Is Matera expensive? What things really cost in 2026
Short answer
Matera is mid-priced for Italy: cheaper than Rome, Florence or the Amalfi Coast, but dearer than most of southern Italy because cave hotels are in demand. A realistic budget day is about €90 per person, mid-range about €180, and the money goes mostly on a room in the Sassi and on a car or tour for the trips outside town.
Daily budget: backpacker, mid-range, luxury
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €45 | €85 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €50 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €12 | €25 | €60 |
| Local transport | €4 | €20 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €91 | €180 | €400 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Matera day-cost table.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price* |
|---|---|
| Espresso at the bar | about €1–1.50 |
| FAL train Bari–Matera | about €5–6 |
| Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario | about €3–5 |
| Palombaro Lungo guided visit | about €3–5 |
| Rock churches combined ticket | about €6–10 |
| Crypt of Original Sin | about €10–15, by reservation |
| Main course in a cave restaurant | about €14–22 |
| Cave room in the Sassi | about €120–230 a night |
* Approximate prices, October 2026. They change with season and exchange rates.
Where the money goes
The biggest cost is sleeping in a restored cave in the Sasso Barisano or Caveoso, about €120–230 a night, while B&Bs in the new town cost about €70–120. Sights in town are cheap individually: Casa Grotta, the Palombaro Lungo and the rock churches each cost a few euros. The expensive part is getting out of town: Craco, the Crypt of Original Sin and the Lucanian Dolomites need a rental car or a tour, and the Volo dell'Angelo zip line costs about €50–60. Trattoria meals are about €25–40 per person, more in cave restaurants with a view. Matera adds a tourist tax of a few euros per person per night.
When it is cheaper
Rooms are usually cheapest from November to March, apart from the Christmas period; July, August and the days around the 2 July festival are the most expensive and should be booked early.
How to spend less
- Sleep in the new town near Piazza Vittorio Veneto and walk 5 minutes down to the Sassi.
- Buy a combined ticket for the rock churches instead of single entries.
- Walk across the ravine to Murgia Timone instead of paying for a taxi, if you are fit and the path is open.
- Eat at a trattoria in the new town; cave restaurants charge for the setting.
- Take the FAL train from Bari (about €5–6) rather than a private transfer.
- Share a car between several people for Craco and the Dolomites, or join a group tour.
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Common questions
How much does a day in Matera cost?
About €90 per person on a budget, €180 mid-range and €400 in comfort, sharing a double.
Is a cave hotel worth the price?
For one or two nights it is the Matera experience: about €120–230 in the Sassi against €70–120 for a B&B in the new town.
Are the sights expensive?
No. Casa Grotta and the Palombaro Lungo cost about €3–5 each, and a rock churches ticket about €6–10.