There isn’t any set Camino value, it is determined by many elements. You may stroll the Camino de Santiago for lower than 20 Euro a day or spend over 50 Euro per day. I’ve had days once I spent 16 Euro in addition to 50-Euro days as nicely on the identical Camino. All of it is determined by how a lot you possibly can spend, how a lot consolation you want, and many others. On this publish, I’m discussing what you may get on 20, 30, and 40+ Euro per individual per day on the Camino, give an in depth breakdown of my Camino finances and provides some money-saving suggestions.
It’s vital to do not forget that the price could fluctuate relying on the chosen Camino some routes work out cheaper than the others. We’ve walked 7 completely different Camino de Santiago routes and we did discover the distinction, particularly in lodging costs. I’m going to check these seven routes and clarify why a few of them have been costlier to stroll.
Strolling the Camino with 20, 30 and 40+ Euro per day
I’m giving an summary of what you possibly can afford to stroll the Camino on these budgets, it doesn’t imply it’s important to stick and keep solely at public albergues when you’ve got 20 Euro per day it simply reveals that more often than not it’ll be your greatest lodging possibility. Lodging and meals are the primary bills on the Camino. Laundry and baggage supply service are two different bills many pilgrims have however each are elective. You are able to do hand-washing and carry your personal backpack. Some days you may need some additional bills resembling museum entrance charges, and many others.
In case your finances is 20 Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – public albergues, between 6 and eight Euro
- Meals – grocery purchasing – 8-12 Euro
In case your finances is 30 Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – personal albergues, 10-12 Euro.
- Meals – Menu del Día – 10-12 Euro; breakfast – 2-3 Euro; grocery purchasing – 5-8 Euro.
When you can spend 40+ Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – a personal room in a lodge, from 15 Euro per individual (for those who’re two folks sharing a double room), from 25 for a single room.
- Meals – Menu del Día – 10-12 Euro; breakfast – 2-3 Euro; dinner – 12-15 Euro.
Extras
- Laundry – 2-3 Euro per load for laundry, 2-3 Euro per load for drying.
- Baggage supply service – 4-5 Euro per backpack per stage.
I’m going to elaborate on every matter beneath evaluating completely different choices.
If you wish to observe your every day bills in a simple manner you possibly can set up one of many journey spending apps in your cellphone. It’s a free app. You may add your every day journey bills divided into completely different classes (lodging, purchasing, transport, and many others.) and see the breakdown for daily and for the entire journey. The app is offered on iOS and Google Play.
The price of lodging on the Camino de Santiago
Your lodging choices on the Camino are fairly various (particularly on the favored Camino routes) from private and non-private albergues to hostels and inns/guesthouses. Albergues are hostels for pilgrims.
Public (municipal) albergues
It’s the most affordable lodging possibility on the Camino. They’re run by municipalities and are completely for pilgrims strolling or biking the Camino. You want a Credential (a pilgrim’s passport) with stamps to have the ability to keep at public albergues. The common worth is between 5 and eight Euros per individual per mattress. Public albergues are often fairly large with one or two rooms with a number of bunk-beds and shared amenities (showers, bogs, a kitchen).
On extra common Camino routes like the Camino Francés or the Camino Portuguese from Porto, you possibly can plan your itinerary the way in which that you simply keep nearly each evening at a public albergue and pay 5-7 Euro per mattress. Much less busy routes have fewer public albergues infrequently you’ll don’t have any possibility however to remain at personal albergues.
Personal albergues
The second most cost-effective lodging on the Camino. Personal albergues belong to an individual or an organization anyone can keep there however a lot of the friends are often pilgrims. They value 10-12 Euro per mattress. Personal albergues often have higher amenities and are fairly a bit smaller than public albergues. Some personal albergues have personal rooms as nicely.
Generally you will discover albergues (often personal) for donation. How a lot to pay is determined by you. We often depart as a lot as we might pay for a public albergue or extra if we actually just like the place. There are extra personal than public albergues on the Camino, you’ll be capable to discover one on the finish of daily.
Accommodations/guesthouses (pensions)
These are the most costly and comfy lodging choices on the Camino. Costs for a personal room begin at 25 Euro for a single room and 30 Euro for a double room. Staying at inns each evening, particularly on longer Camino routes could be fairly powerful in your finances however I’d undoubtedly advocate having a personal room each infrequently. It’s so good to have a very good relaxation and a few privateness. We often keep in personal not less than as soon as every week or much more typically if we are able to discover a well-priced personal room.
Evaluating private and non-private albergues and inns
| Options | Public albergues | Personal albergues | Accommodations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 5-8 Euro | 10-14 Euro | from 25 Euro |
| Just for pilgrims | sure | no | no |
| Want a Credential to remain | sure | no | no |
| Could be booked | no | sure | sure |
| Can keep greater than 1 evening | no | sure | sure |
| Enable baggage supply | no | sure | sure |
| Settle for bank cards | no | often | often |
The price of meals on the Camino
Grocery purchasing and cooking
The most cost effective manner is to purchase meals at supermarkets/outlets and prepare dinner for your self. Most albergues have a communal kitchen that pilgrims can use. Some kitchens are well-equipped and have all you want for cooking, some are very primary. My recommendation at all times earlier than you buy groceries is to take a look at the kitchen.
A lot of the locations alongside the Camino routes have not less than a small grocery retailer the place you may get bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and greens. Larger cities and cities have supermarkets the place you may get just about something together with takeaway meals which are cheaper than consuming at eating places. We often spend between 8 and 14 Euro for grocery searching for two folks. Relying on what you purchase and for what number of meals I’d advocate budgeting 6-10 Euro per individual per day to purchase sufficient meals for two meals.
Breakfast
The Spanish aren’t very large on breakfast, most of them simply drink a cup of espresso with a small pastry. Many cafes on the Camino supply breakfasts that often embody a cup of espresso, a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a sandwich or a pastry. A breakfast like that prices between 2 and three Euro. In very busy and touristy components of some Caminos, you will discover an English (eggs & bacon) or an American (sausages, eggs, cereal, and many others.) breakfast as nicely one in every of these prices 8 to 10 Euro.
Menu del Día or a Pilgrim’s Menu
Menú del Día or a set meal that features a starter, a primary, a drink (wine, beer, water, soda), bread, and dessert or espresso is a highly regarded lunch possibility all over the place in Spain not solely on the Camino. A typical menu prices between 10 and 12 Euro. The standard of the menu varies. I’ve had some superb menus and a few poor meals on the Camino. Often, in cities and busy cities, menus have extra choices and are of higher high quality. The worst menus I had at albergues-restaurants in the course of nowhere when after ending your menu you’re nearly as hungry as earlier than.
When you’re on a particular weight-reduction plan e.g. vegetarian or vegan in small cities/villages it could be tough to discover a appropriate menu. In cities and larger cities, it’s not an issue many eating places have vegetarian/vegan menu choices.
Dinner
The most costly meal on the Camino. We by no means exit for dinner on the Camino solely in Santiago de Compostela after ending the stroll however we do exit to drink a glass of wine or beer and to eat a few tapas/pintxos. Dinner at a restaurant with a glass of wine will value you between 14 and 18 Euro per individual relying on the place and chosen menu.
For a beer or a glass of wine on the bar, you’ll pay a mean of 2 Euro it could embody a easy tapa. Many bars in Asturias and Galicia supply a free tapa with each drink you order. It could be a small portion of tortilla, peanuts, a small cheese or ham sandwich, and many others. Make certain to strive typical Galician dishes Pulpo a la Feira (cooked octopus) and Pimientos de Padrón (fried inexperienced peppers) are nice with beer. In Santiago de Compostela there are a few superb tapas bars in Rúa do Franco and Rúa da Raiña streets.
In the Basque Nation, Cantabria and Navarra, they serve pintxos, a extra refined model of tapas. Pintxos don’t come along with your drink, it’s important to pay additional for them. A pintxo prices 2-3 Euro and it’s often completely scrumptious stuff. When you occur to stroll one of many routes by Northern Spain e.g. the French Camino or the Northern Method be certain to strive pintxos in San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander, Bilbao, or Pamplona.
When you’re planning to exit for a drink roughly commonly add 30-50 Euro (relying on how lengthy you’re going to stroll) to your whole Camino finances.
Additional bills on the Camino
Baggage supply service on the Camino
The service is offered on all main Camino de Santiago routes. The extra common the route is the extra corporations supply backpack supply providers. A median worth is 5-7 Euro per backpack per stage; it would fluctuate relying on the space, route reputation, and many others. You should utilize the service for your complete Camino or just for selective levels e.g. the roughest ones that contain strolling lengthy distances or many ascents and descents. You may determine whether or not you want it or not on the way in which. Attempt to stroll along with your backpack and if it’s too heavy or too tough you possibly can at all times begin utilizing the supply service. It’s vital to do not forget that most public albergues don’t permit baggage supply which suggests you’ll have to remain at personal albergues or inns.
Laundry
It’s one in every of our primary additional bills on any Camino. We do machine washing roughly twice every week. Many albergues (each private and non-private) have self-service washing machines and dryers that work with cash. The machines are often fairly large; you possibly can share one load between 3 or 4 folks. It’s 2-3 Euro per load for laundry and about the identical for drying. If it’s a sunny day we dangle our garments outdoors, if it’s wet and chilly we use a dryer. Generally it’s free however it’s important to purchase detergent. Many individuals get away with out it by doing hand washing most albergues have washing basins and drying traces.
Entrance charges
Strolling is the primary exercise on the Camino. Often, you’re too drained after a full day of strolling to do any sightseeing however some locations are simply can’t be missed. Just like the Cathedral of León on the Camino Francés or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao on the Camino del Norte. I’d counsel budgeting 20-30 Euro additional for entrance charges and tickets.
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The inside of the Cathedral of León, Camino Francés -
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Camino del Norte
The price of transportation on the Camino
You’re in all probability not going to make use of any on the Camino itself however you’ll have to get to the start line of your route and again house from Santiago de Compostela. When you’re coming from Europe your transport bills gained’t be very excessive for those who purchase your airplane tickets a few months upfront. You should utilize one of many finances airways to get to Madrid or Barcelona and from there catch an area flight, bus, or practice to your remaining vacation spot. The identical with getting again to your nation from Santiago, you possibly can take native transport to Madrid, Porto, and many others. and from there fly again house. When you come from abroad e.g. US, Australia, Canada, and many others. your worldwide flight will likely be one in every of your largest bills. I’d add 60-70 Euro to your finances for native transport bills.
Totally different Camino routes begin at completely different locations, a few of them are straightforward to achieve like Lisbon or Porto, the start of the Portuguese Method, some require extra time like Oviedo, the start of the Authentic Method, or Irún, the start line of the Northern Camino. Right here is the common value of attending to the beginning factors of the foremost Camino de Santiago routes.
The price of attending to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Camino Francés)
| Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid – Pamplona | from 23€ | from 30€ | from 40€ |
| Barcelona – Pamplona | from 28€ | from 30€ | – |
| Paris – Bayonne | from 23€ | from 39€ | from 27€ |
- Bus Pamplona – St.Jean-Pied-de-Port – 22 Euro
- Prepare Bayonne – St.Jean-Pied-de-Port – 10 Euro
In whole to get to St.Jean will work out between 35 and 50 Euro relying on how and from the place you’re coming from.
The price of attending to Irún (Camino del Norte)
| Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid – Irún | from 40€ | from 65€ | from 60€ |
| Barcelona – Irún | from 40€ | from 75€ | from 40€ |
The price of attending to Oviedo (Camino Primitivo)
| Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid – Oviedo | from 40€ | – | – |
The price of transport from Santiago de Compostela
| Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago – Madrid | from 50€ | from 40€ | from 25€ |
| Santiago – Barcelona | – | from 60€ | from 20€ |
| Santiago – Porto | from 30€ | – | – |
There are direct flights with finances airways from Santiago to the UK, Switzerland, Eire, Italy, Malta, and many others. When you purchase your ticket a few months upfront you may get a very whole lot e.g. a flight to the UK for 20 Euro.
Journey insurance coverage
An vital factor to have for those who’re going to journey overseas and planning on doing some out of doors actions. Strolling the Camino shouldn’t be a high-risk enterprise however it’s at all times really helpful to have journey insurance coverage that may cowl your medical bills (in case you want any), gear loss, or journey cancellation. Be aware, when you’ve got a European Well being Insurance coverage card you don’t want any additional medical insurance coverage for Spain or Portugal. The price of journey insurance coverage varies relying on the corporate, the coverage, an individual’s age, and many others. The common worth vary is between 10US$ and 20US$ per individual per week for the standard plan. When you don’t have a journey insurance coverage firm but we are able to advocate utilizing our accomplice World Nomads.
My detailed finances breakdown for the Camino Francés
The French Method is the preferred Camino route. Strolling it I wrote down the whole lot I spent. I didn’t attempt to do it the most affordable manner; if I felt like staying in personal I did, if I needed to eat a menu or to exit for a drink I went. The associated fee is for 33 days; 31 days of strolling, 1 day in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port, and 1 day in Santiago de Compostela.
In whole, I spent 1235 Euro in 33 days or 37 Euro per day. It contains lodging, meals, all additional bills, bus tickets from Barcelona to St.Jean-Pied-de-Port, and a practice ticket from Santiago to Madrid.
How a lot did I spend?
Lodging – 500 Euro or 15 Euro per day on common. I stayed 10 nights at public albergues, 14 nights at personal albergues, and 9 nights in personal rooms together with one evening at a spa lodge in Astorga. When you don’t keep in inns and keep on with albergues (private and non-private) your common lodging value will likely be beneath 10 Euro per day.
Consuming out – 327 Euro or 10 Euro per day on common. I didn’t eat Menú del Día daily however stopped for breakfast very often. This contains going out for tapas in Logroño and Santiago de Compostela. When you prepare dinner for your self or eat takeaways from supermarkets you possibly can fully exclude consuming out out of your finances.
Grocery purchasing – 214 Euro or 6,5 Euro per day. When you don’t eat out and principally make your personal meals your grocery finances will likely be extra, between 350 and 400 Euro.
Drinks (espresso, wine, beer) – 68 Euro or 2 Euro per day. I finished daily for espresso and typically went out for a glass of wine or a beer. When you don’t cease for espresso it’ll prevent about 40 Euro.
Transport – 81 Euro. 50 Euro to get from Barcelona to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; bus Barcelona – Pamplona, 28 Euro, and bus Pamplona – St.Jean, 22 Euro. A practice ticket Santiago de Compostela – Madrid, 31 Euro.
Extras (entrance price, laundry, and many others.) – 45 Euro or 1,4 Euro per day common.
I didn’t use a baggage switch service however for those who’re going to make use of it add 5 Euro to your every day finances. For 31 strolling days, it’ll be 155 Euro additional.
The price of important gear
For strolling the Camino you don’t want any particular gear. There are two vital gadgets that should be comfy; footwear and a backpack. These two you’re going to make use of daily strolling for hours. I’d undoubtedly advocate investing in each. You don’t want heavy mountain climbing boots for strolling the Camino until you’re planning to stroll it in winter. A pair of sunshine mountain climbing footwear. As in your pack, a 35-40l backpack needs to be sufficient in case your stuff doesn’t slot in it means you’re making an attempt to pack an excessive amount of. When you’re planning on doing some Camino coaching to organize higher for the pilgrimage it’s greatest to put on the identical mountain climbing footwear and backpack you’re going to make use of on the Camino.
A median value of the important Camino gear
That is the record of important gadgets one will want on the Camino. The given examples are for ladies, males’s gear prices roughly the identical.
Extra particulars on what to pack for the Camino for various seasons for women and men you will discover in our Camino de Santiago packing record publish.
Evaluating the price of completely different Camino routes
As I discussed above to date we’ve walked seven Caminos: Camino Francés, Camino Portuguese from Lisbon, Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, Camino Inglés, Camino Finisterre-Muxía, and Through de la Plata. Principally, we’ve executed all the foremost routes in Spain and Portugal. Portugal general is a bit cheaper than Spain; issues like transport (native trains), inns, and consuming out.
The routes that may be comparatively simply executed on 20 Euro per individual per day.
- Camino Francés
- Camino Portuguese from Porto
- Camino Primitivo
- Camino Finisterre-Muxía
- Camino Inglés
It doesn’t imply you possibly can’t stroll different routes on 20 Euro per day however it’ll be tougher as a result of larger value of lodging and/or lack of public albergues.
Camino Francés, Camino Portuguese, and Camino Primitivo
The preferred Camino routes are the most affordable ones as a result of they’ve extra infrastructure for pilgrims; many municipal and personal albergues, particular pilgrim’s menus at eating places, and many others. The Camino Frances, the Portuguese Camino from Porto (each the Central and the Coastal Route), and the Camino Primitivo have public albergues just about on the finish of each stage. You may plan your stroll the way in which you keep 90% of the time at public albergues which suggests you’ll pay as little as 5-7 Euro per evening on common. The French route has essentially the most lodging choices
Vía de la Plata & Portuguese Camino from Lisbon
On much less common Camino routes like the Silver Route or the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon, lodging is costlier. On the Through de la Plata all public albergues value 10 Euro which is 3-5 Euro greater than on the Camino Frances. On the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon, there are few public albergues each different evening we stayed at a guesthouse or a personal albergues. Then again, consuming out on these routes was cheaper.
Camino Finisterre-Muxía and Camino Inglés
Each routes are very brief, 3-5 days even for those who keep at inns on a regular basis it gained’t wreck your finances. Each the Camino Finisterre and the English Method have sufficient public albergues and lots of personal albergues you’ll undoubtedly be capable to stroll it for 20 Euro a day. The one downside on each routes is there aren’t many supermarkets however a lot of the cities have not less than a small grocery retailer.
Camino del Norte
The Camino del Norte (the primary half of it) was our costliest route. The a part of the route by Asturias and Galicia was roughly the identical as different Camino routes. Northern Spain (the Basque Nation and Cantabria) is general costlier than the remainder of the nation. Lodging is considerably costlier within the common touristy cities resembling San Sebastian and a few small coastal cities within the Basque Nation. There are public albergues within the Basque Nation however a lot of them are open solely through the peak season (July and August), the remainder of the 12 months pilgrims keep in hostels or inns. Consuming out is costlier in Northern Spain if you wish to stroll the Camino del Norte on a decent finances you’ll should make your personal meals.
To purchase groceries prices roughly the identical throughout Spain and Portugal. The one distinction is that at a small grocery retailer the whole lot prices greater than in an enormous grocery store.
Camino de Santiago cash saving suggestions
To start with, at all times be certain to have some money with you. Public albergues and a few personal albergues don’t settle for bank cards. No want to hold plenty of money simply sufficient to pay for lodging, meals, and many others. for a few days. On most routes, you’ll get an ATM daily. We often draw 300 Euro without delay and when we now have lower than 40 Euro we draw once more. Most inns, supermarkets, grocery shops, and eating places settle for playing cards.
Tip 1. Consuming out daily provides fairly a bit to the price if you need to economize cooking your personal meals is the way in which to go.
Tip 2. Ebook your worldwide flight a few months upfront many airways have particular costs for early reserving. Discover out which airways fly to your vacation spot (Spain, Portugal, France relying on the Camino route) and subscribe to their publication to be sure to gained’t miss their particular provides. Use websites like Skyscanner to seek for the most affordable flights. Ebook your native flights upfront as nicely. Many finances airways typically have nice early reserving offers, you may get a flight for 20-30 Euro.
Tip 3. From our expertise, it’s cheaper to stroll the Camino for those who’re two or extra folks. A double or a triple room works out cheaper per individual than a single room. When you’re going to stroll alongside you possibly can at all times crew up with one other pilgrim and hire a twin room (with two single beds) it’ll be cheaper than paying for a single personal room. In lots of locations, you will discover an condo for hire that may accommodate 2-4 folks for those who’re a bunch strolling collectively you possibly can at all times hire one. These flats typically have a well-equipped kitchen, a washer, and many others.
Tip 4. Cooking collectively is one other manner to economize for those who’re a number of folks cooking collectively you possibly can cut up the price of the purchasing. No matter you purchase it’s often an excessive amount of for one individual anyway and you find yourself leaving half of it within the kitchen.
