Which place is cheaper, Costa de Prata or San Sebastian?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Sebastian or Costa de Prata, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: San Sebastian or Costa de Prata?
San Sebastian
San Sebastián is a city in northern Spain very well known for its summertime fun in the sun. While the streets are cool and happening at night, they take on a different charm by day. Beautiful beaches line the city's edge, right next to elegant historic architecture and churches, topping charts as some of the best city beaches in Europe. The food, too, is said to be some of the best with traditional Basque cuisine as well as the popular pintxo (tapas) bites. San Sebastián is a place of lively culture, teeming with beauty, flavors, and colors.
Costa de Prata
Costa de Prata is a region located on the Silver Coast of Portugal, an hour north of Lisbon. The area is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient architecture, and relaxed, welcoming, atmosphere. The area experiences gorgeous weather nearly all year round, with temperatures in the high 70's and 80's Fahrenheit from May-September. June-August sees the warmest ocean temperatures, making these the best months for swimming. Even during their winter, temperatures rarely dip below 60°F, although ocean temperatures drop, making swimming a bit colder.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Sebastian €90Costa de Prata €151
The average daily cost (per person) in San Sebastian is €90, while the average daily cost in Costa de Prata is €151. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for San Sebastian and Costa de Prata in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Sebastian €40Costa de Prata €78
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Sebastian €80Costa de Prata €156
Compare Hotels in San Sebastian and Costa de Prata
Looking for a hotel in San Sebastian or Costa de Prata? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: San Sebastian Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Sebastian €14Costa de Prata €53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- San Sebastián-Bilbao city or airport private transfer: $273
- Private Transfer from the Airport to San Sebastian City: $84
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Vitoria: $291
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Bilbao: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Pamplona Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Bilbao Airport: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian Airport to Pamplona city: $247
Is it cheaper to fly into San Sebastian or Costa de Prata?
Prices for flights to both Costa de Prata and San Sebastian 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one daySan Sebastian €31Costa de Prata €44
Typical Food Prices in San Sebastian
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Dinner for 2€55
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Lunch for 2€10
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Lunch for 2€31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Sebastian
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Sebastian.
- San Sebastian Walking and Food Tour: $104
- Insider Best Culinary Gems Guided Food Tour in San Sebastian: $109
- Basque Cuisine Cooking Class with Market Visit: $148
- Full Day San Sebastian Food Tour : $150
- I travel for Food Tour in San Sebastian: $152
- Authentic Basque Cooking Class in the Old Town: $152
- Private San Sebastian Walking Food Tour: $158
- Michelin Star Secrets Cooking Class in San Sebastian: $213
- Food tour in San Sebastian and Visit to a Gastronomical Club: $224
- History and flavors of San Sebastian for Dinner with Eskerne Falcón: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Sebastian €33Costa de Prata €13
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Sebastian
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in San Sebastian are as follows:
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Valle de los Caídos Monument€6.00
Tours and Activities in San Sebastian
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Sebastian are as follows:
- Biarritz & La Côte Basque Private tour: $246
- Biarritz and French Coast Small Grop Tour from San Sebastian: $86
- Bilbao city and Guggenheim Museum small group tour: $164
- Chef-Led Market Tour & Pintxo Lunch: $163
- Chef-Led Walking Pintxo Tour of San Sebastián : $272
- Cider House Experience From San Sebastian: $120
- City tour, bike ride: $45
- City tour, by electric bicycle: $50
- Coastal "Winery Camino Trail" Walking Tour from San Sebastian: $186
- Electric scooter city tour: $45
- Evening Pintxo-Tapas Tour with Discover San Sebastian: $191
- Exclusive Private Pintxos Adventure with Premium Spanish Wines": $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Sebastian €20Costa de Prata €8.13
Sample the Local Flavors in San Sebastian
Also in San Sebastian, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos & Wine Tour (Evening): $141
- Getaria Txakoli Wine Tour with Hotel Pick-up from San Sebastian: $148
- Best quality food & wine tasting tour in San Sebastian. : $191
- Rioja Wine Tour: 2 Wineries Visit with Tasting from San Sebastian: $240
- Rioja Wine Tour: Winery, Tasting & Lunch from San Sebastian: $251
- Full Rioja Wine Tour with Lunch from San Sebastian Private Tour: $298
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Sebastian and Costa de Prata, we can see that Costa de Prata is more expensive. And not only is San Sebastian much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Sebastian would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Sebastian 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 Costa de Prata would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Costa de Prata than you might in San Sebastian.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Sebastian Expensive? and Is Costa de Prata Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata in the Summer?
Both Costa de Prata and San Sebastian during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to San Sebastian in the summer for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.
San Sebastian is cooler than Costa de Prata in the summer. The daily temperature in San Sebastian averages around 20°C (68°F) in July, and Costa de Prata fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
In Costa de Prata, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in San Sebastian. In the summer, San Sebastian often gets less sunshine than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 209 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Costa de Prata receives 308 hours of full sun.
San Sebastian usually gets more rain in July than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Costa de Prata receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySan Sebastian 20°C (68°F)Costa de Prata 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Sebastian and Costa de Prata. Most visitors come to San Sebastian for the shopping scene during these months.
In the autumn, San Sebastian is cooler than Costa de Prata. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Sebastian in October average around 16°C (60°F), and Costa de Prata averages at about 18°C (65°F).
San Sebastian usually receives less sunshine than Costa de Prata during autumn. San Sebastian gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Costa de Prata receives 184 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Costa de Prata receives a lot of rain in the autumn. San Sebastian gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Sebastian usually receives more rain than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 155 mm (6.1 in) of rain, while Costa de Prata receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSan Sebastian 16°C (60°F)Costa de Prata 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to San Sebastian as well as Costa de Prata. The winter months attract visitors to San Sebastian because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, San Sebastian is generally cooler than Costa de Prata. Daily temperatures in San Sebastian average around 8°C (47°F), and Costa de Prata fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the winter, San Sebastian often gets less sunshine than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 85 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Costa de Prata receives 124 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Costa de Prata. San Sebastian receives a lot of rain in the winter. San Sebastian usually gets more rain in January than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 183 mm (7.2 in) of rain, while Costa de Prata receives 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySan Sebastian 8°C (47°F)Costa de Prata 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Costa de Prata in the Spring?
Both Costa de Prata and San Sebastian are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches are the main draw to San Sebastian this time of year.
San Sebastian is cooler than Costa de Prata in the spring. The daily temperature in San Sebastian averages around 12°C (54°F) in April, and Costa de Prata fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
It's quite sunny in Costa de Prata. San Sebastian usually receives less sunshine than Costa de Prata during spring. San Sebastian gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Costa de Prata receives 217 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in San Sebastian. In April, San Sebastian usually receives more rain than Costa de Prata. San Sebastian gets 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain, while Costa de Prata receives 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSan Sebastian 12°C (54°F)Costa de Prata 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Costa de Prata and San Sebastian
| San Sebastian | Costa de Prata | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (47°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (49°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (51°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (68°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (68°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (60°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 128 mm (5 in) |
| Dec | 9°C (49°F) | 184 mm (7.2 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.