Book a 3-hour guided vintage bike tour in Madrid. See the Royal Palace, Retiro Park, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Prado Museum, Gran Vía and more.
View experienceIs Madrid Expensive?
Madrid is more expensive than many inland Spanish cities, but it is usually more flexible than Paris, London or Amsterdam. Accommodation is the biggest expense, especially on weekends, long weekends, during trade fairs, concerts and high season. Food, on the other hand, still allows you to keep spending under control if you move away from the most touristy terraces around Sol, Plaza Mayor or Gran Vía.
Public transport helps a lot: a single metro ticket in Zone A costs between €1.50 and €2, the 10-journey Metrobús ticket costs €7.30, and the airport metro supplement is €3. The Airport Express bus costs €5 and runs every day, 24 hours a day.
Madrid travel budget: estimated daily costs
For a budget traveller, Madrid can cost around €55-85 per day, staying in a simple hostel or basic room, eating set lunch menus or good sandwiches, using public transport and paying for only a few attractions.
A realistic mid-range budget is around €110-180 per day, with a decent hotel, simple breakfasts or meals, the occasional nice dinner, museum tickets and the odd metro ride or taxi.
For a comfortable trip, with a pretty central hotel, chosen restaurants, an evening drink, occasional taxis and sightseeing without watching every euro too closely, budget €220-350 per day or more. Madrid is growing as a high-value destination, and this is especially noticeable in central hotels and fashionable restaurants. Dataestur publishes updated indicators on hotel prices and occupancy, and the INE reported in January 2026 an annual rise in Spain’s hotel price index.
How Much Does Accommodation Cost in Madrid?
Accommodation varies greatly depending on the area and the date. In quieter periods, a hostel bed or budget stay can be reasonable; on busy weekends, a mid-range hotel in the centre can cost twice as much as it would during the week.
As a cautious guide: Hostel, guesthouse or simple room: €40-90 per night. Well-located mid-range hotel: €100-180 per night. Boutique hotel or central 4-star hotel: €180-300 per night. Luxury: from €350, and often much more.
To save money without feeling cut off, look at areas such as Argüelles, Moncloa, Cuatro Caminos, Delicias, Pacífico or parts of Chamberí. Staying right on Gran Vía, in Sol, Las Letras or Salamanca is convenient and attractive, but usually more expensive.
How Much Does Food Cost in Madrid?
Madrid can be generous if you know how to choose. A simple breakfast of coffee and toast is usually affordable in neighbourhood bars; a set lunch menu is still one of the best ways to have a proper sit-down meal without overspending. In Spain, the average menú del día was around €14.20 according to data published in 2025, although in central areas of Madrid it can easily be higher.
A reasonable budget would be: Simple breakfast: €4-8. Set lunch menu: €13-18 in many neighbourhoods; more in very touristy areas. Tapas or shared plates: €15-30 per person. Mid-range restaurant dinner: €25-45 per person. Gastronomic or fashionable restaurant: from €60 per person upwards.
The classic mistake is sitting down without checking prices at an overly central terrace. You do not need to avoid the centre, but it is worth walking two or three streets away from the most photographed spots.
How Much Do Activities and Museums Cost?
Madrid has a magnificent cultural scene, but if you go inside everything, the budget rises. General admission to the Prado Museum costs €15, although it offers free access to the collection during the last two hours before closing. The Reina Sofía costs €12 and also has free-entry periods for the main building before closing.
The Paseo del Arte pass, which includes the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums, costs €30.40, making it an interesting option if you plan to visit the city’s three major museums. The Royal Palace has different prices depending on the type of visit; the official combined visit starts from €24 at the standard rate, and the official tourism website lists specific free-entry times for EU citizens, residents and visitors from Ibero-American countries.
For a balanced trip, budget €20-50 per day for visits if you alternate museums, palaces, exhibitions and the occasional tour. If you use free-entry times and spend more time walking, you can spend much less.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Around Madrid?
Madrid is a wonderful city to explore on foot, but distances should not be underestimated. The walk from the Royal Palace to the Prado is beautiful, but from Malasaña to Atocha or from Salamanca to Lavapiés, the metro can save both time and energy.
To get around: Single metro or bus ticket: €1.50-2. 10-journey Metrobús ticket: €7.30. Airport metro supplement: €3. Airport Express bus: €5. Taxi or VTC within the city: useful at night or with luggage, but costs add up quickly.
There is no need to rent a car to visit Madrid city. In fact, it is usually a bad idea: traffic, low-emission zones and expensive parking make it inconvenient. It only makes sense if you are combining Madrid with towns or routes outside the capital.
How Much Does a 3 Day Trip to Madrid Cost?
For 3 days, excluding flights: A budget trip can cost between €180 and €300 per person, sharing cheap accommodation, eating simply and choosing only a few paid attractions.
A mid-range trip usually falls between €350 and €600 per person, with a decent shared hotel, a good location, the main museums, pleasant meals and public transport.
A comfortable trip can exceed €750-1,000 per person, especially if you choose a higher-category central hotel, good restaurants and a private experience.
Budget for 5 Days in Madrid
For 5 days, Madrid becomes even more interesting because you can slow down: museums without rushing, neighbourhoods at an easier pace, Retiro, markets, terraces, perhaps Toledo, Segovia or El Escorial.
Budget: €300-500 per person. Mid-range: €650-950 per person. Comfortable: €1,200-1,800 per person or more.
If you take day trips, add transport, tickets and meals outside the city. Toledo and Segovia can be relatively affordable if you book train or bus in advance, but private guided tours increase the cost considerably.
Budget for 7 Days in Madrid
A week lets you experience Madrid more slowly, but it also multiplies the temptations: theatres, bars, shopping, museums, day trips and long meals.
Budget: €450-750 per person. Mid-range: €900-1,400 per person. Comfortable: €1,800-2,800 per person or more.
The trick to not overspending in a week is to alternate intense days with almost free days: Retiro, Madrid Río, the Temple of Debod at sunset, neighbourhoods such as Lavapiés, Las Letras, Conde Duque or Chamberí, markets for a snack and museums during free-entry hours.
Can You Travel Cheaply to Madrid?
Yes, but it takes some strategy. Madrid punishes last-minute accommodation decisions and rewards travellers who book reasonably early, use public transport, eat where locals eat and do not try to enter every monument on the same day.
To save money without diminishing the experience, the best approach is to stay outside the very centre but close to the metro, make lunch your main meal with a menú del día, book key tickets, use museums’ free-entry times and walk a lot. Madrid is not understood only by spending money: it is also found in a conversation at a bar, in the golden light over the rooftops, in a neighbourhood square at dusk.
How Much Money Should You Take to Madrid?
For a balanced trip, without luxury but without struggling, budget €120-160 per day per person if you are sharing a double room. With that amount, you can sleep well, eat with pleasure, get around easily and visit several museums.
Madrid can be expensive if you always choose the centre, terraces, taxis and pretty hotels. But it can also be surprisingly kind if you accept its real rhythm: the metro, long walks, honest bars, well-chosen museums and neighbourhoods where the city still does not feel designed only for tourists.