Spain's summer vacation spending shifts as inflation drives up prices

A TikTok video by the account "Soy Camarero" showed six people paying €282 for a meal and drinks at a beach bar, with a single bottle of champagne costing €80. The clip went viral, highlighting the steep rise in beverage prices at tourist venues.

Data from Spain's Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) indicate that inflation surged to 3.5% in July, the highest level in two years. For the first time, accommodation now accounts for 25.5% of domestic vacation spending, overtaking bars and restaurants, which fell to 26.3%. Overall tourist expenditure stalled at €16.298 billion in 2025, while a reduction in fuel subsidies and higher living costs forced families to re‑allocate budgets. Mahou San Miguel's general manager Alberto Rodríguez‑Toquero linked a 4.7% drop in beer sales in 2025 to this shift toward transport and lodging over leisure spending.