COST OF TRAVEL – BARCELONA PRICES

Heading to Spain? Justine shares with us Barcelona Prices in this cost of travel post, including accommodation, travel, food, and attraction ticket costs.

We know how hard it can be to budget and plan a trip to a new country. Prices online can vary and it can be hard to find a fixed range of prices for anything further than a hotel and flight. That is why we have created this Cost of Travel series where we ask travel experts and ex-pats the travel costs and prices in their favorite countries and homes. 

The exchange rate at the time of publishing (April 2022): $1 USD = 0.90€ EUR

Introduction to Barcelona, Spain

 Barcelona, Spain, is a major European city along the Mediterranean Sea. Its Modernist architecture, world-class gastronomy, and ceaseless sunny weather make it a festive, thrilling city to visit. As an 11-year-resident, I’ve enjoyed Barcelona as a “local tourist” and always enjoy giving visitors ultra-practical information and the best Barcelona travel tips. There are so many things to see, do and eat in the city but there are also lots of amazing day trips from Barcelona you should check out.

Accommodation in Barcelona

• A budget hotel starts at about €55 if you want to stay fairly central. Praktik Vinoteca starts at about 80 euros and has personality!
• Mid-range hotels start at about €100. I recommend Hotel Ibis Barcelona Centre, which starts at €119.
• For luxury, they’re about €250 minimum. Hotel The Serras with a splendid rooftop view starts at €300.

Transportation in Barcelona

• A single one-way ticket to use public transport ticket costs €2.20.
• The most budget-friendly way to get around is to buy a T-10 ticket (10 one-way journeys), which is €10.20. It can be used for buses, metro, local train, and tram.
• Alternatively, the most touristic area of Ciutat Vella (Gothic Quarter, Born, Las Ramblas) can be reached by foot.
• You don’t have to spend a lot to get around the city! For 3 days, you would probably only need to buy ONE T-10 ticket.

Food & Drink prices in Barcelona

Meals for one person only:

Breakfast is €3-4 a coffee and toast or pastry.

For lunch, it’s about €4 for fast food meals or 8-15 euros for an average “menu del dia” to save money. A “menu del día” is about €8 to €15. This is a 3-course meal for lunch only. Many restaurants have them but not all. It includes the first course, the main dish, dessert, and a drink. Sometimes it includes coffee.

For dinner, it’s around €10 to €30-plus, depending if you want a super basic meal or a decent sit-down meal with a drink.

Attraction prices in Barcelona

The cost to get into major Barcelona sights isn’t cheap! 

• The Sagrada Familia basic ticket is 17 euros.
• Casa Milà (La Pedrera) is €22.
• The Casa Batlló is €25.
• Parc Guell is €8.50 at the door or €7.50 online.
• Food tours run from €15 to a fancy €450!

Extra costs in Barcelona

Menu items at a restaurant

• Coffee: €1.20 – €1,80. Going past 2 euros would be considered too expensive.
• Beer: €2.50
• Coke: €1.68 for a .33-liter bottle
• Baguette from a bakery: €.40 – €.90

 Supermarket

• Liter of milk: €.60 – €1.40
• Dozen eggs: €1.80
• A 1.5-liter bottle of water: €.40

Let us know about your experience in Barcelona in the comments below.