Embarking on the legendary Camino de Santiago is an experience filled with adventure, cultural immersion, and personal discovery. However, before setting out on this iconic journey, it’s important to consider the financial aspects. The Camino de Santiago costs can fluctuate based on numerous factors, making it challenging to set a fixed price. For instance, choosing to travel by bike can affect expenses, influenced by the duration of your journey, your choice of accommodations such as albergues or hotels, and the specific pilgrim route you select. Additionally, prices can vary with the level of tourism in each area and even change depending on the season in which you embark on your pilgrimage.
A short list of Camino de Santiago costs
Ok but, you’re going to Santiago de Compostela and would like to know what it will cost you! What the total costs of your pilgrimage will be is very difficult to say. There are many factors that influence these costs. Think about where you spend the night, whether or not you prepare your food yourself, whether you visit a museum on the way and how you travel back from Santiago home. In 2018 Annemiek walked from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Frances. An unique experience! Based on this experience, these are the main Camino de Santiago costs to consider:
- What do you need to prepare?
- Where are you going to sleep?
- What are you going to eat and drink on the road?
- Which souvenirs are important to you?
- How do you get back home?
Preparing your Camino de Santiago
You’ve been thinking about it for months or maybe even years and now the time is finally here! But every adventure starts with preparation right? First, you need a good pair of hiking shoes, socks and a big backpack! Maybe you have these things already at home but be careful! Invest in a nice pair of hiking shoes and a good backpack, perfectly suitable for you, your health will thank you later. These two purchases will be the most important decisions and expenses you will make. Talking about hiking shoes, the Camino de Santiago costs vary. You can choose high or low walking shoes and they must fit your feet perfectly. Just think about the amount of kilometres and hours you will walk, the shoes are very important. An average walking shoe costs between 150 and 250 euros.
A good backpack will protect all your belongings and you will carry it on your back for a long time, that’s why it must fit well. This will cost between 150-200 euros so keep this in mind.
Where are you going to sleep?
Your Camino de Santiago costs are very much determined by where you decide to stay. Do you prefer to sleep in a hostel, in a bunk bed or in a room with your own shower and toilet? Broadly speaking, there are 3 options:
1. Spending the night in a camping site costs an average of nine euros.
2. Spending the night in a hostel or hotel costs between 35 and 50 euros per room, usually excluding breakfast. If you decide to share a room with another pilgrim, count on 25 euros. With this option you will have your own toilet and shower.
3. In an albergue you pay between eight and 12 euros for an overnight stay in a bunk bed without breakfast. You will then be in a dormitory with several pilgrims (earplugs are recommended). You also share the sanitary facilities with others.
You have all three options on all pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.
What are you going to eat and drink on the road?
During a pilgrimage you will consume a lot of energy so it’s extremely important to eat and drink well. But, what Camino de Santiago costs should you think about when it comes to food and drinks?
- For breakfast you will pay between 6 and 12 euros. For 6 euros you could have a coffee and a sandwich with some jam. In Spain they don’t pay too much attention to breakfast so if you like a delicious fresh orange juice or a croissant, or maybe some salty food then you have to pay a little bit more.
- Lunch is the most important meal of the day for Spaniards but most pilgrims choose the cheap option, which is eating a sandwich or a “bocata”. That with a coffee will be between 3-5 euros. Maybe you want to eat a more extensive lunch, which can cost at least 20 euros in a bigger city.
- For dinner you have the same two options, the cheap one and the expensive one. You can take a pilgrims menu in many restaurants and bars along the camino, with drinks included it costs around 10-15 euros. The cheaper option if your accommodation has a kitchen is to cook something yourself , but we have to say the Spanish food is excellent!
Souvenirs and extras
If you want to give yourself a reward at the end of your camino, then it will be part of your Camino de Santiago costs. The costs of this can vary. Do you want a small souvenir as a memory or a trophy? Or do you prefer a wonderful diner to say goodbye to Spain? Or maybe you prefer to rest in Finisterre to end your trip. This decision can be only made by you.
How do you get back home?
Now you are in Santiago and you have to return home right? The Camino de Santiago costs of your ticket varies greatly per airline. For example, a trip with Ryanair to Eindhoven costs about 100 euros, with a transfer and a waiting time at London/Stansted (5 hours). From Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña, cheap direct flights to Amsterdam/Schiphol are available twice a week via Vueling and Iberia also flies from Santiago back to Amsterdam with a change in Madrid. If you did it by bike, transporting back your bike via Soetens costs 120 euros.
Another option is to travel back by train.
You will be on the road for a little longer, but you can slowly get used to the hectic everyday life at home again. From Santiago de Compostela you go to Barcelona and from Barcelona you transfer to Paris. From Paris you can take the Thalys to the Netherlands. Do you want to know more about Camino de Santiago costs? Feel free to contact us. We are happy to share our experiences with you! Have you always dreamed of walking the Camino de Santiago and now it is time to walk or cycle to Santiago de Compostela? We are happy to help you.
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