What’s the budget for visiting Santorini? How much money do I need for Santorini? Is Santorini expensive? How much will a Santorini trip cost? These might be the questions on your mind..
Santorini is undoubtedly on the bucket list of many travel lovers. The blue domes, white streets and these breathtaking hotels. It’s the number one honeymoon spot in Greece, known to have one of the most beautiful sunset in the world!
Santorini is located in Europe, in the southern Aegean Sea, off the coast of mainland Greece. Over the last few years, especially with the help of Instagram, Santorini has become the most popular but also the most expensive of the Greek islands.
So, what’s the budget for visiting Santorini?
Your budget will depend on many things but especially on the period in which you choose to go there and the accommodations you choose!
The best time to visit Santorini is from April to September, with a preference for the four summer months (June, July, August and September) for swimming and the island’s nightlife. To save money consider visiting the island during shoulder season which is April – May & end of September – October.
Budget for visiting Santorini – Accommodation
The budget for your accommodation is the most important. If you choose to stay in a fancy hotel in Oia or in an Airbnb with a pool cave, it can cost you an average of €500 per night! Obviously, if you stay in a small hotel in the center of the island, it will only cost you around 700€ per week for 2 people. If you don’t have a big budget but want to be close to everything, I recommend the town of Thira and Imerovigli. There are quite a few hotels that have a swimming pool and offer a breakfast at a rather affordable price!
Just like with all destinations, making your reservation as far in advance as possible is your best chance at finding the best deals. You’ll also have more options available to you! For Santorini I advise you to look on Airbnb, Booking but also on Instagram!
For accommodation, our budget for the week was 450€ for 4 nights in a hotel + 1400€ for 3 nights in a superb suite with a Jacuzzi facing the ocean as you can see on Instagram! So 1885€
Getting around Santorini:
You have plenty of options as you can rent a car, a motorbike, a quad, take a taxi or even take the local bus. Uber is unfortunately not an option in Santorini.
Buses in Santorini are a cheap and easy way to move around the island. For a few euros, you can explore all the big towns and main attractions on your list. The main bus station at Fira is where all local buses depart and arrive.
The cost of a taxi ride in Santorini is significantly more than public transportation. There are no taxi meters in the taxis and fares are fixed. So, always ask in advance what the price will be.
For me, the best way to get around Santorini is to rent an ATV. It cost almost as the same as a car rental but it’s easier to park it! Around 40€ per day.
It’s the funniest option but it can be more unsafe and potentially dangerous. Remember to always wear sunscreen because you are 100% exposed by being on an ATV!
I spent hours comparing different companies and Moto Panos was the cheapest! I really recommend it!
For the ATV, our budget over the week was 280€ + 50€ insurance and 35€ fuel. We always found a free parking to park! So 365€
Budget for visiting Santorini – Food
Again it all depends if you want to eat in a restaurant with an ocean view or if you want to eat in small Greek restaurants!
For me the best option is to choose a hotel with breakfast and eat well in the morning. Then do some groceries, prepare a sandwich or share a pizza for lunch. And go eat 2 to 3 times during the stay in a good restaurant.
We often stopped at both lunch and dinner at Yolo, their prices are really low and the food is quite good! We went there 5 times out of 7 days to tell you the truth haha!
For food, our budget over the week was around €600 (so €40 per person per day). Including our groceries, our lunches, dinners in 3 very nice restaurants and 2 cocktails at sunset!
In summary :
To this must be added the price of your flights which can also be quite substantial! You can land on Santorini directly or with a stopover in Athens. The cheapest way is to go to Athens and then take a ferry. In terms of activities, we did neither a cruise nor a visit to the wineries. We weren’t interested. We wanted to take full advantage of the island and then our suite given the price we paid for it!
Your week in Santorini can cost you 1200€ for 2 if you stay in a simple hotel, travel by bus and eat in restaurants far from town centers / beaches.
But your budget to visit Santorini can also cost you 5500€ if you stay in a suite, visit the island by taxi and eat in fancy restaurants!
Tips for saving money in Santorini:
- Take advantage of Happy Hour! 1+1 because cocktail prices are around 15€
- Avoid Oia – The main town is the most expensive place on this island
- Go in low season – August is the most expensive month, so if you can visit Santorini before June or after September!
Love,
