Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the second most populous city in Spain. It is located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Catalan capital is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and it perfectly combines historical, artistic and natural attractions with a lively nightlife.
Deciding where to stay in Barcelona will always depend on the reason for your trip, your general interests and, especially, your budget.
If money is not your main limitation, then the Ciutat Vella district, the historic heart of the city, is undoubtedly the best alternative. See accommodation in Ciutat Vella ordered by price.
If being a little further from the center is not a problem (Barcelona has an excellent metro and commuter rail system), then you can take a look at the accommodation in the suburbs, where room rates are usually lower and accommodation quality higher. See accommodation in all districts ordered by price.
If you’re looking for the cheapest possible stay in Barcelona, then have a look at accommodation in the Barcelona province ordered by price.
Barcelona offers history, culture, beaches, first-class sports institutions, and several business and congress centers, making it one of the most visited cities on the European continent.
Barcelona nightlife attracts thousands of tourists looking to party until down.
Districts such as Eixample and Born are home to many of the city’s bars and clubs.
On the other hand, the more traditional district of Poblenou, located near the beaches, offers an interesting mix of industrial and avant-garde architecture, as well as a more local barrio atmosphere.
As said before, Barcelona has an excellent public transport system, so moving around should be no problem.
Table of Contents
Where to Stay in Barcelona on a Budget – Summary of the Cheapest Areas to Stay
Here you will find a small guide with the cheapest areas to stay in Barcelona .
If you continue reading this post you will find in-depth information on the areas included in this article on where to stay in Barcelona for cheap.
- Cheap and central area: El Raval
- Cheapest districts to stay: Sant Martí, Sant Andreu and Horta – Guinardó
- Cheap and well-connected area: Sants – Montjuïc
- Cheap areas close to Barcelona: Hospitalet, Badalona, El Prat
- Area where you can find occasional deals: Barcelona City Center
- Best area to stay: Around Plaça Catalunya
Barcelona Hotel Map
Booking.comCheap Hostels in Barcelona
- St Christopher’s Inn Barcelona – Spacious modern style hostel 2 minutes from La Rambla.
- Yeah Barcelona Hostel – Hostel with excellent score in the Eixample neighborhood of Barcelona.
- Safestay Passeig de Gràcia – Party-hostel with a terrace in the best area of Barcelona.
Cheap B&Bs in Barcelona
- Hostal Q – Boutique-style guest house.
- Hostal Levante Barcelona – Family B&B located in the Ciutat Vella of Barcelona.
- Hostal Balmes Centro – Cheap guest house located in a modernist building in Barcelona’s Eixample.
The Cheapest Areas to Stay in Barcelona
1. El Raval – Cheap, central and cool area to stay
El Raval is one of the most central neighborhoods in Barcelona.
Located in the city center, El Raval occupies the space to the west of La Rambla and is a maze of medieval streets, old squares, churches and stone buildings.
This neighborhood in the center of Barcelona was, not many years ago, infamous for being an area of crime and prostitution. In the last decades, however, El Raval has become one of the most coveted areas of Barcelona and a creative, leisure and gastronomic epicenter, especially among young people.
El Raval also houses a large number of galleries, art centers and bookstores. The La Boquería market, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), the old Hospital de la Santa Creu and the CCCB (Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona) are some of its most important attractions.
The gastronomic scene in the Raval is very eclectic and here you can find from fusion food restaurants to kebab stands, as well as Indian, Turkish, Filipino and local gastronomy.
Raval’s nightlife is just as eclectic, and while there are some stylish cocktail bars, alternative, LGBT-inclusive, hipster-style bars are the norm.
As it could not be otherwise, being close to La Rambla, El Raval has some of the luxury hotels in the city. However, the youthful and working-class character that characterizes it is also reflected in its hotel offer: cheap pensions, hipster-style hostels and small modern hotels can be found in every corner of the neighborhood.
El Raval is also one of the best-connected areas of Barcelona. Metro stations for lines 1, 2 and 3 can be found all around the district.
Selected accommodation in this area of Barcelona
- Best hostel: Be Sound Hostel
- Best B&B: Central and Basic Solarium
- Best budget hotel: Hotel Lloret Ramblas
2. Barcelona City Center – An area with frequent deals
Broadly speaking, the center of Barcelona includes two large districts of the city: Eixample and Ciutat Vella.
Both districts combined offer a large percentage of the attractions of Barcelona but each one has a very different atmosphere.
Ciutat Vella includes the neighborhoods of El Raval, El Gòtic, El Born and La Barceloneta. What these neighborhoods have in common is that they are very old areas of the city. In fact Ciutat Vella means “Old City” in Catalan.
We already talked about El Raval district being the cheapest area to stay in the center of Barcelona and the most casual and working-class neighborhood of those that makeup Ciutat Vella.
On the other side of La Rambla, we find El Gòtic or Gothic Quarter, heart and birthplace of Barcelona. This area of narrow and labyrinthine streets concentrates many attractions such as the cathedral, Plaça Sant Jaume, the Basilica of Santa María del Pí or the Basilica de la Mercè.
The architecture of the Gothic Quarter takes us on a journey through the history of Barcelona; Roman remains, Gothic architecture and neoclassical and modernist palaces make it an atmospheric and evocative neighborhood.
Via Laietana, with its large art deco buildings, separates the Gothic Quarter from El Born.
El Born is probably the most elegant area of Ciutat Vella and is home to luxury hotels, signature restaurants, exclusive shops and many tourist attractions such as the Palau de la Música, the Picasso Museum, the Basilica of Santa María del Mar or the Santa Caterina market.
Next to the sea we find La Barceloneta, an old fishing district where you can find some of the best restaurants in the city.
Above Plaça Catalunya and Gran Vía is the great Eixample district, which presents the modern (and modernist) face of Barcelona.
This large district, characterized by its checkerboard layout and wide streets lined with modernist (Art Nouveau) palaces, has among its best attractions the elegant Passeig de Gràcia and some of Gaudí’s great works: Casa Batllò, La Pedrera and the Sagrada Familia.
It might seem that the center should not be on a list with the cheapest areas to stay in Barcelona, however, having such a wide range of hotels, there will always be offers and deals available, particularly during the low season.
The center of Barcelona is also where the majority of hostels and pensions are located.
Selected accommodation in this area of Barcelona
- Best hostel: St Christopher’s Inn Barcelona
- Best B&B: Pensión Arosa
- Best budget hotel: Izaila Plaza Catalunya
3. Sants-Montjuïc – Cheap and well-connected area
The Sants Montjuïc district is located in the west of the city and is a central and inexpensive area to stay in Barcelona.
This is where the Sants station, the main railway hub of the city, is located. This huge railway station offers commuter connections with the surrounding cities and the airport, as well as regional connections in Catalonia, Aragon and Valencia and national and international long-distance services.
The monumental area of Plaça Espanya and the fantastic Montjuïc park, with its museums, views and sports facilities are also found in this district.
The most central and charming area within Sants-Montjuïc is found in the Poble Sec neighborhood, located at the foot of the mountain, this steep neighborhood offers cheap local gastronomy and an atmosphere more neighborhood and less touristy than other areas of Barcelona.
Sants-Montjuïc also has several metro lines depending on which area of the district you decide to stay at. The Sants station area has lines 1, 3 and 5, Plaça Espanya 1 and 3 and Poble Sec 2 and 3.
Generally, you will find more cheap accommodation options in the less central areas of the district. That said, sometimes you can find real bargains year-round.
Selected accommodation in this area of Barcelona
- Best hostel: Hostel One Sants
- Best B&B: Pensión Peiró
- Best budget hotel: Hotel Transit
4. Sant Martí – Beach, local atmosphere and budget accommodation
The San Martí district is located northeast of Barcelona and is an area of many contrasts.
Near the coast is the Poblenou area, a former industrial and working-class neighborhood that has undergone multiple changes. After the 1992 Olympics and the emergence of Barcelona as a beach destination, the areas near the sea were filled with brand new hotels.
However, as you move away from the beaches, the local atmosphere becomes more evident, making it one of the most authentic areas of the Catalan capital.
The neighborhoods around Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes offer a weird mix of old industrial buildings, middle-class homes and new shopping and office centers.
An advantage of staying close to Glòries is the proximity of the area to the Sagrada Familia, in addition to its excellent metro, tram and local connections (El Clot – Aragó).
The Port Olímpic area was developed specifically for the Olympics and is considered by most Barcelonans as a tourist trap and soulless area. Its main advantage is the proximity it offers to the city center and access to the beach.
Selected accommodation in this area of Barcelona
- Best hostel: Unite Hostel Barcelona
- Best B&B: Hostal Poblenou
- Best budget hotel: Travelodge Barcelona Poblenou
5. Other areas to find cheap accommodation in Barcelona
Barcelona is undoubtedly a very large city with a huge range of accommodation. Above, we show you the main cheap areas to stay in Barcelona, however, it is advisable to take into account other areas where you can surely find bargains and deals.
- L’Hospitalet: Officially, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat is not an area of Barcelona, but a city contiguous to the Catalan capital. That said, Hospitalet is closer to Pl. Catalunya than some Barcelona districts. In addition, Hospi has metro and commuter train connections to the center of Barcelona in 20 minutes or less. See accommodation in Hospitalet.
- Horta-Guinardó: This area of Barcelona is probably the quietest district to stay. Although it has some attractions, its distance to the center has kept it hidden from most tourists. See accommodation in Horta-Guinardó.
- Sant Andreu: This area in the northeast of Barcelona is connected by metro and is home to La Sagrera station, the second-largest in Barcelona. See accommodation in Sant Andreu.
Keep in mind: When looking for cheap accommodation in Barcelona, don’t forget that an hostal means an inn or B&B and not a hostel. Shared accommodation establishments in Spain are called albergues.
Where to Stay in Barcelona on a Budget: Important Information
In terms of accommodation offer, Barcelona is a city that has it all, from luxury hotels to small budget hostels, to boutique-style places, backpackers’ hostels and business hotels.
The rates for accommodation in Barcelona are among the highest in Spain, however, they are still somewhat cheaper than those found in other European cities such as Paris or London.
High, medium and low season in Barcelona
Barcelona is a tourist destination all year round , so finding cheap accommodation can take some time.
Keep in mind that these tips are indicative and that you must always keep in mind the great events of the city. Finding where to stay for cheap in Barcelona during music festivals (Primavera Sound, Sònar or Cruïlla, for example), sporting events (including Barça matches) or during Christmas or Easter, will always be hard.
Summer : Summer is by far the most expensive season to look for accommodation in Barcelona and, indeed, throughout Europe. Summer is the preferred season for travelers from almost everyone. Many cruises also call at the port of Barcelona during June, July and August.
The people of Barcelona go on vacation throughout the month of August, making this month the worst to visit the city. It is hot, humid, high season prices apply in hotels and restaurants, and many bars, restaurants and shops will be closed. Avoid August if you can.
Spring and Autumn : The best months to visit Barcelona are May, June and September, when the weather is pleasant and there are not many tourists.
Winter: It is the cheapest season to travel to Barcelona and winters are usually mild on the Mediterranean Coast. That said, forget about going to the beach.
Where can I find the cheapest accommodation in Barcelona
If you want to look for cheap accommodation in Barcelona in the high season, you can always try the outskirts of the city.
The Barcelona metropolitan area has one of the best suburban transport systems in Europe, which allows it to move quickly and efficiently between Barcelona and towns such as El Prat, Hospitalet, Badalona, and even Sitges. See all the accommodation in the Barcelona Province ordered by price.
Obviously, if you decide to stay in some of the adjacent areas of Barcelona that are not connected by train, chances are you will need to rent a car. You can find cheap rentals here.
