Ios on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Ios is one of the Cyclades that suits budget travellers, thanks to camping, buses and free beaches. Plan on about €71 per person per day (bed €35, food €25, sights €5, transport €6), more in August.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €35 | €75 | €180 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €5 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €6 | €20 | €45 |
| Per person, per day | €71 | €170 | €375 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Ios day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk up through Chora to the chapel of Panagia Gremiotissa for the view
- See the windmills at the top of Chora
- Swim on the free sand of Mylopotas
- Watch the sunset at Koumbara
- Visit the Tomb of Homer at Plakotos, an open site with no ticket
- Swim at Agia Theodoti and walk up to the ruins of Paleokastro
Cheap eats
- Gyros pitta in Chora: around €4
- Skotiri, the local cheese, on rusks at a taverna
- Revithada (slow-baked chickpeas): a cheap taverna dish
- Fava with capers: a filling starter
- Bakery pies for breakfast or a beach picnic
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay at the Mylopotas campsites and simple beach rooms, from about €40–90, with the bus to Chora. Rooms at the port are quieter and a little cheaper than central Chora.
Getting around cheaply
The bus is the cheapest way around: about €2 between the port, Chora and Mylopotas, and around €3–4 to Manganari. Use a beach boat for the south coast and rent a vehicle for one day for the north and east.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk around Chora and up to the windmills (free)
- Lunch: gyros pitta (about €4)
- Afternoon: bus to Mylopotas and a swim (about €4 return)
- Evening: taverna dinner in Chora (about €15–18)
- Total: about €25–30 plus your bed (about €35), so roughly €60–70
More ways to save
- Travel in June or September for lower prices and a calmer island.
- Book August rooms early; prices rise as the month fills.
- Ask your hotel about a free port transfer when booking directly.
- Buy water and snacks in Chora before going to Manganari, where shops are few.
- Share a rental car with friends for the Plakotos and east-coast day.
- Check ferry timetables a few days ahead; they change each season.
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Common questions
Can I visit Ios on a budget?
Yes, at about €71 a day with camping or simple rooms, buses and gyros.
Do I need a car on Ios?
Not for Chora, the port and Mylopotas; rent one for a day for the north and east.
What is free on Ios?
Chora's lanes and windmills, the beaches, Koumbara sunsets and Homer's Tomb.