Which place is cheaper, Barcelona or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona, 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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €126Barcelona €156
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126, while the average daily cost in Barcelona is €156. 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Barcelona in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Cruz de Tenerife €48Barcelona €96
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Cruz de Tenerife €96Barcelona €192
Compare Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Barcelona
Looking for a hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona? 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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices and Barcelona Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €64Barcelona €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:
- Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $43
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $59
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $64
- Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $98
- Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $252
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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10 Trip Metro Ticket€7.80
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Airport Bus€5.00
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Metro€2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Airport to Barcelona City transfer : $31
- Barcelona City to Sant Train Station Barcelona private transfer: $31
- Transfer From Barcelona Airport to Barcelona Cruise Port: $40
- Airport Transfers Barcelona Minivan : $75
- Arrival Barcelona Airport Private Transfer: $31
- Arrival Private Transfer from Barcelona Airport BCN to Barcelona: $33
- Arrival Transfer El Prat Airport BCN to Barcelona by Luxury Van: $91
- Arrival Transfer from Barcelona Airport BCN to Barcelona in Private Car/Van: $80
- Arrival Transfer: Cruise Port to Barcelona by Business Car: $86
- Arrival Transfer: Cruise Port to Barcelona by Luxury Van: $91
- Arrival barcelona Cruise Port to Airport private transfer: $40
- Arrival private transfer from Florence FLR Airport to Florence city - car or van: $73
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona?
Prices for flights to both Barcelona and Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €40Barcelona €33
Typical Food Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
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Hot Cocoa & Churro€4.15
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Sandwich€1.70
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Baguette & Horchata€3.80
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Tapas on the beach€8.28
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Gelatto€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
- Barcelona Guided Street Food Tour and Gothic Quarter Visit: $21
- Flamenco at El Patio Andaluz with Optional Dinner: $27
- Walking Tour + Flamenco + Tapas Dinner (choose options): $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
- La Barceloneta: Tapas Food Tour: $37
- Barcelona La Barceloneta Tapas Food Tour: $38
- Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide: $43
- Boqueria Market & Barrio Gotico Street Food Tour: $56
- Wine Tasting and Tapas 5-Course Pairing Dinner: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience & Wine: $59
- Paella Cooking Experience and Wine in Barcelona: $60
- Barcelona street food tour La Boqueria Market: $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €25Barcelona €33
Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tenerife: Forestal Park Tenerife Entry Ticket: $28
- Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $44
- Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $49
- Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $64
- Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus : $75
- Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $109
- Taucho Flight Experience: $118
- Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $128
- Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $258
Typical Entertainment Prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
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Picasso Walking Tour and Museum Pass€42
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Souvenir Gaudi Book€8.55
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Admission to Museo Picasso€6.00
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
- Self-Guided Tours 150+ Captivating Audio Stories: $2.14
- History & Legends Comedy Tour: Barcelona Gothic Quarter: $2.94
- Gaudí Free Tour in English: $3.21
- Barcelona Free Tour: Gaudi Highlights and La Sagrada Famila: $3.21
- Gaudí Walking Tour: $3.21
- Gothic Quarter Free Walking Tour in English: $3.21
- Alternative Free Tour of the Raval: $3.21
- Barcelona Gothic Quarter: History&Legends Comedy Tour: $3.26
- Sagrada Familia Exterior Free Tour: Stories, Secrets & Symbolism: $3.27
- Barcelona Gaudi and Sagrada Familia Tour: $3.27
- Barcelona:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $4.87
- Gaudi and La Sagrada Familia Exterior Self-Guided Audio Tour : $5.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €7.50Barcelona €17
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by King - Bar & Nightclub Hopping Tour: $14
- Barcelona Pub Crawl by KING - Nightlife Party Experience: $16
- Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting: $16
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: 4+ Venues, Free shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Estrella Damm Old Brewery Tour with Tasting: $21
- Nightlife Tour - Barcelona Bar Crawl with Flamingos: $23
- Barcelona Bar Crawl: $26
- Barcelona Weekend Pub Crawl with 1.5 hour open bar@Hostel: $27
- Catalan Nightlife Pub Crawl Tour & VIP Club Entry: $29
- Barcelona Wine Tasting: Catalan and Spanish Wines: $32
- Wine Tasting in Barcelona "Voyage en Catalogne" (in French): $33
- Guided City Pub Crawl with 4 Drinks: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Barcelona, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. And not only is Santa Cruz de Tenerife much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Cruz de Tenerife would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Barcelona would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Barcelona than you might in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive? and Is Barcelona Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Barcelona?
Barcelona has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. When comparing the sizes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Barcelona, 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.