Is Santorini Expensive? (Insider’s Guide for 2024)

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In this article, I’m going to talk about every expense you’re likely to encounter, empowering you to craft a meticulously planned Santorini itinerary. That includes:

• Getting there in the first place
• Sleeping somewhere comfy
• Getting around the island
• Eating very tasty food
• Drinking very tasty drinks
• Doing very fun stuff

Sound good? Good.

Because I’m just a lowly digital nomad and not lord Zeus himself, I can’t control or perfectly predict the exact prices you’ll encounter on your trip. I wish I could, but I can’t.

I also wish I could shoot lightning bolts from my fingertips, but don’t we all? So as you read, please keep in mind that all of the prices I list out are estimates: they’re accurate but subject to change with time.

I’m going to be using USD for all prices in this article, but the official Greek currency is the Euro. As of April 2024, USD 1 = 0.94 euros.

Skim through the table below to get a general idea of how much you’ll likely be spending during your Greek escapade.

3-Days in Santorini Trip Costs

A brief answer to the main question: is Santorini expensive?

ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $900 for a round-trip ticket

Undoubtedly the biggest hit to your Santorini budget is going to be your flight there. That being said, not all flights are created equal. Here are three things to think about as you read my cost estimates below:

1. The summer months are peak seasons for Santorini (specifically June, July, August, and September). If you get a flight during this period, it’s going to be more expensive than a flight during the shoulder seasons or low season.
2. Airfare depends heavily on where you’re flying from, for obvious reasons. I think you could probably guess that a flight to Santorini from somewhere in the Alaskan tundra will cost more than one from neighboring Italy. So if you’re located somewhere else far away from Greece, expect to pay more for your flight.
3. If you want to maximize savings, you could always try to save on airfare by using points if you’re a frequent flyer or by exploiting error fares and other special deals. Often, the cheapest flights involve long layovers in other countries. While many find this inconvenient, if you have a layover of 10+ hours, seize the chance to explore another country for free!

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into it. I used Skyscanner to come up with the prices below. They’re very accurate, but I want you to think about the three points I listed above and adjust my estimates according to your situation.

• New York to Santorini: ~$825 USD for a round-trip ticket
• London to Santorini: ~£170 GBP for a round-trip ticket
• Sydney to Santorini: ~$2,500 AUD for a round-trip ticket
• Vancouver to Santorini: ~$1,425 CAD for a round-trip ticket

All of these flights are to Santorini International Airport, which is the only one on the island.

ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $40-$500 per night

When traveling in Europe, perspective is everything. You have to look at prices proportionally, reckoning them with the high standard of living that’s common in nearly every country here.

Accommodation in Santorini will seem expensive if you’re used to Southeast Asia prices—but all things considered, you can lay your head to rest here feeling both safe and frugal.

There are three main options for places to stay in Santorini: hostels, Airbnbs, and hotels. By and large, hostels are going to be your cheapest option. Airbnbs and hotels are going to be more expensive, but there’s a rationale behind this.

With Airbnbs, you’ll be staying in a real, authentic local accommodation, and with hotels, you’ll get more of a luxury, fully serviced experience.

Hostels in Santorini

Just so we’re clear about expectations, you should be ready to fork out anywhere from $40-$60 per night for a hostel in Santorini. Now, I want to tell you something about hostels: they are my absolute favorite type of accommodation.

If you’re traveling as a family or a couple, I get why you might choose an Airbnb or a hotel over a hostel: you want that privacy.

But if you’re a solo traveler in Greece, or even if you are traveling with your family or a significant other, hostels are simply the best!

You’ll be constantly surrounded by like-minded people: travelers, backpackers, explorers, adventurers, partiers—you name it! The people you’ll meet, the conversations you’ll have, and the stories you’ll hear will make every dollar worth it (and no, I’m not a hostel salesman).

Below are my three favorite hostels in Santorini.

• Fira Backpackers Place: This hostel is just ideal. You’ll find it’s surprisingly luxurious given that it boasts the cheapest prices around—and it’s all only a few minutes walk from the bus station!
• Villa Agas: Located in more of a family-oriented area of the island, Villa Agas is a great blend of budget prices and high-end facilities (including a pool!)
• Emmanouela Studios & Villas: This hostel is located in Karterados (a local village). Restaurants, rental agencies, and the bus stop are all right around the corner.

Airbnbs in Santorini

If you’ve ever spent any time searching for Airbnbs in Greece, you know that prices vary greatly. This is because on Airbnb you can rent everything from a dingy private room to an entire 10-bedroom mansion.

That being said, I’d say a reasonable price estimate for Airbnbs in Santorini is $100-$250 per night. Of course, you’ll always be able to find a listing below or above this range, depending on what you’re looking for.

The perks of Airbnbs are as follows:

1. You’ll get an entire place to yourself. You’ll literally have your own little home away from home.
2. You’ll experience an authentic local home. Most Airbnbs were someone’s home at one point. It will be a truly immersive cultural experience.
3. Your place will usually have a full kitchen (or at least a kitchenette), and sometimes even a laundry machine, private pool, balcony, etc.

You could always try to find a local apartment through a Google search or some good old-fashioned phone calls, but Airbnb’s website will make those efforts look like the epitome of futility. In other words, Airbnb is really easy. Here are my three favorites in Santorini:

• Mystagoge Retreat with Underground Pool/Hot Tub: This place is just ridiculous. You’ll literally have a full apartment all to yourself, with a pool in a cave. Yes, in a cave.
• “Villa Renieris” Stunning Caldera Sunset Villa: The listing title says it all! Not only will you be blessed by ridiculous sunset views, but a five-minute drive will bring you right to Fira (Santorini’s capital).
• Rosemary Sweet House: This Airbnb features some incredibly unique, hippie-style decor. It’s only two minutes on foot from the majestic Caldera cliffs.

Hotels in Santorini

Out of the three mentioned accommodation types, hotels in Greece can be quite expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $100-$500 per night for a good hotel. Of course, the rule usually is more money = more luxury.

Even though hotels can be expensive, some people are just hotel people. Here are some signs you might be a hotel person:

1. You don’t like making your bed. Yeah, I don’t either. Most hotels offer free housekeeping services, so you can come back to a spotless room at night.
2. You want nice facilities. Many hotels have free fitness centers and pools for guests.
3. You like a luxury, resort-type atmosphere. You won’t find this at a hostel or an Airbnb.
4. You really, really want to find a box of chocolates on your bed when you first walk into your room.

If you’re a hotel person, there’s nothing to be ashamed of! Even broke backpackers need a relaxing hotel stay every once in a while. Here are three of the best on offer in Santorini:

• Grand View – Megalochori Santorini: “Grand View” is the best way to describe this beautiful hotel. Enjoy the pool, bar, and oh yeah: the literal volcano you’ll be able to see right from your room!
• Ambition Suites: A true luxury destination, Ambition Suites is modern, private, well-established, and accustomed to receiving the best of the best guest reviews.
• Caldera Esprit Suites: Situated right in the heart of bustling Fira, this hotel is an excellent high-end, family-friendly option. Expect colorful decor and stunning views.

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ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $5-$60 per day

This section is going to be shorter than usual, and for you, that’s a good thing; it means Santorini’s transportation system is very simple.

In most other cities around the world, there are trains, metros, buses, taxis, etc.—here, all you need to worry about are buses, taxis, and personal rentals. Easy, right?

Not only is transportation in Santorini easy to figure out, but it’s also very cheap. As usual, the most inexpensive method is the public bus system, with taxis and personal rentals being a bit more costly, but not unreasonable.

Bus Travel in Santorini

Buses will never be as efficient as a well-run metro system, simply because they are beholden to regular traffic patterns.

However, Santorini’s KTEL buses do the job pretty dang well. In general, they’re fast and convenient, and if you get a window seat, your ride can be pretty scenic!

The routes here are pretty standard for small islands like Santorini: all buses first go to the capital (Fira), and from there, other buses run to nearly every village on the island.

Ticket prices fluctuate depending on the length of your route and time of travel, but $1.70-$3.10 is the general range. You’ll pay $1.70 for the shortest day routes, and $3.10 for the longest night routes.

The ticketing system is pretty vintage; be prepared to pay cash once you board the bus. There’s no real way to ensure discounted prices, but KTEL does offer two really awesome perks:

1. You’ll get a 50% discount if you have a disability or if you’re traveling with a lot of kids.
2. You’ll get a 25% discount if you’re a student.

Please keep in mind that buses in Santorini can be pretty crowded. If you want the most comfortable possible method of transportation, I recommend you rent a car.

Car Travel in Santorini

If money isn’t an object, renting a car is an excellent option in Santorini. Many parts of the island are very rural, and having the freedom to explore at will is thrilling.

The roads can be very narrow, so I recommend you rent a small car. You will also need an international driving license—if you’re located in the USA, you can obtain one online before your trip.

Prices for car rentals in Santorini can actually be shockingly cheap:

• $28-$35 per day for a small car
• $5-$15 per day for gas
• $0-$15 per day for insurance (depending on whether the agency will accept your current insurance)

Taxis are also prevalent in Santorini, with prices also being very reasonable. The only slightly sketchy aspect is that the drivers don’t use meters—they’ll just give you a quote on the spot based on how far you need to go. Of course, this varies tremendously, but it shouldn’t be outside the range of $20-$40 per trip.

So, want to save some cash and explore Santorini by rental car? Use rentalcar.com to find the best deal possible. There are some great prices on the site and they aren’t difficult to find.

Renting a Scooter or Bicycle in Santorini

Exploring Santorini by scooter will give you the same freedom you get with a rental car, but with even more of a rush!

Scooter travel in Santorini is convenient, reasonably priced, and VERY fun. In general, a scooter will cost you about $15-$30 per day (prices here depend heavily on whether or not it’s high season on the island).

Rental agencies are ubiquitous in Fira. I recommend Moto Panos, as they offer great prices and have multiple locations (one of them conveniently located right at the airport).

As far as bicycles go, they’ll generally cost a little less than scooters: a good-quality bicycle will cost you ~$20 per day at the most. You also won’t have to pay for gas—but unless your quads are god-tier, you won’t be able to get around as easily.

Check out Santorini Adventures; they have nice, high-quality bikes, and they also offer some amazing guided bike tours, if you’re into that sort of thing.

ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $30-$150

You should be expecting typical Europe food prices in Santor—but wait. Before I get to that, let me tell you the food here is delicious. As you can probably guess, there is a huge selection of mouthwatering, authentic Greek dishes.

Must-try Greek food includes tomato keftedes (tomato fritters), fáva (puréed bean dip), and any and all seafood dishes (trust me on this one). There’s also a wide variety of other cultural cuisines—if you’re a foodie, you won’t want to leave!

Now back to logistics: yeah, the food here is a little expensive. However, if you’ve ever really given budget travel a go, you know there are tips and tricks and ways to navigate around every money problem. Before I share some secrets on how to save, here are some typical prices to expect:

• Cheap sandwich: $6-$7
• Meal at a casual restaurant: $20-$25
• Fancy dinner for two: $100-$125
• Fast food meal: $8-$10

Of course, you’ll be able to save the most money by buying your own ingredients from grocery stores and cooking for yourself (maybe in that sweet new Airbnb you just booked!). Have a look at these prices:

• 1 liter of milk: ~$3
• A dozen eggs: ~$3.50
• 1 pound of chicken breast: ~$3.50
• 1 pound of potatoes: ~$1

So yeah, you’ll definitely save the most if you whip up your own meals. But if you’re like me and cooking is just not your thing (you’re on vacation after all!), here are some more secrets to saving money on food in Santorini.

Where to Eat Cheaply in Santorini

As in every country, city, or island, there are certain places you’ll want to stick to if you’re backpacking on a budget. I’ve summarized Santorini’s best budget secrets below.

• Any place that serves gyros: Gyros are a Greek classic: basically meat in a pita, with delicious white sauce. Gyros in Santorini will set you back only around $3-$4, and they can be very filling.
• Cafes: Eating at cafes is a great way to save money, especially in the morning. A coffee and a croissant at a Santorinian cafe will run you around $5. Eating light each morning can have great effects on your budget (and maybe your waistline—whoops!)
• Grocery stores: No, don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you cook. I’m suggesting you go to a grocery store and buy some pre-packaged lunches one day for only a few dollars each; a fraction of the cost you’d pay at a restaurant. Use the opportunity to go and eat said lunch somewhere scenic!
• Eat more gyros. Not a joke.

ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $5-$25

Unfortunately, excessive drinking and budget travel in Santorini just don’t really go together. If you want to party it up on the wine island, you’ll be paying a bit of a hefty price for it.

Beer is generally the cheapest drink in Santorini. Wine is next on the list, and when you think about the quality of wine you’re getting on this island, the price becomes worth it.

Here are some typical alcohol prices you’ll likely encounter in Santorini:

• Pint of beer at a bar: ~$5
• Glass of wine: ~$6
• Fancy cocktail: ~$13

As you can see, wine in Santorini has a pretty great value-for-money ratio, especially given the fact that Santorini is known for its wines.

In particular, you’ll want to make sure you taste the island’s famous Assyrtiko wine before you leave. Though Assyrtiko has now become a feature throughout many parts of Greece, it all started here in Santorini!

Even though it might seem immaterial, always keep an eye out for happy hours and other drink specials. Locals will be more than willing to help you find the good spots—all you have to do is ask!

ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $0-$10

Now we come to one of the best parts about traveling in Santorini. If you love history and you love nature, you could spend weeks exploring everything this island has to offer. Ancient ruins, beaches, volcanoes—the list goes on!

In general, the historical attractions are pretty cheap, though prices vary. Of course, the natural attractions (like the beaches) are totally free. Below are some of the most popular attractions in Santorini, along with their prices.

• Red Beach: Totally free, Red Beach looks fake at first. The sand, and surrounding cliffs, are literally dark red.
• Akrotíri Archaeological Site: Akrotíri is one of those cities, like Pompeii, that was preserved after a volcanic eruption almost instantly covered it with ash. Tickets cost around $13 for foreigners and $6 for members of the EU.
• Prophet Elias Monastery: Another free attraction, this monastery was built in 1711 on the highest peak in Santorini. So yeah, the views are insane.
• Ancient Thira (Thera) Archaeological Site: This site has a nice lead-up hike (which can be either a good or a bad thing), but the ruins are spectacular and the price is half that of Akrotíri, at only $6 for foreigners and $3 for members of the EU.
• The Caldera: This is an underwater crater that was formed during a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago (the same eruption, incidentally, that formed the island of Santorini in the first place). It’s 100% free.

Whether historical or natural, most of Santorini’s attractions are somewhat remote and far removed from the major urban centers. That means there are not a lot of special ways to save specifically on attractions here. What you can do is prioritize the free stuff and the cheap stuff.

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Travel will surprise you in many ways. Some good, some bad, some just weird. One surprise I can guarantee you’ll face is the surprise of having way more expenses than you budgeted for. This can be confusing, especially if you were really detailed in your budgeting.

I’m talking about expenses like random snacks, laundry, luggage storage, books, etc. These things really add up over time.

That’s why I recommend setting aside an additional 10% of your final budget to take care of these unforeseen expenses. It can’t hurt, and it always pays to be prepared when you’re in another country.

Tipping in Santorini

Tipping is perhaps the most pertinent example of an unforeseen expense. When was the last time you saw “tipping” as a line item on a budget?

In Santorini, tipping is somewhat reasonable. Usually, a 10% service charge will be added to your final restaurant tab.

If it’s not, it’s optional, and sometimes customary, to tip around 10%—though you might want to think about increasing this if your service was exceptional. Usually, the same rule goes for guides, bellmen, or drivers.

Get Travel Insurance for Santorini

Santorini indeed looks like the place where all the good people end up at the end of a fairytale. What isn’t true is that nothing bad will ever happen to you there and you’ll live happily ever after without a care in the world, sipping Assyrtiko wine and floating in the azure ocean.

The only events you can’t expect are the unexpected ones. If you’re going to be traveling overseas, and especially if you’re planning on any sort of extended travel, you should think about getting good travel insurance for Europe.

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Here are some final obvious but often overlooked ways to be a broke backpacker on the wine island:

• Walk! Santorini is home to some of the most stunning coastlines and ocean views in the world. There’s no better way to take them in than by walking. Plus, recent studies have shown that excessive sitting is slowly killing you. Walking can save your budget, and maybe your life as well!
• Eat gyros. I’ll stop talking about gyros now, but head my advice. You won’t regret it.
• Earn money while you travel: Teaching English while traveling is a great way to make ends meet! If you find a sweet gig, you may even end up living in Santorini.
• Busk: Showcase your hidden talents and play and sing some songs on the street for extra cash (bonus points if you can sing in Greek).
• Stay in hostels: Cheap, fun, crazy, and hilarious—no matter where you are in the world, the nearest hostel is always the place to be!
• Have a water bottle: Don’t waste money on plastic, or bottled water; carry your own and refill it in the fountains and the tap. If you’re worried about potable water, get a filtered bottle, like the GRAYL, which filters out 99% of viruses and bacteria.
• Become a volunteer with Worldpackers: Give back to the local community and, in exchange, you’re room and board will often be covered. It’s not always free, but it’s still a cheap way to travel in Santorini.

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At this point, you should feel well-equipped to take on Santorini on a budget. If you don’t, you’ll either want to:

• Get your reading comprehension skills checked, or
• Send me an email with tips on how to write a good article.

Santorini is one of those places (like most of Europe) where your expenditures can quite easily be minimal—but if you’re not careful, you’ll end up spending hundreds in one day without even realizing it.

Make a plan, and use some good old-fashioned discipline to stick to the plan. There are so many amazing ways to experience a destination without needing to declare bankruptcy when you get back home.

I’m going to end this article by telling you a story: Once upon a time, there was a person who wanted to go to Santorini for vacation.

At first, they thought it was too expensive, so they pushed it off for weeks. Then one day, they found the master’s secrets, and learned that traveling cheaply in Santorini is not only possible—it’s easy! What did they do next? They had the time of their lives in paradise.

If you couldn’t tell, the main character in that story is you. Now get out there!

What we think an average daily budget for Santorini should be: $150-$300

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