Eating out in Barcelona for under €10 is still possible, just not on every street. These are the five tricks we use at RataMap. We posted them on Instagram and TikTok; here they are in more detail.
1. Walk two streets away from the tourist areas
On the busiest tourist streets, such as La Rambla or around the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, menus tend to cost more. Two or three streets further on are the bars where locals go, with neighbourhood prices. The map already has several examples in the city centre and Eixample.
2. Look for the chalkboard at the door
The chalkboard by the entrance says what is on today and what it costs: the menú del día (set lunch), the dish of the day or a sandwich with a drink. If the price is written down, there are no surprises when you pay. Take a photo of it: it also works as proof for adding the place to RataMap.
3. Order at the bar or to take away
Many bars charge extra for a table on the terrace, and sometimes a table inside costs more than the bar too. The menu should say so. Eating at the bar or ordering to take away is usually the cheapest.
4. Order food that comes by the piece
Tacos, empanadas and pizza slices are ordered one at a time, so you decide how much you spend. They are among the cheapest things on the map: see the tacos, empanadas and pizza pages.
5. Check the price, with its photo, before you go
On RataMap every price comes with a photo of the menu or receipt and the month it was checked; if nobody reconfirms it within 180 days, it is struck through. That way you know what you will pay before you leave home. The prices page sums up the cheapest by dish and by neighbourhood, and the ranking compares each place with its own neighbourhood.
The map today
Cheapest: Montadito at 100 Montaditos Urquinaona, €1. Live data from the map as of 11 November 2026.
Got a sixth trick?
Leave it in the comments on Instagram or TikTok (@ratamap.es). And if you find a cheap place, take a photo of the menu or receipt and add it to the map: it takes under a minute.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you eat cheap in Barcelona?
- Walk away from the busiest tourist streets, read the chalkboard at the door, eat at the bar or take away, and order food that comes by the piece, such as tacos, empanadas or pizza. On RataMap you can see places under €10 before you go, each price checked with a photo.
- Is it more expensive to eat on the terrace?
- Often, yes: many bars charge extra for serving on the terrace, and the menu should say so. To spend less, order at the bar or to take away.
- Where is the cheapest food on RataMap?
- The prices page shows the cheapest by dish and by neighbourhood using the map’s current prices, and the ranking compares each place with its own neighbourhood.
- What if a price on RataMap has changed?
- Each price shows the month it was checked, and after 180 days without being reconfirmed it is struck through. If you see a different price, take a photo of the menu or receipt and upload it from the place’s page to update it.