Spain
How much does a trip to Madrid cost?
Plan €2077 for 7 nights in Madrid, return flight from London included, or €526 travelling cheap. On the ground that works out at €293 per person per day.
- From
- €72/day
- vs. London
- 112%
- Best month
- Jun
Your trip to Madrid
Set the length, the number of travellers and the comfort level: the figures recompute here.
€2,077
per person, flight included
- on the ground
- €2,051
- flight from London
- €26
- per person per day, on the ground
- €293
InstantTripCost estimate
Full 7-night budget breakdown
Per-person estimate including flights from London, split across the six expense categories.
per person · Comfort
| Category | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | €22 | €26 | €39 |
| Hotel | €126 | €1022 | €1806 |
| Food | €273 | €609 | €1365 |
| Transport | €56 | €126 | €315 |
| Activities | €28 | €140 | €434 |
| Misc | €21 | €154 | €469 |
| 7-night total | €526 | €2077 | €4428 |
Flight from London (annual median).
Unit prices
comfort
Enough to check the total yourself, line by line, at the comfort level you picked.
- €13
- Breakfast
- €25
- Lunch
- €49
- Dinner
- €6
- City ride
- €20
- Site admission
- €293
- A full day
Orders of magnitude derived from our measured ranges, not surveyed venue by venue. Prices vary by neighbourhood and season.
The three tiers
What a budget traveller, a comfort traveller and a premium traveller typically spend.
Budget
€65
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €18
- Meal
- €13
- Transit / day
- €8
Comfort
€251
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €146
- Meal
- €29
- Transit / day
- €18
Luxury
€498
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €258
- Meal
- €65
- Transit / day
- €45
Why visit Madrid
Madrid packs three of Europe's great museums into a ten-minute walking triangle: the Prado, the Reina Sofía that holds Guernica, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. The budget-changing detail: each has a free-entry window. The Prado is free for the last two hours of the day, the Reina Sofía in the evening and on Sunday afternoon. Time your visits to those windows and you see the core of Madrid's art without paying the €15 admission per museum.
For a traveler paying in euros, a second point smooths everything: Spain is in the eurozone. No exchange, no conversion fee, the listed prices are what you pay. It sounds minor but across a trip it removes a layer of friction and the 2 to 3% invisible loss you take in a non-euro destination.
Lodging is surprisingly reachable for a capital: our measurements give €18 a night at entry level, €146 mid-range and €258 upmarket. The gap between the first two bands is among the widest we track. The center is compact and walkable, from the Retiro to Puerta del Sol.
For two people at mid-range comfort, plan roughly €544 a day excluding flights. Madrid runs about 12% above London across a full trip, but with a free cultural lever few capitals offer at this scale.
Weather & best time to visit
Average temperatures and conditions by month in Madrid.
Best month to visitJune
Where to sleep in Madrid
Choosing a district
Madrid is a walking city, so staying central pays off more than elsewhere: most useful neighborhoods are twenty minutes apart on foot. Price depends more on the vibe you want, quiet residential or nightlife, than on distance to the center.
Sol - Centro
The geographic heart, walkable to the three museums and the main squares. Lively, sometimes noisy, unbeatable for a short first visit.
La Latina - Lavapiés
South of center, home to Sunday tapas and world cuisines. Working-class, alive, often a notch cheaper than Sol.
Malasaña - Chueca
North of center, trendy, boutiques and cocktail bars. Dense nightlife, best for those who want to go out.
Retiro - Salamanca
East of center, upscale residential along the Retiro park. Quiet, pricier, pleasant for a slower trip.
The hotels we measured
Accommodation picks by price range.
Hostel LAS ROSAS
Hostel, standard (6.3/10) from 45 reviews.
Hostel OASIS
Hostel, standard (5.5/10) from 1,049 reviews.
Hostel Acacias
Hostel, standard (5.4/10) from 4,085 reviews.
TiTANIC ALQUILERES
Hotel, decent (7.5/10) from 603 reviews.
Funway Academic Resort
guesthouse, decent (7.8/10) from 2,983 reviews.
JQC Rooms
guesthouse, decent (7.8/10) from 3,379 reviews.
Elba Madrid Alcalá
Hotel, very well rated (8.8/10) from 7,365 reviews.
Catalonia El Retiro
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10) from 2,741 reviews.
Hotel Meninas - Boutique Opera
Hotel, very well rated (8.8/10) from 986 reviews.
All observed hotels in Madrid
24 of 24 surveyed properties shown, the cheapest in each tier. Nightly rate for a 2-night stay arriving 15 October 2026.
| Hotel | Category | Rating | From / night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostel LAS ROSAS | Budget | ★ 6.3 | €9 |
| Hostel OASIS | Budget | ★ 5.5 | €10 |
| Hostel Acacias | Budget | ★ 5.4 | €11 |
| Hostel 18 | Budget | ★ 5.4 | €11 |
| Hostel JIRAFA | Budget | ★ 4.8 | €11 |
| Hostel Vallecas | Budget | ★ 4.5 | €12 |
| Hostel Thirty One | Budget | ★ 4.4 | €12 |
| Hostel 165 | Budget | ★ 6.8 | €12 |
| TiTANIC ALQUILERES | Mid-range | ★ 7.5 | €65 |
| Funway Academic Resort | Mid-range | ★ 7.8 | €104 |
| JQC Rooms | Mid-range | ★ 7.8 | €104 |
| Suites Marqués de Vadillo | Mid-range | ★ 8.5 | €109 |
| Hostal JQ Madrid 1 | Mid-range | ★ 8.1 | €113 |
| Hotel Villa de Barajas | Mid-range | ★ 8.2 | €113 |
| Globales Acis y Galatea | Mid-range | ★ 8.2 | €114 |
| Elba Madrid Alcalá | Luxury | ★ 8.8 | €132 |
| Fuencarral Rooms | Mid-range | ★ 8.4 | €142 |
| Catalonia El Retiro | Luxury | ★ 9 | €173 |
| Hotel Meninas - Boutique Opera | Luxury | ★ 8.8 | €180 |
| Barceló Imagine | Luxury | ★ 9.1 | €209 |
| Hotel Sardinero Madrid | Luxury | ★ 8.9 | €213 |
| Hotel Regina | Luxury | ★ 9.4 | €213 |
| Hotel Liabeny | Luxury | ★ 9 | €217 |
| Preciados | Luxury | ★ 9 | €220 |
Eating in Madrid
Concrete benchmarks to set your meal budget, from the morning coffee to dinner.
Madrid's best budget move has a name: the menú del día. On weekday lunchtimes, most neighborhood restaurants serve a full set menu, starter, main, dessert and often a drink, for €12 to €15. It's the same meal that would cost double à la carte in the evening. Alongside, tapas are for sharing: a few plates and drinks for two easily stay under €25, especially in La Latina or Lavapiés away from the tourist terraces on Plaza Mayor. Mind the Spanish rhythm: lunch lands around 2pm, dinner rarely before 9pm, and kitchens close between services.
Moving around Madrid
Transit, distances and the smart moves so you don't pay the tourist tax.
The center is walkable, which cuts the transport bill from the start. Beyond that, the metro is cheap and a ten-ride pack costs far less than single tickets, around €12 and shareable. From Barajas airport, the metro reaches the center for a few euros plus an airport supplement, a fraction of a taxi. Public bikes and buses fill in, but walking is the real saving here, the city being flat and dense.
Things to do in Madrid
Recommended activities and tours.
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado ( PRAH-doh; Spanish pronunciation: [muˈseo ðel ˈpɾaðo]), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on the former Spanish royal collection, and the single best collection of Spanish art.
Art museum
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía ("Queen Sofía National Museum Art Centre"; MNCARS) is Spain's national museum of 20th-century art. The museum was officially inaugurated on September 10, 1992, and is named for Queen Sofía.
Art museum
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum (Spanish: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, pronounced [muˈseo ˈtisen boɾneˈmisa]; named after its founder, Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza), or simply the Thyssen, is an art museum in Madrid, Spain, located near the Prado Museum on one of the city's main boulevards. It is known as part of the "Golden Triangle of Art", which also includes the Prado and the Reina Sofía national galleries.
Art museum
Puerta del Sol
The Puerta del Sol (Spanish: [ˈpweɾta ðel ˈsol], English: "Gate of the Sun") is a public square in Madrid, one of the best known and busiest places in the city. This is the centre (Km 0) of the radial network of Spanish roads.
Square
El Retiro Park
The Retiro Park (Spanish: Parque del Buen Retiro, "Good Retreat Park"), also known as Buen Retiro Park or simply El Retiro, is one of the largest city parks in Madrid, Spain. The park belonged to the Spanish monarchy until 1868, when it became a public park following the Glorious Revolution.
Park
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real (English: Royal Theatre or Royal Opera House) is an opera house in Madrid, Spain. Located at the Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, and known colloquially as "El Real" (The Royal One). it is considered the top institution of the performing and musical arts in the country and one of the most prestigious opera houses in Europe.
Monument
plaza de España
Plaza de España (Spanish for 'Spain Square') is a large square and popular tourist destination located in central Madrid, Spain at the western end of the Gran Vía. It features a monument to Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and is adjacent to two of Madrid's most prominent skyscrapers.
Square
Forest of Remembrance
The Forest of Remembrance (Spanish: Bosque del Recuerdo), formerly known as the Forest of the Departed (Bosque de los Ausentes), is a memorial garden located in the park of Parque del Buen Retiro in Madrid, Spain that commemorates the 191 civilian victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings on 11 March 2004 and the special forces agent who died when the seven suicide bombers subsequently killed themselves on April 3, 2004, while under siege by security forces in their apartment block. The new name, Bosque del Recuerdo (Forest of Remembrance), was chosen after the survivors and the victims' families argued that those killed are forever present and have never departed from their hearts.
Monument
Royal Spanish Academy
The Royal Spanish Academy (Spanish: Real Academia Española, pronounced [reˈal akaˈðemja espaˈɲola]; RAE) is Spain's official royal institution with a mission to ensure the stability of the Spanish language. This is the official language regulating organ of Spain.
Museum
Royal Palace of Madrid
The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family and is used primarily for state ceremonies. With over 135,000 m2 (1,450,000 sq ft) of floor space and 3,418 rooms, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest palace in Western Europe, the largest royal palace in Europe, and among the largest palaces in the world.
Museum
Places referenced on Wikidata. Admission prices vary by season - check each venue's official site.
Paying less in Madrid
What moves the needle
What each decision takes off the €2095 total, strongest lever first.
- − €1547
Travel cheap rather than mid-range
Hostel or entry-level hotel, local canteens, public transport. Accommodation is where the gap opens up.
- − €586
Stay five nights instead of seven
Two fewer nights also removes two days of meals, transport and sightseeing.
- − €511
Travel as a pair
The room is shared, nothing else is. Travellers themselves name this as the strongest lever.
Differences computed from our own measurements, for a 7-night mid-range stay, excluding flights.
6 tips on the ground
- The three major museums (Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen) have free-entry windows: timing visits to them saves roughly €15 per museum per person.
- The weekday menú del día offers a full lunch for €12 to €15, half the à la carte evening price.
- The Retiro park, the Temple of Debod and Puerta del Sol are free and fill half a day at no cost.
- Paying in euros avoids any exchange fee, unlike a non-eurozone destination.
- A well-rated hostel runs around €10 a night, one of the best ratios among European capitals.
- A shareable ten-ride metro pack costs far less than tickets bought one at a time.
FAQ
FAQ - Madrid
- How much does a week in Madrid cost?
- For seven nights, plan roughly €486 per person on a budget (hostel, menú del día, museums at free windows), and around €2,051 at mid-range comfort with a three-star hotel, excluding flights.
- What's the best month to visit Madrid?
- Spring (May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal. The Madrid summer is brutal: July and August average over 25°C with far higher peaks and almost no rain, and the city empties out. Winter is dry and cool, around 6°C, with lower prices.
- Is Madrid an expensive destination?
- Madrid runs about 12% above London across a full trip, on a par with Barcelona, but offers more free levers: three major museums with free windows, parks and monuments with no admission, and a set lunch that makes eating very affordable. Budget lodging is also unusually cheap here.
- What are meal times in Madrid?
- Much later than in northern Europe. Lunch is around 2pm, dinner rarely before 9pm. Many kitchens close between services, from 4pm to 8pm: aiming for the menú del día at midday avoids being left with no option in the afternoon.
At a glance
Wikidata, Wikipedia and Open-Meteo data
- Population
- 3.5M
- Area
- 604 km²
- Elevation
- 663 m
- Language
- Spanish
- Currency
- €
- Avg. July temp.
- 26°
- Avg. Jan. temp.
- 5°
- Rainy days / year
- 66
inhabitants
Euro
19° - 32°
1° - 10°
About
Madrid in brief
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi). Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at about 660 metres (2,170 ft) above mean sea level.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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