Should you visit Varanasi or Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Varanasi and Madrid can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Varanasi or Madrid?
Varanasi
Known to be one of India's holiest cities, many come to Varanasi on a spiritual pilgrimage looking to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. Dating back to the 11th Century BC, it is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Centuries old temples make up the backdrop, as many come and come again to perform their holy rights at the edge of the historic river.
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 Bicycle Tours in India, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.
Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Varanasi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Varanasi is $31, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $188. 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 Varanasi and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Varanasi 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:
Varanasi Hotel Prices and
Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Varanasi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Varanasi:
-
Tuk Tuk Through Town
$0.84
-
Rickshaw Ride
$0.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varanasi
Also for Varanasi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
From Agra: One-Way Private Transfer to Varanasi:
$166
-
From Agra: Budget One Way Transfer Agra to Varanasi:
$160
-
Varanasi hotel to Bodhgaya hotel private transfer:
$135
-
Private Transfer Varanasi to Bodhgaya - One Way:
$97
-
Sarnath Tour with Guide & Car Including Hotel transfers:
$69
-
Smooth transfer from Varanasi Airport to Hotel:
$60
-
Private Car Airport Transfer from Hotel in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram:
$55
-
Delhi Private Arrival Transfer From New Delhi Airport To Hotel In Delhi:
$34
-
Varanasi Airport to Varanasi Hotels drop: Private Transfers:
$32
-
Varanasi - Arrival transfer from airport to hotel:
$32
-
Private Departure Transfer from Varanasi Hotel to Airport:
$28
-
Private Transfer: Varanasi Station to Hotel:
$10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Madrid APT-HTL (MAD):
$68
-
Transfer: Barajas Airport (MAD) to Madrid City Center:
$31
-
Transfer from the Airport to Madrid:
$142
-
Shuttle Transfer Arrivals: Madrid Airport to City Center:
$212
-
Roundtrip Private Transfer from Madrid Airport (MAD):
$79
-
Private transfer to Madrid Airport (MAD):
$39
-
Private transfer from Madrid airport to Madrid city center.:
$94
-
Private transfer departure from City Centre to Madrid Airport:
$29
-
Private one way Transfer from/to Madrid to/from Segovia:
$147
-
Private Transfers Madrid Airport to Central Madrid:
$50
-
Private Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Luxury Car:
$127
-
Private Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Business Car:
$88
Is it cheaper to fly into Varanasi or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Varanasi 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 day
Varanasi $11
Madrid $69
Typical Food Prices in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Cooking Class with Sona:
$39
-
Half-Day Varanasi Village Tour with Cooking Class & Local Dining:
$40
-
Private Food Tour with Ganga Aarti Ceremony:
$42
-
Varanasi Bliss: Private Food Tour, Boat Ride & Ganga Aarti:
$62
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee
$2.33
-
Ice Cream
$3.49
-
Kebabs (for 2)
$18
-
Croissant
$1.75
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)
$18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Corral de la Moreria Madrid Flamenco Show with Optional Dinner:
$59
-
Madrid Paella and Churros Cooking Class Ham and Wines Tasting:
$70
-
Murder Mystery Dinner Experience:
$75
-
Chocolate & Churros Cooking Class in Madrid:
$77
-
Madrid : Paella and Churros cooking class, ham and wines tasting:
$77
-
Traditional Cooking Class of Sardines with Dish Auction in Madrid:
$81
-
Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars:
$91
-
Spanish Cooking Class Paella Tapas and Sangria in Madrid:
$100
-
Madrid Food Tour in a Neighborhood Market with Churros:
$105
-
Tapas & Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with a Professional Chef:
$105
-
Madrid Tapas & Paella Cooking Experience with Local Market Visit:
$112
-
Madrid Food Tour Tasting the Heart of the City:
$138
Entertainment
Typical Entertainment Prices in Varanasi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Varanasi's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
08 Hours : Private - Full Day City Tour Of Delhi:
$53
-
08 Hours : Private Full Day City Tour of Jaipur:
$90
-
11 - Hours Agra Tour: Sunrise and Sunset of Taj Mahal from Delhi.:
$100
-
2 Day Varanasi Day Tour with Boating and English Speaking Guide:
$300
-
2 Days Varanasi tour package for first timers:
$135
-
2-Day Private Varanasi Tour Including Sunrise & Sunset Boat Ride:
$188
-
3 Days Admirable Tour in Varanasi with private tour guided:
$119
-
3 Days Private Enchanting Varanasi Tour:
$109
-
3 Hour Walking Tour of Buddhism in Sarnath:
$32
-
3 Hour Yoga Experience on the Ghats in Varanasi:
$96
-
3-Hour Varanasi Tour: Ganga Aarti, Boat Ride & Manikarnika:
$77
-
4 Days Buddhist Dharma Tour Exploring Key Sacred Sites:
$206
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
-
"Prado Museum" Tour A Treasure of World Art:
$3.54
-
2 Days Guided Cultural Tour in Madrid Royal Palace and 3 Museums:
$224
-
2 Hour Madrid City Expert Tour:
$199
-
2-Hour Madrid Tapas Tour: Eat, Drink & Discover the Real Spain:
$77
-
2-Hour Patisserie Experience for Dessert Lovers:
$118
-
3-hour experience on the Redován K2 Family Via Ferrata:
$49
-
30 Minutes of Jet Ski Adventure on the Coast of Alicante:
$106
-
A Self-Guided Tour of El Retiro Park’s Rise, Ruin and Redemption:
$9.99
-
A local's A self-guided audio tour:
$9.99
-
Alcalá de Henares Private Tour from Madrid:
$252
-
Alcala World Heritage Tour:
$12
-
Architour through Lavapiés and Rastro with an architect:
$200
Alcohol
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer
$5.82
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
$15
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
-
Madrid Pub Crawl: Open Bar, Shots & VIP Entry (Shoko & Fitz):
$14
-
Pub Crawl Madrid by Mad Party Crew: Bars, Shots and Club Entry:
$20
-
Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata:
$38
-
Hypno Tasting Wine Tasting under Hypnosis in Madrid:
$58
-
New Year Eve Madrid Pub Crawl:
$81
-
Spanish Wine Tasting :
$90
-
Old Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Tour - Real Small Groups 8 Max:
$99
-
Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour: Local Bars & Spanish Wine Tasting:
$112
-
Eating Not Just Another Tapas and Wine Tour:
$114
-
Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour with Rooftop Views and Local Guide:
$116
-
Toledo Tour & Vineyard Experience with Wine Tasting from Madrid:
$130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Varanasi and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Varanasi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Varanasi is in Asia and Madrid is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Varanasi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Varanasi 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 Varanasi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Varanasi Expensive? and Is Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Varanasi or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Varanasi. When comparing the sizes of Varanasi 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.
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