Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Santander?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Santander or Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santander and Madrid can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santander or Madrid?
Santander
Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Madrid, The Best 2-Week Tours from Barcelona, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Spain, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Spain.
-
Santander Prices
Spain PricesMadrid Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantander €138Madrid €162
The average daily cost (per person) in Santander is €138, while the average daily cost in Madrid is €162. 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 Santander and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantander €51Madrid €78
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantander €102Madrid €156
Compare Hotels in Santander and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Santander or Madrid? 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: Santander Hotel Prices and Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santander €24Madrid €18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:
- Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $287
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $287
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $287
- Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $64
- One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $46
- Santander Private Departure Transfer: $41
- Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride€26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid- Barajas Airport private transfer, Pick up.: $96
- Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Van: $88
- Arrival Transfer from Bologna Airport BLQ to Bologna City by Van: $97
- Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van: $92
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Business Car: $86
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Luxury Van: $95
- Departure Private Transfer Madrid to MAD Airport in a Minibus: $170
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Car: $84
- Departure Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Business Car: $86
- Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $27
- Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Transfer: $41
- Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $82
Is it cheaper to fly into Santander or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Santander 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
-
Food Meals for one daySantander €70Madrid €59
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee€2.00
-
Ice Cream€3.00
-
Kebabs (for 2)€16
-
Croissant€1.50
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)€16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Madrid Food Tour: Tapas, Drinks and Delights with a Local: $56
- Madrid Old Town Tour & Flamenco Show with Optional Dinner: $68
- Madrid Paella Cooking Class with Unlimited Sangría: $69
- Murder Mystery Dinner Experience: $73
- Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine: $79
- Madrid History Food Tour: Tapas & Drinks Tasting: $86
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars: $90
- Small-Group Food Tour with Tapas, Wine & Vermouth: $90
- Madrid Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Food Tour: $90
- Madrid Spanish Omelet Cooking Class and Bottomless Wine brunch: $92
- 100% Hands-on Cooking Class Paella Tapas Sangria in Madrid: $97
- Madrid Food Tour in a Neighborhood Market with Churros: $102
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santander €18Madrid €33
Tours and Activities in Santander
Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bilbao and Castro Urdiales Day Tour from Santander: $92
- Cantabria Full-Day Private Guided Tour: $616
- City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour + Train: $30
- Comillas, Modernism & Gaudi with entrance tickets -small groups: $75
- El Soplao Cave Visit with entrance ticket- small groups: $78
- Exclusive Tour of Santander with Cathedral and Booty Centre: $243
- From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $81
- Guided kayak tour of Santander Bay with a tour guide.: $41
- Guided tour in English through the heart of Santander: $24
- Guided tour of Santander Cathedral: $14
- Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $30
- Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander-small groups: $103
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Malasaña and Chueca A Tour That Shouts Freedom: $3.42
- Tuk Tuk Tour of the Best of Madrid (booking only): $3.42
- Walking Tour of Madrid Modern: $3.43
- Madrid City Highlights Walking Tour: $4.58
- A Self-Guided Tour of El Retiro Park’s Rise, Ruin and Redemption: $5.00
- Madrid Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Surreal Adventure Game: $5.99
- Madrid Old Town Self Guided Tour with Mobile App: $5.99
- Madrid Essential : Self-Guided Tour created by local Official Guide: $6.01
- The Red Thread of Resistance Madrid Podcast Tour: $6.85
- Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour: $7.35
- Real Jardin Botanico Skip The Line Tickets: $8.24
- Manzanares River’s Story: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Madrid: $9.99
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySantander €14Madrid €19
Sample the Local Flavors in Santander
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Santander:
- Wine Tourism and Cheese in Cantabria: $224
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer€5.00
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Pub Crawl Madrid Adventure bars with Open bar and VIP Club Entry: $16
- Madrid Pub Crawl: Club Entry, Bars & Shots: $19
- Madrid Pub Crawl: $28
- Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor in Madrid: $34
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $53
- Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience: $74
- Toledo Tour & Vineyard Experience with Wine Tasting from Madrid: $86
- Madrid Non-Touristy Tapas & Wine Tour – Authentic Local Food: $86
- Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide: $89
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour with Rooftop Views and Local Guide: $90
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santander and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Santander much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santander would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santander 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid than you might in Santander.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santander Expensive? and Is Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santander or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Santander. When comparing the sizes of Santander and Madrid, 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.