How much does the Camino de Santiago cost
A real daily budget, depending on the type of accommodation and pace you choose.
The Camino Bonsai Café team · Last editorial update:
There isn't one budget — there are four
You can walk the Camino de Santiago on very little money or on quite a bit more, and both are equally valid. What changes your daily spend the most is the type of accommodation (public albergue, private albergue, guesthouse or hotel) and whether you eat the pilgrim menu, cook for yourself, or eat out every day.
As a general reference, most pilgrims who mix albergues with the occasional treat spend between €30 and €50 a day. You can walk comfortably both below and above that range too; here are the four most common tiers to work out your own budget.
Four ways to plan your spending
€25–35/day · low-cost
Public or municipal albergues (€6–12), cooking at the albergue or a cheap pilgrim menu, no extras or luggage transfer.
€40–55/day · standard
A mix of public and private albergues, the pilgrim menu most days, and the occasional extra coffee or beer without worrying.
€60–90/day · comfort
Guesthouses with a private room most nights, à la carte meals, and luggage transfer on some of the tougher stages.
€100+/day · no backpack
Hotels, daily luggage transfer, full meals and the occasional taxi. The Camino without giving up comfort.
Work out your budget
Set the days, the route and the kind of trip you want, and we give you an estimate of the total cost with a full breakdown.
⚠️ This is a rough estimate, not a real price: costs vary with the season, the specific town and your own habits. Use it to get a sense of the numbers and compare options, not to book against this figure.
Your 32-day Camino
Between €1,281 and €1,733
~€47 a day
Where the money goes
- Accommodation512 €
- Food768 €
- Extras (coffee, laundry, entry tickets…)224 €
- Pilgrim credential3 €
Example: French Way (Camino Francés) in 32 days, Standard bracket. Change the options to work out your own.
What each Camino costs
Estimated cost of walking each full route at an average pace, by spending bracket.
| Route | Days | Basic | Standard | Comfort | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Way (Camino Francés) | 32 | 931 € | 1,507 € | 2,531 € | 4,003 € |
| Camino del Norte | 34 | 1,088 € | 1,761 € | 2,957 € | 4,678 € |
| English Way | 5 | 148 € | 238 € | 398 € | 628 € |
| Portuguese Way | 10 | 278 € | 450 € | 754 € | 1,191 € |
| Camino Primitivo | 13 | 380 € | 614 € | 1,030 € | 1,628 € |
| Vía de la Plata | 40 | 1,070 € | 1,733 € | 2,910 € | 4,603 € |
Tricks that don't lower the quality of the trip
Refill your bottle at fountains
Most Camino routes have frequent drinking-water fountains; save on bottled water without going thirsty.
Cook when the albergue has a kitchen
A supermarket run and a shared kitchen can halve your dinner cost compared to eating out every night.
Avoid weekends on the busiest stretches
The final 100 km of each route get pricier and more crowded on weekends and public holidays.
Carry some cash
Many rural albergues and small bars still don't take cards, especially away from the Camino Francés.
What people usually forget to account for
Not counting the "extras"
Transport home, a rest day at a hotel, or souvenirs: add these separately from your daily on-route spend.
Not booking in high season
From June to September, showing up without a reservation can cost a lot more or leave you with nowhere to stay in small towns.
Carrying only a card
Without some cash as backup, you can get stuck unable to pay at a rural albergue with no card reader.
Forgetting travel insurance
A medical emergency or a cancellation without insurance can cost far more than your entire Camino budget combined.
To keep planning your Camino
What to pack
The gear and services that directly affect your budget, like baggage transfer.
Best time of year to go
Outside peak season, accommodation is cheaper and there is more room to improvise.
Portuguese Way
One of the most affordable routes: fewer days, a good network of albergues, and slightly lower prices.