Which place is cheaper, Playa de las Americas or San Sebastian?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas, 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 Playa de las Americas?
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.
Playa de las Americas
If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Luxury Tours to Spain, and The Best Budget Tours to Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Sebastian €90Playa de las Americas €195
The average daily cost (per person) in San Sebastian is €90, while the average daily cost in Playa de las Americas is €195. 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 Playa de las Americas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Sebastian €40Playa de las Americas €115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Sebastian €80Playa de las Americas €230
Compare Hotels in San Sebastian and Playa de las Americas
Looking for a hotel in San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas? 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 and Playa de las Americas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Sebastian €14Playa de las Americas €56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Vitoria: $291
- San Sebastián-Bilbao city or airport private transfer: $273
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Bilbao Airport: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Bilbao: $268
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian Airport to Pamplona city: $247
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Pamplona Airport : $245
- Private Transfer from the Airport to San Sebastian City: $84
Is it cheaper to fly into San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas?
Prices for flights to both Playa de las Americas 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 €31Playa de las Americas €45
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 €33Playa de las Americas €30
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 €20Playa de las Americas €8.57
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 Playa de las Americas, we can see that Playa de las Americas 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 Playa de las Americas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa de las Americas 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 Playa de las Americas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas?
San Sebastian has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of San Sebastian and Playa de las Americas, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas?
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 Playa de las Americas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to San Sebastian as well as Playa de las Americas. Most visitors come to San Sebastian for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
San Sebastian is cooler than Playa de las Americas in the summer. The daily temperature in San Sebastian averages around 20°C (68°F) in July, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa de las Americas. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Sebastian this time of the year. In the summer, San Sebastian often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 209 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun.
San Sebastian usually gets more rain in July than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySan Sebastian 20°C (68°F)Playa de las Americas 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?
Both Playa de las Americas and San Sebastian are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to San Sebastian because of the shopping scene.
In the autumn, San Sebastian is much colder than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Sebastian in October average around 16°C (60°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 24°C (75°F).
It's quite sunny in Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during autumn. San Sebastian gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 200 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in San Sebastian. In October, San Sebastian usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 155 mm (6.1 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSan Sebastian 16°C (60°F)Playa de las Americas 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?
Both Playa de las Americas and San Sebastian during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to San Sebastian this time of year.
In January, San Sebastian is generally much colder than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in San Sebastian average around 8°C (47°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
In the winter, San Sebastian often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 85 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 191 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Sebastian. San Sebastian usually gets more rain in January than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 183 mm (7.2 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySan Sebastian 8°C (47°F)Playa de las Americas 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit San Sebastian or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both San Sebastian and Playa de las Americas. Many travelers come to San Sebastian for the beaches.
San Sebastian is much colder than Playa de las Americas in the spring. The daily temperature in San Sebastian averages around 12°C (54°F) in April, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa de las Americas this time of the year. San Sebastian usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during spring. San Sebastian gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
San Sebastian gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, San Sebastian usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. San Sebastian gets 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSan Sebastian 12°C (54°F)Playa de las Americas 20°C (68°F)
Typical Weather for Playa de las Americas and San Sebastian
| San Sebastian | Playa de las Americas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (47°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (49°F) | 147 mm (5.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (51°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (54°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 15°C (59°F) | 139 mm (5.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jun | 18°C (64°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 20°C (68°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 20°C (68°F) | 115 mm (4.5 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (60°F) | 155 mm (6.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 190 mm (7.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Dec | 9°C (49°F) | 184 mm (7.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 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.