A popular question on the Tripadvisor forums, as people try to budget for their holiday in Ibiza. The Island is best known for its rockstar and party lifestyle and these pursuits are high spending areas in Ibiza. If heading to Ibiza for a party holiday, where a person intends to visit the clubs and go out drinking and having fun most nights, then a minimum budget of €100 per night would be required. How long is a piece of string, would be the answer to the maximum amount that a person could spend in Ibiza, as the Island regularly caters to 5 star luxuries, A list celebrities and big spenders.
To us mere mortals, €100 a night, is enough to cover a normal holidaymakers enjoyment of the Ibiza nightlife, whilst still keeping an eye on their budget. A person can easily spend €200-€300 a night if not keeping an eye on the purse strings, as drinks in Ibiza bars can range from €2 a pint, right up to €10. A spirit and mixer from €3 to €15. Many of the bars in Ibiza are tourist bars, where their business is to charge as much as they can to cover the months that the Island is off season, October- May.
A general rule of thumb when it comes to bar and restaurant prices in Ibiza, is that the trendier and more stylish a bar or restaurant looks or sounds from the outside, then the higher the prices within. The local bars and restaurants, the ones that are open all year round, will offer the most competitive prices, as their customers are mostly local people on modest wages. Their surroundings may lack the scatter cushions, day beds, DJ’s and cocktail menus associated with the tourist venues, but what they do offer is a more authentic and genuine welcome without the added expense that the bling entails.
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| Bling Tourist Bar in Ibiza |
Every resort in Ibiza will have some tourist bars that offer local prices, so its always worth checking out the resort for the best deals available. The Tripadvisor Forums www.tripadvisor.com/Sh are a good place to ask fellow holidaymakers where the best value bars and restaurants are located. Food prices in Ibiza are similar to prices at home and there are many fast food outlets like Mc Donalds, KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut located in the bigger resorts like Ibiza town, San Antonio, Playa Den Bossa and Santa Eularia.
The local Menu Del Dia is a lunchtime 3 course meal, served with a glass of beer or wine for €10-€15 euro depending on the location and quality of the restaurant. Its very popular with the locals and a great value meal made with fresh and tasty ingredients. Its served from about 1pm to 4pm and if its not advertised on a board, ask for it. Tapas is a great way for all the family to experience local cuisine as it allows people to share and taste different dishes. A good tapas dish is between €3-€5.
Club prices in Ibiza can range from €25 to €70 depending on the popularity of the club and the DJ playing. A general rule of thumb is that the bigger and more popular the DJ….the higher the cost of entry will be. There are plenty of free entry clubs in Ibiza, but these tend to be less popular nights with DJ’s who are not as well known as the big names. Never the less, their music can be as good if not better. Clubs will also allow free entry before a certain time i.e midnight or 1am. This may seem a good deal but it may work out a false economy, as drinks can be expensive as you wait for the crowds and main DJ to arrive at 3am.
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| Famous DJ’s = Expensive Prices |
Most clubs will charge a minimum of €6 for a bottle of beer or water. Once again, the more popular a club is, the higher the bar prices. Minimum prices will rise to €10 and €12 for a beer or water. Spirits and a mixer will cost in the region of €20. Clubs only have three months to generate income for the whole year and this is one of the main reasons for the high costs. Another is that Clubs in Ibiza, prefer people to dance and have a good time, without getting drunk.
In summary it is possible to have a good time in Ibiza on only €50 a day spending money. Alcohol in supermarkets can cost 50cent for a can of beer and €6 for a bottle of Vodka. Stock up your fridge with alcohol and snacks from the supermarket at much lower prices than at home. With some careful planing and budgeting it can be done just keep your eyes open for the good deals. Locals get paid on average €200 a week. I would feel that €100 a day is the minimum required to have a good time. After that, a person can spend what they want depending on the luxury and the many activities available to the tourist market in Ibiza.
Here is a related post on how to party in Ibiza on a budget http://dannykayibiza.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-do-party-ibiza-on-budget.html
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