Barcelona’s Hotel Tax Doubled in 2026: What You’ll Really Pay Per Night
By Dorian · Updated October 20, 2026
The price you see on a booking page is not always the final price.
Barcelona adds a nightly tourist tax on top, and since April it has doubled. Here is what you will pay, who pays it, and how to work out your own number before you book.
What the tax actually is
It is a charge per person, per night, added to your accommodation.
It has two layers. One is a Catalonia-wide tax. The other is a surcharge set by the city of Barcelona.
On 1 April 2026, the Catalan part doubled in Barcelona. At the same time, the city raised its own surcharge from €4 to €5.
What you pay per night now
These are the totals per person, per night, with both layers included.
| Where you stay | Total per person, per night |
|---|---|
| 5-star hotel | €12 |
| 4-star hotel | €8.40 |
| Tourist apartment | €9.50 |
| 1 to 3-star hotel or guesthouse | €7 |
For comparison, a 5-star used to cost €7.50. A 4-star used to cost €5.70. A tourist apartment used to cost €6.25.
What it adds up to
The easy way to work it out: people × nights × the rate.
Here are four real-life examples.
- Couple, 4 nights in a 4-star hotel: 2 × 4 × €8.40 = €67.20
- Couple, 7 nights in a 1 to 3-star hotel: 2 × 7 × €7 = €98
- Couple, 10 nights in a 4-star hotel: 2 × 7 × €8.40 = €117.60
- Two adults and a 15-year-old, 5 nights in a 4-star hotel: 2 × 5 × €8.40 = €84
Look at the third one. The tax stops after night seven, so nights eight, nine and ten cost you nothing extra.
Look at the last one too. The teenager pays nothing.
The rules most people miss
It is per person, not per room. A couple pays twice the rate shown above.
Children are exempt. Only guests aged 17 or over pay.
There is a seven-night cap. Longer stays pay for the first seven nights only.
Your accommodation collects it. Before you pay, check whether the tax is already in your booking total or due at the property. Booking sites handle this differently.
Try it with your own trip
Pick where you are staying, then add your guests and nights. The result updates as you type.
Barcelona tourist tax calculator
Based on the rates in force since 1 April 2026. Guests under 17 do not pay. Rates may change from April 2027.
What is coming next
The city has approved a plan to raise its surcharge by €1 each year, until it reaches €8 in 2029.
If that schedule goes ahead, a 5-star hotel would cost €15 per person, per night. The changes take effect each April.
So if you are planning a trip for 2027 or later, do not use today’s numbers. Check the current rate before you set your budget.
Where the money goes
The law that doubled the tax also sets aside a quarter of the revenue for housing policies.
Barcelona has had a tourist tax since 2012, and it has gone up several times since. This was the latest rise.
How Barcelona compares with Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and London
Barcelona is not the only city that charges. Here is how four other popular cities compare in 2026.
| City | How it is charged | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | Flat fee per person, per night, for up to 7 nights | €12 (5-star), €8.40 (4-star), €7 (1 to 3-star) |
| Paris | Flat fee per adult, per night, by category | €11.70 (5-star), €8.45 (4-star), €5.53 (3-star) |
| Rome | Flat fee per person, per night, for the first 10 nights | €10 (5-star), €7.50 (4-star), €6 (3-star) |
| Amsterdam | Percentage of the room price before VAT | 12.5% |
| London | None so far | No tourist tax yet |
Look at the 4-star line. Barcelona is now at €8.40, and Paris is at €8.45. Rome is at €7.50.
Amsterdam works differently. It takes a percentage, so the price of your room sets the tax. On a €200 room before VAT, that is €25 per night. The city has announced plans to raise the rate in the coming years.
London does not charge one yet. In May 2026, the government announced a law that would let English mayors introduce an overnight visitor levy. No rate has been set.
Apartments and cruise stops
Tourist apartments pay €9.50 per person, per night, which is more than most hotels.
Cruise passengers who spend less than 12 hours in the city have their own, separate rate. In September, the city council gave provisional approval to raise it in steps over the coming years. Check the latest figures before you go.
How to plan around it
Add the tax to your budget as its own line, before you compare hotel prices.
The gap between a 3-star and a 4-star is just €1.40 per person, per night. That is small.
Pick your hotel for the location and the neighborhood, not for the tax. The same city surcharge applies wherever you stay in Barcelona.
Not sure where to start? Here is how I would match you to a neighborhood.
- You want to walk everywhere: Barri Gòtic or El Born.
- You want quiet nights and easy metro links: Eixample.
- You want to feel like a local: Gràcia or Poble-sec.
- You want the beach at your door: Barceloneta.
I explain each one, with the honest downsides, in my guide to the best Barcelona neighborhoods to stay in as a first-timer.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the tourist tax in Barcelona in 2026?
Since 1 April 2026, the tourist tax in Barcelona is €12 per person per night in a 5-star hotel, €8.40 in a 4-star hotel, €9.50 in a tourist apartment and €7 in a 1 to 3-star hotel or guesthouse.
Is the Barcelona tourist tax charged per person or per room?
Per person. A couple pays the rate twice for each night.
Do children pay the Barcelona tourist tax?
No. Only guests aged 17 or over pay. Children under 17 are exempt.
For how many nights do you pay the Barcelona tourist tax?
For up to seven nights. The tax stops after the seventh night of the same stay.
Is the tourist tax included in the hotel price in Barcelona?
Not always. Booking sites handle it differently, so read the price breakdown before you pay and ask your accommodation if you are not sure.
Will the Barcelona tourist tax go up again?
The city has approved plans to raise its surcharge by €1 each year until it reaches €8 in 2029. Changes take effect each April.
Is it cheaper to stay outside Barcelona?
Slightly. Elsewhere in Catalonia there is a tourist tax too, but without the city surcharge, so the total per night is lower. A cheaper room can also mean higher transport costs, so compare the full picture.
Where to go next
If you are building your budget, the tax is only one of the surprises that catch people out. I put the others in one place, from timed Sagrada Família entry to dinner times: 12 mistakes to avoid in your first 3 days in Barcelona.
And once you know where you are sleeping, you need a plan for the days. I built one that does not rush you from sight to sight: the perfect 3-day itinerary in Barcelona.
