How Much Does Madrid Cost per Day
A full breakdown of Madrid prices: daily budgets by tier, every itemised cost from the guide, and where the money actually goes.
The short answer
Budget travellers in Madrid spend around EUR 65 a day. Mid-range travel runs closer to EUR 145, and a splurge day lands around EUR 320. Per person per day in EUR, roughly USD 70/155/345 or CAD 95/215/475 at rough late-2026 rates. Confirm current rates before converting a real budget. Madrid runs slightly cheaper than Barcelona for comparable comfort and similar to Seville outside of peak-season hotel spikes.
Daily cost breakdown
- Stay
- Food
- Transport
- Activities
| Tier | Stay | Food | Transport | Activities | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | EUR 25 | EUR 20 | EUR 8 | EUR 12 | EUR 65 |
| Mid-range | EUR 80 | EUR 42 | EUR 10 | EUR 13 | EUR 145 |
| Splurge | EUR 220 | EUR 85 | EUR 20 | EUR 25 | EUR 350 |
A mid-range day: EUR 80 hotel room, EUR 6 for a couple of metro rides, EUR 12 general admission to the Reina Sofia, a EUR 15 menu del dia lunch near La Latina, EUR 8 grazing at Mercado de San Miguel, EUR 30 tapas dinner with drinks in Malasana. Comes to roughly EUR 150-155 without a splurge meal or the Palacio Real ticket.
Every priced item in this guide
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Museo del Prado | Admission pricing and free-entry hours change periodically. Check the official ticket page for the current rate rather than assuming a fixed figure. |
| Palacio Real (Royal Palace) | Ticket prices are set by Patrimonio Nacional and change periodically, check tickets.patrimonionacional.es for the current rate. Free entry runs Monday-Thursday 5-7pm (4-6pm in winter) for EU citizens, EU residents and citizens of Ibero-American countries, subject to online booking. |
| Museo Reina Sofia | EUR 12 general admission, EUR 18 combined with an audioguide (ticket office only). Free entry is available at set hours with online booking, plus a handful of fixed free days spread through the year; check the current schedule since it's updated annually. |
| Retiro Park | free to enter; rowing boats on the lake and Palacio de Cristal exhibitions have their own separate costs |
| Plaza Mayor | free |
| Gran Via | free to walk |
| Mercado de San Miguel | free to browse, EUR 3-10 per tapa or snack |
| Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Tour | Ticket prices are set by the club and change periodically, check the official Bernabeu tour site for the current rate. |
| Templo de Debod | free |
| Cocido madrileno | EUR 15-25 |
| Bocadillo de calamares | EUR 3-6 |
| Tortilla espanola | EUR 4-9 |
| Callos a la madrilena | EUR 8-14 |
| Churros con chocolate | EUR 4-7 |
| Gambas al ajillo | EUR 8-16 |
| Huevos rotos | EUR 7-12 |
| Torreznos | EUR 6-10 |
How to spend less
- Palacio Real's free entry window, Monday-Thursday evenings, and the Reina Sofia's free hours and fixed free days both need advance online booking but cut two of the city's pricier tickets to zero
- Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, Gran Via and Templo de Debod all cost nothing to visit
- Menu del dia lunch specials (starter, main, drink, often dessert) run EUR 12-16 at neighbourhood restaurants versus paying a la carte at dinner for similar food
- A 10-trip Metrobus card is shareable between people and works out cheaper per ride than single tickets bought one at a time