Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Vientiane or Madrid?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Madrid, 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: Vientiane or Madrid?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best Contiki Tours to Spain, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $15Madrid $146
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $15, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $146. 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 Vientiane and Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $6.00Madrid $83
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $12Madrid $166
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Madrid
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $2.08Madrid $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
-
Tuk Tuk Ride$4.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $29
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Airport Transfer: Wattay airport to hotel - Private transfer: $15
- Vientiane Private Airport and Hotel Transfers: $9.00
- Private Transfer in Laos: $5.00
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride$28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Madrid Barajas Airport: Transfer to/from Atocha Bus Station: $7.52
- Madrid Barajas International Airport - Private Arrival Transfer: $22
- Private transfer from Atocha Station to Madrid city center: $22
- Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $26
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid To Madrid Airport: $28
- Private Arrival Transfer from Barajas Airport: $40
- Private Transfer: Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD) to Madrid: $42
- Madrid Airport Private Departure Transfer: $43
- Private Transfer From Madrid Barajas Airport to Madrid: $44
- Madrid Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $45
- Private Transfer from Airport to the City of Madrid Round Trip: $48
- Madrid City Center: Private Transfer to Madrid Airport: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $6.30Madrid $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Private Evening Food Tour of Laos: $70
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee$2.14
-
Ice Cream$3.21
-
Kebabs (for 2)$17
-
Croissant$1.61
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)$17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Paella and Sangria Workshop with Dinner and Drinks: $43
- Tapas Crawl Food Tour with 6 Tapas and 4 Drinks: $53
- San Miguel Market and Street Food Tour: $53
- Tapas Dinner Party Food Tour with Guide: $53
- Drunken Tapas Food Tour with Dinner in Madrid: $53
- Tipsy Tapas Food Tour with Drinks and Food: $53
- Madrid Tipsy Tapas Guided Food Tour with Dinner: $53
- Madrid Tapas Dinner Party with Guide: $54
- Traditional Paella & Sangría Workshop & Spanish Dinner in Madrid: $54
- The Authentic Morning Madrid's Food Tour: $59
- Opera and Zarzuela Show and Dinner: $61
- Madrid San Miguel Market and City Center Street Food Tour: $63
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.53Madrid $36
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- 2 Days Private Tour in Vientiane and Vang Vieng: $90
- Explore Vientiane and Local Villages Biking Tour: $184
- From Hue: Hue to Vientiane Bus tickets: $61
- Full Day Private Tour in Vientiane with Pickup: $142
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $81
- Half Day Private Tour in City Highlights: $120
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour: $67
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Vientiane: $82
- Private Tour: Full-day Cycling The City Streets Vientiane with Buddha Park: $174
- Private Tour: Full-day Vientiane's Must-See Sights and River Sunset with Lunch: $101
- Private Tour: Half-day City Guided Tour of Vientiane: $113
- Private Tour: Vientiane City Tour Full Day with Buddha Park: $145
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Madrid Essential: Free Walking City Tour: $1.08
- Tour Retiro Park - Madrid self-guided tour app: $2.15
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Madrid Mountains Free Walking Tour: $3.28
- Guided tour of the Madrid of spies: $3.28
- History & Culture Guided Walking Tour: $4.31
- Escape Game and Tour: $4.31
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour : $4.37
- 2 Hour Madrid Walking Tour : $4.37
- Wonders of Madrid Walking Tour: $5.38
- Mapfre Foundation Entry Ticket: $5.38
- Wonders of Madrid City Walking Tour: $5.38
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.34Madrid $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer$5.36
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)$14
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Pub Crawl with Tapas and VIP Club Entry: $9.69
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Pub crawl & Party Tour Madrid: $14
- Guided Pub Crawl Madrid Experience and Club Entry: $16
- Pub Crawl Madrid Running since 2005 Bar Exploration: $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: $50
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Madrid, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Madrid?
Madrid has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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.