Is Puerto del Carmen Expensive?

Is Puerto del Carmen expensive?

Puerto del Carmen is not a one-price-fits-all resort. It can feel upscale if you book a top beachfront hotel or boutique suite in peak periods, but it can also be done at a much more manageable budget thanks to the number of apartment complexes, three-star stays and self-catering options in the resort. The accommodation mix alone runs from luxury properties like Hotel Fariones and La Isla y el Mar to apartment-style options such as Plus Fariones, THB Flora, HG Lomo Blanco and Tisalaya.

Accommodation costs

Accommodation is where your budget moves the most. Self-catering apartments and three-star hotels a short walk back from the seafront are consistently the cheapest way to stay near the beach — see our cheap hotels in Puerto del Carmen guide for specific picks. If you want a wider view of the resort’s different areas and price bands, our where to stay in Puerto del Carmen guide covers that, and our best hotels in Puerto del Carmen guide is there if you want to spend more for extra comfort.

Food and drink

Food costs vary sharply by location. The seafront promenade on Avenida de las Playas is convenient but priced for tourists, while the old town around Varadero and the streets just back from the beach offer noticeably cheaper, and often better, local food. Self-catering apartments also make it easy to cut costs by handling some meals yourself, particularly breakfast and lunch.

Getting around

Puerto del Carmen is usually easiest on the budget when you stay slightly back from the busiest seafront, use apartment-style accommodation, and mix promenade dining with meals around the old town or self-catering. You can also get around without relying on a car every day, because Puerto del Carmen has bus links to Arrecife, Costa Teguise, Puerto Calero, Playa Blanca and Tías, which keeps transport costs down compared with hiring a car for the whole trip.

Timing your trip

Rates in Puerto del Carmen change a lot by season. Travelling in spring or autumn generally gets you the same warm weather at a lower price than peak summer or Christmas — see our best time to visit Puerto del Carmen guide for how the seasons compare, and use a live hotel search to compare rates for your exact dates before booking.

Is Puerto del Carmen expensive? The bottom line

So, is Puerto del Carmen expensive? Not if you plan around it. A realistic daily budget for two people staying in a self-catering apartment, eating out for one meal and cooking the rest, comes in well below what you’d pay at a typical package resort in mainland Spain or the Balearics. Expect to pay more only if you stick to beachfront hotels, eat every meal on the seafront promenade, or travel during the busiest weeks of July, August and Christmas. For a wider look at how the resort compares to the rest of the island, see the Wikipedia entry on Puerto del Carmen.