What are most people finding as the daily expense of a 2-3 month Camino walk?

[clarkandkaren]

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

 

[Samos]

hi, it can very greatly depending on which countries you walk through. our few month VF and Assisi walk was way more expensive than our walk from Lisbon to Santiago, even with staying in monasteries etc. many times a shared room in an AirBnB was cheaper than hostels/monasteries.
in addition to lodging, definitely look at local restaurant, bar, cafe, imbiss, and supermarket prices where you plan on walking. a lot of those can be found online. while i loved our pilgrimage in Italy and am glad we did it, it is too expensive to do again

 

[C clearly]

I assume you are talking about the 2000 km trip you are planning from Nuremburg to Santiago. The average cost will vary considerably, depending on the country and the type of accommodation that is available along your route.

 

[Tincatinker]

I budget €100 a day and sometimes manage to stay in budget on a long enough walk. Once my standards have slipped sufficiently €100 is achievable

 

[good_old_shoes]

I had a budget of ~1€/km for accommodation and food.

Campsites usually 5-20€, later on sometimes gites and albergues for ~15€/night. I very rarely slept indoors until Spain. Most meals from the supermarket. A coffee and a pastry here and there in a café. Rarely a meal in a bar/restaurant (until Spain, where it was more affordable).

Without a tent it would have been much more (rooms ~30-150€/night, plus food).

It really depends on your route, the available accommodation, and your personal budget.

Some routes in France have the system of "acceuil jacquaire" which means you can get a bed at a private persons home against a small fee or donation. I never had luck with those since you need to book them several days in advance, and I never got anyone on the phone the few times I tried. But maybe that's something that works for you.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Personally, my costs for the couple of hundred kilometres I've done in Germany to date have been significantly higher, but that's because I've only found one hostel to date, many cheaper places were closed for the year, and I didn't camp. I hope that from Leipzig onwards I can get the cost down to near the 50 to 60 euros a day.

There was a good thread about the costs on the Le Puy last year, I think most people were talking of around 40 euros for a gite, demi pension. Presumably that would also put them in the 50 euros per day bracket with lunch and a coffee or two.

I'm going to be seriously addressing the idea of camping, but as that would mean buying a new pack, a tent - or perhaps a bivvy bag - a sleeping mat and a new sleeping bag I'm not sure if the cost is going to make it worth it.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I spent a minimum of €50/day on the Le Puy, staying in gites with demi pension, and mostly self lunches/snacks on the go, but that was back in 2018. It's hard for me to believe that prices have stayed the same in the last five years though.

 

[Simperegrina]

In Spain I worked off an average daily spend of 50€

 

[Vacajoe]

In Spain, 40€ a day for albergue, pilgrim meal, and grocery store food. Can be more, often less if the municipals are open and available

 

[Camino Chrissy]

In 2015 and again in 2017 on the Frances, staying in 90% albergues at the time, I spent approximately €25-30 per day. I think those days are long gone.

 

[Robo]

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

One of those really tough questions as there are so many variables and preferences to take into account.
It could be anything from 25-100+ Euros/day....

I'm one of those 'over planners'. I just love the planning process, though my plans tend to go out the window once I start! But planning is fun and gives me ideas.......

I put together a budget planner that covers all the cost elements, and allows me to select the degree of 'comfort' for my Camino. It's interesting to see how the overall budget can vary.

It's a large spreadsheet, so I'll paste in sections with an explanation before each bit.
Note that there are costs that won't apply to some Pilgrims.
I need medical help along the way such as Fisio. And also use a lot of phone data.

These are the rough cost categories for last year. On the VdlP. (So Spain)
Others will have opinions on the unit costs I'm sure All opinions are valid!



Then I have three variations of budget that apply these costs in different proportions.
And I can play around with the figures.

So the First Pass, is my Preferred Budget. 74 euros / day
The yellow boxes are numbers that can be altered.



Next is what I have called a Mid Level budget. 60 Euros/day.
More DIY meals, more nights in Albergues etc.



Then there is a lower level Budget. 35 Euros/day
About as low as I can get it.
I could go a bit lower using only Municipal / Donativo Albergues of course.
Maybe 8-10 euros / night. (not 14)
No meds or phone data though.
Lots of DIY meals and using Albergues all bar one night.



So your budget is likely to lay somewhere between 35-75 Euros per day.

Unless you want to use private accommodation all the time and eat well.
Then it might look like this......... 100 / Euros/day
Higher if you want to use nice Hotels.

 

[good_old_shoes]

I'm one of those 'over planners'. I just love the planning process, though my plans tend to go out the window once I start! But planning is fun and gives me ideas.......

I'd call that "research" and it makes sense to do that to make sure your budget covers the actual costs.

Before my first Camino, I didn't know the food prices in Spain. I had already found out that the cheaper albergues were only 5-8€ that year (2015), but I was wondering how much I'd spend on food.

So what I did was google supermarket pages and adverts. Did the same again in '22 to see how much prices in France and Spain actually had gone up since covid.

In the smaller shops the prices are of course higher, but it gave me a good idea what to expect.

A look at the french Carrefour website just now shows that a simple baguette can still be had for ~1€, a cheap piece of camembert ~2-3€. There you have breakfast and a lunch snack for only 3-4€!

Looking at spain, the dia supermarket website shows that a pack of pasta is still at ~1€-1,50€, tomate frito as sauce roughly the same, and a jar of cooked chickpeas or lentils ~2€. Makes 5€ and is enough for at least two meals, so if you share with someone else or carry the leftovers it's only 2,50€ for dinner.

I like that kind of research because it gives me some peace of mind that I can actually afford what I'm planning to do.

 

[JerryStroebele]

I'm with Simperegrina and Vacajoe. I prefer dorm beds in private, muni or paroqueal albergues but occasionally find "only" a pension or small hotel -- luxury! In donativos I leave at least as much as I would pay in a private albergue. If the albergue offers a meal I always buy it, always good and always a bargain. Otherwise, menu del dia/peregrino or whatever on offer. Tortilla espanol in mid morning is a real treat. I feel in Spain I live "high on the hog" for euro 40 - 50 a day and am grateful for this opportunity. Buen Camino

 

[Stellamaris]

I’am leaving in a month for the CF/Invierno and I am planning around 50€/ a day and me too I am grateful for this opportunity.Life is good.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I spent a minimum of €50/day on the Le Puy, staying in gites with demi pension, and mostly self lunches/snacks on the go, but that was back in 2018. It's hard for me to believe that prices have stayed the same in the last five years though.

Thanks Chrissy, I've done some double checking since your comment, and downloaded the Wise Pilgrim app. It shows many Gites along the way with prices in the 14 to 20 euro range. It also shows they serve food however it's not clear from the app or the individual sites that I've since visited if that's included in that price. Somehow I doubt it! But several went on to talk about dinners in local restaurants around the 18 euro mark. So hopefully it's still possible to remain in the 50 - 60€ range.
It will affect the OP more than I at present, because I do not anticipate being on this part of my camino until next year.
Hopefully somebody with experience of the Le Puy / Via Podiensis from last year (2023) will see this thread, and update us.

 

[good_old_shoes]

It shows many Gites along the way with prices in the 14 to 20 euro range. It also shows they serve food however it's not clear from the app or the individual sites that I've since visited if that's included in that price. Somehow I doubt it!

Food is extra. So it might be for example 20€ for the bed, 15€ for dinner and 5€ for breakfast. Demi pension should usually be ~40-50€. But I didn't use it often so I'm no expert.

The best value for money I ever got was in Ouroux (on the way from Cluny to Le Puy). A room all to myself in a small chateau in the woods with what felt like an 8 course dinner, made by monsieur the host himself. We ate until ~11pm... Including dinner, breakfast and a welcome beer, it was ~40€. After sleeping in the tent for weeks it was a surreal experience having dinner in a dining hall that looked like a set from Downton Abbey.

 

[CWBuff]

I'm with @Tincatinker - Budget €100-120. If its winds up being less - be pleasantly surprised. Much better than budgeting say €30-40 and find yourself in a bind thus become sad\angry and "ruin" your own Camino.

And the best part of it is that if you do find yourself "waaaaay ahead" - splurge - stay in a much nicer place and get some awesome dinner!

Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I try to keep it at 25 per day, less if I camp. Rock bottom is 15 ... Donativo 5 euro, Caretilla microwave mean 4, bread 1, fruit 1.50, 3.50 coffee. Use a vacuum flask and make tea in the albergue for the day. Take the food left behind in the fridge by departed pilgrims.

 

[Corned Beef]

Things are a bit more relaxed now about the level of spending. From the Iter pro peregrinis ad Compostellam which had helpful guidance for pilgrims to Santiago.

The pilgrim may bring with him no money at all, except perhaps to distribute it on the road. Those who sell their property before leaving must give every penny of it to the poor, for if they spend it on their own journey they are departing from the path of the Lord. (Matthew 19:21 ?)

In times past the faithful had but one heart and soul, and they held all property in common, owning nothing of their own; just so the pilgrim of today must hold everything in common and travel together with one heart and one soul. To do otherwise would be disgraceful and outrageous...

It then goes onto suggest that dying with money in their pocket would exclude the pilgrim from heaven. So times (or teachings) have changed somewhat.

And a segue to this thread

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/has-the-camino-lost-its-way.85230/

 

[clarkandkaren]

In 2015 and again in 2017 on the Frances, staying in 90% albergues at the time, I spent approximately €25-30 per day. I think those days are long gone.

Thanks! I’m not looking for anything more than a place to lay my head at the end of each day. I may carry a sleeping bag with me and, as time or place dictate, I may sleep on the trail though buying a small tent is not currently “the plan.” As with most things.. I’ll deal with it as it comes up. I was hoping to stay at.. or under €30 a day.

 

[clarkandkaren]

I'm with @Tincatinker - Budget €100-120. If its winds up being less - be pleasantly surprised. Much better than budgeting say €30-40 and find yourself in a bind thus become sad\angry and "ruin" your own Camino.

And the best part of it is that if you do find yourself "waaaaay ahead" - splurge - stay in a much nicer place and get some awesome dinner!

Good luck and Buen Camino!

Thanks. The cost isn’t a huge factor .. but planning on at least 2 to 3 months… a €100 a day seems tremendously extravagant and unnecessary… but.. that’s just me.. All I need is a reasonable.. bedbug free bed, a pillow, blanket and a place to shower. The more basic, for me, the more I feel I’ll get out of the days of just walking! Thanks again!

 

[David Tallan]

I'm with @Tincatinker - Budget €100-120. If its winds up being less - be pleasantly surprised. Much better than budgeting say €30-40 and find yourself in a bind thus become sad\angry and "ruin" your own Camino.

And the best part of it is that if you do find yourself "waaaaay ahead" - splurge - stay in a much nicer place and get some awesome dinner!

Good luck and Buen Camino!

This is great advice for someone who can afford that budget. If someone can't afford €3,000-3,600 + airfare, I wouldn't want to send the message that a month long Camino is not an option for them.

That said, if someone is looking at two to three months, chances are that they are not starting in Spain but significantly further away. And further away, the daily costs can be significantly higher. So you may be looking at different budgets for different parts of your Camino if your Camino is passing through several countries.

 

[CWBuff]

Food is extra. So it might be for example 20€ for the bed, 15€ for dinner and 5€ for breakfast.

IMHO to be fair it should be "for EACH breakfast" since we all know only too well that there is more to the walk then just a Dessayno Numero Uno! Some folks will easily have 3 (I've been guilty on a couple of occasions myself)

 

[CWBuff]

@David Tallan - I absolutely understand what you are saying. I guess within reason the ask was "budget" well.... in general one can interpret my answer as "try for as much as you can". If you somehow DO cobble up €3,000 does not mean you absolutely have to spend it all but it would provide a nice cushion.
My point was simply its ok to 'overbudget' than to 'underbudget'.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Thanks! I’m not looking for anything more than a place to lay my head at the end of each day. I may carry a sleeping bag with me and, as time or place dictate, I may sleep on the trail though buying a small tent is not currently “the plan.” As with most things.. I’ll deal with it as it comes up. I was hoping to stay at.. or under €30 a day.

You definitely need to consider carrying a sleeping bag! Unless you don’t start until June, perhaps even then. Not everywhere will have blankets.

It will of course depend on where you start, but even in Spain, very few of us make it for €30 per day, let alone under. Especially if you are not planning to camp. Whilst what you give a Donativo is completely up to what YOU can afford, I would never give less than what I would spend on comparable accommodation- which, nowadays, is (with a very few exceptions) €10 as a minimum. Many- on the main routes at least - are more. And then there’s food. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. (Pilgrim’s menu - €10-€14.) And coffee, fruit/snacks, washing, etc. If you ONLY eat supermarket food/cook yourself, always hand wash your clothes, and adopt all of the other cost saving means, then obviously you can keep the budget low. But few of us do.
In Spain, many get by €35 - €40.

If, on the other hand, you start here in Germany…. . The cheapest accommodation I found was €25, but that was rare. Many places had no hostels/ pilgrim accommodation. Then I paid between €40 -€80. For the accommodation alone. And as discussed above, once you are in France, it’s likely to be much the same.

Thanks. The cost isn’t a huge factor .. but planning on at least 2 to 3 months… a €100 a day seems tremendously extravagant and unnecessary… but.. that’s just me.. All I need is a reasonable.. bedbug free bed, a pillow, blanket and a place to shower. The more basic, for me, the more I feel I’ll get out of the days of just walking! Thanks again!

I agree, as a budget - well, for that I could stay in a hotel every night!
Hopefully Bedbug free …..

 

[good_old_shoes]

IMHO to be fair it should be "for EACH breakfast" since we all know only too well that there is more to the walk then just a Dessayno Numero Uno! Some folks will easily have 3 (I've been guilty on a couple of occasions myself)

Yes, on the Camino Francés there are many opportunities for a second or third breakfast.

But in rural France (and also some parts of Germany) you might not find anything until lunchtime some days. Maybe until dinner if you're especially unlucky.

There are not that many bars and shops and sometimes those have strange opening hours. Some gites offer a picknic-to-go for that reason (which I found overpriced, same with the "normal" breakfast offered in the gites).

Most french pilgrims I met carried bread, saucisson and sardines as emergency food or for lunch.

I carried bread, cheese, and canned ratatouille.

But it's another way to save money. Less opportunities to spend it!

In France prices in bars, cafés and restaurants are much higher than in Spain. So for someone on a lower budget, buying ingredients for your first, second and third breakfast as well as lunch (and maybe also dinner) in the supermarket is essential.

If you do not self cater, it is ~5€ breakfast in the gite, plus ~5€ snacks to carry, plus ~10-15€ lunch in a bar/restaurant, plus ~15€ dinner in the gite... That's a lot of money just for food.

When you self-cater you can get by with 10€/day for food. That's a huge difference.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I

Thanks Chrissy, I've done some double checking since your comment, and downloaded the Wise Pilgrim app. It shows many Gites along the way with prices in the 14 to 20 euro range.

I exclusively used the guidebook "The Lighthouse Guide to the Via Podiensis" by Angelynn Meya back in 2018; no Gronze no Apps. All the gites listed in the book seemed to come with demi pension, and bk of simple toast, jam and coffee. None were under €35.per person. Apparently now you are seeing cheaper options available if you only want a bed. When I walked was there was often no where else to get a hot meal or buy groceries. Incidentally, I loved the high quality dinners and thought them a good value.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Canned ratatouille!!! I'm headed back to France! Bon Chemin

actually, I'm headed to Malaga Sunday night. Buen Camino

 

[Tincatinker]

Hmm. I've noticed a couple of "Wows" attached to my earlier post on a budget, on a long walk, of €100/day. Despite my reputation as a Sybarite, Gourmand and Lush I feel I should have expanded a little on that comment. The OP originally said they were planning a trip of 2 - 3 months (I note that notion has been edited out). I've undertaken a few of those. Clothes and boots wear out, gear breaks, other unplanned events lead to unplanned expenditure. Inexpensive food and accommodations are not always available. Indeed, off the amazing pilgrim paths of Spain inexpensive food and accommodation are practically non-existent. The Camino Frances StJ to SdC is, probably still doable on a daily budget of sub €50 for the 30 - 35 days it will take to walk it. 90 days on other less supported and amenable routes? Probably not.

 

[markie6]

Hmm. I've noticed a couple of "Wows" attached to my earlier post on a budget, on a long walk, of €100/day. Despite my reputation as a Sybarite, Gourmand and Lush I feel I should have expanded a little on that comment. The OP originally said they were planning a trip of 2 - 3 months (I note that notion has been edited out). I've undertaken a few of those. Clothes and boots wear out, gear breaks, other unplanned events lead to unplanned expenditure. Inexpensive food and accommodations are not always available. Indeed, off the amazing pilgrim paths of Spain inexpensive food and accommodation are practically non-existent. The Camino Frances StJ to SdC is, probably still doable on a daily budget of sub €50 for the 30 - 35 days it will take to walk it. 90 days on other less supported and amenable routes? Probably not.

I was doing my math at the start of the thread and came to the sums of 35 a day for 2-3 months on the Frances ( from my experience) would be minimum 60 days to 90 days @ 35€ = 2100-3100 ish

Knowing that outside the CF route or Spain, those numbers could climb sharply

It's good to try and be frugal but people should always try and be realistic also. The outliers might be able to get under 30 on a regular basis but there are no guarantees of a cheap bed or meal. Many on this forum use private accomodation that could easilly double the prices, have their bag transported daily for another 150 a month. It all adds up. Wow away...

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I was doing my math at the start of the thread and came to the sums of 35 a day for 2-3 months on the Frances ( from my experience) would be minimum 60 days to 90 days @ 35€ = 2100-3100 ish

Knowing that outside the CF route or Spain, those numbers could climb sharply

It's good to try and be frugal but people should always try and be realistic also. The outliers might be able to get under 30 on a regular basis but there are no guarantees of a cheap bed or meal. Many on this forum use private accomodation that could easilly double the prices, have their bag transported daily for another 150 a month. It all adds up. Wow away...

Great thread. I'm concerned to establish the point that the Camino is accessible to people who don't have deep pockets, because I see it as a important spiritual experience which should be as accessible to all, especially the young, the poor and the working and underclasses.

I like to see the other kinds of pilgrim . . . all of them are in my view welcome, all should be included and facilitated, from the Korean groups jumping on and off the bus to the wealthy in their Arctyrx jackets who stay in Paradors, to the happy young Eurokids who want to keep fit and party. All.

The fact is that as the Camino gets more expensive the poor are being squeezed out. The cheap prices they need are rising due to Covid. The donativos they depend on are closing as the number of volunteers to run them declines. The municipal albergues they can afford are often filled with pilgrims who could easily afford to stay in more expensive accommodation but like the vibe.

That's why I think it's important to maintain the infrastructure that sustains the pilgrimage of the poor, the young and the lower classes (an unpopular but accurate designation, as wealth distribution keeps skewing higher). It's important to make sure that the Camino welcomes and includes them as it has done, explicitly and deliberately, for thousands of years.

Why? A few Caminos ago I met a fine young man, 22, UK working class. He was broke and troubled, as many like him now are. I met him frequently as he walked and I cycled. The Camino inspired him. I heard from him recently and he's working hard, making money, planning his career. It could have gone the other way, so easily.

That's why it's important. For pilgrims like him. Final point: I do it often on 25 euro a day, no bother. I carry a tarp or a bivibag, eat from supermarkets, stay in munis and donativos. It can be done, very easily. So anyone reading this should not be put off by worries about cost. If you want to go or need to go, don't worry, the Camino will provide.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Great thread. I'm concerned to establish the point that the Camino is accessible to people who don't have deep pockets, because I see it as a important spiritual experience which should be as accessible to all, especially the young, the poor and the working and underclasses.

I like to see the other kinds of pilgrim . . . all of them are in my view welcome, all should be included and facilitated, from the Korean groups jumping on and off the bus to the wealthy in their Arctyrx jackets who stay in Paradors, to the happy young Eurokids who want to keep fit and party. All.

The fact is that as the Camino gets more expensive the poor are being squeezed out. The cheap prices they need are rising due to Covid. The donativos they depend on are closing as the number of volunteers to run them declines. The municipal albergues they can afford are often filled with pilgrims who could easily afford to stay in more expensive accommodation but like the vibe.

That's why I think it's important to maintain the infrastructure that sustains the pilgrimage of the poor, the young and the lower classes (an unpopular but accurate designation, as wealth distribution keeps skewing higher). It's important to make sure that the Camino welcomes and includes them as it has done, explicitly and deliberately, for thousands of years.

Why? A few Caminos ago I met a fine young man, 22, UK working class. He was broke and troubled, as many like him now are. I met him frequently as he walked and I cycled. The Camino inspired him. I heard from him recently and he's working hard, making money, planning his career. It could have gone the other way, so easily.

That's why it's important. For pilgrims like him. Final point: I do it often on 25 euro a day, no bother. I carry a tarp or a bivibag, eat from supermarkets, stay in munis and donativos. It can be done, very easily. So anyone reading this should not be put off by worries about cost. If you want to go or need to go, don't worry, the Camino will provide.

Genuine question! Do many poor people walk a Camino. Or is just a myth! I genuinely don’t know. It’s seems a largely middle class thing. I was very very poor as a child ( and it stays with me everyday) and the thought of walking or trekking was for ‘other folks’ bit like skiing and university! We had far more pressing things to worry about and our aspirations were limited! I am sure can all quotes examples but beyond that I am not sure! I am not poor now but I will always be working class in attitude. I still note that things like a Camino are more cherished by the middle classes whereas working class folks like a more ‘fun oriented’ holiday! Most can’t afford a holiday!

Sorry to sound a little cynical and happy to hear that there are loads of people walking who are very poor and being supported, but I have yet to see it on 3 Caminos!

 

[chinacat]

Hmm. I've noticed a couple of "Wows" attached to my earlier post on a budget, on a long walk, of €100/day. Despite my reputation as a Sybarite, Gourmand and Lush I feel I should have expanded a little on that comment. The OP originally said they were planning a trip of 2 - 3 months (I note that notion has been edited out). I've undertaken a few of those. Clothes and boots wear out, gear breaks, other unplanned events lead to unplanned expenditure. Inexpensive food and accommodations are not always available. Indeed, off the amazing pilgrim paths of Spain inexpensive food and accommodation are practically non-existent. The Camino Frances StJ to SdC is, probably still doable on a daily budget of sub €50 for the 30 - 35 days it will take to walk it. 90 days on other less supported and amenable routes? Probably not.

Mea culpa …
I really thought you were joking

Before I read your second post, I even posted - and swiftly deleted!! … a cheeky reply asking if you were using donativos. I couldn’t think of any other way of spending €100 a day

 

[Bradypus]

I couldn’t think of any other way of spending €100 a day

Easily done. There is a tour company offering a 19 day package along the Camino Frances this May. If you want a single room then you will be paying 1000 euros per day. And it appears that the tour is already sold out.

The Crux of the Camino | Captain's Choice

Follow the footsteps of pilgrims past on the Camino de Santiago, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

www.captainschoice.co.uk

 

[chinacat]

Easily done. There is a tour company offering a 19 day package along the Camino Frances this May. If you want a single room then you will be paying 1000 euros per day. And it appears that the tour is already sold out.

The Crux of the Camino | Captain's Choice

Follow the footsteps of pilgrims past on the Camino de Santiago, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

www.captainschoice.co.uk

That’s just nuts

 

[Tincatinker]

Mea culpa …
I really thought you were joking

Before I read your second post, I even posted - and swiftly deleted!! … a cheeky reply asking if you were using donativos. I couldn’t think of any other way of spending €100 a day

I can't use albergues anymore, between my snoring and my bladder and..... Let's just say that I'd rather not be "that" pilgrim. Also, I can afford to spend a little more in the little Hostales and family run places that I have always loved. And though my favourite Finca in Andalusia charges €100 a night now its no longer for a straw mattress on the floor with a dozen others scattered about the same floor and the Horse Trough to wash in. I kind of expect some price increases for indoor plumbing and clean sheets.

I'm setting out for some of this: https://camminomaterano.it/ mid-April. I'm finding affordable accommodations but not like on the Caminos of Spain. I'm finding the occasional Menu del Pellegrino at €15-20 but expect to pay double that most of the time. I accept that this is because people are trying to make a living from their B&B and their Trattoria and because there is no, or very little, of the dedicated volunteer or government subsidised infrastructure that makes the Caminos affordable for so many.

And yes, in Spain, if I am using Donativos my budget is €100, even on the days I don't spend it all on wine

 

[CWBuff]

Great thread. I'm concerned to establish the point that the Camino is accessible to people who don't have deep pockets, because I see it as a important spiritual experience which should be as accessible to all, especially the young, the poor and the working and underclasses.

I like to see the other kinds of pilgrim . . . all of them are in my view welcome, all should be included and facilitated, from the Korean groups jumping on and off the bus to the wealthy in their Arctyrx jackets who stay in Paradors, to the happy young Eurokids who want to keep fit and party. All.

The fact is that as the Camino gets more expensive the poor are being squeezed out. The cheap prices they need are rising due to Covid. The donativos they depend on are closing as the number of volunteers to run them declines. The municipal albergues they can afford are often filled with pilgrims who could easily afford to stay in more expensive accommodation but like the vibe.

That's why I think it's important to maintain the infrastructure that sustains the pilgrimage of the poor, the young and the lower classes (an unpopular but accurate designation, as wealth distribution keeps skewing higher). It's important to make sure that the Camino welcomes and includes them as it has done, explicitly and deliberately, for thousands of years.

Why? A few Caminos ago I met a fine young man, 22, UK working class. He was broke and troubled, as many like him now are. I met him frequently as he walked and I cycled. The Camino inspired him. I heard from him recently and he's working hard, making money, planning his career. It could have gone the other way, so easily.

That's why it's important. For pilgrims like him. Final point: I do it often on 25 euro a day, no bother. I carry a tarp or a bivibag, eat from supermarkets, stay in munis and donativos. It can be done, very easily. So anyone reading this should not be put off by worries about cost. If you want to go or need to go, don't worry, the Camino will provide.

Surely You're not saying we have the resources
To save The Poor from their Lot
There will be poor ALWAYS, pathetically struggling
Look at the good thing you've got!

...and so it goes! I understand the plight, however IMHO its a different subject all together and I am more than sure the one that will bring a lot of personal opinions and disagreements.

When I first started planning my Camino in 2018 I read some books, became a member of this-here Forum, watched a bunch of videos and corresponded with Efren Gonzales shortly after he completed his Frances. I came to the conclusion that if I budget (please, take note of this very key word - BUDGET!) €30-35/day it will be more than enough... but even that was a chunk of change i just didn't have laying around, so i did more calculations and came to conclusion that The pilgrimage is not happening until 2021 (2.5 years from that point) and started to save.... both money and time needed (I have alluded to this before in different threads that I was Blessed with the fact that my company allowed me to take 6 weeks off)..

... well we all know only too well what happened.... 2021 had to be postponed and when i walked in May-June 2022 (with Finisterre extension taking me to July) the prices did shut up. Yes I allowed myself a private room 4 times but was in common dorms the rest of the nights. I initially planned on 3-4 rest days to play tourist, but wound up taking only 1... Yes I ate more than one Dessayuno but all my dinners were Menu Peregrino or Menu del Dia - I was not (over) indulging.... (obviously I am not even remotely touching the transportation to and from )

When everything was said and done - IIRC my average came to about €40\day....hence I can attest that my budget as such got blown out of the water
Again, I do not compare myself to anyone. I saw people being as frugal as they possibly could and I saw people staying in private rooms in HOTELS - and that is up to each individual based on their abilities... I was never one for begrudging anyone their finances. and I did "my Camino" "my Way"....

in the end of this tirade I will humbly repeat\sum up what I initially said: regarding BUDGETING budget MORE and spend LESS. I believe there is nothing wrong with this mentality and it actually applies equally to practically everyone no matter if you have €10 in your pocket, €100 or €1,000,000.

(we now return you to a regularly-scheduled program with a disclaim that no offence, if such was taken, was meant for anyone)

 

[Anniesantiago]

We budget about €35/day for food.
Lodging costs depend on if we're walking alone and staying in albergues or with a group booking privates.

 

[chinacat]

I'm setting out for some of this: https://camminomaterano.it/

Love the look of this!
La Via Jonica looks as if it’ll be wonderful - it even ends in Finibus Terra!
(Long days, though.)

Anything to Brindisi holds too many memories of ferries to Greece

Which are you walking?

Buon cammino!!

 

[Tincatinker]

Bari to Matera for a warm up. Then probably train rides to Alberobello and then some of the walking down to Lecce. I’m eyeing some of the walks with a little trepidation. Long days and tough country.

And I’m looking forward to great local food and wine (within budget )

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Bari to Matera for a warm up. Then probably train rides to Alberobello and then some of the walking down to Lecce. I’m eyeing some of the walks with a little trepidation. Long days and tough country.

And I’m looking forward to great local food and wine (within budget )

@Tincatinker, is this the same trip you spoke of this coming spring with your "beloved"?

 

[Tincatinker]

That’s the one. Like Tony Hancock's character in The Bowmans , 'I'm not dead yet.'

To be honest I haven’t a clue how much walking we’ll do but I know we’ll be walking And eating pasta. The rest is up to my Old Guys, as it always has been

 

[David Tallan]

The fact is that as the Camino gets more expensive the poor are being squeezed out. The cheap prices they need are rising due to Covid. The donativos they depend on are closing as the number of volunteers to run them declines. The municipal albergues they can afford are often filled with pilgrims who could easily afford to stay in more expensive accommodation but like the vibe.

I think the infrastructure needed to support all kinds of pilgrims is important to maintain. That's why I'll be volunteering as a hospitalero at a donativo albergue later this year. But I haven't come across any stories to validate your assertion that needy pilgrims are being pushed out of the lower priced municipal and donativo albergues. On the other hand, the last time this concern was raised, hospitaleros with on the ground experience were saying the opposite. In the high season last year, when we were seeing lots of stories of "no room at the inn", with people complaining that everything was full, all the people sharing those stories seemed to be people trying to book ahead and finding nothing that wasn't completely booked. As we know, most of the cheaper municipal and donativo albergues generally do not take reservations. At the same time as those scary stories were being shared, other stories were being shared of empty beds in the albergues that don't take reservations. And, at the same time we were hearing that it is the donations from those who can afford to make them (and can afford to stay in more expensive accommodations) that enable donativos to remain in operation.

If you really are concerned about maintaining the availability of donativo albergues to provide accommodations for poorer pilgrims, rather than advising well-off pilgrims to avoid them, it seems it would be better to advice well-off pilgrims to stay in them and donate generously.

 

[OzAnnie]

Easily done. There is a tour company offering a 19 day package along the Camino Frances this May. If you want a single room then you will be paying 1000 euros per day. And it appears that the tour is already sold out.

The Crux of the Camino | Captain's Choice

Follow the footsteps of pilgrims past on the Camino de Santiago, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

www.captainschoice.co.uk

That’s just nuts

And even more ‘nuts’ is that checking the link out - one of the ‘tour’ dates is already SOLD OUT ….
No doubt the botafumeiro will swing in Santiago if they are paying this exorbitant amount …. Surely it will guaranteed at that price.
Crazy $$$

 

[Robo]

Hmm. I've noticed a couple of "Wows" attached to my earlier post on a budget, on a long walk, of €100/day. Despite my reputation as a Sybarite, Gourmand and Lush I feel I should have expanded a little on that comment. The OP originally said they were planning a trip of 2 - 3 months (I note that notion has been edited out). I've undertaken a few of those. Clothes and boots wear out, gear breaks, other unplanned events lead to unplanned expenditure. Inexpensive food and accommodations are not always available. Indeed, off the amazing pilgrim paths of Spain inexpensive food and accommodation are practically non-existent. The Camino Frances StJ to SdC is, probably still doable on a daily budget of sub €50 for the 30 - 35 days it will take to walk it. 90 days on other less supported and amenable routes? Probably not.

I was wondering the same thing about the budget I shared? Lots of wows?
Was it the amount of the budget or the crazy detail of the spreadsheet.
Not sure.
But I showed options ranging from 35-100 euros/day.
It was really a question like "How long is a piece of string".

But some great replies and discussion in this thread.

 

[Robo]

Great thread. I'm concerned to establish the point that the Camino is accessible to people who don't have deep pockets, because I see it as a important spiritual experience which should be as accessible to all, especially the young, the poor and the working and underclasses.

I like to see the other kinds of pilgrim . . . all of them are in my view welcome, all should be included and facilitated, from the Korean groups jumping on and off the bus to the wealthy in their Arctyrx jackets who stay in Paradors, to the happy young Eurokids who want to keep fit and party. All.

The fact is that as the Camino gets more expensive the poor are being squeezed out. The cheap prices they need are rising due to Covid. The donativos they depend on are closing as the number of volunteers to run them declines. The municipal albergues they can afford are often filled with pilgrims who could easily afford to stay in more expensive accommodation but like the vibe.

That's why I think it's important to maintain the infrastructure that sustains the pilgrimage of the poor, the young and the lower classes (an unpopular but accurate designation, as wealth distribution keeps skewing higher). It's important to make sure that the Camino welcomes and includes them as it has done, explicitly and deliberately, for thousands of years.

Why? A few Caminos ago I met a fine young man, 22, UK working class. He was broke and troubled, as many like him now are. I met him frequently as he walked and I cycled. The Camino inspired him. I heard from him recently and he's working hard, making money, planning his career. It could have gone the other way, so easily.

That's why it's important. For pilgrims like him. Final point: I do it often on 25 euro a day, no bother. I carry a tarp or a bivibag, eat from supermarkets, stay in munis and donativos. It can be done, very easily. So anyone reading this should not be put off by worries about cost. If you want to go or need to go, don't worry, the Camino will provide.

Great points @Gerard Griffin .
That's why my thoughts in relation to Donativos have changed in recent years.
I previously avoided them, thinking it better to leave the beds for those who 'needed' them.
Now I make a point of staying in some, and leaving a good donation, to help cover costs.
In fact you don't even need to stay in one to Donate!

 

[Robo]

Genuine question! Do many poor people walk a Camino. Or is just a myth! I genuinely don’t know. It’s seems a largely middle class thing. I was very very poor as a child ( and it stays with me everyday) and the thought of walking or trekking was for ‘other folks’ bit like skiing and university! We had far more pressing things to worry about and our aspirations were limited! I am sure can all quotes examples but beyond that I am not sure! I am not poor now but I will always be working class in attitude. I still note that things like a Camino are more cherished by the middle classes whereas working class folks like a more ‘fun oriented’ holiday! Most can’t afford a holiday!

Sorry to sound a little cynical and happy to hear that there are loads of people walking who are very poor and being supported, but I have yet to see it on 3 Caminos!

I met a few on my last Camino, and was pleased to see that the Donativos and other Pilgrims were looking after them well.

 

[chinacat]

It was really a question like "How long is a piece of string".

This was my initial reaction when I saw the thread title.

 

[chinacat]

No doubt the botafumeiro will swing in Santiago if they are paying this exorbitant amount

Read further and you’ll see it will be swung for them …

 

[Former member 104756]

There was a good thread about the costs on the Le Puy last year, I think most people were talking of around 40 euros for a gite, demi pension. Presumably that would also put them in the 50 euros per day bracket with lunch and a coffee or two.

I'm going to be seriously addressing the idea of camping, but as that would mean buying a new pack, a tent - or perhaps a bivvy bag - a sleeping mat and a new sleeping bag I'm not sure if the cost is going to make it worth it.

I am a bit late to this thread - but for those who were asking about costs on the Le Puy Way, including camping. As an example, below is some current information from our friend's gite in Condom. Gites in France tend to have fewer beds in a dormitory and bunk beds are uncommon. The gite has changed in room configurations since we were first there in 2014. It now has one dormitory and 3 private rooms - increasingly common due to changing demands. The dinner and breakfasts provided here are delicious and generous, as is often the case on the French paths. So, in 2024 for one person in a 5 bed room - dinner, bed and breakfast will be 40 euros. A private room with you as the sole occupant will be 60 euros for dinner, bed and breakfast. If you are two, 100 euros all up.

This particular gite benefits from a large garden area. Guests are welcome to pitch their tents and to eat breakfast and/ or dinner- or neither as per info below. For those who want to prepare their own meals, there is an outdoor kitchen and tables and chairs as well.

Of course not too many gites have these camping facilities and prices vary - but it is a reasonable indication of current costs at gites (chambre d'hotes will usually cost more).

As a completely irrelevant aside, my husband and I will be staying at the gite in late April - marking 10 years since we met there as pilgrims.

1 Shared room (5 single beds)
20 € Overnight
€26 with Breakfast
€40 with Half-board

3 Bedrooms 2 P (1 double + 2 twins)
1P
40 € Overnight
€46 with Breakfast
60 € with Half-board

2P
60 € Overnight
72 € with Breakfast
100 € with Half-board

Tent pitch
10 € Overnight
14 € with Breakfast
€26 with Half-board


Services
Donativo Washing machine or dryer
Donativo Kitchen free access
Donativo Welcoming animals (Dogs, Donkeys)
Free Secure bike room (electric battery charging = €2) / Lock Cycle park
Free Wifi & Library


Tourist tax included in each rate above
Deposit payment only for groups of 4 or more (50% of the total reservation amount)

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks for some updated pricing, @Pelerina, at least from this establishment, and probably others, too. It looks like there are more options to save some euros for those who need to budget then when I walked it in 2018.

 

[Former member 104756]

Thanks for some updated pricing, @Pelerina, at least from this establishment, and probably others, too. It looks like there are more options to save some euros for those who need to budget then when I walked it in 2018.

Just an example of one gite, and I know this owner is committed to the spirit of The Way and aims to keep prices down. But there are others with the same approach.

 

[good_old_shoes]

It looks like there are more options to save some euros for those who need to budget then when I walked it in 2018.

I walked the podiensis the first time in 2017. Back then it wasn't much different than 2022 in my experience.

Sometimes you just need to have a good eye for certain options or do some research before.

I remember one town with a free (!) campsite. Including shower. Not advertised. Supermarkets are often a tiny bit off route. The detour is usually worth it though.

There are even a few spots with old school refugios / simple shelters. Like the réfuge de la béate or the one after Ostabat.

Campsites were sometimes even as little as 5€ in '22. Usually 10-15€.

~10€ max if you camp at the gite. Often it was even less.

There are enough options for a low cost podiensis. But you have to be willing to carry a tent or at least mat/sleeping bag/ bivy bag/tarp - whatever you prefer, and some food.

 

[Bradypus]

A friend just pointed me towards this guided tour on the Via Francigena. I think that with care you could shave a little off those costs....

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

a completely irrelevant aside, my husband and I will be staying at the gite in late April - marking 10 years since we met there as pilgrims.

A little early, but happy anniversary !

Only one thing missing from the wonderful information you have given :
their contact details? Please?

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I am a bit late to this thread - but some information for those who were asking about costs on the Le Puy Way, including camping. As an example, below is some current information from our friend's gite in Condom. Gites in France tend to have fewer beds in a dormitory and bunk beds are uncommon. The gite has changed in room configurations since we were first there in 2014. It now has one dormitory and 3 private rooms - increasingly common due to changing demands. The dinner and breakfasts provided here are delicious and generous, as is often the case on the French paths. So, in 2024 for one person in a 5 bed room - dinner, bed and breakfast will be 40 euros. A private room with you as the sole occupant will be 60 euros for dinner, bed and breakfast. If you are two, 100 euros all up. This particular gite benefits from a large garden area. Guests are welcome to pitch their tents and to eat breakfast and/ or dinner- or neither as per info below. For those who want to prepare their own meals, there is an outdoor kitchen and tables and chairs as well. There is also an outdoor shower - and from memory, the indoor shower is available for donation. Of course not too many gites have these camping facilities and prices vary - but it is a reasonable indication of current costs at gites (chambre d'hotes will usually cost more). As a completely irrelevant aside, my husband and I will be staying at the gite in late April - marking 10 years since we met there as pilgrims. 1 Shared room (5 single beds) 20 € Overnight €26 with Breakfast €40 with Half-board 3 Bedrooms 2 P (1 double + 2 twins) 1P 40 € Overnight €46 with Breakfast 60 € with Half-board 2P 60 € Overnight 72 € with Breakfast 100 € with Half-board Tent pitch 10 € Overnight 14 € with Breakfast €26 with Half-board Services Donativo Washing machine or dryer Donativo Kitchen free access Donativo Welcoming animals (Dogs, Donkeys) Free Secure bike room (electric battery charging = €2) / Lock Cycle park Free Wifi & Library Tourist tax included in each rate above Deposit payment only for groups of 4 or more (50% of the total reservation amount)

Many thanks for this detailed information. I've been wanting to go from Le Puy to Lourdes to Santiago for a while but I was put off by tales of high prices. Now I know it can be done on my budget, so I can start to plan. I'm very grateful.

 

[Former member 104756]

A little early, but happy anniversary !

Only one thing missing from the wonderful information you have given :
their contact details? Please?

As it's our friend's gite I didn't want to be seen to be 'advertising' on his behalf. And there are many other wondeful gites on the Le Puy Way. It's the Gite Le Champ d'Etoiles in Condom. The name means 'Field of Stars'; the word 'Compostela' has the same meaning. It is also listed on Gronze, but I don't think Florian (the owner) has updated the information or photos for some time. This is their website. You can Google for reviews.

Un gîte atypique pensé pour vous

Venez découvrir un gîte luminueux, fraîchement rénové par son nouveau propriétaire Florian, à quelques encablures de Condom, son centre-historique et ses commerces. Directement sur le Chemin de St Jacques, un jardin arboré de 1200m 2 sera pour vous un lieu idéal pour le repos du corps et de...

www.lechampdetoiles.com

Over the winter break, Florian has added two additional bathrooms. He is always making improvements. Another thing to note - the gite opens at 3pm, but the garden is open (to one and all) from 12 noon. The local hospital is not far from there and some of the staff regularly come to the garden to eat their lunch.

 

[10hut]

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

I will be walking the French route starting mid August and am planning on 50 days including 5 days travel. My budget is 65.00 per day excluding travel and 100.00 per day including travel. I love my coffee, food, beer, etc.

 

[Wippe]

One of those really tough questions as there are so many varaibles and preferences to take into account.
It could be anythhing from 25-100+ Euros/day....

I'm one of those 'over planners'. I just love the planning process, though my plans tend to go out the window once I start! But planning is fun and gives me ideas.......

I put together a budget planner that covers all the cost elements, and allows me to select the degree of 'comfort' for my Camino. It's interestiing to see how the overall budget can vary.

It's a large spreadsheet, so I'll paste in sections with an explanation before each bit.
Note that there are costs that won't apply to some Pilgrims.
I need medical help along the way such as Fisio. And also use a lot of phone data.

These are the rough cost categories for last year. On the VdlP. So Spain.
Others will have opinions on the unit costs I'm sure All opinions are valid!

View attachment 164544

Then I have three variations of budget that apply these costs in different proportions.
And I can play around with the figures.

So the First Pass, is my Preferred Budget. 74 euros / day
The yellow boxes are numbers that can be altered.

View attachment 164545

Next is what I have called a Mid Level budget. 60 Euros/day.
More DIY meals, more nights in Albergues etc.

View attachment 164549

Then there is a lower level Budget. 35 Euros/day
About as low as I can get it.
I could go a bit lower using only Municipal / Donativo Albergues of course.
Maybe 8-10 euros / night. (not 14)
No meds or phone data though.
Lots of DIY meals and using Albergues all bar one night.

View attachment 164550

So your budget is likely to lay somewhere between 35-75 Euros per day.

Unless you want to use private accomodation all the time and eat well.
Then it might look like this......... 100 / Euros/day
Higher if you want to use nice Hotels.

View attachment 164552

Thank You for your hard work

 

[Giorgio99]

Thank You for your hard work

30euros including accommodation

 

[gregrobinson]

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

I'm assuming that if you are asking, you are looking for reasonable but budget friendly accommodation. Not sure what month you are going but assuming you will go during the main season, municipal albergues range from about 8 - 12 euros, so figure an average of 10 per night. You can usually find a decent hotel room for about 50 euros for a single person, though they usually have 2 twin beds. You could also choose a private room in an albergue with a single being about 25 - 30 euros or a double for about 35 euros.

Food:
coffee is about 1.50
beer/wine about 2.00
a simple breakfast about 5 euros (might be tortilla w/ bread or maybe toast w/ jam, orange juice, coffee, basically some mix of these)
Grocery: bread baguette about 1 euro, cheese or package of deli meat about 2 euro (this is usually lunch for me)
Dinner: about 10 - 15 euros depending on what you eat. Some albergues serve pilgrims dinner for 10 - 12 euros. Restaurants about 10 - 15 depending. There are usually other options like bars where you can get fried potatoes (batatas bravas)

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

Depends on the level of accommodation obviously. But assume you are asking for a reasonable budget. For myself I stay in bunkbeds about half the time for €10-€12, though the municipal ones are as low as seven euros. But if you figure an average of 10, you will be close. A private room in an albergue for a single is about €25-€35. The €35 room usually has two twin beds. If you want to split the cost with someone. For meals, I figure about five euros for breakfast, which includes coffee and tortilla (basically eggs and potatoes baked into a pie.) And I will usually buy a baguette from the bakery to snack on while I walk for about one euro. Usually that's what I will have for lunch with some cheese or deli meat at about two euros for a package from the store. Dinner is usually about €10-€15, depending on the restaurant you eat at. Usually the pilgrim dinners are about €10-€12 and include wine, bread and the meal. If you want something light and simple you can eat at one of the bars where they usually serve patatas bravas and other light foods for about €5-€7. Another option is to cook for yourself in hostels that include a kitchen. You can buy a box of pasta at the store for about one euro and a jar of pesto sauce for about two euros. This would feed several people, so, as you make friends, you could split something like this.

So my maximum runs about €50 a day if I get a €25 private room and €10 for breakfast and lunch combined and another €15 for dinner. If I'm budgeting, I could get away with eight euros for a municipal bunkbed, have only baguette and cheese for breakfast for about three euros and maybe five euros for lunch and cook my own dinner for less than five euros. So less than 25 total for the day. Essentially you just take an average of these, occasionally getting a nicer dinner and occasionally getting a €50 hotel room in places like Burgos or Leon. Are usually figure about $2000 for the whole trip.

 

[David Tallan]

I will be walking the French route starting mid August and am planning on 50 days including 5 days travel. My budget is 65.00 per day excluding travel and 100.00 per day including travel. I love my coffee, food, beer, etc.

Is that $USD or euros?

 

[10hut]

Is that $USD or euros?

Good catch! Euros!

 

[henrythedog]

And even more ‘nuts’ is that checking the link out - one of the ‘tour’ dates is already SOLD OUT ….
No doubt the botafumeiro will swing in Santiago if they are paying this exorbitant amount …. Surely it will guaranteed at that price.
Crazy $$$

I do try not to use profane language without good cause; but £16,900 for a single room booking. Unbelievable.

Even Mrs HtD couldn’t spend that in two weeks.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

All I can say is that people willing to drop that kind of money for a Camino must be trying to buy their way to heaven.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

They must've missed the bit about the camel and the needle's eye, as well as Lazarus and Dives.

A friend of mine who went to America and made millions in re-insurance did the Camino a while back, staying in paradors. I met him after he was back and he told me he loved it, and he was doing it again, this time in munis and donativos-- because that's where the craic was to be found.

Looks like the best things in life are still free, or at least one of them is anyway.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

he was doing it again, this time in munis and donativos-- because that's where the craic was to be found.

I had to google the definition of craic. I like it!
A new word for me to use on my friends and family at home in the US.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

Glad you like it and may add it to your word-horde ... If you want to use it like a native, say "the craic was 90". Don't ask me what it means

 

[Bradypus]

I had to google the definition of craic. I like it!
A new word for me to use on my friends and family at home in the US.

It made me think of the Leonard Cohen song refrain: "There is a craic, a craic in everything. That's how the light gets in." Though I might possibly have misheard the line....

 

[David Tallan]

Good catch! Euros!

When I'm on a Camino, my travel costs tend to be zero. (I'm walking. ) There are travel costs to get to the start point and home again, but they are the same regardless of how many days I'm walking, so I dont tend to think of them as per day costs.

 

[The Yukon]

One of those really tough questions as there are so many variables and preferences to take into account.
It could be anything from 25-100+ Euros/day....

I'm one of those 'over planners'. I just love the planning process, though my plans tend to go out the window once I start! But planning is fun and gives me ideas.......

I put together a budget planner that covers all the cost elements, and allows me to select the degree of 'comfort' for my Camino. It's interesting to see how the overall budget can vary.

It's a large spreadsheet, so I'll paste in sections with an explanation before each bit.
Note that there are costs that won't apply to some Pilgrims.
I need medical help along the way such as Fisio. And also use a lot of phone data.

These are the rough cost categories for last year. On the VdlP. (So Spain)
Others will have opinions on the unit costs I'm sure All opinions are valid!

View attachment 164544

Then I have three variations of budget that apply these costs in different proportions.
And I can play around with the figures.

So the First Pass, is my Preferred Budget. 74 euros / day
The yellow boxes are numbers that can be altered.

View attachment 164545

Next is what I have called a Mid Level budget. 60 Euros/day.
More DIY meals, more nights in Albergues etc.

View attachment 164549

Then there is a lower level Budget. 35 Euros/day
About as low as I can get it.
I could go a bit lower using only Municipal / Donativo Albergues of course.
Maybe 8-10 euros / night. (not 14)
No meds or phone data though.
Lots of DIY meals and using Albergues all bar one night.

View attachment 164550

So your budget is likely to lay somewhere between 35-75 Euros per day.

Unless you want to use private accommodation all the time and eat well.
Then it might look like this......... 100 / Euros/day
Higher if you want to use nice Hotels.

View attachment 164552

 

[auburnfive]

When considering daily costs while walking, I tend to forget that at home there are also daily costs. Groceries, gas for the vehicle, lunch out with friends, treats for the grandkids, etc, so I’ve found those costs that aren’t occurring make the Camino more affordable

 

[Tincatinker]

Donativo 5 euro,

Oh shit, how did I miss this one? Donativo €5? You tight fisted $*&*%^%£$)* Please don't tell me you can't afford the €15-25 that would be more appropriate

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I can understand your shock at my remarks, David, but I wish you'd read what I wrote and the context around it a bit more carefully before responding in such terms, which I'm sure you wouldn't use if we were to meet in person.

My contributions to this thread have been intended to support the view that people with very little money can do the Camino if they wish. That's what donativos are for ... volunteers give up their time and richer pilgrims pay as much as they wish in order to make it possible for the poor to do this pilgrimage. People do it on 5 a day, or on nothing, and the Camino provides; it's been so for a thousand years. I'm sure you've seen the conation box in Granon with the notice "take what you need, leave what you can".

So I wrote as I did in order to reassure the poorer pilgrim that it can be done on 25 a day.

You know nothing about my means,or what I can afford, and you know nothing about how much I give in donativos. So I'll let it go. But permit me to advise you not to address me or anyone else in such terms again, David.

 

[henrythedog]

I can understand your shock at my remarks, David, but I wish you'd read what I wrote and the context around it a bit more carefully before responding in such terms, which I'm sure you wouldn't use if we were to meet in person.

My contributions to this thread have been intended to support the view that people with very little money can do the Camino if they wish. That's what donativos are for ... volunteers give up their time and richer pilgrims pay as much as they wish in order to make it possible for the poor to do this pilgrimage. People do it on 5 a day, or on nothing, and the Camino provides; it's been so for a thousand years. I'm sure you've seen the conation box in Granon with the notice "take what you need, leave what you can".

So I wrote as I did in order to reassure the poorer pilgrim that it can be done on 25 a day.

You know nothing about my means,or what I can afford, and you know nothing about how much I give in donativos. So I'll let it go. But permit me to advise you not to address me or anyone else in such terms again, David.

Might I represent all the other Davids on here and protest that it wasn’t us! (Unless it was one of the several I have ‘ignored’)

 

[jpflavin1]

I’m not at all certain what the daily experience will be, which is the most encouraging aspect of this adventure. I’m am curious as to what the average daily expense most hikers engage? I’m thinking once or twice a week I might stop at a nicer hotel, but for the most part I’m looking to the hostels and meals at most cafes.

The cost varies daily for everyone and the time of year you walk. What type of environment are you comfortable sleeping? What are your requirements in regards to eating? Buying meals or cooking? Are you walking off season, fewer sleep options, or in season, more options possible companions for quarters. Might require booking? etc. etc..

If you have a budget, I would try to figure out how many days and plan your stops. Then you can go to Gronze.com or another site and look at costs to start calculating one level of cost. Then food costs?
#of days x daily accommodation cost x food and drink cost = budget estimate.

This equation imo, varies greatly per person.

 

[David Tallan]

I can understand your shock at my remarks, David, but I wish you'd read what I wrote and the context around it a bit more carefully before responding in such terms, which I'm sure you wouldn't use if we were to meet in person.

My contributions to this thread have been intended to support the view that people with very little money can do the Camino if they wish. That's what donativos are for ... volunteers give up their time and richer pilgrims pay as much as they wish in order to make it possible for the poor to do this pilgrimage. People do it on 5 a day, or on nothing, and the Camino provides; it's been so for a thousand years. I'm sure you've seen the conation box in Granon with the notice "take what you need, leave what you can".

So I wrote as I did in order to reassure the poorer pilgrim that it can be done on 25 a day.

You know nothing about my means,or what I can afford, and you know nothing about how much I give in donativos. So I'll let it go. But permit me to advise you not to address me or anyone else in such terms again, David.

I can understand why Tincatinker might think a 5 euro donation was your standard practice. The post is written in the first person, as what you do, rather than as what someone else might do.

I try to keep it at 25 per day, less if I camp. Rock bottom is 15 ... [ellipsis in original] Donativo 5 euro, Caretilla microwave mean 4, bread 1, fruit 1.50, 3.50 coffee. ... [ellipsis added by me]

It is true that donativos do not specify a minimum payment and will provide hospitality to all - as long as they can. We've recently heard of one that was forced to close because most of the pilgrims who stayed there thought that donativo meant "5 euros or less". It was a very valued albergue, so people are a little sensitive on the subject right now.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

"Rock bottom is ... Donativo 5 euro". This does not say that this is my practise. It says that this is the minimum possible. I assure you that this is not my practise, not that it would be anyone else's business if it were.

I ought to have been clearer that this is what an improvised pilgrim might be able to do, in order to make their Camino possible, this being the purpose of Donativos in the first place ... Making it possible for poor people to go on Camino.

I thought that obvious from context. But even if the leap to judgement can be defended and excused, Tincatinker's manner of expression can not.

Donativos are under threat, and this is a serious problem because then the Camino will be beyond the means of many who want to do it. But there are other reasons for this besides the parsimony of pilgrims; this however is but a matter for another time, and the discussion would be even more contentious that this one has been.

 

[Roland49]

Hello there,

depending on the country you will walk through. Spain and Portugal got excellent and cheap pilgrim infrastructure, where other countries mostly didn't. AFAIK France, Germany and Italy may the most expensive parts of Europe for a hiker, followed by Austria, Poland, Czech Republic and the scandinavian countries. Beautiful Slovenia is, as I could find out, very cheap, but the prizes are rising quickly.

On my CF in 2019 I was able to cut it to 24€ per day in average.
Last year on the CP it was 27€ in average.

I still plan to walk the Rennsteig in thuringian Forest, where I was able to determine that it's possible to be on a budget of 50€ per day (20-30€ accomodation per night, 15-20€ for food).

HTH