Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or San Sebastian?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit San Sebastian or Puerto del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Sebastian or Puerto del Carmen, 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 Puerto del Carmen?
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.
Puerto del Carmen
Located on the south-eastern coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen is a popular resort area best known for its high concentration of bars, pubs, restaurants, and clubs. By day, visitors frequent the beaches for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, and other watersports - and by night, they flock to enjoy the live music and drinks of the area's thriving nightlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain, The Best Adventure Tours to Spain, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.
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San Sebastian Prices
Spain PricesPuerto del Carmen Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Sebastian €113Puerto del Carmen €210
The average daily cost (per person) in San Sebastian is €113, while the average daily cost in Puerto del Carmen is €210. 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 Puerto del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Sebastian €40Puerto del Carmen €98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Sebastian €80Puerto del Carmen €196
Compare Hotels in San Sebastian and Puerto del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in San Sebastian or Puerto del Carmen? 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 Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Sebastian €13Puerto del Carmen €39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- Transfer S. Sebastian to Bilbao or S. Sebastian Airports by Sedan: $75
- Transfer Bilbao or San Sebastian Airport to San Sebastian by Car: $75
- San Sebastián: Transfer to Biarritz: $284
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian to Biarritz: $196
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to Biarritz Airport: $196
Is it cheaper to fly into San Sebastian or Puerto del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen 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 €55Puerto del Carmen €89
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 Food Tour: Pintxos, Drinks, and Tapas with a Local: $89
- Basque cuisine cooking class: $154
- San Sebastian Market Visit and Cooking Class: $154
- Basque Cooking Experience: Market Tour & Hands-On Class English: $165
- Authentic Basque Cooking Class in San Sebastian with Local Chef: $165
- Private San Sebastian Walking Food Tour: $172
- San Sebastián Food & History Tour: Dinner with a Local Twist: $254
- Local Cooking Class in San Sebastian: $272
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Sebastian €32Puerto del Carmen €17
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:
- "A la Vasca" - Top Notch Gastro Cultural Experience: $207
- "Basque Cider House" guided tour + meal from San Sebastian: $98
- Bike Tour in San Sebastian: $51
- Camino de Santiago trail. Private trekking tour along the coast: $296
- City tour, bike ride: $53
- Coastal "Winery Camino Trail" Walking Tour from San Sebastian: $189
- Discover San Sebastián’s Best Pintxos on a Unique Culinary Tour: $207
- Eating Beyond Pintxos Tour: $136
- Ebike and Pintxos tour: $112
- Essentials San Sebastian Private Walking Tour: $204
- Exclusive Private Pintxos tour with Premium Spanish Wines": $183
- Gastronomic Tour of Pintxos in San Sebastián: $117
Tours and Activities in Puerto del Carmen
For Puerto del Carmen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cesar Manrique’s Lanzarote tour with Cactus Garden & LagOmar: $73
- Las Palmas: Freedive & Deep Snorkel Experience For Beginners: $140
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Sebastian €20Puerto del Carmen €60
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:
- Rioja Wine Tour: wineries and Laguardia from San Sebastian: $112
- San Sebastian Old Town Pintxos & Wine Tour Small Group Tour: $122
- Getaria Txakoli wine tour from San Sebastian: $172
- Small Group Basque Food, Pintxos and Wine Tour in San Sebastian: $194
- Open Food & Wine tours in San Sebastian: $213
- Private Half Day Txakoli Wine Tour & Getaria Fishing Village: $243
- Private Txakoli wine tour in Getaria from San Sebastian: $296
- Rioja wine tour: winery and traditional lunch from San Sebastian: $296
- Private Txakoli Wine Tour through the Coast from San Sebastian: $298
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Sebastian and Puerto del Carmen, we can see that Puerto del Carmen 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 Puerto del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto del Carmen 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 Puerto del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Sebastian or Puerto del Carmen?
San Sebastian has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of San Sebastian and Puerto del Carmen, 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.
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.