Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Santillana?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Luxury Tours to Spain, and The Best Budget Tours to Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantillana €105Madrid €136
The average daily cost (per person) in Santillana is €105, while the average daily cost in Madrid is €136. 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 €77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantillana €120Madrid €154
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 €19
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:
- Private One-Way Transfer to OR from Madrid Airport with private pick up: $77
- Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Van: $71
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid: $53
- Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Car: $80
- Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Business Car: $80
- Departure Private Transfer Madrid to MAD Airport in a Minibus: $137
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Car: $80
- Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Van: $87
- Departure Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Luxury Van: $87
- From Madrid Airport: 1-Way Private Hotel Transfer: $80
- From Hot Air Balloon over Segovia with Transfer: $261
- Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $26
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 €30Madrid €34
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:
- Tipsy Tapas Food Tour with Drinks and Food: $27
- Drunken Tapas Food Tour with Dinner in Madrid: $32
- Tapas Dinner Party Food Tour with Guide: $33
- Tapas Crawl Food Tour with 6 Tapas and 4 Drinks: $35
- Madrid Tipsy Tapas Guided Food Tour with Dinner: $42
- Paella and Sangria Workshop with Dinner and Drinks: $42
- Madrid Tipsy Tapas Tour with Dinner and Drinks: $43
- Madrid Tapas Dinner Party with Guide: $43
- Skip the Line: Flamenco Show with Dinner and Workshop in Madrid Ticket: $49
- San Miguel Market and Street Food Tour: $52
- Traditional Paella & Sangría Workshop & Spanish Dinner in Madrid: $53
- The Authentic Morning Madrid's Food Tour: $59
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santillana €23Madrid €34
Tours and Activities in Santillana
Here are a few actual costs in Santillana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Memorable Family Walking Tour in Ancient Santillana del Mar: $426
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Madrid Essential: Free Walking City Tour: $1.07
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- Madrid Mountains Free Walking Tour: $3.27
- Secrets of Madrids Walking Tour: $4.26
- Marvels of Madrid Walking Tour: $4.26
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour: $4.26
- Escape Game and Tour: $4.26
- Madrid Old Town & Hidden Gems Walking Tour: $4.26
- 2 Hour Madrid Walking Tour : $4.36
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour : $4.36
- Ticket Entrance to the Madrid Nougat Museum: $5.33
- Mapfre Foundation Entry Ticket: $5.33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantillana €4.29Madrid €20
Sample the Local Flavors in Santillana
Also in Santillana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Santillana Uncorked: A Wine Tasting Adventure: $1,019
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:
- Pub Crawl with Tapas and VIP Club Entry: $9.59
- Madrid Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entrance: $11
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Pub crawl & Party Tour Madrid: $14
- Pub Crawl Madrid Running since 2005 Bar Exploration: $16
- Guided Pub Crawl Madrid Experience and Club Entry: $16
- Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $16
- Pub Crawl Madrid: $19
- Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor: $22
- Wine Tasting Experience with 4 Spanish Wines: $26
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting Experience: $49
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.