Planning your Camino
How much does the Camino de Santiago cost?
The Camino is one of the cheapest long trips in Europe. Typical prices for albergues, meals and extras, three daily budgets and a worked example from Sarria.
The Camino de Santiago can be walked on a small budget. Most pilgrims sleeping in albergues spend €30 to €65 a day in Spain. What changes the total most is where you sleep and whether you eat out every meal. These are approximate 2026 prices; they vary by route, town and season.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Municipal or public albergue | €8–15 a night (about €10 in Galicia’s public network) |
| Parish albergue | Often by donation |
| Private albergue | €12–25 a bed |
| Private room in an albergue or guesthouse | €35–60 a double room |
| Hotel or rural house | €50–100 or more |
| Breakfast in a bar | €3–6 |
| Pilgrim menu (three courses, bread and wine or water) | €12–16 |
| Sandwich or supermarket picnic | €4–8 |
| Washer and dryer at the albergue | €3–5 each |
| Backpack transfer per stage | €5–8 |
Daily budgets
Tight: about €30–40 a day
Public albergues, cooking in the albergue kitchen or eating from the supermarket, and a pilgrim menu now and then.
Mid-range: about €45–65 a day
Mostly private albergues, breakfast and a pilgrim menu every day, a few coffees and laundry. This is what most pilgrims spend.
Comfortable: €70–120 a day or more
Private rooms or hotels, restaurant dinners and backpack transfer.
Example: five days from Sarria
- 5 nights in private albergues: about €75.
- 5 breakfasts, 5 pilgrim menus and snacks: about €120.
- Credential, laundry and extras: about €20.
- Total on the Camino: around €215, plus getting to Sarria and home from Santiago.
Don’t forget
- Getting there and back: flights to Santiago, Porto, Madrid or Biarritz, then a train or bus to your start.
- Travel insurance if you come from outside the EU. EU citizens should carry the European Health Insurance Card.
- Gear: good shoes and a light backpack are the main investment if you don’t have them.
- The Compostela itself is free; the pilgrim passport costs a few euros.
How to save
- Sleep in public and parish albergues and use their kitchens.
- Have the pilgrim menu at lunch and a light dinner.
- Carry a refillable bottle: fountains are free.
- Walk in spring or autumn, when private albergues and guesthouses are cheaper and easier to find.
- Avoid paying for data with an offline map.
FAQ
How much does the Camino de Santiago cost per day?
In Spain, €30 to €65 a day for most pilgrims sleeping in albergues. With hotels and restaurants, €70 to €120 or more.
How much is an albergue on the Camino?
Public albergues usually cost €8 to €15 a night (about €10 in Galicia); private ones €12 to €25. Some parish albergues work by donation.
How much does it cost to walk from Sarria?
Around €200–300 on the Camino for five days on a mid-range budget, not counting travel there and back.
Is the Camino cheaper in Portugal?
Food and accommodation in Portugal are similar to or slightly cheaper than in Spain, with fewer public albergues on some stretches.
