Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Ankara or Madrid?
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 Madrid. 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 Madrid?
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.
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.
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Ankara Prices
Turkey PricesMadrid Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $94Madrid $187
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $94, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $187. 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 Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $38Madrid $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $76Madrid $180
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Madrid? 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 Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $25Madrid $21
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$0.03
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Short Taxi Ride$0.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $113
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $113
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $69
- Ankara Airport Transfer: Ankara by Private Luxury Vehicle: $64
- Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $55
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $53
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $53
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Ankara Airport to Cankaya Hotels: $41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid- Barajas Airport private transfer, Pick up.: $96
- Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Van: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid: $68
- Arrival Private Transfer from MAD Airport to Madrid in a Minibus: $183
- Arrival Transfer from Bologna Airport BLQ to Bologna City by Van: $101
- Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van: $90
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Business Car: $89
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Luxury Van: $98
- Departure Private Transfer Madrid to MAD Airport in a Minibus: $176
- Departure Private Transfer from Madrid to MAD Airport by Van: $88
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Car: $83
- Departure Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Business Car: $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid 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 $38Madrid $68
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$0.24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.
- Sustainable Home Cooking Class in Ankara: $89
- Home Cooking Class, Sustainable Tables & Stories: $104
- Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $291
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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Coffee$2.32
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Ice Cream$3.47
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Kebabs (for 2)$18
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Croissant$1.74
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Lunch at Airport (for 2)$18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Zarzuela Opera and Dinner at La Castafiore Restaurant in Madrid: $65
- Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine: $69
- Madrid Old Town Tour & Flamenco Show with Optional Dinner: $70
- Murder Mystery Dinner Experience: $76
- Chocolate & Churros Cooking Class in Madrid: $77
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars: $94
- Madrid Spanish Omelet Cooking Class and Bottomless Wine brunch: $95
- Madrid Food Tour in a Neighborhood Market with Churros: $105
- Tapas & Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with a Professional Chef: $105
- Madrid Local Tapas Tour with Private Dinner and Bottomless Wine: $139
- Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with Bottomless Wine Pairing: $141
- Madrid Food Tour - Tapas Walking Tour: $142
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $23Madrid $38
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$0.17
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4-Day Eastern Anatolia Tour on the Touristic Eastern Express: $1,922
- Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $34
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ): $36
- Ankara Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $33
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Local: $27
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $237
- Ankara Private Walking Tour: Hidden Gems & Highlights: $24
- Ankara Walking Tour with a Local: $30
- Ankara Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $39
- 6-Hour Private Tour with Guide, Car, and Lunch: $17,285
- Atakule Tower Observation Deck Ticket: $13
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Madrid Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour: $1.76
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Madrid: $3.54
- Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park: $3.54
- Self-Guided Tours In Madrid With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.54
- Walking Tour of Madrid Modern: $3.54
- Madrid City Highlights Walking Tour: $4.74
- Where Cervantes Feuded: A Self-Guided Madrid Tour: $5.00
- The Red Thread of Resistance Madrid Podcast Tour: $5.67
- Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour: $7.35
- Madrid Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Surreal Adventure Game: $8.28
- Madrid Essential : Self-Guided Tour created by local Official Guide: $8.29
- Madrid Interactive City Tour: $8.29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $10Madrid $22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
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Beer$5.79
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Drinks and Tapas (for 2)$15
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Top Pub Crawl Madrid & Party: $12
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Madrid Pub Crawl: VIP Entry & Shots, Games (Kapital, Fitz, Shoko): $14
- Pub Crawl Madrid Adventure bars with Open bar and VIP Club Entry: $17
- Madrid Pub Crawl: Club Entry, Bars & Shots: $20
- Spanish Wine Tasting Overlooking Parque del Oeste: $26
- Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor in Madrid: $36
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $54
- Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience: $77
- Spanish Wine Tasting : $90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Madrid, we can see that Madrid 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid 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 Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Madrid?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 13% larger than the population of Madrid. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Madrid, 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.