Which place is cheaper, Barcelona or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ankara or Barcelona?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Barcelona. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Barcelona?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Contiki Tours to Spain, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $116Barcelona $167
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $116, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is $167. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Ankara and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $57Barcelona $103
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $114Barcelona $206
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Barcelona
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Barcelona? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Ankara Hotel Prices and Barcelona Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $37Barcelona $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride$0.04
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Short Taxi Ride$0.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Private transfer: Ankara Airport (ESB) to Ankara: $39
- Private transfer: Ankara to Ankara Airport (ESB): $39
- Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $60
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $64
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $71
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $76
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $109
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $109
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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10 Trip Metro Ticket$8.36
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Airport Bus$5.36
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Metro$2.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Airport to Barcelona City transfer : $31
- Barcelona Airport to Cruise Port Private Transfer: $40
- Barcelona City to Sant Train Station Barcelona private transfer: $31
- Transfer From Barcelona Airport to Barcelona Cruise Port: $40
- Airport Transfers Barcelona Minivan : $75
- Arrival Barcelona Airport Private Transfer: $31
- Arrival Private Transfer by Sedan from BCN airport to Barcelona: $70
- Arrival Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport BCN to Barcelona: $33
- Arrival Transfer El Prat Airport BCN to Barcelona by Luxury Car: $130
- Arrival Transfer El Prat Airport BCN to Barcelona by Luxury Van: $91
- Arrival Transfer by Luxury Van from Barcelona Port to Barcelona: $75
- Arrival Transfer from Barcelona Airport BCN to Barcelona in Private Car/Van: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Ankara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAnkara $32Barcelona $35
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
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A Quick Lunch$0.36
Typical Food Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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Hot Cocoa & Churro$4.45
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Sandwich$1.82
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Baguette & Horchata$4.07
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Tapas on the beach$8.88
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Gelatto$2.68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
- Barcelona Street Food Tour with Local Market & City Center Visit: $21
- Barcelona Guided Street Food Tour and Gothic Quarter Visit: $21
- Flamenco at El Patio Andaluz with Optional Dinner: $27
- Walking Tour + Flamenco + Tapas Dinner (choose options): $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
- La Barceloneta: Tapas Food Tour: $37
- Barcelona La Barceloneta Tapas Food Tour: $38
- Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide: $43
- Boqueria Market & Barrio Gotico Street Food Tour: $56
- Wine Tasting and Tapas 5-Course Pairing Dinner: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience & Wine: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience and Wine in Barcelona: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $34Barcelona $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Underground City$0.25
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Family-Friendly Smartphone Walking Tour: $6.00
- Quick Tour, Essentials of Ankara: $6.00
- Inns and Baths City Sightseeing Mobile Audio Guide: $6.00
- Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $32
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $33
- Private Tour with a Local: $37
- Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $48
- Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
- Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
- İstanbul: Full-Day Tour with Grand Bazaar: $180
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $218
Typical Entertainment Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
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Picasso Walking Tour and Museum Pass$45
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Souvenir Gaudi Book$9.16
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Admission to Museo Picasso$6.43
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
- Self-Guided Tours 150+ Captivating Audio Stories: $2.14
- History & Legends Comedy Tour: Barcelona Gothic Quarter: $2.94
- Gaudí Free Tour in English: $3.21
- Barcelona Free Tour: Gaudi Highlights and La Sagrada Famila: $3.21
- Alternative Free Tour of the Raval: $3.21
- Gothic Quarter Free Walking Tour in English: $3.21
- Gaudí Walking Tour: $3.21
- Sagrada Familia Comedy Tour: $3.26
- Barcelona Gothic Quarter: History&Legends Comedy Tour: $3.26
- Self-Guided Tours 150+ Captivating Audio Stories: $3.26
- Barcelona Gaudi and Sagrada Familia Tour: $3.27
- Sagrada Familia Exterior Free Tour: Stories, Secrets & Symbolism: $3.27
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $15Barcelona $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by King - Bar & Nightclub Hopping Tour: $14
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by KING - Nightlife Party Experience: $16
- Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $16
- Night Pub Crawl Tour in Barcelona: $16
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: 4+ Venues, Free shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Estrella Damm Old Brewery Tour with Tasting: $21
- Estrella Damm Old Brewery Barcelona Guided Tour with Beer Tasting: $22
- Nightlife Tour - Barcelona Bar Crawl with Flamingos: $23
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: $26
- Barcelona Weekend Pub Crawl with 1.5 hour open bar@Hostel: $27
- Catalan Nightlife Pub Crawl Tour & VIP Club Entry: $29
- Barcelona Art & Wine Tour: $31
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is Ankara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ankara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ankara and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Barcelona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Barcelona than you might in Ankara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Barcelona Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Barcelona?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Barcelona. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Barcelona, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.