Should you visit Dublin or Barcelona?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Dublin or Barcelona, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Dublin
Dublin is the vibrant and fun capital city of Ireland and home to over a third of the country's population. There are almost 2 million people in the metropolitan area. It's also the most common entry point into the country for visitors. Once you arrive, its a good idea to head over to the main tourist office in St. Andrew's Church off Grafton Street. They can give you maps and information to make sure your trip is efficient and fun. Many people enjoy seeing what remains of the Georgian architecture throughout the city. Much of the city is also modernist in style with many blocks made up of offices.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Barcelona or Dublin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dublin is €112, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is €122. 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 Dublin and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Dublin is about €106 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Barcelona is €148. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
Food in Dublin costs travelers about €39 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Dublin €39
Barcelona €27
Typical Food prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dublin.
-
Skip the Line:Traditional Irish Night Show Ticket in Dublin with 3-Course Dinner:
$37
-
Irish Craic & Cuisine (Cooking Class & Dinner):
$68
-
Local Food Tour:
$75
-
Private Cooking Class in a Modern Home with Sea Views in Skerries, Dublin:
$77
-
Skip the Line: Irish Night Show Including 4-Course Dinner Ticket:
$77
-
Howth Craft Beer and Seafood Tour for private groups:
$87
-
Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Dublin:
$95
-
Christmas Finger Food & Canapé Cooking Class in Dublin City Center:
$106
-
Learn to Make Your Own Sushi - 2.5 hour Cooking Class:
$106
-
Authentic Dinner Experience with Local Chef:
$108
-
Private Dublin Walking Food Tour with a Local Food Historian:
$180
-
Dublin Secret Food Tour w/ Private Tour Option:
$206
Typical Food prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
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.
-
Live from Barcelona to China: Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Live from Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
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
-
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
-
Traveling Spoon Seafood Paella and Sangria Private Online Cooking Class:
$66
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Dublin is €14 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.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:
-
Ultra - Dublin Private Airport Transfer from Dublin Airport DUB to Cruise Port:
$8.71
-
Ultra - Dublin Private Airport Transfer from Cruise Port to Dublin Airport DUB:
$8.71
-
Ultra - Dublin Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Dublin Airport DUB:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Dublin Private Airport Transfer from Dublin Airport DUB to City Centre:
$9.41
-
From Luxury Transfers to Kildare Village:
$13
-
Private Airport Transfer from Dublin Airport to Dublin City Center:
$28
-
Private Departure Airport transfer from Dublin City To Dublin Airport:
$30
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Dublin to Dublin Airport (DUB):
$36
-
Private Departure Transfer from Dublin City Center to Dublin Airport (DUB):
$36
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Dublin Airport (DUB) to Dublin City Center:
$36
-
From Cuilcagh Mountain Park with Shuttle Transfer:
$36
-
From Cliffs of Moher Hike and Transfers by Bus:
$40
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:
-
Airport Transfer:
$127
-
Airport Transfers:
$20
-
Airport, Port cruise & Hotel Transfers:
$81
-
Ancient winery of vermouth, Tarragona & Reus: private Round-Trip Transfer:
$311
-
Arrival Private Transfer Barcelona City or Airport to Andorra by Business Car:
$445
-
Arrival Private Transfer Barcelona Port to Barcelona City by Business Car:
$57
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Barcelona Port to Barcelona City:
$70
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Barcelona Cruise Port to Bacelona City:
$88
-
Barcelona - Salou private transfer:
$198
-
Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Cruise Port - Arrival Private Car Transfer:
$46
-
Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Cruise Port - Arrival Private Van Transfer:
$32
-
Barcelona Airport (BCN) to Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Car Transfer:
$92
Is it cheaper to fly into Dublin or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Dublin 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
Dublin's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €20 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.
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.
Typical Entertainment prices in Dublin
Here are a few typical costs in Dublin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Wild Wicklow Tour
€26
-
Guinness Brewery for Two
€27
-
St Pauls Cathedral
€4.50
-
Dublin Writer's Museum
€6.30
Tours and Activities in Dublin
Here are a few actual costs in Dublin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Christ Church Cathedral Tour:
$8.17
-
Skip the Line: Dublin Christ Church Cathedral Admission Ticket:
$9.33
-
St Stephen's Green Park Walking Tour:
$12
-
Self-Guided City Experience:
$12
-
Dublin Rogues Tour is a walking tour in Merrion Square Park:
$12
-
2-Hour History of Dublin Walking Tour:
$13
-
Jeanie Johnston Tallship Emigrant Experience:
$13
-
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket:
$13
-
Aviva Stadium 1-Hour Guided Tour:
$13
-
Virtual Dublin History, Culture & Craic Tour:
$15
-
Dublin Beer Tour with a Spanish Tour Guide:
$15
-
General Post Office 2–Hour Tumultuous History Tour:
$15
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:
-
A Culinary Audio Tour of El Born by VoiceMap:
$5.50
-
Museu de la Xocolata Tickets:
$7.16
-
Private Barcelona Ghost Tour: Gothic Quarter Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Museu de la Xocolata Admission Ticket:
$7.46
-
Gaudi House Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$8.95
-
Barcelona Port Traditional Boat Tour:
$9.16
-
Guided Tour of Requesens Palace:
$9.54
-
Guided Tour of Barcelona's Royal Academy of Sciences & Arts:
$9.54
-
Skip the Line: History Museum of Catalonia & Rooftop Access Ticket:
$9.95
-
Skip the Line: Human Bodies - Entrance to the exhibition Ticket:
$9.95
-
Skip the Line: Erotic Museum of Barcelona Admission Ticket with free souvenir:
$9.95
-
Guided Tour at Barcelona's Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts:
$10
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Dublin may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €14 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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.
Sample the Local Flavors in Dublin
Also in Dublin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
The Backpacker Pub Crawl:
$15
-
New Pub Crawl:
$15
-
Dublin Literary Pub Crawl:
$19
-
Jameson Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tastings:
$25
-
Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tasting:
$25
-
Jameson Distillery Guided Tour with Whiskey Tasting:
$31
-
Whiskey Distillery Tour and Cocktail Workshop in Dublin:
$87
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Private Whiskey Distillery Excursion:
$541
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
-
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
When comparing the travel costs between Dublin and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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