Should you visit Ios or Palma de Mallorca?
Should I visit Ios or Palma de Mallorca? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Ios
Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.
Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca is a resort city and capital of the Spanish island, Mallorca, in the western Mediterranean. It is home to landmarks like Gothic cathedrals and medieval fortresses, but is also host to sandy beaches where the city meets the sea in a backdrop of surrounding mountains. Amidst the city itself you will find it easy to get lost in the charm of cobbled lanes, busy markets, boutiques, and historic courtyards.
Which city is cheaper, Palma de Mallorca or Ios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ios is €73, while the average daily cost in Palma de Mallorca is €111. 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 Ios and Palma de Mallorca in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around €31. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Ios the cost is €62 on average.
The prices for places to stay in Palma de Mallorca can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €56, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €112.
Food
While meal prices in Ios can vary, the average travelers spends about €26 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Ios should cost around €10 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Ios is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Palma de Mallorca food costs typically run travelers around €36 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
Ios €26
Palma de Mallorca €36
Typical Food prices in Palma de Mallorca
For Palma de Mallorca, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Palma de Mallorca
For Palma de Mallorca, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Show Cooking Paella:
$124
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Ios is €13 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.
To get around in Palma de Mallorca, the average visitor spends €20 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Palma de Mallorca
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Palma de Mallorca are as follows:
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Taxi Ride
€6.80
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Bus Ride
€1.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Palma de Mallorca
Also for Palma de Mallorca, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) to Palma de Mallorca:
$24
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Palma de Mallorca Half Day Sightseeing Tour with Transfers:
$26
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Private Transfer: Palma to Palma de Mallorca International Airport (PMI):
$48
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Private Transfer: Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) to Palma:
$48
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Private Departure Transfer from Palma de Mallorca to Palma de Mallorca Terminal:
$50
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Arrival Transfer from Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Private Car:
$69
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Arrival Private Transfer Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma by Business Car:
$73
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Arrival Transfer from Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Private Van:
$73
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Transfer from Palma Airport (Majorca) to Magaluf (Any Hotel):
$83
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Arrival Private Transfers : Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Business Car:
$84
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Private Transfers from Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma in Business Car:
$90
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Arrival Private Transfer Palma de Mallorca Airport PMI to Palma by Luxury Car:
$101
Is it cheaper to fly into Ios or Palma de Mallorca?
Prices for flights to both Palma de Mallorca and Ios 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
Ios's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €21 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.
In Palma de Mallorca, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €27 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Ios
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ios are as follows:
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From Ios to Sikinos Island & Winery Tour:
$96
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Half Day Sunset Sailboat tour (afternoon):
$210
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Ios Speed Boat Adventure:
$54
Tours and Activities in Palma de Mallorca
For Palma de Mallorca, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Alcudia Open Bus City Tour in Mallorca:
$21
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Palma de Mallorca Sightseeing Day Tour:
$24
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Palma de Mallorca Segway Ninebot Tour:
$56
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Express Tour to Drach Caves and Portocristo:
$60
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Segway Old Town Tour in Alcudia:
$77
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Segway Lake Tour in Alcudia:
$77
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Santa Ponsa: 3-Hour Scuba Diving Tour:
$77
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Mallorca Coasteering Adventure:
$79
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Small-Group Serra de Tramuntana Canyoning Experience in Mallorca:
$100
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Classic Tour of Mallorca on Convertible Car:
$118
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Bellver Castle Private Tour and Surrounding Highlights:
$158
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Palma: Shopping Tour Experience w/ your Personal Shopper:
$194
Alcohol
The average person spends about €26 on alcoholic beverages in Ios per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Palma de Mallorca spend on average €24 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Palma de Mallorca
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Palma de Mallorca are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Palma de Mallorca
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Palma de Mallorca:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ios and Palma de Mallorca, we can see that Palma de Mallorca is more expensive. And not only is Ios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ios 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 Palma de Mallorca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Palma de Mallorca than you might in Ios.
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