Spain on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Spain is good for budget travel: about €90 per person per day covers a shared room, tapas and set lunches, city transport and one monument. Early-booked trains and the many free museum hours make it easy to stretch.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €40 | €85 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €10 | €30 |
| Per person, per day | €90 | €180 | €400 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Spain day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Visit the Prado in its free evening hours
- Walk through Madrid's Retiro Park and the Palacio de Cristal
- Watch the sunset at the Templo de Debod in Madrid
- See the tiled Plaza de España and María Luisa Park in Seville
- Climb into the Albaicín to the Mirador de San Nicolás in Granada
- Watch the sunset from the Bunkers del Carmel in Barcelona
Cheap eats
- Menú del día, about €12-18
- Bocadillo de calamares in Madrid, about €4-6
- Montaditos and manzanilla in Seville, about €2-4 each
- Free tapas with drinks in Granada, drinks about €3-4
- Churros with chocolate, about €4-6
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Madrid's Lavapiés, Seville's Macarena and hostels in Barcelona and Granada, with dorm beds from about €25-45 and budget doubles at about €70-110, more during festivals.
Getting around cheaply
City metros cost about €1.50-2.50 a ride, cheaper with multi-trip cards. Airports link to the centre by metro or express bus (Madrid's metro and airport express, Barcelona's Aerobús or train). Between cities, low-cost high-speed trains (Ouigo, Iryo) and ALSA buses are the cheapest options.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Retiro Park and a walk to Sol, free
- Lunch: menú del día, about €15
- Afternoon: Royal Palace, about €14
- Evening: free Prado hours and tapas in La Latina, about €20
- Total: about €90 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Eat your main meal at lunch, when set menus are cheapest.
- Drink tap water (agua del grifo); restaurants will usually bring it if you ask.
- Visit Andalusia in winter or early spring for lower prices.
- Check free-entry days and hours for museums in each city.
- Stand at the bar for tapas; table service can cost more.
- Take ALSA buses for routes like Seville-Granada, often cheaper than trains.
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Common questions
Is Spain good for budget travel?
Yes, at about €90 a day with set lunches, tapas, hostels and early-booked trains.
Where are tapas free in Spain?
In Granada, and in some bars in Jaén, León and Almería, a tapa comes with every drink.
How can I see the Prado for free?
Entry is free from 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sundays; arrive early for the queue.