Schedule and Costs of a Trip to Spain.

      
 

I offer this as an example of how much it costs to travel to Spain, and what one might see in a two-week visit.

Rather than using dollars or Euros, I'm reporting costs as a percent of full-time, year-round worker salaries (FTYR salaries). I'm using the 2006 figures and adding 4% to those to make a guess at 2008 FTYR salaries. The median household income in the United States in 2006 was $48,201 (my household's income was very close to that figure). The median earnings of male FTYR workers was $42,261. I prefer using the percent of FTYR worker earnings because that is something that will be comparable in the future. Houshold incomes will be influenced by the tendency of people to be married or unmarried, and the tendencies of families to either have two income-earners or a single main income-earner. Using the male FTYR earnings gets away from those variables to a number that will be comparable to future male FTYR earnings.

So, since this trip is planned for 2008, I multiply by 1.04 to get an estimate of $43,951 for the appriopriate FTYR earnings. I'm using a conversion rate of 0.645 Euros to the dollar (a typical credit card rate), leaving me with the American FTYR earnings to be equivalent, after conversion, to about 28,398 Euros.

    
 

 

Day 1. Tuesday
cost in 2008 US $
COST: as % of FTYR earnings
  
  Depart from the United States on a flight to Spain.
Two round-trip tickets to Spain ($2,568):
$2,568
5.840%
  
  Transport and food during a six hour layover in New York City switching flights from St. Louis to a flight to Madrid:
$54.00
0.123%
  
 

Day 2. Wednesday
 
  Arrive in Madrid Airport at 10:10 a.m., and go from the airport to the Atocha metro station, which, in 2008, would cost 5,80€ for two non-discounted tickets.
$8.99
0.020%
  
  Carry luggage a couple blocks north of the Atocha metro station to Hotel Mora, where a double room had a price of 78€ per night in 2008. Check in for two nights.
$241.80
0.550%
  
  At some point one must eat something, and perhaps buy some juice or tea. Usually we will have lunch as our main restaurant meal of the day, and eat just cheese and bread and fruit for dinner. The first afternoon in Spain we may have serious jet lag, and probably we won't be eating out in any nice restaurants.
$18.60
0.042%
  
  If jet lag isn't too severe, we might go to a museum in the late afternoon. The Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is open until 9:00 p.m.
$18.60
0.042%
  
  Probably just eat a light snack for dinner.
$12.71
0.029%
  
 

Day 3. Thursday

 Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast either in Hotel Mora or in a nearby place.
$12.71
0.029%
  Spend most of the day at the Prado Museum.
$27.90
0.063%
  Lunch
$43.40
0.099%
  Spend some time in the Parque del Retiro
$0.00
0.000%
  Also walk around in the Jardín Botánico (Botanical Gardens)
$6.20
0.014%
  Dinner
$27.90
0.063%
 

Day 4. Friday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast either in Hotel Mora or in a nearby place.
$12.71
0.029%
  One could either walk to the Royal Palace or take the Metro (Atocha to Sol, transfer to line to Cuatro Caminos and go one stop to Opera)
$3.10
0.007%
  See The Palacio Real (Royal Palace). It's open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will spend the whole morning here.
$34.10
0.078%
  Either walk back or take the Metro back to the hotel where our luggage is secure, stopping for lunch along the way.
$49.60
0.113%
  Take the 13:50 or 15:50 afternoon train to Toledo (30 minutes)
$27.90
0.063%
  Take a taxi from the train station to the Hotel Santa Isabel.
$12.40
0.028%
  Check in for one night at the Hotel Santa Isabel. Other inexpensive hotels in Toledo that seem like good places to stay include:
Pintor El Greco, Hotel Imperio, Hostal Centro, and the Hostal Nuevo Labrador.
$80.60
0.183%
  After checking in, there may be time to walk around and see some of Toledo. The Cathedral is open from 15:00 to 18:00.
$18.60
0.042%
  The Church of Santo Tomé is open from 10:00 to 13:45 and 15:30-18:45.
$6.20
0.014%
  The Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca is open from 10:00 to 14:00 and 15:30-18:00.
$6.20
0.014%
  The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes is open from 10:00 to 13:45 and 15:30-19:00.
$3.72
0.008%
  Dinner in Toledo
$27.90
0.063%
 

Day 5. Saturday

 Cost in 2008 $ % of FTYR
  Breakfast in Toledo. $13.95
0.032%
  Spend the morning visiting the sites that were missed on the previous day. Certainly visit Toledo’s Alcázar. $12.40
0.028%
  Have lunch in Toledo $37.20
0.085%
 

Take a train back to Madrid, either departing at 13:30, 15:30, or 17:30. Use Spanish Rail Pass for four days of travel, and use the first day of that pass for today. Cost here represents the Spanish Flexipass price.

 $541.00
1.231%
  Take a train from Madrid to Cordoba, departing at either 14:35, 16:35, or 19:05, and arriving in Cordoba at either 16:17, 18:17, or 21:05. Cost here represents the cost of reserving and traveling on a high-speed rail if one is holding a Spanish railpass. $34.00
0.077%
  Check into the Hotel González for one night. Other nice hotels at reasonable prices in Cordoba include Hotel Maestre and Hostal Alcázar. $75.95
0.173%
  Taxi from Cordoba Train Statin to Hotel González (or walk) $12.40
0.028%
  Dinner in Cordoba. $23.25
0.053%
 

Day 6. Sunday

 Cost in 2008 $ % of FTYR
  Breakfast in Cordoba.
$10.85
0.025%
  Admission to the Mezquita (opens at 10:00 a.m., closes at 7:00 p.m.). If leaving Toledo earlier in the previous day, it may be possible to visit the Mezquita in the late afternoon or evening of the 5th day.
$24.80
0.056%
  Admission to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (opens at 9:30 a.m.)
$12.40
0.028%
  Lunch in Cordoba (with only four hours to see things, this should be a short snack or fast food)
$10.85
0.042%
  Admission to the Museo Arqueológico (opens at 9:00 a.m.)
$4.65
0.011%
  Taxi from Hotel González to Cordoba Train Station
$18.60
0.042%
  Train from Cordoba to Granada (1:44 p.m. departure, 7:00 p.m. arrival) (Use Railpass). This train goes to Seville, and then there is a switch to a train to Granada.
$34.00
0.077%
  Taxi from Granada Train Station (arrive at 7:00 p.m.) to Hostal Landazuri.
$12.40
0.028%
  Dinner in Granada
$37.20
0.085%
  One night at Hostal Landazuri.
Other possible hotels in Granada include Hostal Viena, Hostal Gomérez, Pension Britz, Hotel Reina Cristina, and Hotel Los Tilos.
$74.40
0.169%
 

Day 7. Monday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Granada.
$15.50
0.035%
  Admission to the Alhambra. Morning ticket. Open at 8:30 a.m.
$37.20
0.085%
  Lunch in Granada
$27.90
0.063%
  Train to Seville. Departures at 4:32 p.m. or 8:24 p.m. Arrivals in Seville at 7:45 p.m. or 11:20 p.m. Don't use one of the four railpass days for this relatively inexpensive ticket.
$67.12
0.153%
  Taxi from Sevilla Train Station to Hotel Doña Manuela or the Regina Hotel.
$4.65
0.011%
  Two nights at the Hotel Doña Manuela in Seville.
Other reasonable hotel choices in Seville include San Gil, Hostal Córdoba, Hostal Buen Dormir, and Hotel Amadeus.
$254.20
0.578%
  Dinner in Seville (or Granada if we take the later of the two trains)
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 8. Tuesday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Seville.
$18.60
0.042%
  Admission to the Seville Alcazar. Open 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
$21.70
0.049%
  Admission to the Seville Cathedral. Open 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
$23.25
0.053%
  Lunch in Seville
$27.90
0.063%
  Admission to the Casa De Pilates. Open 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
$24.80
0.056%
  Admission to the Archeological Museum. Open 2:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
$4.65
0.011%
  Dinner in Seville
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 9. Wednesday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Seville.
$18.60
0.042%
  Admission to the Museo de Bellas Artes. Open 9:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
$4.65
0.011%
  Lunch in Seville
$27.90
0.063%
  Visit the Maritime Museum in the Gold Tower (Torre de Oro) Open 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
$3.10
0.007%
  Enjoy the Parque de Maria Luisa
$0.00
0.000%
  Visit the Plaza de España.
$0.00
0.000%
  Train from Seville to Zaragoza (departs at 4:15 p.m. arrives 8:54 p.m.) Use the third day of the four-day Spanish railpass.
$34.00
0.077%
  Taxi from Zaragoza Train Station to Pension Holgado
$13.95
0.032%
  Check in for four nights in Pension Holgado.
$359.60
0.818%
  Dinner in Zaragoza
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 10. Thursday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Zaragoza.
$15.50
0.035%
  A three-day pass to the Expo 2008 in Zaragoza. Devote most of our time in Zaragoza to the World Expo sites and events, but make time for the Palacio de la Aljaferia and the Catedral de la Seo.
$352.01
0.801%
  Lunch in Zaragoza
$24.80
0.056%
  Dinner in Zaragoza
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 11. Friday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Zaragoza.
$12.40
0.028%
  Admission and Guide at the Palacio de la Aljafería.
$13.95
0.032%
  Lunch in Zaragoza
$37.20
0.085%
  Dinner in Zaragoza
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 12. Saturday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Zaragoza.
$12.40
0.028%
  Admission to the Catedral de la Seo.
$12.40
0.028%
  Lunch in Zaragoza
$27.90
0.063%
  Dinner in Zaragoza
$18.60
0.042%
 

Day 13. Sunday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast in Zaragoza.
$12.40
0.028%
  Taxi from the Pension Holgado to the Zaragoza train station.
$13.95
0.032%
  Train from Zaragoza to Barcelona (Use fourth and final day of the 4-day Spanish railpass). Depart at 10:55 a.m. and arrive at 12:54 p.m.
$34.00
0.077%
  Walk from Barcelona Sants Station to Hotel Continental Barcelona
$0.00
0.000%
  Check in for three nights at the Hotel Continental Barcelona. Included with the room price are breakfasts, and there is a 24-hour continental buffet for guests, which means although the hotel is a bit more expensive than our usual lodgings, the advantages in savings on food and transportation make it more affordable.
$427.80
0.973%
  Admission to Casa Mila
$24.80
0.056%
  Some snacks
$27.90
0.063%
 

Day 14. Monday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast
$0.00
0.000%
  A two-day Barcelona Transportation Pass
$42.47
0.097%
  Train from Zaragoza to Barcelona (Use fourth and final day of the 4-day Spanish railpass). Depart at 10:55 a.m. and arrive at 12:54 p.m.
$34.00
0.077%
  Park Güell and the Casa-Museu Gaudi
$12.40
0.028%
  Sagrada Família
$38.75
0.088%
  Dinner in Barcelona
$27.90
0.063%
 

Day 15. Tuesday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast
$0.00
0.000%
  Admission to The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
$42.47
0.097%
  Lunch at the Continental Hotel
$0.00
0.000%
  Tour of the Hospital Sant Pau
$18.60
0.042%
  Souvineers and gifts.
$52.70
0.120%
  Farewell Dinner in Barcelona with guest.
$52.70
0.120%
 

Day 16. Wednesday
Cost in 2008 $
% of FTYR
  Breakfast
$0.00
0.000%
  Bus to the Barcelona Airport to catch flights back to America
$13.95
0.032%

 

 

Total Costs:

For two people, this trip to Spain in 2008 would cost between $6,600 and $7,000. That's about $1,500 per week per person. That's about 15.347% of the American median year-round full-time male worker's salary in 2008. If the Euro was at $1.10 to the Euro instead of $1.55 to the Euro the cost would drop to about $5,600 (under 13% of the FTYR earnings average). The biggest expense is the air fare, at slightly over 5.8% of the FTYR earnings average (38% of the total trip cost). The trip was only affordable to us because we used frequent flier miles to pay for the trans-Atlantic flights.

How much is reasonable for Americans to spend on travel and vacation trips? I think it's reasonable for workers earning average salaries (100% of the median male FTYR earnings) to put their money into the following allowances:
30% housing and utilities and home maintenance or improvement.
14% savings for retirement, college for children, and emergencies.
13% on food.
12% on public goods (all taxes, including property, income, sales)
10% on health and health insurance.
8% on entertainment, recreation, and travel.
6% on transportation (including car purchases, gas, insurance, etc.)
4% on miscellaneous other expenses.
3% on charitable contributions.

According to this spending plan for a decent life, a trip like this one would cost about two-year's worth of entertainment and travel budgets. Thus, if a household spent half of their entertainment and travel budget on the normal things people spend that on (electronic gadgets, music, movies, computer games, domestic vacations, camping, concerts, toys, etc.) and saved the other half, they could save up enough to afford such a trip every four years.

Of course, a household with two income earners, or a single income-earner who earned twice the median FTYR income, could afford a trip like this one far more often.