Menorca is the chilled member of the Balearic chain. A diamond-shaped isle at the eastern end of the archipelago, it’s all rolling hills topped by ancient monuments and salt-washed towns where castles loom overhead and yachts bob in the quays. It’s certainly a holiday favorite, but is Menorca expensive?
That’s what this guide is here to find out. It will offer oodles of insights into planning a trip to the island to help give you an idea of what sort of moolah you’re looking at dropping. We’ll touch on everything from the price of seaside hotels to the cost of eating out, with plenty more besides.
Our hope? To take the stress out of planning your vacation to this sun-splashed corner of Spain, all so you can forget about counting the cents and think more about those azure-water coves and shimmering pebble swimming inlets. Menorca awaits…
The cost of an average holiday to Menorca
We’d estimate the average cost of a vacation in Menorca to be around the $1,830 per person mark. Bear in mind that includes everything from accommodation to food and even the cost of flights over to the island in the first place. It’s a midrange estimation, based on staying in three- or four-star hotels and eating out most days of the week.
Let’s delve a little deeper and see the costs of every aspect of that trip…
Is Menorca expensive to get to?
Menorca has the fantastic benefit of its own airport. Cue the Menorca Airport, or the Aeropuerto de Menorca in Spanish. The 15th busiest in the whole of Spain, it now handles just shy of one million passengers each year. They come in largely on seasonal flights from across the whole of Europe. Popular routes include the ones from London (City, Gatwick, and Stansted included) and links to Rome and Amsterdam.
Since the advent of low-cost carriers in Europe, the cost of flights to destinations like this has plummeted. The likes of Ryanair and easyJet can offer fares for as little as $25 a pop, though you’ll pay more for added baggage. However, airfare to and from Menorca can skyrocket in the peak of summer, with tickets getting to over $100, even when buying from the budget brands.
Overall, we’d estimate the cost of a return flight to Menorca from a major hub like London to be around $150 per person. That can decrease considerably towards the start and end of the main season but can also be double if you come in the peak months of June, July, and August.
The cost of accommodation in Menorca
We’d actually put Menorca down as one of the more affordable members of the Balearic Island chain. While Ibiza and Majorca are inundated with lux hotels and chic villas, this one has a more family-friendly vibe. The amount you’ll pay to bed down also depends a whole lot on the resort you choose to stay at. There are chic places where hotels are sure to cost a packet (Cala Llonga, we’re looking at you!). But there are also resorts that offer better bargains, along with country houses that won’t break the bank.
Here’s a look at just a few fantastic hotels across Menorca and a rough guide on the price you can expect to pay for each:
- Villa Le Blanc, a Gran Meliá Hotel – The Leading Hotels of The World ($$$) – One of the most stylish and luxurious hotels in the whole of Spain, let alone just these islands. Gorgeous Med views and a sprawling pool give way to spacious suites and glass-rimmed balconies. You’re looking at around $500 a night for this in the shoulder season of September.
- S´Estancia Suites ($$) – Contemporary double and twin rooms with access to bubbling hot tubs and a large outdoor pool make this a cracking pick for couples. It’s around $140 a night in the shoulder season.
- Hotel Victori ($$) – A midrange hotel a short drive from Mahon port, Hotel Victori has compact but clean rooms and good access to the beaches on the eastern side of the island. It will set you back around $110 a night.
- Hostal Restaurant s’Algaret ($-$$) – The rooms might be a bit dated at this classic Balearic hotel guest house, but they’re clean and in a fine location for accessing the beaches and ports around Fornells. There’s also a lovely pool. Rates here are around $50-60 per night in the shoulder season.
Taking all our hotel picks into account, we’d estimate that you’re looking at something in the region of $110 per night for a midrange hotel, though it’s certainly possible to spend more than that in Menorca, especially if you’re keen to travel in the peak season.
The cost of food and drink in Menorca
As with accommodation, we’d actually say that Menorca has some of the most value-priced food in the whole region. Hit a traditional Balearic taverna and go for the menu del dia. It usually includes a starter, a main, and a dessert, along with a drink (sometimes wine), all for the reasonable price of €18-20 ($18-20). If you’d prefer to stick to a la carte stuff, then you can expect most tapas dishes to come in at between $4-8 each, while house wine goes for around $8 for 750ml.
International food can be more but that really depends on where you are. Major resorts like Mahon, Alaior, and Cala en Bosc tend to have an overload of places to eat that serve all manner of food, particularly of the English and German variety. To give you an idea, you’re looking at paying something like €6.50 for a full fry up in those parts, and between €5-10 for a pizza.
Overall, we’d estimate a total spend of about $50 per day on food in Menorca. That can be less if you already have breakfast included in the cost of your hotel.
The cost of things to do in Menorca
One of the main things we’d recommend forking out for in Menorca is a car hire. That’s your ticket to the remote beaches of Cala Mesquida and the moody inland town of Es Mercadal, with its weekly food market, not to mention the ancient standing stones and hidden wineries. Hire rates vary a lot throughout the year, but a good ballpark is something like $60/day, meaning you’re looking at $420 or so for the full week.
The good news is that once you’ve bagged your own wheels, you can get stuck into loads of totally free activities. Head out to the snorkeling coves and hit the forgotten beaches of the south coast – neither will cost you a penny. There are some things to do that you will have to pay more for, though, including:
- Half-Day Catamaran Trip in Menorca – Explore the rugged shorelines of this stunning island and spot dolphins in the Med. Expect to pay in the region of $70 per person.
- Horseback Riding in Cala Fustam – A planned outing on horseback that takes you along the beautiful sandy beaches on the south coast. The whole package will cost about $100.
- Island Discovery Jeep Safari Menorca – Hit the outback of Menorca with a 4X4 to explore the hills and ancient ruins. This costs $95 per person for the day.
Overall, an activity budget of around $80/day is a good way to go for Menorca.
Money-saving tips for travelers to Menorca
There are loads of things you can do to keep down the cost of a holiday to Menorca, from traveling in the low season to dodging the most expensive and chic parts of the island altogether. Here’s a look at just a handful of ways we think you can pinch the pennies:
- Travel in shoulder seasons – We’ll stop short of saying travel in the wintertime because the weather isn’t great and there aren’t loads of flights heading Menorca’s way. The shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are great alternatives, though. They cost almost 50% less for travel and accommodation on average.
- Dodge the expensive areas – The resort of Cala Llonga and the main town of Ciutadella tend to be among the priciest places. Inland towns further from the beach will save you money.
- Book in advance – The cheapest places to stay in Menorca will sell out very quick in the run up to the main season. Get in early to ensure you have the pick of them before they go.
- Choose self-catering – Menorca – especially the town of Es Mercadal – has lovely produce markets. Score a self-catering pad or villa and you can hit them to shop for yourself, almost certainly saving on the cost of eating out.
- Don’t travel solo – It’s no secret that single-occupancy rooms only come in a touch cheaper than doubles or twins. If you can bag a travel buddy to bring to this sunny end of southern Spain, then that could really help mitigate accommodation costs when you split it 50-50.
Is Menorca expensive? Our conclusion
Is Menorca expensive? We’d actually estimate that Menorca is among the cheaper of the Balearic Islands to visit. It’s not got the chic vibe of Ibiza and isn’t quite as popular as nearby Majorca. Overall, a total spend of around $1,830 per person is normal, including the cost of hotels, food, activities, and even flights there and back from somewhere in Europe. You could spend more, though, especially if you’re keen to travel in the peak of summer and want to stay in luxury accommodation.
