Tourist tax, cleaning fees and other extras on temporary stays

Key rules

• Tourist tax: Only Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and some towns such as those in Galicia charge it, so check your destination.
• Night cap: Catalonia charges the tax for a maximum of 7 nights and the Balearics for up to 9 nights, so a month-long stay does not pay it for every night.
• Deposit return: On a housing lease, expect your deposit back within one month of returning the keys.
• Cleaning: Cleaning is a flat fee per stay, not per night.
• Utilities: Get in writing whether utilities are included, capped or metered.

Tourist tax rates, platform fees and market ranges change often, so confirm the current figures with the host and your town hall before paying.

The headline rate is rarely the total

Expect to pay the nightly or monthly rate plus several extras. Some are in the price you see, some are added at checkout, and some are paid on arrival. Ask for the full list in writing before you book. The checklist below covers the questions to ask.

Tourist tax: only some places charge it

The tourist tax applies in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Some towns in Galicia (such as Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña and Vigo) charge it too. Madrid, Andalusia and most of the rest of Spain do not charge a regional tax. New local taxes are being introduced, so check your exact town before you book.

• Catalonia: you pay per person per night, for a maximum of 7 nights. Barcelona adds its own surcharge. Rates rose recently. In Barcelona, expect roughly €5 to €8 per person per night in total. Outside Barcelona, expect about half that.
• Balearic Islands: you pay per person per night, for up to 9 nights in the same place. Rates are higher in summer and lower in winter. Expect roughly €2 to €4 per person per night in high season at most hotels and tourist apartments. Children under 16 do not pay.

The guest owes the tax, but the host or hotel collects it. It usually appears as a separate line, paid at check-in, at check-out or on the final invoice. Some booking platforms collect it for you and others show it as payable at the property. Your booking confirmation shows which applies.

Cleaning fee

Cleaning is a flat charge per stay, not per night. For short stays, expect roughly €30 to €60 for a studio or one-bedroom and €60 to €100 for two or three bedrooms. Mid-term stays usually have one final cleaning of roughly €50 to €120. A longer stay rarely lowers it.

Deposit

On mid-term lets the deposit is commonly one to two months' rent. For a standard housing lease, the legal deposit is one month's rent. The landlord must return it within one month of you handing back the keys, with legal interest if it is late. Seasonal lets follow the contract, so read what it says about deductions. Short platform stays usually hold €100 to €500 for damage on your card or in cash.

Utilities

For stays of 1 to 6 months, utilities are often included in the rent. Otherwise they are capped, typically around €50 to €150 a month, with the excess billed to you. Or they are metered, and you pay the actual bills. Internet is usually included. Get the model and any cap in the contract, because winter heating and air conditioning can push you over a cap.

Platform fees and add-ons

Some platforms add a guest service fee of roughly 14% to 16%, shown in the price breakdown at checkout. Others charge guests nothing and take a commission from the host. Late check-in or key handover can cost €10 to €50, especially after 22:00.

Cancellation terms

Flexible rates allow free cancellation from 24 hours to 7 days before check-in. Non-refundable rates are cheaper but return nothing. Mid-term stays are stricter, often with 30 days' notice. Peak dates such as summer, Easter and festivals can bring longer notice periods or non-refundable deposits of 30% to 50%.

Choosing between options

How will you pay the tourist tax and choose your cancellation terms?

• Pay the tax at the property: Fits hotels and most tourist rentals: the host collects it at check-out or on the final invoice, as a separate line. Budget for it on top of the booking price.

• Pay the tax through the platform: Fits listings where the platform collects it for you, as Airbnb does in some areas such as Catalonia. Your booking confirmation will show it as included.

• Flexible cancellation rate: Fits when your dates may change. Free cancellation usually runs until 24 hours to 7 days before check-in. It costs more than the cheaper rate.

• Non-refundable rate: Fits when your dates are fixed. It is cheaper but gives no refund. Peak dates such as summer, Easter and local festivals may need a 30–50% non-refundable payment.

Whoever collects the tax is shown in your booking confirmation. If your dates are not fixed, pay more for flexible terms. If they are fixed, take the cheaper non-refundable rate.

Timeline and deadlines

• Agree whether utilities are included, capped or metered: before you book a stay of 1–6 months

• Check the cancellation terms, including stricter peak-date rules: before you pay; peak season on the coast and islands runs from July to August

• Pay the deposit your contract asks for, commonly one to two months' rent on mid-term lets: when you sign or before you move in

• Pay the final cleaning fee, a single charge on mid-term stays: at booking or on arrival, depending on the host

Charges to confirm before you book a bridge stay

• Ask whether the nightly or monthly rate is paid in full at booking or split, for example 30–50% at booking and the balance before arrival.

• Check the platform service fee in the price breakdown at checkout. It is paid with the booking and can add around 14–16% on some Airbnb listings, while Booking.com does not normally charge guests one.

• Ask for the deposit amount and when you pay it. For mid-term or seasonal lets it is commonly one to two months' rent; short stays usually ask €100–500, often as a card hold at booking or arrival.

• Ask when the deposit comes back and what can be deducted. Expect it after checkout and inspection, minus unpaid bills or damage.

• Confirm the cleaning fee and whether it is already in the booking price or paid on arrival. Expect a flat charge, roughly €30–60 for a studio or one-bedroom, and a long stay rarely reduces it.

• Ask who collects the tourist tax and when.

• Ask whether utilities are included, capped or metered. If capped, get the monthly limit (typically €50–150) and the price of any excess; if metered, ask when you settle, monthly or at checkout.

• Ask about extras such as late check-in or key handover (often €10–50, especially after 22:00), early check-in, late check-out, parking, linen changes and pets.

• Ask how an extension is priced and paid. It follows the rate in force, which may be higher at short notice, and you pay when it is approved. Booking directly with the host can avoid the platform fee.

Frequently asked questions

Do children pay the tourist tax?

Usually not, below a set age. In Catalonia children under 17 are exempt, and in the Balearics children under 16. Galicia's municipal taxes use a lower age, such as 14 or 16, depending on the town.

Do I pay the tax for a whole month-long stay?

No, the tax stops at a night cap. In Catalonia you pay for the first 7 nights, and in the Balearics for up to 9 nights per stay in the same establishment. Work stays are generally not exempt.

Who is exempt for medical or social reasons?

In Catalonia and the Balearics, people staying for hospital or medical treatment are exempt, together with a companion. So are people travelling on IMSERSO or similar social programmes. Ask the host or hotel what proof they need.

Is the tourist tax already in the price I see on a booking site?

Often it is not. Hotels normally add it as a separate line at check-out, and some listings show it as a charge payable at the property.

Which other places may charge a tourist tax by 2027?

Galicia (Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Vigo and others), San Sebastián in the Basque Country, Mogán in the Canaries and Asturias already have or have approved one. Seville has also been mentioned. Ask the town hall or your host about your exact town.