Preparing for the Camino
Camino calculators
Two questions that come up in every pilgrim forum: how much is this going to cost me, and how much should my pack weigh. Here you get numbers, not invented averages.
Nobody can give you an exact figure for your Camino, because there isn't one: it depends on how many nights you sleep in a public albergue and how many in a guesthouse, on whether you eat the set menu or read the à la carte side, and on how much training you put in before setting off. What you can do is work out a realistic range with 2026 prices, and check whether your pack is going to make itself felt in your back before you reach the second stage.
One heads-up before you start: the two tools below still have their labels in Spanish. The numbers, the ranges and the maths are exactly the ones explained on this page.
Calculadora de presupuesto
Calculadora de la mochila
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Camino de Santiago cost per day?
Between €25 and €35 a day sleeping in public albergues (€10 for a bed in the Xunta network) and eating simply: the low end with supermarket shopping and the odd set menu, the high end with a pilgrim menu and dinner. It is the same range the calculator above produces and the one we use across the rest of the guide. If you sleep in private albergues or guesthouses and eat à la carte, the bill climbs to €55–90 a day. It does not include travel to and from the Camino or your last night in Santiago (€12–25), which is the one night always worth booking, because everyone who set off when you did arrives that same afternoon. The Portuguese section usually works out slightly cheaper than the Galician one: Galicia sees more pressure from pilgrims, especially over the last 100 km, and although the public network is flat-rate and takes no bookings, on many nights there is no room and you end up paying private prices. Indicative 2026 prices.
How much should the backpack weigh?
At most, around 10% of your body weight, water included. For 70 kg of body weight that is roughly 7 kg of pack. We go into it in more detail in the pilgrim's backpack guide.
Do these prices include everything?
No. The €25–35 a day range covers a bed in a public albergue and simple food, which is where most of the daily spending goes. Left out are travel to and from Santiago, the last night in the city, luggage transfer (around €6 per stage), insurance and extras. These are indicative 2026 prices.
Keep reading
Preparing for the Camino
The pilgrim's backpack: what to carry (and what not to)
The full list, category by category, with no filler.
The final stretch
Stages from Sarria to Santiago
The five official stages of the minimum section for the Compostela.
Tool
Stage planner
Splits the Camino according to the days you have and your walking pace.