For a week in Spain, plan on 700 to 1,000 EUR per person travelling lean, 1,100 to 1,500 EUR for a comfortable trip, and 1,800 EUR and up at the high end, flights included. Spain is good value by Western European standards. A couple on a tight budget spends around 111 EUR a day for two, close to 777 EUR for the week excluding flights. Andalusia costs less than Barcelona.
Spain remains one of the most affordable destinations in Western Europe. Your money lasts longer than in many capitals, and the gap is widest on eating and drinking, with a local beer around 3 EUR.
Now to put numbers on it. Here is the real budget for a week, category by category, profile by profile, then city by city. All prices are 2026 ranges, for two people or per person, flagged each time.
The budget by category
Five categories carry most of the bill. Here is what each really costs.
| Category | Range (per person / week) | Concrete benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight | 80 to 250 EUR | Much cheaper outside school holidays and booked early |
| Accommodation | 200 to 550 EUR | Hostel private double ~102 EUR a night, shared between two |
| Food | 120 to 300 EUR | Menu del dia at lunch: 12 to 15 EUR, starter, main, dessert, drink |
| Local transport | 30 to 120 EUR | Metro/bus ticket: 1.50 EUR; ALSA long-distance bus from 15 to 25 EUR |
| Sights and activities | 40 to 150 EUR | Sagrada Familia ~26 EUR, Alhambra ~19 EUR, many museums free on some days |
Flights and accommodation make the real difference between a lean trip and a comfortable one. On the ground, eating and getting around stay cheap as long as you avoid the tourist terraces on the main avenues.
The budget by traveller type
Three ways to travel, three budgets. Here is the weekly total, per person, flights included.
| Profile | Accommodation | Typical food | Week total / person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | Hostel, dorm or shared room | Menu del dia, markets, tapas | 700 to 1,000 EUR |
| Mid-comfort | 3-star hotel or nice flat | Local restaurants, a few outings | 1,100 to 1,500 EUR |
| High-end | Central 4-star hotel | Good tables, guided activities | 1,800 EUR and up |
For a couple on a tight budget, plan on around 111 EUR a day for two, close to 777 EUR for the week on the ground, excluding flights. The backpacker profile gets the most out of Spain: this is where the value really shows, especially at the restaurant table.
By city: Barcelona, Madrid, Andalusia
The choice of destination changes the budget by half. Here are the three main hubs, from priciest to gentlest on the wallet.
Barcelona, the priciest
Plan on 1,200 to 1,800 EUR per person for a week, excluding flights. Hotels are stretched, especially in summer, and the headline sights are booked and paid for. A beautiful city, but step off the main avenues to eat, or the bill doubles. Our guide to what to do in Barcelona covers the traps to avoid.
Madrid, just below
Count on 900 to 1,400 EUR per person, excluding flights. The capital is more affordable than Barcelona on accommodation, and several major museums (the Prado, the Reina Sofia) open for free in certain evening slots. A real saving if you build your plan around them.
Andalusia, the best value
Seville, Granada, Cordoba: 900 to 1,300 EUR per person excluding flights, often less. Hotels and meals are far gentler than in Barcelona, and apart from the Alhambra, many wonders are walked and seen for free. If budget is the priority, this is where to aim.
- Renfe launched Avlo, its low-cost high-speed brand, on the Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona line. Booked early, these high-speed trains rival the bus on the busiest routes, while the standard high-speed train stays expensive at the last minute.
The costs people underestimate
Two expenses often break the planned budget. The first, the surcharge on central terraces: in Barcelona as in Madrid, the same beer costs double on a tourist square and in a neighbourhood bar a hundred metres away. The second, cash withdrawals at independent ATMs such as Euronet, which charge fees and offer an unfavourable “conversion”. Favour contactless card, accepted everywhere, and the ATMs of real banks. A simple guesthouse night in Andalusia still comes in under 40 EUR for two, where a 2 or 3-star hotel runs between 60 and 100 EUR a night.
Saving without going without
Travelling well in Spain does not mean spending more. A few habits that change the total.
- Have the menu del dia at lunch. This midday set menu at 12 to 15 EUR includes a starter, main, dessert and drink. It is the best meal of the day and the cheapest. In the evening, switch to tapas.
- Take the ALSA bus rather than the train. On most routes, the coach is cheaper than the standard Renfe. Madrid to Barcelona takes about 6 hours for a fraction of a last-minute train fare.
- Book transport early. The cheapest tickets, bus and train alike, go fast on popular lines like Madrid-Barcelona or Seville-Granada.
- Travel outside July and August. Off-season, Barcelona and coastal hotels drop 20 to 40 percent, and you skip the crowds.
- Aim south. A week in Andalusia commonly costs 300 to 500 EUR less per person than a week in Barcelona.
Connectivity: when it weighs on the budget
In Spain, almost everything runs through your phone: routes, ALSA bus bookings, timed Alhambra tickets, translating a menu, paying a taxi. The good news: Spain is in the European Union. An EU mobile plan works there like at home, data included, with no roaming surcharge. For most travellers, this category costs zero.
So when should you plan for an eSIM? Three concrete cases. If your Europe data allowance is small and you lean hard on GPS and streaming, you risk going over at the higher rate. If you travel on a non-EU plan or extend to nearby Morocco, Spain roaming is no longer included. And if you want to keep your personal line untouched with data dedicated to the trip, a second eSIM line does the job.
| Your situation | Data in Spain | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| EU plan with Europe included | Included, as at home | The size of the data allowance abroad |
| Over the Europe allowance | Charged at the higher rate, by use | A bill that climbs without alert |
| Non-EU plan or hop outside the EU | Roaming not included | High cost per megabyte |
| Orange Travel eSIM | Fixed amount known in advance | Nothing, and refunded if unused |
If you fall into one of these cases, the eSIM replaces a SIM bought on site or roaming charged by the megabyte. Activate an eSIM for Spain before you leave. You are connected the moment you land, on the 4G/5G network, with no physical card to handle. The price is set before you go, so this budget line no longer moves.
- A week runs from 700 EUR (lean) to 1,800 EUR and up (high-end) per person, flights included.
- Andalusia costs 300 to 500 EUR less per person than a week in Barcelona.
- The 12 to 15 EUR lunchtime menu del dia is the best value of the trip.
- The ALSA bus often beats the standard train on price; book early either way.
- In the EU, your data is included: this category costs zero, unless you go over your allowance or add a non-EU stop.
With Orange, the service from a brand trusted by over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and a full refund if you never use your eSIM.
A stop outside the EU or heavy data use? Keep your connection under control.
