Should you visit Madrid or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Madrid and Buenos Aires, Argentina can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, federal capital of Argentina, also known as "The City of Tango", is best known for its energetic and unpredictable character. Like a restless child, Buenos Aires is a dynamic and modern city full of surprises. While its French-style palaces, rooftop restaurants, wide avenues and green plazas resemble European-style architecture, Buenos Aires preserves its musical, literary and culinary traditions. You can't miss dining in front of a Tango show, walking around the colourful streets of La Boca and visiting the renowned Recoleta Cemetery, designed by Argentina's most important architects and home to hundreds of illustrious corpses.
Which city is cheaper, Buenos Aires, Argentina or Madrid?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
-
Average Daily Cost
Per person, per day
Madrid
€107
Buenos Aires, Argentina
€61
The average daily cost (per person) in Madrid is €107, while the average daily cost in Buenos Aires, Argentina is €61. 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 Madrid and Buenos Aires, Argentina in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around €118 for a double occupancy room in Madrid If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Buenos Aires, Argentina is €48. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
-
Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Madrid €59
Buenos Aires, Argentina €24
-
Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Madrid
€118
Buenos Aires, Argentina
€48
Food
The price of a meal in Madrid 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.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina travelers spend around €19 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Typical Food prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee
€2.00
-
Ice Cream
€3.00
-
Kebabs (for 2)
€16
-
Croissant
€1.50
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)
€16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Virtual Cooking Class: The Spanish Paella Experience:
$24
-
Florida Retiro Dinner Show:
$38
-
Murder Mystery Dinner Experience:
$49
-
Virtual cooking - spanish "tortilla de patatas":
$50
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show with Dinner and Workshop in Madrid Ticket:
$52
-
Private Food Tour in The 10 Tastings:
$53
-
Homemade pasta cooking class and lunch in the heart of Madrid:
$58
-
Mamaz Social Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$60
-
3-hour Virtual Spanish Cooking Class in Madrid:
$62
-
Opera and Zarzuela Show and Dinner:
$62
-
Authentic Italian Dinner in Madrid:
$68
-
Zarzuela Opera and Dinner at La Castafiore Restaurant in Madrid:
$68
Typical Food prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
-
Lunch
€0.19
-
Cup of Coffee
€0.11
-
Empandas
€0.14
-
Espresso
€0.07
-
Dinner (Pizza)
€0.11
-
Ice Cream
€0.10
-
Breakfast at Airport
€0.28
-
Dinner (Sandwiches)
€0.08
-
Sweets
€0.05
-
Hot Dog
€0.06
-
Breakfast (Take-Away)
€0.10
-
Lunch for 2
€1.23
-
Cake and Coffee
€3.97
-
Dinner
€14
-
Powerade
€0.87
-
Lunch
€6.25
-
Dinner
€9.09
-
Chocolate
€23
Local Transportation
To get around in Madrid, the average visitor spends €15 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.
The average price of local transportation around Buenos Aires, Argentina is €9.46 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.
-
Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Madrid €15
Buenos Aires, Argentina €9.46
Typical Local Transportation prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Transfer Chauffeur Drive:
$122
-
Arrival Private Transfer Business Car MAD to Madrid:
$51
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Car MAD to Madrid:
$78
-
Arrival Private Transfer MAD to Madrid in a Minibus:
$140
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Avila City by Business Car:
$247
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Luxury Van:
$70
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Standard Minibus:
$126
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid MAD to Madrid, Toledo or Avila Luxury Van:
$69
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Car:
$58
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van:
$56
-
DUCA - Hassle-Free transfer from Madrid to Vicentine Coast:
$743
-
Departure Private Transfer Luxury Car Madrid to MAD:
$80
Typical Local Transportation prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
-
Taxi from Airport
€1.00
-
Local Bus
€0.02
-
Metro Ride
€0.02
-
Taxi to airport
€0.26
-
Taxi
€0.69
Is it cheaper to fly into Madrid or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
Prices for flights to both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Madrid 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
In Madrid, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €27 per person, per day.
Buenos Aires, Argentina'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
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Madrid €27
Buenos Aires, Argentina €20
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
-
Free Walking Tour:
$1.21
-
Madrid's Private Tour with your Family: Highlights & Hidden Gems:
$4.04
-
A local's Tuck into the city's history and some tapas on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
History Tour of The Town Too High To Die Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.13
-
Madrid from the Inquisition to Multiculturalism Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
-
Madrid Private Tour: Fun Old Town Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Teatro Real: Ticket and 1-Hour Audio Tour:
$8.24
-
Skip the Line: Museo Lázaro Galdiano Admission Ticket:
$8.71
-
Madrid of the Austrias Walking Tour:
$9.69
-
Skip the Line: Ticket for the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid:
$9.95
-
Madrid 90 Minutes Kickstart Private Tour:
$9.95
Typical Entertainment prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few typical costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Madrid, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €16.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Buenos Aires, Argentina may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typical Alcohol prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer
€5.00
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
-
5-Hour Pub Crawl:
$13
-
Madrid Pub Crawl:
$14
-
Pub Crawl in Madrid:
$15
-
Pub Crawl Madrid by Madpartycrew:
$19
-
Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor:
$20
-
Private Pub Crawl Madrid:
$21
-
Wine Tasting Experience:
$32
-
Madrid Wine Tasting, Flamenco Class, and Pub Crawl:
$44
-
Madrid 6-Hour Tapas and Flamenco Bar Crawl:
$46
-
Madrid Tapas and Mysteries Walking Tour with Private Option and Pub Crawl:
$47
-
Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid:
$58
-
Segovia and Spanish Versailles Full-Day Tour with Wine Tasting:
$62
Typical Alcohol prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Buenos Aires, Argentina from other travelers:
-
Beer
€0.09
-
Beer (0.66L)
€0.15
-
Cocktail
€0.23
-
Alcohol
€4.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Madrid and Buenos Aires, Argentina, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Buenos Aires, Argentina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Madrid is in Europe and Buenos Aires, Argentina is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buenos Aires, Argentina 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 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Related Articles for Madrid
Related Articles for Buenos Aires, Argentina
