Is Fuerteventura expensive? This guide is here to answer just that. It will whisk you away to the white-sand beaches of this amazing Canary to see what we think the average traveler (and the not-so-average traveler) might need in the bank account for a fantastic holiday.
We can certainly see why this one’s on the Spanish bucket list. It’s an enthralling place, scarred by wild volcanic domes and fringed by rugged coastline that oscillates between high sand dunes and craggy cliffs. It’s a mecca for sunbathers and beach goers, for surfers and snorkelers, but also has bumping resorts where you can dine and party from sunup to sundown.
Anyway…enough dreaming. Here we deal with the practicalities of it all, the boring financial side. The aim? To help you set up the right budget for a trip to this balmy corner of the Atlantic Ocean, where the waves roll in and spicy mojos potatoes are the order of the day. Let’s begin…
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How much does a holiday to Fuerteventura cost?
We’d estimate that an average traveler in Fuerteventura will spend about $1,610 per week. That’s for EVERYTHING, though, including the average cost of airfare from a European city over to the island, the price of food out in restaurants, and a whole stay’s accommodation. It’s also based on midrange hotels, dining in midrange eateries, and having a few extra activities to spice up the adventure, whether that’s a surf lesson or dolphin spotting.
It’s important to note that it’s totally possible to make a trip to Fuerteventura without spending so much. There are surf camps and hostels in the main resort hub of Corralejo that cost under $30 per night, and plenty of beaches that are 100% free to visit. On the flip side, you could spend a whole load more, by opting for the five-star resorts with the big swimming pools and the price tags of over $300 per night.
Is it expensive to get to Fuerteventura?
Virtually ALL travelers on their way to Fuerte will have to fly. The island is thousands of clicks south of the European mainland and the only ferry services are intermitted, inter-island links or pretty hardcore connections from Africa. Thankfully, there’s a well-served terminal at the Fuerteventura Airport, also known as El Matorral Airport.
We’ll start by saying this: There’s simply no such thing as a long-haul connection here. All of the flights are short haul, linking to hubs in Europe or the near vicinity. That means you’ll have to set aside enough cash to take care of the transatlantic crossing to a place on the continent before you can even think about flying Fuerteventura’s way, so US travelers will need to drop at least $400 before stepping on a flight to the isle itself.
The good news is that the onward connection to Fuerteventura can be pretty cheap. There’s a lot of competition on major routes from low-cost airlines like Ryanair, Wizz, and easyJet. That means airfare tend to stay relatively low – we’ve even seen returns for just $70 per person without bags. More likely, you’ll pay something between $100-200 for a flight from an EU city, though bags can add $50-60 more to that total.
We’d say set aside about $200 for your travel to Fuerteventura, though that’s not including the cost of a ticket across the ocean to Europe if you’re coming in from the USA.
Is Fuerteventura expensive for food?
As a rough estimation, we’d say you’re looking at dropping around $25-35 per person in a midrange restaurant in Fuerteventura. That’s roughly in line with the norm in the Canary Islands, where there’s a slight hike compared to mainland Spain due to the cost of importing key ingredients and products, most notably wine (although the local stuff is pretty fantastic!).
Here’s a look at the sort of things you can expect to find on the menu of a Fuerteventura restaurant in the midrange:
- Seafood paella for two for €20 ($21.80) – A Spanish, though not a Canarian, classic, the paella is a seafood-rice mashup that has spices and fresh Med flavors.
- Fried calamari for €13.50 ($14.70) – A common seafood tapas dish served in the shoreline diners of Fuerteventura, perfect with a white wine over lunch.
- Gazpacho for €4.90 ($5.35) – A cold soup made with zingy and fresh tomatoes, said to be a refresher from the strong sun.
- Papas arrugadas and mojo sauce for €4 ($4.35) – A type of salt-baked small potato that’s a local specialty, usually served with a chili-packed sauce known as mojo.
Of course, there are some swankier restaurants that you can fork out a whole load more than $25 a head at. They’re usually in the more upscale parts of the island, like lovely Morro Jable in the far south or near the more sought-after neighborhoods of Corralejo in the far north.
Adding up the cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinners on the island, we’d say a budget of about $420-550 per person for food for the whole week should suffice. It can be less than that if you’ve scored a hotel that offers morning meals as part of the package, or if you cook for yourself.
Are hotels in Fuerteventura expensive?
That all really depends. There are hotels and there are hotels in Fuerteventura if you catch our drift. You’ve got hostels and surf camps that tend towards the bargain end of the scale. But you’ve also got five-star digs that gaze at the white-sand beaches of El Cotillo and the Grandes Playa. And, of course, there’s countless midrange choices in between those two extremes.
Here’s a look at something from each category:
- Sheraton Fuerteventura Golf & Spa Resort ($$$) – You can hit a round of 18 at the adjoining golf course and then head to the spa to unwind at this luxury five-star resort. It’s proper R&R stuff in Caleta De Fuste.
- Calas Beach Corralejo ($$) – A clean and cozy pad a short walk from the popular beaches of Corralejo, Calas Beach Corralejo has options for couples, solo travelers, and families alike.
- Claro ($) – This hostel has cheap rates in its mixed dorm rooms, but also some perks, mainly in the form of a pool where you can meet and mingle with other travelers. We’d say it’s spot on for young solo backpackers.
The whole point here is that rates for rooms on this island can vary A LOT depending on the hotel you go for. We’d say a good ballpark figure is up to $40 for a budget stay, between $40-120 for a midrange stay, and then anything over that for the pricier places. That means a cost of about $560 for a whole week’s vacation in a good middling hotel in a convenient location.
The cost of things to do in Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is often thought of as the best beach destination in the Canaries. That’s great news for budget travelers, who shouldn’t have to spend a dime to enjoy the shimmering sands and bath-warm seas. However, there are some other activities on the island that we think you shouldn’t pass up, even if your main aim is soaking up the rays and snorkeling the days away.
Perhaps the most important thing here is to have a rental car. That’s a ticket to exploring the hiking paths, the hidden coves, and the small Canarian towns of Fuerteventura. The good news is that it shouldn’t set you back too much. Rentals are some of the most affordable we’ve seen in Europe – costing around about $400 for a whole month, and around $100-150 for a week’s holiday.
On top of that, you might want to consider the following activities:
- Off-road buggy adventures on the sand dunes of Fuerteventura – $53 per person
- A short dolphin-spotting outing in a RIB boat – $37 per person
- Private catamaran tours of amazing Los Lobos Island – $80
- A morning’s surf lesson – $50 per person
These are rough estimations but should give you an idea of what you’ll spend on activities. With an average traveler doing two or three major day trips per week, we’d say add around $150-200 to the budget for this, plus around $150 for a car rental on top.
Money-saving tips for traveling to Fuerteventura
Here are a few of our top tips for saving the dollars on your jaunt to Fuerteventura…
- Travel in the low season – The great thing about the Canary Islands is that the peak season is the opposite to what it is on the European mainland. Here, people flock down in winter to escape the cold north. That means the summer is actually cheaper, and there’s basically no change in the weather – it’s almost always hot and dry.
- Do free things – What we mean to say here is…visit the beaches! They are the main draw on Fuerteventura for us and come totally gratis. Just check out the conch bays of El Cotillo. Gorgeous!
- Rent a car – Car hires aren’t a lot on these Spanish islands, and they can actually save you money in the long run if you’re planning on traveling around a lot.
- Book your flights well in advance – Stats show that the cost of flights to Fuerteventura can skyrocket in the days leading to departure. Low-cost carriers like Ryanair tend reward the early birds, sometimes with tickets in the region of <$30 return!
- Stay in cheaper parts of the island – Rental rates tend to be higher in the more sought-after resorts. They include Morro Jable and Corralejo. However, there are other choices, like the wave-washed surf town of El Cotillo and the northern port of Majanicho.
Is Fuerteventura expensive? Our conclusion…
Overall, we’d say that Fuerteventura is around about average for the Canaries; just a touch more expensive than Lanzarote but less than Gran Canaria. A rough estimation of costs would be about $1,610 per person for the week, which includes everything from hotels to activities to even the price of flights over to the island in the first place. Remember, though, it’s possible to save loads by traveling in the off season, making most of the free things there are to do (especially the beaches), and cooking for yourself.