Which place is cheaper, San Sebastian or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?
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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife or San Sebastian?
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 San Sebastian, 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 San Sebastian?
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.
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.
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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Santa Cruz de Tenerife Prices
Spain PricesSan Sebastian Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €155San Sebastian €113
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €155, while the average daily cost in San Sebastian is €113. 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 San Sebastian in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Cruz de Tenerife €48San Sebastian €40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Cruz de Tenerife €96San Sebastian €80
Compare Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Sebastian
Looking for a hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife or San Sebastian? 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 San Sebastian Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €64San Sebastian €13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet: $74
- Tenerife: Anaga Guided Hike . El Pijaral. Transfer Included.: $119
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Sebastian
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Sebastian:
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian Airport to Pamplona city: $284
- Private Transfer from San Sebastian city to San Sebastian Airport: $97
- San Sebastián: Transfer to Biarritz: $282
- Transfer S. Sebastian to Bilbao or S. Sebastian Airports by Sedan: $74
- Transfer San Sebastian to Bilbao or San Sebastian Airports by Van: $133
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Cruz de Tenerife or San Sebastian?
Prices for flights to both San Sebastian 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 €68San Sebastian €55
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.
- Best Street Food Tour of San Sebastian with a Local Guide: $87
- San Sebastian Food Tour: Pintxos, Drinks, and Tapas with a Local: $88
- Basque cuisine cooking class: $153
- San Sebastian Market Visit and Cooking Class: $153
- Basque Cooking Experience: Market Tour & Hands-On Class English: $163
- San Sebastian Surf Lesson & Pintxos Food Tour: $163
- Authentic Basque Cooking Class in San Sebastian with Local Chef: $163
- Dinner in a Gastronomic Club in San Sebastian: $188
- San Sebastian Supper Club A Progressive Dinner Experience: $234
- San Sebastián Food & History Tour: Dinner with a Local Twist: $252
- San Sebastián Walking Dinner Tour with Basque Bites: $292
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Cruz de Tenerife €25San Sebastian €32
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:
- Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $65
- Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $65
- Siam Park Tenerife Quick Entry Tickets: $71
- Cabrio Bus Full Day Guided Tour of Teide (SOUTH ONLY): $88
- Taucho Flight Experience: $114
- Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $118
- La Gomera Full Day Tour from Tenerife with ferry and lunch: $123
- Motorcycle Tour Through Anaga & the Enchanted Forest: $223
- Tenerife: Anaga and La Laguna VIP Tour: $320
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:
- San Sebastián Walking Tour with Audio Guide on Your Smartphone: $7.62
- San Sebastian walking tour with pintxo and drink option: $14
- San Sebastian Historic Walking Tour in Small Group: $32
- San Sebastian History & Highlights Walking Tour | Small Group: $38
- San Sebastian Historic Walking Tour with Pintxo and Drink: $41
- San Sebastian bike tour with FREE pintxo and drink!: $48
- Bike Tour in San Sebastian: $50
- San Sebastian : Private Custom Walking Tour With A Guide: $53
- City tour, bike ride: $53
- Small-Group Electric Bike Tour in San Sebastián: $66
- Walking Tour: Explore the Old town of San Sebastian: $74
- East San Sebastian Ebike Tour: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Cruz de Tenerife €7.50San Sebastian €20
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:
- San Sebastian Old Town Pintxos & Wine Tour Small Group Tour: $121
- Getaria Txakoli wine tour from San Sebastian: $170
- Small Group Basque Food, Pintxos and Wine Tour in San Sebastian: $193
- Open Food & Wine tours in San Sebastian: $211
- Best quality food & wine tasting tour in San Sebastian.: $211
- Private Half Day Txakoli Wine Tour & Getaria Fishing Village: $241
- Rioja wine tour: winery and traditional lunch from San Sebastian: $294
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Sebastian, we can see that Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive? and Is San Sebastian Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or San Sebastian?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 21% larger than the population of San Sebastian. When comparing the sizes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Sebastian, 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.