Positano on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Positano is hard on a budget but not impossible if you sleep high up, eat in the upper town and use buses. A realistic minimum is about €120 per person a day: €60 for a bed, €40 for food, €10 for sights and €10 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €60 | €160 | €450 |
| Food & drink | €40 | €70 | €150 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €35 | €80 |
| Local transport | €10 | €25 | €80 |
| Per person, per day | €120 | €290 | €760 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Positano day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The free public section of Spiaggia Grande.
- The church of Santa Maria Assunta and its majolica dome.
- The cliff path Via Positanesi d'America to Fornillo.
- Sunset from the steps above Spiaggia Grande.
- The Path of the Gods from Bomerano to Nocelle (bus fare only).
- The view over the town from Nocelle and Montepertuso.
Cheap eats
- Grocery-shop sandwich: about €6–8.
- Pizza or pasta near Chiesa Nuova: about €12–18.
- Delizia al limone from a pastry shop: a few euros.
- Family trattoria lunch in Nocelle.
- Spaghetti with colatura di alici, the anchovy sauce from Cetara.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in the upper town around Chiesa Nuova, or in Nocelle and Montepertuso, from about €90–180 a room. Amalfi or Sorrento can be cheaper bases.
Getting around cheaply
From Naples airport, take a bus to Sorrento and then the SITA bus along the coast (about 2–2.5 hours). Use ferries to Amalfi (about €10–15) from about April to October and the Interno bus (about €1.50–2) around town.
A sample budget day
- Morning: bus to Bomerano and walk the Path of the Gods (about €6 in bus fares).
- Lunch: grocery-shop sandwich and a drink (about €10).
- Afternoon: Interno bus down from Nocelle, a swim at the free part of Spiaggia Grande and a granita (about €7).
- Evening: pasta and a glass of wine in the upper town (about €30).
- Total: about €120 including a €60 bed share.
More ways to save
- Visit in May or late September for warm sea and better prices.
- Buy bus tickets in advance to avoid fines and missed buses.
- Start at the first stop on SITA routes to get a seat in summer.
- Choose ferry day trips to Amalfi and Ravello rather than private boats.
- Carry a refillable bottle; tap water is safe.
- Skip sunbeds and bring a towel to the free beach.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Positano on a budget?
Only relatively: stay in the upper town, eat there, use buses and the free beach, for about €120 a day.
What is the cheapest way from Naples airport?
Bus to Sorrento, then the SITA bus along the coast, about 2–2.5 hours in total.
Where should budget travellers stay?
The upper town around Chiesa Nuova, or Nocelle and Montepertuso, from about €90–180.