Is Barcelona Expensive to Visit?
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It may come as no surprise that being one of the capital cities Barcelona can be expensive to visit! However, that doesn’t mean that it needs to cost you an absolute fortune!
After visiting Barcelona a few times now, we’ve visited and spent a lot of money and then we’ve visited and spent barely anything. We want to share our experiences with you and the best way to explore Barcelona affordably!
We will share a rough guide on how much you can expect to spend on food, accommodation, sightseeing and so much more. You will also find tips on how to save money especially on attractions in Barcelona and make your money stretch further!
Quick Overview: Is Barcelona Expensive to Visit?
As we mentioned at the start of this post, yes Barcelona is expensive to visit but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you follow our Barcelona budget tips, you will not need to spend too much to make the most of your time in the city!
Accommodation
One of the biggest expenses you’ll find when visiting Barcelona comes down to the accommodation. Generally speaking you want to stay somewhere that is good quality as well as in a central location and that isn’t always easy if you’re travelling on a budget.
Depending on the type of accommodation you choose to stay in will depend on how much you will need to budget for when visiting Barcelona.
Hostels – between €12 – €20 per night
BnB’s – between €100 – €150 per night
Hotels – between €190 – €300 per night
These figures above for the accommodation in Barcelona will greatly depend on what time of year you’re visiting, how far in advance you book your accommodation and your accommodation standards. For us, as long as something is well-reviewed, we are quite open to staying even if we have to travel a bit further afield.
Explore the accommodation available in Barcelona during your travel dates to budget your trip even further!
Eating & Drinking Out
There are lots of affordable options for eating out in Barcelona which we explore further later in this blog post. If you’re staying in a hostel then you may want to purchase some items from a grocery shop so that you can save money on eating out.
However, generally speaking you can get some quite affordable meals without having to sacrifice on quality.
Domestic Beer – €2.50 – €5
Wine – €3 – €4
Soft Drink – €2 – €3
Water – €0.50 – €1
Breakfast – €10 – €20
Lunch – €15 – €30
Dinner – €10 – €30
Tapas Dishes – €5 – €6 per dish
Even though these figures don’t seem the most budget friendly there are lots of ways that you can keep the cost of food down when you’re visiting Barcelona. Make sure to read our section lower in this article for cheap places to eat in Barcelona and ways to save money on your food too!
Getting Around
Barcelona has an amazing public transport system and compared to other cities we’ve visited, including the UK, it is really affordable to get around the city!
Especially when you compare the cost of the train from the UK to Barcelona, it is definitely much more affordable and a cheap way to get around.
Metro – €2 – €3 per journey
Bus – €2.50 – €3 per journey
Train – €5 – €20 depending on the destination
Taxi – €5 – €10 depending on distance
Uber – €5 – €10 depending on distance
As we mentioned, the transport around Barcelona is quite affordable especially if you’re using the metro or bus to get around. If you’re planning to use the metro a lot whilst you’re in Barcelona then we would highly recommend purchasing the Hola Barcelona travel card, we used this ourselves and we save a lot of money by doing this. However, we mention a bit more about this again later in this blog post!
Also, if you’re planning to visit Montserrat from Barcelona then you will want to use the train service to get you there which is not expensive at all and we mention in our Montserrat blog post!
Attractions
If you’re looking to save money on sightseeing whilst in Barcelona then the first thing we recommend is purchasing a Go City Barcelona attraction pass. This is a great way to see as much as possible for much less of the cost! However, if you only have a day in Barcelona or maybe you don’t care about spending more money then below we share the cost of some of the popular attractions so that you can budget your trip!
La Sagrada Familia Guided Tour – €65
Casa Batllo – €35
Parc Guell Guided Tour – €45
L’Aquarium de Barcelona – €27
FC Barcelona Camp Nou Tour – €28
Hop-on Hop-off Bus – €33 for 24 hours
Barcelona Walking Tours – Free – €30
Food Tasting Tours – €25 – €50
Montserrat Tour – €35 – €45
This is not an extensive list of things to do in Barcelona but it at least gives you a good idea of how much everything costs without purchasing a Barcelona attraction pass.
Cheapest Time to Fly to Barcelona
Of course the costs of flights can really vary depending on where you’re travelling from! If you’re visiting Barcelona from the UK then generally speaking you can get really affordable flights from budget airlines like Ryanair or EasyJet. Sometimes it’s also worth considering a Barcelona package break from EasyJet as it can sometimes work out cheaper that way.
However, if you’re purchasing flights individually then you want to try and visit during off-peak seasons such as between October – April to get the best priced flights!
Use the tool below to find the most affordable flights for when you’re planning your trip and you can also check to see what holiday packages EasyJet has to offer too so you can decide what is the best value for you!
Best Hostels in Barcelona
If you’re travelling anywhere on a budget then staying in a hostel is definitely one of the best ways to cut costs. Don’t get us wrong, hostels aren’t for everyone but we don’t mind them too much. It’s always worth checking the cost of the hostel compared to a hotel as sometimes there is not a huge difference in price that may be worthwhile upgrading!
Below you will find some of our favourite hostels which will help to keep costs low when you’re visiting Barcelona!
St. Christopher’s Inn – from €12 per night
Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace – from €12 per night
Yeah Hostel Barcelona – from €20 per night
Budget Hotels in Barcelona
If hostels are not for you then there are also plenty of budget hotels available in Barcelona where you can stay quite comfortably and keep costs down.
Below we’ve shared a couple of our favourite budget hotels in Barcelona for you to choose from and help plan your trip!
Yurbban Ramblas Boutique Hotel – from €140 per night
B&B Boutique Ca La Maria – from €100 per night
Leonardo Boutique Hotel Barcelona Sagrada Familia – from €112 per night
These are all excellent areas and in really good locations for exploring around Barcelona. If you’ve not found exactly what you’re looking for then don’t worry as we’ve still got you covered, you can check our interactive map below and explore accommodation options that are within your budget!
Save Money with a Barcelona Attraction Pass
One of the best tips we can give you if you’re visiting Barcelona on a budget is to consider purchasing a Barcelona Attraction pass.
Don’t get us wrong, they’re not cheap to purchase initially but if it’s your first time in Barcelona or you’re looking to hit up a lot of attractions then this is the best way to do it!
With these passes you can purchase an all-inclusive option which means you can visit as many attractions as you wish within the time period you’ve selected. This is a great option for anyone that’s on a bucket list ticking missing in Barcelona! Alternatively if there’s a few attractions you want to visit then the Barcelona Explorer pass may be best for you!
If you’re stuck on the fence as to whether this is really going to be worthwhile for you to save money then make sure to read our blog post on our experience using the Barcelona Go City attraction pass to help you make your mind up!
Affordable Tours & Experiences in Barcelona
With so many different things to do in Barcelona, it can be tricky to know where to start. If you’re on a budget then you will want to try and keep costs as low as possible. These Barcelona tours below are a great affordable way to get to know the city whether you’re using the Go City passes or not.
Barcelona Tapas Tasting Tour – from €50 – €60
This tour is available on the Barcelona Go City pass so if this is something that you’ve purchased then it is already included! It is a great way to get to know the city through your tastebuds.
Telerific de Montjuic – from €17
Soar in the sky in this incredible Barcelona cable car where you will get absolutely stunning views across the city. When you get to the top you will be able to explore around Montjuic Castle and take in some great sights!
Barcelona Architecture Tour – from €29
If you don’t have time or the funds to visit the inside of all of Gaudi’s buildings then this architecture tour is a great alternative. You will be taken around a lot of the significant buildings within Barcelona and get to learn about them from the outside. Yes, it’s not the same as visiting from the inside but it is a great alternative if your funds don’t stretch enough to cover the admission to all the buildings!
Day Trip to Montserrat – from €35 – €45
Whilst this tour is a little more expensive, it is a full day trip and in our opinion well worth the money. You can either choose to go on a tour which often caters for your lunch as well or you can follow our guide and travel independently from Barcelona to Montserrat!
Barcelona Hop-on Hop-off Bus – from €28
Explore the city in a fast and convenient way by using the hop-on hop-off bus service. This is a great way to get around the city easily and learn about all the sights you’re seeing along the way, some of which you wouldn’t have noticed on your own!
Flamenco Evening – from €20
For a dash of culture and entertainment, enjoying a Flamenco show in Barcelona is an incredible way to spend your time without spending too much money!
Free Things to do in Barcelona
A budget traveller’s best friend is free attractions and Barcelona is of course full of them! We’ve already written a blog post with the best free things to do in Barcelona so we’ve given you a sneak peak of those below.
Free Walking Tours
No matter which city you go to, if they have a free walking tour, you need to take advantage of this. The Barcelona free walking tour is one of the best ways to get to know the city quickly and learn from a local guide.
Bunkers del Carmel
Easily our favourite thing to do in Barcelona is to visit this incredible viewpoint; Bunkers del Carmel. This is easily one of the most beautiful views that you can imagine of Barcelona city.
We love this viewpoint so much that we’ve had to create multiple TikToks just to share this incredible hidden gem in Barcelona. Don’t believe us? Check it out!
@plain2plane Unbelievable hidden gem in Barcelona that you can't miss! Head to the Carmel Bunkers at sunset for unparalleled views! 😍🫶 One of the best things to do in Barcelona 🇪🇸 . Follow us for more Barcelona tips & budget travel guides 💕 . . #barcelona #spain #thingstodoinbarcelona #barcelonahiddengems #hiddengembarcelona #europetraveldestinations ♬ This is heaven – Nightshade
Visit Barcelona’s Beaches
If you’re visiting in Barcelona when the weather is warm then that means that you NEED to visit some of the incredible beaches that it has to offer. The most popular beach is Barceloneta and we highly recommend taking a visit if you have some spare time!
Parc de la Ciutadella
This park is a great place to visit and dwindle some time away with plenty of things to see to amuse yourself. From plenty of sights, beautiful nature and a great place to sit and watch the occasional entertainment, you will be plenty occupied.
Best Places to Eat in Barcelona on a Budget
As we’ve already discovered, Barcelona is not the cheapest place to eat out but there are plenty of affordable places to visit. Below we’ve shared some of the best places to eat in Barcelona when you’re looking to save the pennies!
Last Monkey – from €10 – €25
La Taqueria – from €10 – €20
Dona Rosa – from €6.50 – €20
Barcelona Budget Tips
If you’re going to save some money whilst you’re visiting Barcelona then these budget travel tips will definitely help you along the way!
– Purchase a Barcelona Go City Pass – this is one of our favourite budget travel hacks. To make the most of a city, you will want to see as many attractions as possible. Purchasing one of these attraction passes is a great way to see as much as you can without spending too much money!
– Take advantage of the free activities – with so many different things to do in Barcelona, it’s important to do as many of the free activities as possible so that you can save the pennies. In particular, we highly recommend going on the free walking tour so that you can explore as much as you can without the pricetag!
– Read our cheap things to do in Barcelona blog post – if you’re serious about visiting Barcelona on a budget then exploring all the cheap things that Barcelona has to offer is a great way to keep costs down.
– Purchase a Hola Barcelona Travel Card – this travel card is a great way to get around the city affordably and save your feet at the same time! The Hola Barcelona Travel Card will give you unlimited travel for a certain period of time and also will save you money in the long run too!
– Stay at a hostel – hostels don’t need to be scary and unfamiliar! They are great places to stay and Barcelona has a lot of great hostels to offer. Staying in a hostel will help you greatly reduce your travel costs.
Our Verdict: Is Barcelona Expensive to Visit?
Ultimately, yes Barcelona is an expensive city to visit but there are ways that you can explore Barcelona on a budget. In general, the accommodation can be quite expensive in Barcelona so the best way around this is to stay in a hostel to bring that cost down.
If a hostel isn’t for you but you’re still looking to greatly reduce your expenses in Barcelona then we also highly recommend using the attraction passes to save money instead of purchasing them all individually.
Whilst Barcelona is an expensive city to visit if you take heed of the tips in this article and our recommendations as well as reading through our other Barcelona budget guides, you will be well on your way to keeping costs low in Barcelona!
