Should you visit Cantabria or Catalonia?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cantabria and Catalonia can help you decide which place is right for you.
Cantabria
Occupying Spain's northern coast, the region of Cantabria is known for its mountains, cave paintings, and the capital city of Santander. Its diverse landscape allows for locals and visitors alike to hit the beach in the summer and go on mountain adventures in the winter. While these natural features alone are breathtaking, there is also much to say for Cantabria's quaint seaside towns, fresh cuisine, and rich history.
Catalonia
Catalonia is a famous autonomous community in Spain. It is situated in the northeastern part of the country and consists of four provinces. The provinces consist of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. Barcelona is not only the capital of Catalonia, but is also the biggest city in the region. Because Barcelona is such a large city and Catalonia’s long history of international trade, the area is a very popular tourist destination. Another reason for Catalonia’s success is its temperate climate. Two other reasons that make Catalonia different from other areas in Spain are, people speak Catalan, Spanish and Aranese, and its climate has both beaches and mountain ranges.
Which city is cheaper, Catalonia or Cantabria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cantabria is €85, while the average daily cost in Catalonia is €130. 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 Cantabria and Catalonia in more detail.
Accommodation
Cantabria's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €86. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €43.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Catalonia, €146 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Catalonia, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €73, such as in a hostel.
Food
The price of a meal in Cantabria can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €30 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €12 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
The average traveler spends about €35 per day in Catalonia for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cantabria €30
Catalonia €35
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cantabria is €17 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Catalonia than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €18 on transportation in Catalonia on average per day.
Is it cheaper to fly into Cantabria or Catalonia?
Prices for flights to both Catalonia and Cantabria 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.
Entertainment
Cantabria's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €16 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Catalonia, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €26 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Catalonia
For Catalonia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Legends, Traditions and Essence of Catalonia Live Virtual Tour:
$19
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Barcelona Gaudí Sightseeing Tour from Costa Brava:
$50
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cantabria may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €9.42 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Catalonia spend on average €16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cantabria and Catalonia, we can see that Catalonia is more expensive. And not only is Cantabria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cantabria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cantabria 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 Catalonia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Catalonia than you might in Cantabria.
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