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How much have you got? Figure on spending that. Try to avoid piling unnecessaries on your credit card that you might later regret.
I think your 2000 euros will fall short or be a very bare bones Camino and may not include extra items which you will need such as transportation.
I think €50 a day is the minimum, maybe a little more. Of course you can achieve less, and make it work on a spreadsheet, but spending money is not always a flat line, and things come out of the woodwork, or you may see a souvenir you want to buy. You may end up having dinner with a group and you may end up somewhere a little better. Being that focused on cost for 50 days ain’t easy!
Hola
To be fair to the Opening Piligrim, I think 55-60 is a moderately steady Camino. I have taken longer on the Frances in the past and I will take longer in the future. Pleasant 10-15 klm stages plus lots of rest days and time lingering makes for a very relaxing, spiritual, contemplative and comfortable Camino, without any physical issues and no stress. Personally, I love sitting in churches for an hour at a time too and staying in accommodation other than albergues allows for late starts.
We ended up taking 58 days to go from SJPdP to SdC. 48 days walking, two sightseeing days and eight days rest/recovery spread over three times for illness and tendonitis.
Thank you very much for the information. I do plan on staying in albergues and cooking or making lunches for myself once in a while. I decided on 50 something days to have rest days in case of pain or injury and to sight-see in bigger cities, like Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Santiago, etc.Hola
The cost all depends on what you are planning for.
Lodging
To keep your budget down you could bring a tarp and camp in the open - although it is not something a lot of people do, it is done and if one do camp then please remember to keep it clean and dont upset the locals.
Last year I meet a woman that walked teh camino with her dog and they stayed out under a tarp without problems.
We dont know if this is your first Camino or if you have experience?
The reason I ask is that for a first time pilgrim I would recommend to stay in Albergues (Pilgrim hostals) and as an experienced pilgrim you may try other ways to walk.
You can try to plan your Camino staying at Donativos when possible - Donativos are not "free" places but you can donate 3-5-7 Euros as you find suitable for yourt economy.
Remember that the Donativos are actually for people with a limited economy - to make a pilgrimage possible for all kind of people - rich as well as the poor.
Look here:
and look at Gronze.com.
El Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com
Bienvenido a Gronze, tu Guía del Camino de Santiago: Información práctica, actualizada y participativa de los principales Caminos de Santiago.www.gronze.com
Even if you dont speak spanish Gronze is a major source of information and you can scroll through it and look for donativos.
Food
Cook your food and avoid restaurants.
If you stay at Albergues there will always be kitchens with some utilities.
A lot of pilgrims go shop together after a days walk and make a communal dinner for the group - can be from 2 to 10 people in my experience.
For a lot of people this is where the pilgrims bond and if you are lucky you will walk with people from Mexico or Thailand or whereever and taste some local dishes.
If you can cook you can be a star on the Camino - and if you can not then start practising befor your walk.
Make sandwhiches in themorning to eat at lunch and so on.
Keep it all simple and do remember that food in Spain is very tasty and the produce is amazing - all depeneds on what season you are walking.
One thing: In Galicia the Albergues got kitchens but no utilites so it is basically impossible to make your own food there.
Sightseeing
Unfortunately things have changed over the last 5-10 years in Spain so now you have to pay to enter a lot of churches or sights on the Camino.
It used to be that pilgrims could show their credentials and pay a reduced fee 1-2 Euro, but now it is the same price for all and to enter sights you pay around 5-7 Euros.
I do understand that the economical crisis all over the world is making it necessary to fund places wiht fees - still it is a shame as if you want to see ancient sights along the whole Camino it can add up to
a bit.
Save your budget by only seeing some key places like the Cathedral in Burgos and of course in Santiago.
In theory you could walk the Camino for 10-15 Euro a day of you camp out and minimize your expenses.
It could be a wonderful experience.
One thing is that you probably would not connect as much to other pilgrims as staying in Albergues would do.
Else you stay at the albergues and adjust your expenses along the way.
Keep it simple.
8-14 Euros for an Albergue + whatever your food will cost.
Maybe 30-40 Euros a day.
Alternativly you stay at Albergues and occationally at a hostal/hotel to get a good nights sleep and recharge.
You eat Manu del Dia at restaurants and some brekfasts and coffee and so on.
Your budget would probably get up to 50-60 Euros a day.
You have to make a budget for the lowest you think you can do it for and the upper budget.
See what the difference is and decide what suits you best economically as well as the experience.
Also - 55-60 days?
It sounds great but most people will walk the Frances in anything from 30-40 days.
Why do you plan so long for your Camino?
I am just curious as it seems a bit long, but you might have a good reason for it
So. Long text - the subject is sensitive and it might start a firestorm as people have different experiences and opinions - regardless, keep reading on the forum and ask again for other advicers.
I hope this helps.
Buen Camino
Lettinggo
By the way - I am in the around 50 Euros a day budget where I eat good food at restaurants, shop in the supermarket for lunch and breakfast, drink coffees at bars and enter interesting places when I feel for it.
I stay at small hotels occationally but not often and Iike to stay at Donativos when I find them, but I do not plan it.
In general that is excatly how I do my Camino - without a plan - I get to Spain and start my walk and try to stay in The Now - it is a sensational feeling of freedom and simplicity and kindness from other people I experience.
Interesting, as most aim for 50 euro a day. Thank you for letting me believe this figure might be possible.
I’m live on the Camino
Thank you!
It was a mix of selfcatering, Pilgrim's Menue and some days only fruits bought in Conveniencestores.
It is not just possible it is very easy to be under this amount. Especially if you stay in municipals/donativos/monastarios. Cooking or eating communal dinners in the albergue with other pilgrims is a wonderful experience that you will treasure for a lifetime. Shopping for lunch and snacks is easy and it is not difficult on most caminos to find a lovely spot to eat. This will still leave plenty of money in your budget to stop with other pilgrims for coffee or in the bar after you arrive before or after dinner. Yes there are unforeseen expenses on the camino just as in life but hopefully they will be very few and not very expensive. Each person walks the way they want to walk. Someone mentioned that they spent over 10,000E in 68 days (about 150E per day if my brain maith is about right) and Roland49 said 35 Euros a day, which is where my budget is near. Then there are others who are across the spectrum with their own spending habits.
The average cost of staying in an albergue today is near 14€ per night. Unless you stay in municipals which might reduce the cost to closer to 10€ per night. The average pilgrim's meal is again around 14€ breakfast and lunch will cost around 7€ each so now you are at 42€. You will probably need to budget between 50€ and 60€ per day. Costs have risen steeply on the Camino. When I first walked in 2013 those numbers would have been half. Buen Camino
hi! I can speak only for Primitivo. I’ve spent about 5 Euros at the Mercados for lunch every two days. That’s bread, cheese, chorizo, fruit. Breakfast has been 5 euros for coffee & yogurt. Dinner about 10 Euros if not included in room. Bed average 15 euros/night. I did splurge 120 euros for two nights in Lugo. Could have gone much less. Take a look at booking.com for pricing. Use the WisePilgrim app and you can see what the beds are costing. Buen Camino.
The £1000 will allow me 15-20 euros a day, based on a 45 day journey. My journey may end up being longer, and I do have a bit more put aside in case I decide to turn that 45 days into 60 days. That was really interesting and enlightening for me! Thank you. I quite like the idea of doing it at those sort of expense levels, and you demonstrate it can be done. I do get quite surprised at the amounts spent and the taxi‘s here there and everywhere and the amount spent on hotels, but it’s understandable as people want to enjoy their relative affluence! But next time out I quite like the challenge of a more frugal experience. It’s does somehow seem more authentic to me.My budget for my entire camino this year isn't much more than £1000. i tend to spend about 15 euros a day. I live frugally. Although i am apparently the odd one on here. Most seem to blow through money like water and crazy amounts like 50 euros a day get thrown around like that is just normal.
The above amount doesn't include travel. That is counted elsewhere on my spreadsheet.
But ultimately, for me, when i walk I tend to stay at municipal and donativo albergues (I aim for 10 euros a night for accommodation). I avoid staying in cities and prefer to stay in smaller towns/villages (where accommodation costs less). I bulk buy food like pasta and eat it with cheese and whatever green veg in a bag I can find/buy each day (and yes I carry a small stove). I only really drink water when i walk, apart from before hard sections when I like to splash on a can or two of Monster, which I mix with water. I allow myself a couple of cans of cheap beer any night I want it, generally stuff like Dia cerveza extra @ 0.59 euros per can (8% Alc) is quite good and cheap. If i'm splashing out or celebrating Voll-Damm is my favourite, but that's kinda expensive.
Your camino can be as expensive or as cheap as you want. You can live frugally or live like you have an unlimited budget. Your camino, your choice.
This is a quite unkind assessment. Others and I have shared our costs in good faith, explaining what we have done and how much it has cost us. A similar contribution might have been welcome if hadn't been tarred with this judgemental assessment of how others with higher costs that you approached our respective caminos.
.
Reading through the variety of responses, I would now like to say that your own guess is good - i.e. your estimated budget.
. Buen camino!
In addition to having more meals and overnight stays of course.
This is my plan, actually. I want to see the sites, linger, wake up at a reasonable hour instead of before dawn, etc. My Camino will take longer than most.
I'm planning about 70 euros/day as an average for lodging, food, and incidentals. I took some extra work on this past year to be able to have a little more to spend on the Camino. I want to stay in pensiones and hostales pretty often (I don't sleep as soundly as I used to!), but will also do albergues along the way, especially the ones that have a smaller number of people per room. I expect to get food at grocery stores, ask for bocadillos to go in bars, etc. I am bringing a little hot water heater (coil immersion), a collapsible silicon bowl/cup, and a spork. One of the routes I'm doing is off the main one and has fewer food options, so I thought it would be good to be able to do oatmeal and things on my own, not to mention at least instant coffee in places with no coffee options in the morning.
Also, if you're one of the people who does the Camino every year or two or three, you may have less to spend on any given Camino than those of us for whom it's now been over 20 years since the last one.
A short taxi ride of a few miles to a nearby village where there's a much cheaper place to stay (maybe close to albergue prices, but with a better night's sleep and your own shower with lots of hot water) makes good sense, and it can create its own heightened adventure because you get off the beaten trail a little and meet more local people, see non-Camino Spain more, etc.
Sure yes agreed. Though have seen some very long jouneys done by taxi!!’ I did wonder if ‘newer’ folks are unclear how good much of Europe public transport is, especially trains! I like Amtrak but they are not on the hour, every hour!
You aren't wrong. My situation is uniquely different to 99.9% of people who walk. I have no choice in how I do my camino and the fact I do it on a massive budget is part of the fact I can't eat out, can't generally be around people and have to control my environment as much as possible.
Sure, it's *possible* to do it very frugally. The issue is that it's not the frugality itself that makes you a "real pilgrim" or leads to a pilgrim spirit. You can do the most frugal Camino in the world but end puffed up with pride over it, or looking down on others, or feeling entitled to something (bragging rights?) instead of feeling grateful. For most people, being sleep deprived isn't going to make them better at contemplating life and future, but having some quieter and more private evening time to journal might.You aren't wrong. My situation is uniquely different to 99.9% of people who walk. I have no choice in how I do my camino and the fact I do it on a massive budget is part of the fact I can't eat out, can't generally be around people and have to control my environment as much as possible.
The point I was trying to make was more that you don't have to spend 50 euros a day. You can do it for a lot less. I and probably others are testament to that fact.
On my first Camino I spoke with a pilgrim who was walking on half that. An aid worker that had being helping his family out, somewhere in the area between Sahagun and Madrid had suggested he walk a Camino. He set off with about 400 euros and not much more than a bed roll and one set of clothes. He had managed to make it from there to the Gonzar albergue spending far less than i was. Also a guy with a dog who I met at the campsite outside Sahagun who had walked from Amsterdam after the company he worked for went out of business, he was aiming for North Africa after hitting Santiago. He had a basic camping setup and some clothes. His budget was about 5000 euros to get to Morocco. He was sleeping in graveyards and cloisters most nights in his tent with his dog. He said albergues weren't possible because of his dog and he wouldn't leave his dog on it's own.
If this is a holiday for a person and they are treating it like a holiday, then of course spend what you would if you were on a 5 star package holiday. For me it's not a holiday, it's a pilgrimage, there is a difference. I walk to spend time contemplating my life and future, amongst other things. I realise for many it's just a long walk where you get a piece of paper at the end that says you did a long walk. But lets not dive into that side of things.
But ultimately as I stated, each camino is an individual undertaking. My style of camino is unlikely to suit most people. I wish I could eat out and socialise more, but it's not the hand I was dealt. So my camino will always be frugal.
I don't see anyone here suggesting costs that look anything like a five star holiday, and suggesting, even obliquely, that forum members who are contributing to this and other threads are doing anything but a pilgrimage seems to be a further unkind reflection on our motivations.
As an ex marketeer, always obsessed with demographics, and I would think generally the folks on here probably spend more than average trekkers, because the major demographic is older and from affluent countries. More access to credit if cash not readily available. There is probably many out there spending €20 a day, no right or wrong. I am about €50 a day so mid market I guess! It feels ‘right’ level to me. I guess it feel like ‘value for money’ versus other interest/ activities. We all make our own value judgement. I will happily walk a few kms to save ATMs fees, many won’t… and spend €6 on refreshments doing so! It’s all in the mind!
Please, can you reference that must?
I’m have quite enjoyed the posts, and think we may even be pretty much in agreement, and I think the phrase ‘blowing money, is probably the issue as it carries a judgmental value…. Like ‘peeing money up against the wall’!
Stephan, its more like 40 euro or a little less. A 20 euro budget for 55 days would be 1100 euro. I do think that would be difficult, but there are others who might be frugal enough to achieve that.
Last year on the CF I was averaging 100 eur a day. That was for private rooms with AC (plan on being very hot in July!) and eating whatever I wanted.
I do not agree with your comment about seeing many such posts. You are mixing up different but valid considerations:
If you are interpreting my early comment that walking on a lower budget would require discipline and sacrifice somehow implies that your pilgrimage would be miserable, then nothing could be further from the point that I thought I was making. It would be unfortunate, and certainly not my intention in making that comment, to form such a view.
We posted around the same moment. Thanks.
I am in the Camino Francés right now. I have been mostly staying in albergues (bed in a shared room), having breakfast (coffee, fresh OJ and some food item) and a pilgrim dinner, with lunch either being a piece of tortilla and beverage at a café along the way or fruit, bread and cheese from a market. An afternoon caña or copa de vino as well. I’ve been spending around 50€ per day.
I have a good idea what to expect, but if others want to share the way they organized their expenses, I will be glad to learn more.
Great, thank you. I imagine that between Roncesvalles and Galicia, things may cost less, so it's possible to average it out to a lower daily cost in general. Does that sound right? That in more popular towns, things are costlier?
I stay in albergues.
Oh no! How embarrassing! That’s what I get for doing math in my head.
I consider myself a pretty big baby in terms of being a person who likes to have a private room and a proper bath about every 6 to 7 days on a camino. I do not have a big appetite, so that might help, and I am one of those people whose stomach can go on a bit of a strike when I am doing endurance style walking, so keep that in mind when I tell you that I am able to do a camino of 46 days for about $1500 to $1700 CAD on the ground.
Sounds good, thank you!
Fellow pelegrina (you are a pilgrim now; you are simply just in the planning stage of your journey). I should elaborate a bit more about my costs:
Of course it depends on the type of accommodation (Xunta albergues in Galícia are €8 - up from €6 when I first walked in 2016) but on the Camino Francés I think that the beginning (if you start in SJPdP) and the end tend to be more expensive.
I love the idea that these costs are possible. Thank you for the details!
I think you nailed the response! Straight, to the point and very accurate.Hola
The cost all depends on what you are planning for.
Lodging
To keep your budget down you could bring a tarp and camp in the open - although it is not something a lot of people do, it is done and if one do camp then please remember to keep it clean and dont upset the locals.
Last year I meet a woman that walked teh camino with her dog and they stayed out under a tarp without problems.
We dont know if this is your first Camino or if you have experience?
The reason I ask is that for a first time pilgrim I would recommend to stay in Albergues (Pilgrim hostals) and as an experienced pilgrim you may try other ways to walk.
You can try to plan your Camino staying at Donativos when possible - Donativos are not "free" places but you can donate 3-5-7 Euros as you find suitable for yourt economy.
Remember that the Donativos are actually for people with a limited economy - to make a pilgrimage possible for all kind of people - rich as well as the poor.
Look here:
and look at Gronze.com.
El Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com
Bienvenido a Gronze, tu Guía del Camino de Santiago: Información práctica, actualizada y participativa de los principales Caminos de Santiago.
Even if you dont speak spanish Gronze is a major source of information and you can scroll through it and look for donativos.
Food
Cook your food and avoid restaurants.
If you stay at Albergues there will always be kitchens with some utilities.
A lot of pilgrims go shop together after a days walk and make a communal dinner for the group - can be from 2 to 10 people in my experience.
For a lot of people this is where the pilgrims bond and if you are lucky you will walk with people from Mexico or Thailand or whereever and taste some local dishes.
If you can cook you can be a star on the Camino - and if you can not then start practising befor your walk.
Make sandwhiches in the morning to eat at lunch and so on.
Keep it all simple and do remember that food in Spain is very tasty and the produce is amazing - all depeneds on what season you are walking.
One thing: In Galicia the Albergues got kitchens but no utilites so it is basically impossible to make your own food there.
Sightseeing
Unfortunately things have changed over the last 5-10 years in Spain so now you have to pay to enter a lot of churches or sights on the Camino.
It used to be that pilgrims could show their credentials and pay a reduced fee 1-2 Euro, but now it is the same price for all and to enter sights you pay around 5-7 Euros.
I do understand that the economical crisis all over the world is making it necessary to fund places wiht fees - still it is a shame as if you want to see ancient sights along the whole Camino it can add up to
a bit.
Save your budget by only seeing some key places like the Cathedral in Burgos and of course in Santiago.
In theory you could walk the Camino for 10-15 Euro a day of you camp out and minimize your expenses.
It could be a wonderful experience.
One thing is that you probably would not connect as much to other pilgrims as staying in Albergues would do.
Else you stay at the albergues and adjust your expenses along the way.
Keep it simple.
8-14 Euros for an Albergue + whatever your food will cost.
Maybe 30-40 Euros a day.
Alternativly you stay at Albergues and occationally at a hostal/hotel to get a good nights sleep and recharge.
You eat Menu del Dia at restaurants and some brekfasts and coffee and so on.
Your budget would probably get up to 50-60 Euros a day.
You have to make a budget for the lowest you think you can do it for and the upper budget.
See what the difference is and decide what suits you best economically as well as the experience.
Also - 55-60 days?
It sounds great but most people will walk the Frances in anything from 30-40 days.
Why do you plan so long for your Camino?
I am just curious as it seems a bit long, but you might have a good reason for it
So. Long text - the subject is sensitive and it might start a firestorm as people have different experiences and opinions - regardless, keep reading on the forum and ask again for other advicers.
I hope this helps.
Buen Camino
Lettinggo
By the way - I am in the around 50 Euros a day budget where I eat good food at restaurants, shop in the supermarket for lunch and breakfast, drink coffees at bars and enter interesting places when I feel for it.
I stay at small hotels occationally but not often and Iike to stay at Donativos when I find them, but I do not plan it.
In general that is excatly how I do my Camino - without a plan - I get to Spain and start my walk and try to stay in The Now - it is a sensational feeling of freedom and simplicity and kindness from other people I experience.
Also if you are able, could continue walking to Fistera and Muxia. I took 39 days for Frances and 6 more for those. Worst case if you walk and finish earlier than planned and see some other small areas on your way back to Paris
And note that that's not including any tickets to museums, etc. Visiting cultural sites will cost more.
I agree. I just find most of the judgment coming from the other direction. And on all kinds of issues. I hope that's more acute in online spaces than it is on the actual Camino. It really would hinder the experience to know you're surrounded by all these people judging each other. Hoping that's not the case ...
People are judging others all the time. Good or bad, kindly or unkindly. You will never get away from that. It's how they share that judgement with you or with others that will make the difference. You could box shadows here, interpreting a particular look, grimace, shrug or the like as an expression of judgement, and drive yourself crazy doing that. Accept that you know what's in your mind and your heart, and don't let go of that.
In 2019, on my last of 9 Caminos, I averaged ~32-34E/day.
