Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Santillana?
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 Santillana or Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Santillana or Madrid? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Santillana or Madrid?
Santillana
A quaint town outside of Santander in northern Spain, Santillana de Mar is renowned for its medieval architecture. One of Spain's prettiest villages, Santillana del Mar and its cobbled streets are lined with palaces, churches, and balconies full of flowers. There are plenty of traditional shops selling local specialties, and it is nearby the UNESCO world heritage site of the Altamira Caves for something a little different.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Spain, The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain, The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain, and The Best Adventure Tours to Spain.
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Santillana Prices
Spain PricesMadrid Prices
Spain Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantillana €127Madrid €162
The average daily cost (per person) in Santillana is €127, 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 Santillana and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantillana €60Madrid €78
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantillana €120Madrid €156
Compare Hotels in Santillana and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Santillana 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: Santillana Hotel Prices and Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santillana €17Madrid €18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
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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: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid: $68
- Arrival Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Avila City by Sedan: $293
- Arrival Transfer from Bologna Airport BLQ to Bologna City by Van: $101
- Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van: $90
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Business Car: $85
- Departure Private Transfer Madrid to MAD Airport in a Minibus: $176
- Departure Private Transfer from Madrid to MAD Airport by Van: $88
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Car: $83
- Departure Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Business Car: $85
- Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Transfer: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Santillana or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Santillana 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 daySantillana €53Madrid €59
Typical Food Prices in Santillana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santillana:
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Breakfast€7.00
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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Coffee€2.00
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Ice Cream€3.00
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Kebabs (for 2)€16
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Croissant€1.50
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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:
- Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine: $69
- Madrid : Paella and Churros cooking class, ham and wines tasting: $77
- Small-Group Food Tour with Tapas, Wine & Vermouth: $88
- Madrid Food Tour: Best Tapas, Churros & Market Sights by FLT: $89
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars: $94
- The Best Flamenco in Madrid Show with Dinner and Drink: $98
- Madrid Tapas & Paella Cooking Experience with Local Market Visit: $113
- Madrid Local Tapas & History Tour with Dinner: $113
- Flamenco night Show and Dinner in Madrid: $125
- Literary Quarter Tour and Paella Cooking Class in Madrid: $125
- Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with Bottomless Wine Pairing: $141
- Half-Day Spanish Local House Dinner Experience in Madrid: $142
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santillana €23Madrid €33
Tours and Activities in Santillana
Here are a few actual costs in Santillana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Altamira Museum - Historical Private Tour through Santilana: $1,096
- Private Guided Walking Tour of Santillana del Mar: $218
- Private Walking Tour of Altamira and Neocave Museum: $218
- Santillana del Mar: Altamira Museum & Cave's Replica Tour: $356
- Santillana del Mar: exclusive private tour with Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana: $273
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Dark Side of Madrid Ghosts Executions and Murders Walking Tour: $2.47
- Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park: $3.55
- Madrid Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.93
- Madrid Historical Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.93
- Madrid Old Town Self Guided Tour with Mobile App: $5.99
- Let's Tapear! The Madrid Tapas Route Walking Audio Tour: $7.35
- Madrid Mystery Quest: Self-Guided Surreal Adventure Game: $8.30
- Madrid Essential : Self-Guided Tour created by local Official Guide: $8.31
- Museo Lazaro Galdiano Admission Ticket in Madrid: $9.06
- Manzanares River’s Story: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Madrid: $9.99
- Madrid City Tour Self guided Audio Tour on Your Phone: $12
- A local's A self-guided audio tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantillana €4.29Madrid €19
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
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Beer€5.00
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Drinks and Tapas (for 2)€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Top Pub Crawl Madrid & Party: $12
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Madrid Pub Crawl: VIP Entry & Shots, Games (Kapital, Fitz, Shoko): $14
- Spanish Wine Tasting Overlooking Parque del Oeste: $26
- Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $30
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $55
- Madrid Royal Palace Small Group Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $70
- Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience: $77
- Spanish Wine Tasting : $90
- Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid: $102
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santillana and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Santillana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santillana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santillana 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 Santillana.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santillana Expensive? and Is Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santillana or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 770 times larger than the population of Santillana. When comparing the sizes of Santillana 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.