Should you visit Barcelona or Positano?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Barcelona and Positano can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Positano
Located on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy, Positano is a very scenic town that offers spectacular coastal views. The town sits on the edge of a hill and flows down toward the sea. Because of its dramatic beauty, Positano attracts thousands of visitors year around.
The town dates back to medieval times when it was a port for the Amalfi Republic. It thrived throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but by the mid-nineteenth century its prosperity was falling. During those times more than half of the population left, migrating predominantly to America. During the 1950s the town gained popularity as a tourist destination, in part because of John Steinbeck's essay about the area in Harper's Bazaar (May, 1953).
Which city is cheaper, Positano or Barcelona?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Barcelona is €122, while the average daily cost in Positano is €180. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Barcelona and Positano in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Barcelona is €148. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Positano, €240 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Positano, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €120, such as in a hostel.
Food
The price of a meal in Barcelona can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €27 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Positano food costs typically run travelers around €42 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Barcelona €27
Positano €42
Typical Food prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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Hot Cocoa & Churro
€4.15
-
Sandwich
€1.70
-
Baguette & Horchata
€3.80
-
Tapas on the beach
€8.28
-
Gelatto
€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
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Live from Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
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Live from Barcelona to China: Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
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Barcelona organic dinner in a beautiful rooftop garden:
$35
-
Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience in Barcelona:
$49
-
Hands-on Brunch Cooking Class with Bottomless Mimosas!:
$50
-
Born district food tour and tasting in Barcelona:
$51
-
Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide:
$52
-
Street Food Tour & Gothic Quater Sightseeing with Local Expert:
$52
-
Flamenco Show and Optional Dinner at a Tablao:
$52
-
Bus and Walking Tour with Dinner:
$58
-
Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit:
$59
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show and Dinner Ticket:
$62
Typical Food prices in Positano
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Positano:
-
Sitdown Dinner (for Two)
€31
-
Pizza in a Restaurant
€9.32
-
Sandwich in a Restaurant
€12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Positano
For Positano, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Positano for Foodies- The authentic food tour in Town:
$106
-
Dining experience at a local's home in Positano & cooking demo:
$106
-
Dining experience at a local's home in Positano with show cooking:
$106
-
Small-group Street food tour in Positano:
$111
-
Market tour and lunch or dinner at a local's home in Positano:
$173
-
Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a local's home with tasting in Positano:
$180
-
Private cooking class at a local's home with tasting in Positano:
$180
-
Local market visit and private cooking class at a local's home in Positano:
$235
-
Vico Equense: Market Tour, Home Cooking Class, and Dinner:
$240
-
Exclusive hands-on cooking class with a local in Positano:
$372
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Barcelona is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €15 per person, per day, on local transportation in Barcelona.
Positano's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €6.19 per person, per day on transportation in Positano.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
10 Trip Metro Ticket
€7.80
-
Airport Bus
€5.00
-
Metro
€2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
-
Private 5 days in Barcelona with private transfers and private tours:
$1,524
-
Private 5 days in Barcelona with tours and transfers and pick up and drop off:
$1,213
-
Private Round-Trip transfer from Barcelona Airport or Barcelona city to Andorra:
$876
-
Private 3 days in Barcelona with private tours and transfers:
$796
-
Montserrat Monastery Tour & Hot Air Balloon Flight, Including Transfer, Lunch, Photos, Cava:
$791
-
Private Transfer & Tours to Andorra from Barcelona 10 Hours:
$597
-
Barcelona city or airport to Andorra Private Transfer:
$564
-
Private Transfer from Barcelona travel to Andorra:
$554
-
Transfer Barcelona-Madrid:
$531
-
Private Round-Trip Transfer to Montserrat from Barcelona:
$529
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Private Transfer: Andorra to Barcelona City or BCN Airport by Luxury Van:
$522
-
Barcelona city to Andorra Private Transfer:
$520
Typical Local Transportation prices in Positano
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Positano:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Positano
Also for Positano, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Positano Private Transfer to Sorrento, Rome or Naples:
$22
-
Positano – Sorrento / Private Van Transfer:
$29
-
Private Transfer: From Positano to Sorrento with hotel pick-up and drop-off:
$42
-
Positano – Sorrento / Private Car Transfer:
$44
-
Positano - Napoli Airport (NAP) / Private Departure Van Transfer:
$56
-
Sorrento Coast - Positano Private Transfer:
$77
-
Private Transfer from Positano to Naples, Door-to-Door, English-speaking driver:
$82
-
Private Transfer: From Positano (hotel) to Naples (hotel-airport-train station):
$83
-
Positano or Ravello to Naples Airport Private Departure Transfer:
$83
-
Private transfer from Naples to positano or reverse:
$91
-
Private transfer from Positano to Naples by the scenic coast:
$93
-
Private transfer from Positano to Naples or Salerno:
$93
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Barcelona typically cost an average of €27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Positano can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €48 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Typical Entertainment prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
-
#1dayBarcelona. 6-Hour Action Packed Private City Discovery Tour:
$549
-
"Gaudi’s Pedrera: The Origins" Night Show and Ticket:
$41
-
'Game Of Thrones' Small Group Tour in Girona from Barcelona:
$125
-
1 hour private sailing tour:
$158
-
1,5 hour Vermut & Sailing Experience Barcelona with drinks and snacks!:
$41
-
1-hour Private Speedboat Cruise from Barcelona:
$372
-
1.5-Hour Sights of Barcelona E-Bike Tour Led by a Local Guide:
$34
-
2 Hours Private Sailing Tour for Family and Friends:
$316
-
2 Hours Running Tour in Barcelona with Local Guide:
$35
-
2 hour Private Sunset Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$372
-
2 hour Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$47
-
2 hour Sunset Sailing Cruise Barcelona:
$47
Typical Entertainment prices in Positano
For Positano, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Positano
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Positano.
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Path of the Gods Guided Walking Tour:
$44
-
Positano Walking tour:
$50
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From Amalfi and Ravello Tour:
$56
-
Half-Day Ancient Pompeii Tour from Amalfi Coast:
$56
-
Half Day Herculaneum Guided Tour from Amalfi Coast:
$56
-
Sorrento & Amalfi Drive guided tour from Amalfi Coast - small group tour:
$62
-
Pompeii and Vesuvius guided group tour from Amalfi Coast:
$65
-
Napoli: Historic and Panoramic Amalfi Coast Tour:
$78
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Small Group Tour to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello with Lunch:
$81
-
Pompeii and Herculaneum group tour from Amalfi Coast:
$81
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Amalfi Coast: Path of the Gods Private Walking Tour:
$88
-
Naples: Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello Tour on a Luxury Bus:
$95
Alcohol
The average person spends about €14 on alcoholic beverages in Barcelona per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Positano, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €12.
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
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Columbus Monument with Optional Wine Tasting:
$7.16
-
Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting:
$9.54
-
Backpacker Pub Crawl:
$18
-
The Original Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Barcelona Halloween Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl in Barcelona:
$19
-
Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Barcelona Wine Tasting: Catalan and Spanish Wines:
$21
-
Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona:
$22
-
Opera Samfaina: Food and Wine Tasting Interactive Experience in Barcelona:
$26
-
Wine tasting & tapas:
$39
-
Barcelona Guided Local Wine Tasting Tour:
$44
Typical Alcohol prices in Positano
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Positano:
Sample the Local Flavors in Positano
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Positano:
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Pompeii & Vesuvius Wine Tour from Amalfi Coast - small group tour:
$162
-
Pompeii,Vesuvius with Lunch & wine tasting from Positano all inclusive:
$260
-
Private Irpinia Wine Tour from Positano, Amalfi or Ravello with Sommelier:
$301
-
Pompeii-Vesuvius-Wine Tasting tour with licensed guide included:
$373
-
Paestum Temples+Bufala Mozzarella Farm+Wine tasting in Cilento (from Positano):
$809
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Barcelona and Positano, we can see that Positano is more expensive. And not only is Barcelona much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Barcelona would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Barcelona 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 Positano would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Positano than you might in Barcelona.
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