Should you visit Munich or Madrid?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Munich or Madrid, 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.
Munich
Munich is the capital city of Bavaria and a top travel destination within Germany. It has stunning architecture and a cultural scene that rivals Berlin. It has some of the country's top museums, festivals, and concerts. Munich is most famous for its Oktoberfest, which is easily the busiest time of year in the city. The architecture is what surprises most travelers. It's quite impressive and truly adds to the character of the city. Although much of Munich was destroyed during World War II, the city has successfully rebuilt most of the buildings in their previous style. Much of the city remains as it was in the 1800s. There are two major research universities in Munich, helping to make it a center for engineering, business, and the sciences.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Madrid or Munich?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Munich is €116, while the average daily cost in Madrid is €107. 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 Munich and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Munich is about €138 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
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.
Food
Munich food costs typically run travelers around €22 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.
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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Munich €22
Madrid €27
Typical Food prices in Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Munich:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Munich
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Munich.
-
Munich Traditional Bavarian Culture, Beer And Food Tour Including Traditional Bavarian Dress:
$200
Typical Food prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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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:
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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
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €15 per day to get around in Munich.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Munich
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Munich:
-
Single Zone Trip on Subway
€2.30
-
Inner District Subway Day Pass
€5.20
-
City transport day ticket
€11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Munich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Munich:
-
Private Transfer from Munich to Prague:
$1,060
-
Private transfer from Munich to Vienna:
$1,045
-
Private transfer from Baden Baden to München or the opposite way:
$933
-
Private Transfer Munich Airport to Zürich or Basel:
$759
-
Neuschwanstein castle private transfer from Munich:
$739
-
Private transfer from Munich to Ljubljana:
$725
-
Private transfer from Munich to Prague:
$691
-
Private Dachau Concentration Camp Tour with Private Transfer from Munich:
$610
-
One-way Transfer from Munich City Centre to Prague City Centre:
$547
-
Munich - Budapest Transfer:
$523
-
Exclusive Private Ski Course with success guarantee & Transfer to ski area from Munich:
$496
-
Private Transfer from Munich to Salzburg in Mercedes S-Class:
$491
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:
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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
Is it cheaper to fly into Munich or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Munich 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
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €23 per person, per day in Munich. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
In Madrid, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €27 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Munich
Here are a few typical costs in Munich for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Munich
Here are a few actual costs in Munich for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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3-Day Prague Overnight Tour Including Round-Trip by Coach from Munich:
$502
-
5-Day Munich to Stuttgart Overnight Tour by Coach:
$518
-
6-Nght Independent Munich Rail Tour to Vienna via Salzburg:
$844
-
7-Day Imperial Triangle Tour Rail Tour from Munich to Vienna and Prague:
$901
-
Big Hat Tours:
$286
-
Christmas Private Daytrip -Nuremberg to Munich & back with 4/6/8h of Sightseeing:
$285
-
Dachau Concentration Camp Tour:
$498
-
Discover Munich 2-Hour Small Group Walking Tour:
$19
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EXCLUSiVE MUNiCH & Surroundings ALL-IN-ONE Culture, Nature and History Tour:
$322
-
EXCLUSiVE NEUSCHWANSTEIN Tour from Munich +Ancient Castle +XXL SUSPENSiON BRiDGE:
$419
-
EXCLUSiVE Neuschwanstein DURiNG LOCKDOWN from Munich & virtual Tour of Interior:
$496
-
Eagles Nest Private Tour in Mercedes V-Class for up to 6 pax:
$955
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
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Free Walking Tour:
$1.21
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Madrid's Private Tour with your Family: Highlights & Hidden Gems:
$4.04
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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
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Skip the Line: Ticket for the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid:
$9.95
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Madrid 90 Minutes Kickstart Private Tour:
$9.95
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Munich may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €29 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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.
Typical Alcohol prices in Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Munich:
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
When comparing the travel costs between Munich and Madrid, we can see that Munich 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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