There is no such thing as a set Camino funds, the associated fee will depend on you. You may stroll the Camino de Santiago on lower than 20 Euro a day or spend over 50 Euro per day. I’ve had days once I spent 16 Euro in addition to 50-Euro days as properly on the identical Camino. All of it will depend on how a lot you’ll be able to spend, how a lot consolation you want, and so on. On this put up, I’m discussing what you may get on 20, 30, and 40+ Euro per individual per day on the Camino, give an in depth breakdown of my Camino funds, and provides some money-saving suggestions.
It’s essential to keep in mind that the associated fee could range relying on the chosen Camino some routes work out cheaper than the others. We’ve walked 7 completely different Camino de Santiago routes and we did discover the distinction particularly in lodging costs. I’m going to check these seven routes and clarify why a few of them had been dearer to stroll.
Strolling the Camino with 20, 30 and 40+ Euro per day
I’m giving an outline of what you’ll be able to afford to stroll the Camino on these budgets, it doesn’t imply it’s important to stick and keep solely at public albergues you probably have 20 Euro per day it simply exhibits that more often than not it’ll be your greatest lodging possibility. Lodging and meals are the primary bills on the Camino. Laundry and baggage supply service are two different bills many pilgrims have however each are elective. You are able to do hand-washing and carry your individual backpack. Some days you may need some additional bills equivalent to museum entrance charges, and so on.
In case your funds is 20 Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – public albergues, between 6 and eight Euro
- Meals – grocery buying – 8-12 Euro
In case your funds is 30 Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – personal albergues, 10-12 Euro.
- Meals – Menu del Día – 10-12 Euro; breakfast – 2-3 Euro; grocery buying – 5-8 Euro.
In case you can spend 40+ Euro per individual per day
- Lodging – a non-public room in a lodge, from 15 Euro per individual (for those who’re two individuals sharing a double room), from 25 for a single room.
- Meals – Menu del Día – 10-12 Euro; breakfast – 2-3 Euro; dinner – 12-15 Euro.
Extras
- Laundry – 2-3 Euro per load for laundry, 2-3 Euro per load for drying.
- Baggage supply service – 4-5 Euro per backpack per stage.
I’m going to elaborate on every subject under evaluating completely different choices.
The price of lodging on the Camino de Santiago
Your lodging choices on the Camino are fairly numerous (particularly on the favored Camino routes) from private and non-private albergues to hostels and accommodations/guesthouses. Albergues are hostels for pilgrims.
Public (municipal) albergues
It’s the most cost effective lodging possibility on the Camino. They’re run by municipalities and are completely for pilgrims strolling or biking the Camino. You want a Credential (a pilgrim’s passport) with stamps to have the ability to keep at public albergues. The typical value is between 5 and eight Euros per individual per mattress. Public albergues are normally fairly large with one or two rooms with a number of bunk-beds and shared services (showers, bathrooms, a kitchen).
On extra standard Camino routes just like the Camino Francés or the Camino Portuguese from Porto, you’ll be able to plan your itinerary the best way that you simply keep virtually each evening at a public albergue and pay 5-7 Euro per mattress. Much less busy routes have fewer public albergues every so often you’ll haven’t any possibility however to remain at personal albergues.
Personal albergues
The second most cost-effective lodging on the Camino. Personal albergues belong to an individual or an organization anyone can keep there however many of the company are normally pilgrims. They price 10-12 Euro per mattress. Personal albergues normally have higher services and are fairly a bit smaller than public albergues. Some personal albergues have personal rooms as properly.
Typically you will discover albergues (normally personal) for donation. How a lot to pay will depend on you. We normally depart as a lot as we might pay for a public albergue or extra if we actually just like the place. There are extra personal than public albergues on the Camino, you’ll be capable to discover one on the finish of day by day.
Motels/guesthouses (pensions)
These are the most costly and comfy lodging choices on the Camino. Costs for a non-public room begin at 25 Euro for a single room and 30 Euro for a double room. Staying at accommodations each evening particularly on longer Camino routes could be fairly powerful in your funds however I’d undoubtedly advocate having a non-public room each infrequently. It’s so good to have a superb relaxation and a few privateness. We normally keep in personal at the very least as soon as every week or much more typically if we will discover a well-priced personal room.
Evaluating private and non-private albergues and accommodations
Options | Public albergues | Personal albergues | Motels |
---|---|---|---|
Worth | 5-8 Euro | 10-14 Euro | from 25 Euro |
Just for pilgrims | sure | no | no |
Want a Credential to remain | sure | no | no |
Might be booked | no | sure | sure |
Can keep greater than 1 evening | no | sure | sure |
Permit baggage supply | no | sure | sure |
Settle for bank cards | no | normally | normally |
The price of meals on the Camino
Grocery buying and cooking
The most affordable manner is to purchase meals at supermarkets/retailers and cook dinner for your self. Most albergues have a communal kitchen that pilgrims can use. Some kitchens are well-equipped and have all you want for cooking, some are very primary. My recommendation all the time earlier than you buy groceries is to take a look at the kitchen.
Many of the locations alongside the Camino routes have at the very least a small grocery retailer the place you may get bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and greens. Greater cities and cities have supermarkets the place you may get just about something together with takeaway meals which are cheaper than consuming at eating places. We normally spend between 8 and 14 Euro for grocery searching for two individuals. Relying on what you purchase and for what number of meals I’d advocate budgeting 6-10 Euro per individual per day to purchase sufficient meals for two meals.
Breakfast
The Spanish are usually not very large on breakfast, most of them simply drink a cup of espresso with a small pastry. Many cafes on the Camino supply breakfasts that normally embrace a cup of espresso, a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice and a sandwich or a pastry. A breakfast like that prices between 2 and three Euro. On very busy and touristy elements of some Caminos, you will discover an English (eggs & bacon) or an American (sausages, eggs, cereal, and so on.) breakfast as properly one among these prices 8 to 10 Euro.
Menu del Día or a Pilgrim’s Menu
Menú del Día or a set meal that features a starter, a fundamental, a drink (wine, beer, water, soda), bread, and dessert or espresso is a very fashionable lunch possibility in all places in Spain not solely on the Camino. A typical menu prices between 10 and 12 Euro. The standard of the menu varies. I’ve had some superb menus and a few poor meals on the Camino. Normally, in cities and busy cities, menus have extra choices and are of higher high quality. The worst menus I had at albergues-restaurants in the course of nowhere when after ending your menu you’re virtually as hungry as earlier than.
In case you’re on a particular weight loss program e.g. vegetarian or vegan in small cities/villages it could be tough to discover a appropriate menu. In cities and greater cities, it’s not an issue many eating places have vegetarian/vegan menu choices.
Dinner
The costliest meal on the Camino. We by no means exit for dinner on the Camino solely in Santiago de Compostela after ending the stroll however we do exit to drink a glass of wine or beer and to eat a few tapas/pintxos. Dinner at a restaurant with a glass of wine will price you between 14 and 18 Euro per individual relying on the place and chosen menu.
For a beer or a glass of wine on the bar, you’ll pay a mean of 2 Euro it could embrace a easy tapa. Many bars in Asturias and Galicia supply a free tapa with each drink you order. It could be a small portion of tortilla, peanuts, a small cheese or ham sandwich, and so on. Ensure that to strive typical Galician dishes Pulpo a la Feira (cooked octopus) and Pimientos de Padrón (fried inexperienced peppers) each are nice with beer. In Santiago de Compostela there are a few superb tapas bars in Rúa de Franco and Rúa da Raiña streets.
In the Basque Nation, Cantabria and Navarra, they serve pintxos, a extra refined model of tapas. Pintxos don’t come along with your drink, it’s important to pay additional for them. A pintxo prices 2-3 Euro and it’s normally completely scrumptious stuff. In case you occur to stroll one of many routes by means of Northern Spain e.g. the French Camino or the Northern Manner be sure that to strive pintxos in San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander, Bilbao, or Pamplona.
In case you’re planning to exit for a drink kind of commonly add 30-50 Euro (relying on how lengthy you’re going to stroll) to your total Camino funds.
Additional bills on the Camino
Baggage supply service on the Camino
The service is accessible on all main Camino de Santiago routes. The extra standard the route is the extra corporations supply backpack supply service. A mean value is 5 Euro per backpack per stage; it would range relying on the space, route recognition, and so on. You need to use the service for your complete Camino or just for selective levels e.g. the roughest ones that contain strolling long-distances or many ascents and descents. You may determine whether or not you want it or not on the best way. Attempt to stroll along with your backpack and if it’s too heavy or too tough you’ll be able to all the time begin utilizing the supply service. It’s essential to keep in mind that most public albergues don’t enable baggage supply which implies you’ll have to remain at personal albergues or accommodations.
Laundry
It’s one among our fundamental additional bills on any Camino. We do machine washing kind of twice every week. Many albergues (each private and non-private) have self-service washing machines and dryers that work with cash. The machines are normally fairly large; you’ll be able to share one load between 3 or 4 individuals. It’s 2-3 Euro per load for laundry and about the identical for drying. If it’s a sunny day we hold our garments exterior, if it’s wet and chilly we use a dryer. Typically it’s free however it’s important to purchase detergent. Many individuals get away with out it by doing hand washing most albergues have washing basins and drying strains.
Entrance charges
Strolling is the primary exercise on the Camino. Normally, you’re too drained after a full day of strolling to do any sightseeing however some locations are simply can’t be missed. Just like the Cathedral of León on the Camino Francés or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao on the Camino del Norte. I’d counsel budgeting 20-30 Euro additional for entrance charges and tickets.
Transport bills
You’re most likely not going to make use of any on the Camino itself however you’ll have to get to the place to begin of your route and again residence from Santiago de Compostela. In case you’re coming from Europe your transport bills received’t be very excessive for those who purchase your airplane tickets a few months upfront. You need to use one of many funds airways to get to Madrid or Barcelona and from there catch an area flight, bus, or practice to your last vacation spot. The identical with getting again to your nation from Santiago, you’ll be able to take native transport to Madrid, Porto, and so on. and from there fly again residence. In case you come from abroad e.g. US, Australia, Canada, and so on. your worldwide flight shall be one among your greatest bills. I’d add 60-70 Euro to your funds for native transport bills.
Completely different Camino routes begin at completely different locations, a few of them are straightforward to achieve like Lisbon or Porto, the start of the Portuguese Manner, some require extra time like Oviedo, the start of the Unique Manner, or Irún, the place to begin of the Northern Camino. Right here is the common price of attending to the beginning factors of the main Camino de Santiago routes.
The price of attending to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Camino Francés)
Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
---|---|---|---|
Madrid – Pamplona | from 23€ | from 30€ | from 40€ |
Barcelona – Pamplona | from 28€ | from 30€ | – |
Paris – Bayonne | from 23€ | from 39€ | from 27€ |
- Bus Pamplona – St.Jean-Pied-de-Port – 22 Euro
- Prepare Bayonne – St.Jean-Pied-de-Port – 10 Euro
In whole to get to St.Jean will work out between 35 and 50 Euro relying how and from the place you’re coming from.
The price of attending to Irún (Camino del Norte)
Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
---|---|---|---|
Madrid – Irún | from 40€ | from 65€ | from 60€ |
Barcelona – Irún | from 40€ | from 75€ | from 40€ |
The price of attending to Oviedo (Camino Primitivo)
Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
---|---|---|---|
Madrid – Oviedo | from 40€ | – | – |
The price of transport from Santiago de Compostela
Route | Bus | Prepare | Flight |
---|---|---|---|
Santiago – Madrid | from 50€ | from 40€ | from 25€ |
Santiago – Barcelona | – | from 60€ | from 20€ |
Santiago – Porto | from 30€ | – | – |
There are direct flights with funds airways from Santiago to the UK, Switzerland, Eire, Italy, Malta, and so on. In case you purchase your ticket a few months upfront you may get a very whole lot e.g. a flight to the UK for 20 Euro.
Journey insurance coverage
An essential factor to have for those who’re going to journey overseas and planning on doing some outside actions. Strolling the Camino is just not a high-risk enterprise but it surely’s all the time really helpful to have journey insurance coverage that may cowl your medical bills (in case you want any), gear loss, or journey cancellation. Be aware, you probably have a European Well being Insurance coverage card you don’t want any additional medical insurance coverage for Spain or Portugal. The price of journey insurance coverage varies relying on the corporate, the coverage, an individual’s age, and so on. The typical value vary is between 10US$ and 20US$ per individual per week for the standard plan. In case you don’t have a journey insurance coverage firm but we will advocate utilizing our accomplice World Nomads.
My detailed funds breakdown for the Camino Francés
The French Manner is the preferred Camino route. Strolling it I wrote down all the things I spent. I didn’t attempt to do it the most cost effective manner; if I felt like staying in personal I did, if I wished to eat a menu or to exit for a drink I went. The associated fee is for 33 days; 31 days of strolling, 1 day in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port, and 1 day in Santiago de Compostela.
In whole, I spent 1235 Euro in 33 days or 37 Euro per day. It contains lodging, meals, all additional bills, bus tickets from Barcelona to St.Jean-Pied-de-Port, and a practice ticket from Santiago to Madrid.
How a lot did I spend?
Lodging – 500 Euro or 15 Euro per day common. I stayed 10 nights at public albergues, 14 nights at personal albergues, and 9 nights in personal rooms together with one evening at a spa lodge in Astorga. In case you don’t keep in accommodations and keep on with albergues (private and non-private) your common lodging price shall be under 10 Euro per day.
Consuming out – 327 Euro or 10 Euro per day common. I didn’t eat Menú del Día day by day however stopped for breakfast very often. This contains going out for tapas in Logroño and Santiago de Compostela. In case you cook dinner for your self or eat takeaways from supermarkets you’ll be able to utterly exclude consuming out out of your funds.
Grocery buying – 214 Euro or 6,5 Euro per day common. In case you don’t eat out and largely make your individual meals your grocery funds shall be extra, between 350 and 400 Euro.
Drinks (espresso, wine, beer) – 68 Euro or 2 Euro per day common. I finished day by day for espresso and typically went out for a glass of wine or a beer. In case you don’t cease for espresso it’ll prevent about 40 Euro.
Transport – 81 Euro. 50 Euro to get from Barcelona to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; bus Barcelona – Pamplona, 28 Euro, and bus Pamplona – St.Jean, 22 Euro. A practice ticket Santiago de Compostela – Madrid, 31 Euro.
Extras (entrance charge, laundry, and so on.) – 45 Euro or 1,4 Euro per day common.
I didn’t use baggage switch service however for those who’re going to make use of it add 5 Euro to your each day funds. For 31 strolling days, it’ll be 155 Euro additional.
How a lot to funds for purchasing new gear?
For strolling the Camino you don’t want any particular gear. There are two essential objects that need to be comfy; footwear and a backpack. These two you’re going to make use of day by day strolling for hours. I’d undoubtedly advocate investing in each. You don’t want heavy mountain climbing boots for strolling the Camino except you’re planning to stroll it in winter. A pair of sunshine mountain climbing footwear. As in your pack, a 35-40l backpack ought to be sufficient in case your stuff doesn’t slot in it means you’re attempting to pack an excessive amount of.
A mean price of the important Camino gear
That is the listing of important objects one will want on the Camino. The given examples are for ladies, males’s gear prices kind of the identical.
Extra particulars on what to pack for the Camino for various seasons for women and men you will discover in our Camino de Santiago packing listing put up.
Evaluating the price of completely different Camino routes
As I discussed above to this point we’ve walked seven Caminos: Camino Francés, Camino Portuguese from Lisbon, Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, Camino Inglés, Camino Finisterre-Muxía, and Through de la Plata. Principally, we’ve achieved all the main routes in Spain and Portugal. Portugal total is a bit cheaper than Spain; issues like transport (native trains), accommodations, and consuming out.
The routes that may be comparatively simply achieved on 20 Euro per individual per day.
- Camino Francés
- Camino Portuguese from Porto
- Camino Primitivo
- Camino Finisterre-Muxía
- Camino Inglés
It doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t stroll different routes on 20 Euro per day but it surely’ll be tougher because of the greater price of lodging and/or lack of public albergues.
Camino Francés, Camino Portuguese, and Camino Primitivo
The most well-liked Camino routes are the most cost effective ones as a result of they’ve extra infrastructure for pilgrims; many municipal and personal albergues, particular pilgrim’s menus at eating places, and so on. The Camino Frances, the Portuguese Camino from Porto (each the Central and the Coastal Route), and the Camino Primitivo have public albergues just about on the finish of each stage. You may plan your stroll the best way you keep 90% of the time at public albergues which implies you’ll pay as little as 5-7 Euro per evening on common. The French route has probably the most lodging choices
Vía de la Plata & Portuguese Camino from Lisbon
On much less standard Camino routes just like the Silver Route or the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon, lodging is dearer. On the Through de la Plata all public albergues price 10 Euro which is 3-5 Euro greater than on the Camino Frances. On the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon, there are few public albergues each different evening we stayed at a guesthouse or a non-public albergues. Then again, consuming out on these routes was cheaper.
Camino Finisterre-Muxía and Camino Inglés
Each routes are very brief, 3-5 days even for those who keep at accommodations on a regular basis it received’t damage your funds. Each the Camino Finisterre and the English Manner have sufficient public albergues and plenty of personal albergues you’ll undoubtedly be capable to stroll it for 20 Euro a day. The one downside on each routes there are usually not many supermarkets however many of the cities have at the very least a small grocery retailer.
Camino del Norte
The Camino del Norte (the primary half of it) was our most costly route. The a part of the route by means of Asturias and Galicia was kind of the identical as different Camino routes. Northern Spain (the Basque Nation and Cantabria) is total dearer than the remainder of the nation. Lodging is considerably dearer within the standard touristy cities equivalent to San Sebastian and a few small coastal cities within the Basque Nation. There are public albergues within the Basque Nation however a lot of them are open solely through the peak season (July and August), the remainder of the 12 months pilgrims keep in hostels or accommodations. Consuming out is dearer in Northern Spain if you wish to stroll the Camino del Norte on a decent funds you’ll need to make your individual meals.
To purchase groceries prices kind of the identical throughout Spain and Portugal. The one distinction is that at a small grocery retailer all the things prices greater than in a giant grocery store.
Camino de Santiago cash saving suggestions
To begin with, all the time be sure that to have some money with you. Public albergues and a few personal albergues don’t settle for bank cards. No want to hold a number of money simply sufficient to pay lodging, meals, and so on. for a few days. On most routes, you’ll get an ATM day by day. We normally draw 300 Euro directly and when we’ve got lower than 40 Euro we draw once more. Most accommodations, supermarkets, grocery shops, and eating places settle for playing cards.
Tip 1. Consuming out day by day add fairly a bit to the associated fee if you would like to economize cooking your individual meals is the best way to go.
Tip 2. Guide your worldwide flight a few months upfront many airways have particular costs for early reserving. Discover out which airways fly to your vacation spot (Spain, Portugal, France relying on the Camino route) and subscribe to their publication to ensure you received’t miss their particular gives. Use websites like Skyscanner to seek for the most cost effective flights. Guide your native flights upfront as properly. Many funds airways typically have nice early reserving offers, you may get a flight for 20-30 Euro.
Tip 3. From our expertise, it’s cheaper to stroll the Camino for those who’re two or extra individuals. A double or a triple room works out cheaper per individual than a single room. In case you’re going to stroll alongside you’ll be able to all the time workforce up with one other pilgrim and lease a twin room (with two single beds) it’ll be cheaper than paying for a single personal room. In lots of locations, you will discover an residence for lease that may accommodate 2-4 individuals for those who’re a gaggle strolling collectively you’ll be able to all the time lease one. These residences typically have a well-equipped kitchen, a washer, and so on.
Tip 4. Cooking collectively is one other manner to economize for those who’re a number of individuals cooking collectively you’ll be able to break up the price of the buying. No matter you purchase it’s normally an excessive amount of for one individual anyway and you find yourself leaving half of it within the kitchen.