How much on average will I need to spend on the Camino?

[LW95]

I intend to walk from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela in roughly a month or so and i'm currently budgeting exactly how much i'll be needing to spend each day as a bare minimum. I intend to be staying strictly in albergues all the way through on top of other essential costs such as food and drink from the Pilgrims Menu.

I've read various posts (On this forum and on other places) indicating that the average cost is 25 euros per day but considering that the majority of these sources are from two years ago or longer I wanted to check whether costs have increased significantly up to now. If anyone that's experienced the Camino Frances quite recently could provide me with up-to-date information on the ranging costs of albergues and food costs i'd be extremely grateful as i'm sure would many others.

 

[frasert]

30€ day reasonable

3€ breakfast
5-10 € accommodation
9-15€ pilgrims menu dinner
Lunch 2-5€
Though often shared meals cheaper at night

 

[KinkyOne]

Agree with frasert.
But if on a very low budget 15€/day is possible:
- 5-10€ accommodation
- 5-10€ food bought in stores, eaten cold or cooked in albergues kitchenettes, or communal meals
- drinking only water from the fountains (it's drinkable almost everywhere!)
- sin cafe con leche, sin cerveza, sin vino tinto, sin pulpo etc. :?
- also using only wi-fi with your gadgets, no clothes washing facilities,...

Ultreia!

 

[nreyn12]

Hi, I've been on the Camino for the past two months, and these estimates are spot-on. If you are looking to really save money, focus on the municipal and Parroquial (church) albergues, which are at the 5 euro end of things.

Prices seem to vary some along the way, with Saint Jean Pied de Port and Sarria-to-Santiago being a bit more expensive.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Mundicamino has a calculator into which you put your data on route, days, age, gender, country of origen (not really), and it returns a calculation of 30€ per day, and has for years (really).

Thirty Euro per day generally will cover it. Self-cater on a budget for half that. Use hostales somewhat regularly, and you should add 10€ per day average.

 

[Ccardoza]

I am currently in Burgos and every thinks 25€ a day is too low. It's more like 30€ a day. Some days less, some more- but do prepare for little emergencies and have some extra money. Almost everyone loses something or needs to buy a big item that they didn't think they needed.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I think a budget of €30 a day is more realistic this year. Add between 10% and 20% to your total budget for emergencies, hostales/hotels instead of albergues occasionally etc. That way you should have some money left when you get home and not be left short. You can always put it away for next time...
Ivar posted a while back that albergues in Galicia are now €6 a night not €5

 

[supersullivan]

The only 2 municipal albergues I stayed in this year were those in Finisterre and Muxia, both of these were €6. Private albergues between St Jean and Santiago ran between €7 and €12, price was not always a guide to the standards of the private albergues. The Benedictine monastery at Samos and the Cistercian nuns at Santo Domingo cost €5 each.
Regards
Seamus

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

All these comments apply to the Camino Frances.
Other caminos may well be different: I've just returned from the southern section of the Portuguese. My diary is available if you send me an e-mail to pilgrim@calig.co.uk
The very last page is a total analysis of expenditure. I was comfortable. There are VERY few albergues in this section, so I had to rely on cheap[ish] residentials - around 20E a night.
I LOVE white wine and pilgrim menus and eating out with camino friends. I averaged about 50E a day
I don't know if this attachment will be readable - if not, send me an e-mail.

 

[steinhoj]

If you're strapped for cash, (even if you're not, in my opinion) don't eat pilgrim menus! They're generally not large or especially high in quality.

 

[alexwalker]

I find the EUR30/day perfectly adequate.

I stay almost always in albergues, I like to make my own little lunch, and I often cook my own dinner, or together with others. I find it charming to walk to the local shop and buy things I do not see at home, and prepare a dinner for myself or together with others. That should not set you back more than 5 Euros/day for food.

But I find the pilgrim menus most often are good, at least in the meaning "enough" (two dishes + wine, normally), so I sometimes try them. The only thing is that most often, they are served with fried potato chips: Not my favorite over several days...

As others mention, prepare for other costs, f.ex. at the farmacia: Compeed is expensive, and I use it now and then as prevention for growing serious foot trouble.

In daytime, when hot, I like to air my feet joined by a cold beer (or 2), and I like Spanish red for lunch/dinner (in line wth Stephen there 8) ). This may lift the daily cost a bit, so I agree on 30/day :wink:

But I have had many days on 15, and a few on 40-50 Euros.

Edited: As I like to cook, like many others, IMHO, the best experience is to team up with other pilgrims, go together to the shop and find something all like, and then cook and do the table (and cleaning...) together. Some of my best experiences have been the cameraderie of fellow pilgrims around such tables. And it tends to come down to 3-5 Euros/person...

 

[Australian Crawl]

I intend to walk from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela in roughly a month or so and i'm currently budgeting exactly how much i'll be needing to spend each day as a bare minimum. I intend to be staying strictly in albergues all the way through on top of other essential costs such as food and drink from the Pilgrims Menu.

I've read various posts (On this forum and on other places) indicating that the average cost is 25 euros per day but considering that the majority of these sources are from two years ago or longer I wanted to check whether costs have increased significantly up to now. If anyone that's experienced the Camino Frances quite recently could provide me with up-to-date information on the ranging costs of albergues and food costs i'd be extremely grateful as i'm sure would many others.

I would suggest 30 euros a day is doable but pretty tight with little room for anything other than the cheapest albergues, pilgrim menus every day etc, which could affect your enjoyment of the trip. if you allow 40E a day you have a bit more flexibility with albergue choice, wider food options, the odd beer or three with new companions.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I have walked on the 15 euro per day end of the scale a number of times (including within the last six months) and did not feel in any way deprived.

 

[Lirsy]

I would say that 15 €/day is an absolute minimum (€ 7/8 for albergues, which means that you mostly go to public albergues € 5/6 and whenever that is not possible you go to a private albergue € 10/12, you prepare your dinner at the albergue 3 € and breakfast 2 €, some extra expense 2 € )

But I really think that 30 €/day is a pretty accurate forecast, this 30 € becomming from the same 15 euro + some beers, some coffees, some extras, etc... let´s say, you still need to keep your budget tight, still taking public albergues and mostly cooking diner at the albergue, but being able to make some extra expenditures with other pilgrims (coffees, beers, ocasional diners, etc.).