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San Sebastian on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
San Sebastián is hard on a budget because of hotel prices, but eating and sightseeing can be cheap. A realistic daily minimum is about €94 per person sharing a room.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €50 | €105 | €280 |
| Food & drink | €35 | €70 | €180 |
| Sights & tickets | €5 | €20 | €60 |
| Local transport | €4 | €8 | €20 |
| Per person, per day | €94 | €203 | €540 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our San Sebastian day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking La Concha promenade to the Miramar Palace and Ondarreta
- Eduardo Chillida's Comb of the Wind sculptures
- Climbing Monte Urgull to the Mota castle and the Christ statue
- Swimming at La Concha, Ondarreta or Zurriola
- The old town's streets and Plaza de la Constitución
- Watching surfers at Zurriola beach
Cheap eats
- Gilda pintxo, roughly €2.50-3.50
- Salt-cod omelette pintxo, roughly €3-5
- Txangurro (spider crab) pintxo, roughly €4-7
- A glass of txakoli or cider, roughly €2.50-4
- Slice of Basque burnt cheesecake, roughly €5-7
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Egia or Amara, about €80-130 for a double, a short walk or bus ride from the centre; hostels in the old town and Gros offer dorm beds.
Getting around cheaply
Walk everywhere in the centre and use Dbus for Monte Igueldo. From Bilbao airport, buses take about 1 hour 15 minutes; Biarritz is an alternative. Lurraldebus buses reach Getaria, Zarautz and Hondarribia cheaply.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk La Concha to the Comb of the Wind (free)
- Lunch: two pintxos and a drink in Gros, about €12
- Afternoon: climb Monte Urgull (free) and swim at La Concha
- Evening: pintxos crawl in the old town, about €25
- Total: about €94 including a shared room
More ways to save
- Go to pintxos bars at lunchtime, when they are less crowded.
- Ask prices before filling a plate from the counter.
- Do the coastal walk from Getaria to Zarautz instead of a tour.
- Travel outside July, August and the Film Festival for lower hotel rates.
- Have breakfast at a café counter rather than in the hotel.
- Visit the San Telmo Museum on its free day if available; check the museum website.
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Common questions
Can you visit San Sebastián on a budget?
Yes, with a room in Egia or Amara and pintxos for meals, about €94 per person a day.
What is free in San Sebastián?
The beaches, La Concha promenade, the Comb of the Wind, Monte Urgull and the old town streets.
What is the cheapest way to get to San Sebastián?
Often a flight to Bilbao or Biarritz and a bus, about 1 hour 15 minutes from Bilbao airport.