerably on daily costs.
Many people are surprised to discover that Spain is so much more affordable than places nearer to America, such as Hawaii or the Bahamas, but done right it certainly can be!
Note that the cost of tickets is predicated on your willingness to accept stopovers and transfers, which some people are averse to. If you want more direct flights, you may have to pay more.
Similarly, accommodations in the more popular neighborhoods of the big cities – Madrid, Seville, or Barcelona, for example – will run higher than average. As you read through the upcoming sections, keep this in mind.
Your individual goals will dictate where you want to spend and where you want to save. For instance, if you can’t stand flying but don’t care about how big your hotel room is, then you can pay for a more expensive flight and save money on a small hostel room once you get to Spain.
Ready for the deets? Let’s take a look.
Spain Trip Cost: Average by Item
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Although the pandemic skyrocketed the cost of travel, American travelers do have one thing going in their favor: the dollar-to-euro exchange rate is still quite strong.
Though a dollar is worth less than a euro, the rate is not nearly as out of balance as it has been in years past, giving you more budget to work with. And with the right mindset, you can save even more.
Accommodation Costs
If you search hotel prices for Spain, you’ll find a huge range. You can find small pod-like rooms with a bed for only one or two people and no bathroom for as little as $40.
On the other hand, if you’re honeymooning and want to treat yourselves, you can easily spend $300 or more on a room. Taken as an average, a nice room for a night will run you around $100.
You can save money by packaging your hotel room together with your flight costs – discussed more below – or by staying somewhere more out of the way.
Remember that any time you’re competing for a limited commodity, such as beach access or proximity to Old Town, you’re going to have to spend more. However, if you’re willing to stay further out and take public transportation to the popular activity areas, you can save oodles.
Airbnb and VRBO both have presences in Spain as well. However, these are hit-or-miss due to Spain’s hotly contested rental laws, so it will depend on the area to which you’re traveling.
If you can find them and you’re traveling with a group, though, you can decrease nightly rates per person quite a bit. Feeling adventurous?
Campgrounds in Spain can cost as little as $8 per night, so you might opt out of hotel and activity costs and instead rent a camper van for your Spanish expedition!
If you were going to get a rental car anyway – one of the best ways to see the countryside – then this doesn’t add all that much to your transportation prices while cutting accommodations down significantly.
Flight Costs
You can get from a hub such as New York City or Los Angeles to Barcelona for around $700. Keep in mind that ticket costs don’t include the price of getting to the hub, so if you’re coming from a small town or city, factor that in.
There are better and worse times to travel to Spain, cost-wise. Summer is the most expensive season, with prices peaking from June through August. It’s also more expensive to travel on weekends.
You can save considerably if you travel in the winter months – November through March, roughly. Considering that Spain has some very cute Christmas traditions, such as markets and pageants, you might want to hit it up during the holidays.
If that’s not your cup of tea, then travel midweek to save money. If you want to stay at nicer hotels, you might consider buying a package.
This usually consists of airfare and accommodations combined, though some packages also toss in a rental car to sweeten the deal. For instance, you can get an 8-day stay in Barcelona, with airfare included, for about $2,000 per person.
Note, however, that $4,000 for two equals the total cost of the trip we predicted above minus daily expenditures and transportation, so it might not seem like a better deal.
That’s because the vacation packages in Spain aren’t at the more affordable lodgings. Instead, they’re at boutique hotels and resorts.
As such, this is a great option for people who were planning to spend in excess of $100 per night – e.g. honeymooners or older travelers. It is not, however, the approach most young travelers will choose.
Food, Drink & Activity Costs
Spain is not a terribly expensive country in which to travel. If you compare it to France or Italy, other popular European destinations, it is typically more affordable.
For that reason, you can get by on a lower daily budget than in some of the surrounding countries.
According to USA Today, “Spain-bound travelers on a fixed budget can get by on a bare minimum of $32 to $45 per day, while a mid-level daily allotment including a modest hotel room, sandwich, dinner in a restaurant, drinks and a museum or two should run about $120.”
Subtracting the hotel room, let’s say that $75 per day is a reasonable cost for one person when visiting Spain. If you plan to do mostly free and low-cost activities – walking, hiking, beach hangouts, etc. – then this should work fine.
If you have any truly spectacular activities you want to do, though, you’ll have to ratchet that cost up.
For instance, a hot air balloon ride in Spain runs between $200 and $300, which adds considerably to the daily budget – about $25 extra per day if you’re there for a week. Similarly, you’ll need to add additional budget if you’re planning to eat at nice restaurants.
Foodies will want to plan on a per diem of closer to $125 if that’s the case. Overall, the average traveler can round to about $100 per day for food, drink, and activities.
One of the best ways to save money in Spain is to shop at grocery stores and prepare food yourself. If your accommodations have a kitchenette, it will be much easier to prepare your meals.
Even if they don’t, you can still save on eating out by buying bread, cheese, yogurt, fruit, sliced veggies, and sandwiches from grocery stores and taking the picnic route.
Transportation Costs
Spain is not a very expensive country to get around in, provided you’re willing to use public transport. A bus ticket between Madrid and Barcelona, for instance, is a little north of $30 per person, while in-town transportation is only a few dollars per day.
If you want to take a private car to or from the airport, though, plan to pay a little more. The average cost for a taxi in Spain is about $2.50 per mile, with a $22/hour cost for waiting.
If you want to take a cab or rented car, you’ll need to factor that into your total transportation costs. Also, if you’re traveling with more people, the cost of a taxi goes down compared to public transportation – since you’re paying for more people – but will always be more expensive.
In total, for two people, you should plan on spending about $300 for transportation, assuming that most of your travel time occurs on public transport.
Things to Consider
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Here are a few other things to consider when planning your trip to Spain:
- Traveling alone can be dangerous in any country. That’s not to say you can’t do it, of course, merely that if you’re going solo (especially as a female), you should stick to well-lit, highly trafficked areas and always have a cell phone on you.
- Cannabis is legal in Spain in amounts of up to 100 grams for personal use only. Possessing or consuming it in public places, possessing more than 100 grams, or trafficking it are all illegal and can get you in serious trouble.
- Spain has two coasts: the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. While the ocean is considerably more volatile than the sea, it pays to be careful when swimming in either, as riptides are always a serious risk. Also, sharks are not uncommon.
- Dollars are not accepted anywhere in Spain, so use an exchange service at the airport upon arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Spain expensive?
Spain is not particularly expensive compared to Europe or even some places closer to North America, such as Hawaii. However, you should plan to spend around $4,000 for a one-week trip for two.
How long should I stay in Spain?
You could stay in Spain forever and never run out of activities, but a week should be enough to enjoy a few cities and a few countryside adventures. If you have the time and money, two weeks won’t get boring!
Is it safe in Spain?
The State Department rates Spain at a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution due to civil unrest and terrorism. Wherever possible, avoid large groups, as those tend to become targets of attack.
Where should I go?
Where you stay in Spain depends on a myriad of factors, such as what landmarks or cities you want to see or which hub you fly into. If you’re still not sure where to travel in Spain, it’s a good idea to check out what the locals think first.
When is the best time to visit Spain?
If you like bustling crowds and summer heat, go June through August, but be prepared to pay more, as that’s the high season. If you can tolerate rain, then the winter months will save you money.
Is it easy to get around?
Yes, it’s quite easy to get around in Spain, given its amazing public transportation system. Buses and trains offer affordable transport both inside cities and between them, so you don’t have to worry about costs adding up either.
So, What Is the Average Cost for a Spain Trip?
| 🛎️ Average Accommodation Cost | $100 per night |
| ✈️ Average Flight Cost | $700 per person |
| 🍽️ Food, Drink & Activities | $100 per person per day |
| 🚕 Transportation | $300 total |
| 💲 Total Cost | $3,800 |
A trip to Europe for two, for an entire week, for less than $4,000? Yes, it can absolutely be done, and travelers just like you are doing it right now! Don’t wait to book your trip and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime today. Happy travels!