Slow Travel Sicily: Taormina One Month Costs | Sicily Budget Breakdown
Over 31 days in Taormina, Sicily, we tracked every dollar of our slow travel lifestyle. The total might surprise you. For us, Sicily was worth it, and with a few adjustments, it can be affordable for any budget.
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Table of Contents
Why Taormina
We arrived in Italy from Cancún to start the three-month spring season. Taormina gave us beautiful hillside views, a lively old town, access to the coast, good grocery options, and train and bus connections for exploring. We also wanted to visit San Domenico Palace from White Lotus and try its Michelin-star restaurant, Principe Cerami.
Weather: upper 50s to low 80s most days, mostly sunny, cool evenings. Great for walking, hiking, and exploring in March as the island reopened for the season.
Vibe: a very walkable historic center with cafés, markets, shops, and a rocky footpath down to the sea. Crowds increase on cruise days and as Easter approaches.
Money and Paying for Things
ATMs were easily accessible in town. We declined the conversion and saw no ATM fees on our withdrawals.
- Cash withdrawals: $818.36 total across three pulls
- Cash was handy for local buses, small cafés, some entrances, and taxis.
- Everything else went on a credit card without issue.
Accommodations — $2,518.50
We booked about eight months ahead after comparing Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia. We chose a three-bedroom apartment just outside the old town. New kitchen, washing machine, clothesline, solid Wi-Fi that we boosted with our extender, plenty of hot water, and weekly crisp, starched sheets. Quirks included a thin mattress that we had to double up on, no heat on chilly mornings, and a specific recycling routine with fines for mistakes. We also added one night in a hotel in Cefalù, including breakfast and parking, for $155.
Rate: approximately $79 per night for the entire stay.
Eating Out — $2,447.31
Food in Sicily is a joy, and it became one of our top expenses. Highlights:
- Bam Bar for daily brioche and granita with cream
- Osteria Da Rita for fresh pasta, bruschetta, and lemon meatballs
- Da Cristina for arancini and pizza slices
- La Bottega del Formaggio for local charcuterie
- Porta Messina for grilled octopus and eggplant pasta
- Mimmo and Son for ravioli and tiramisu
- Pasticceria D’Amore and La Pignolata for cannoli
Splurge: Principe Cerami at San Domenico Palace. Six-course tasting menu with cocktails at the piano bar. Two people: $479.69. A special night and a favorite memory (Check out our video for the full experience).
Groceries
Mostly at Decò near our apartment. Solid deli and cheese counter. We kept staples at home and still ate out often. Orange sparkling water became a thing.
Health & Wellness
No spending here, though we did have a staircase that tumbled, needing rest, ice, and ibuprofen, which we packed. Taormina has a hospital if needed.
Phone & Wi-Fi
eSIMs with Airalo:
- 5 GB plans at $14.50 each
- We added data partway through due to heavy navigation use on day trips.
Total for the month for two phones: $67.50
Entertainment and Day Trips
Our One-Month Sicily Itinerary
We based ourselves in Taormina for the month, but we also explored much of the island through a mix of day trips and overnight stays. Here’s where we went and what we did:
Catania
- Arrived by train, then caught a bus to Taormina
- Explored the lively food market, ancient theater, and historic architecture around the city center (Free to Wander)
- Enjoyed local Sicilian food before heading back (€10 each)
Mount Etna
- Rented a car for the day and drove to the volcano
- Took the cable car up the slopes, followed by a 4×4 ride and guided summit tour
- Covered gas and parking costs, but standing on the rim of an active volcano was worth every penny.
- Mount Etna, $170.77, including: gondola ride up, 4×4 transfer, and guided walk on the crater rim – a top memory of the month.
Messina
- Traveled by train from Taormina
- Bought tickets for the hop-on hop-off bus (€22 each) to explore the city highlights
- Watched the famous astronomical clock strike at noon
- Strolled the main shopping street and admired historic churches and ruins
Syracuse & Ortigia
- Train ride from Taormina with local entrance fees $13.20
- Explored Ortigia Island with its open-air market, sea walls, and fortress
- Visited the Greek Theater, Roman ruins, and the Basilica
- Wandered narrow streets and soaked up coastal views.
- Greek Theater $15.34
- Roman Theater and archaeological park $29.65
- Basilica Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime (Free Will Offering) and Castello Maniace $20.45
Agrigento & Villa Romana del Casale
- Rented a car and drove across the island
- Explored the Valley of the Temples, some of the most complete ancient temples in the world
- Stopped at Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its well-preserved Roman mosaics
- Valley of the Temples: $26.18 for two
- Villa Romana del Casale: €10 per person entrance fee plus €3 parking *World-class Roman mosaics and a must-see
Cefalù & Palermo
- Overnight trip with a rental car, including a hotel stay in Cefalù
- In Palermo, we visited Teatro Massimo, the cathedral, and enjoyed wandering the historic streets
- In Cefalù, we strolled the seaside, explored the charming old town, and enjoyed a memorable pasta meal surrounded by local families.
- Palermo Teatro Massimo $26 and Cathedral $15.22
- Cefalù for seaside strolls and pasta
Taormina (Our Home Base)
- Daily walks through the old town and down the rocky path to Isola Bella
- Visits to the Greek Theater, Municipal Gardens, and small churches
- Day trip up to Castelmola by bus, with a scenic hike back down
- Countless memorable meals from Bam Bar granitas to Michelin-starred dining at San Domenico Palace
- Teatro Antico (Greek Theater): $26 for two
- Climb to the café’s second floor for epic views and a great photo spot near the gift shop.
- Isola Bella: gardens and museum closed when we went, beach is free, entry usually €6 when open
- Municipal Gardens: free
- Castelmola: €2 bus up, hike down with expansive views, lunch at Bar Turrisi
- Boat tour around Isola Bella: listed at €50 per person, but negotiated to a total of €50 for the last two seats.
- Churches, small museums, gates, and ruins around town. Some are free or cash only.
- Teatro Antico (Greek Theater): $26 for two
Transportation Details
Flights — $1,711.96
Two Delta Comfort seats operated by KLM from Cancún to Catania with a 9-hour layover in Amsterdam. We used the layover to sample Amsterdam without incurring the expense of an expensive stay. Arrived in Catania at 7 p.m. and chose a $127 private car to Taormina to avoid missing the last train.
Rental Cars
Roughly $100 per day with full insurance for day trips:
- One-day rentals to Mount Etna and Agrigento
- A two-day rental for Palermo and Cefalù
- Individual costs: $87.56, $98.51, $98.12, $98.69
- Gas: $100.11 total
- Tolls: about €20 for the month
- We used California Rent-A-Car near the park. Parking spot included on multi-day rentals, which is valuable in Taormina.
Distances and Tolls
- Taormina to Agrigento is about 210 km each way
- A18 tolls near Catania roughly €2 to €5 one way
- Loop via Palermo, Cefalù, back through Messina was about €12 total
Trains
Tickets via Trenitalia. Remember to check in on regional tickets.
Round-trip for two:
- Messina: $30.66
- Catania: $33.00
- Siracusa: $57.00
Buses
Cash only.
- Taormina to Castelmola €2 each way
- To Isola Bella €1.10 each way
- To the train station €1.90 each way
Taxis
Approximately €20 per ride in Giardini Naxos, or to or from the station. Uber exists but is limited and effectively premium only.
Cable Car
Old town to Isola Bella €6 each way or €10 round trip. It was closed for repairs during our stay, so we hiked down and took the bus back up.
Shopping
We window-shopped more than we bought. Temptations included leather, ceramics, and designer boutiques on Corso Umberto. Purchases included two Scully caps in Taormina and a few stickers in Palermo. We follow a one-in, one-out rule to keep bags light.
See Taormina and Sicily Come Alive in Our Budget Breakdown Video
Grand Total and Daily Cost
31 days in Sicily total: $8,799.41
That equals $283.85 per day or $141.93 per person per day.
This was one of our pricier months. The combination of upgraded transatlantic flights, frequent day trips, rental cars, and a Michelin-star experience pushed us above our typical spend. We balance months like this with lower-cost months to keep our overall annual budget on track.
Was It Worth It
For us, yes. Taormina and Sicily delivered on scenery, history, food, and day-trip variety. Off-season meant gentler crowds and more local rhythms. We also felt the impact of tourist dependence, especially around cruise ship days and the Easter pricing shift. We would not choose peak summer. For beach days in season, you will likely need a club lounger rather than a free towel spot.
We fit a lot into one month and paid for the privilege. No regrets. We had been dreaming of Sicily for years, and we wanted the whole experience to be perfect.
Resources and Links
Watch the full Sicily budget breakdown and explore our complete cost series from other destinations:
Where we stayed
Connectivity and security
- GigSky eSIM (land and cruise plans)
- Firsty eSIM (free data with ads)
- Airalo eSIM new customer 15% off
- Airalo existing customer 10% off
- ExpressVPN 30-day offer
Gear
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Frequently Asked Questions about Sicily Travel Costs
How much does it cost to spend a month in Sicily?
We spent $8,799.41 for 31 days in Taormina, Sicily, which works out to about $283.85 per day for two people. This included accommodations, food, entertainment, transportation, and all-day trips. Sicily can be done for less or more, depending on your style. Travelers on a tighter budget may spend closer to $3,000–$4,000 per month, while luxury stays can easily double our costs.
Is Taormina expensive compared to other towns in Sicily?
Yes, Taormina is one of the more expensive towns in Sicily, especially for accommodations and dining. Its popularity, cruise ship visitors, and location on the hill above the sea make it pricier than Catania or Palermo. Budget-conscious travelers often base themselves in Catania or Siracusa for lower costs and better transportation links.
What was your biggest expense in Sicily?
Our largest expense was transportation at $2,716.40, which included flights from Mexico, rental cars, trains, and buses. Accommodations were next at $2,518.50, followed closely by eating out at $2,447.31.
Is eating out in Sicily affordable?
It depends on where you go. Local cafés, arancini shops, and trattorias are very affordable (often under €10 per person). But fine dining or Michelin-starred experiences, like our dinner at Principe Cerami in San Domenico Palace, can cost several hundred euros. On average, we spent more on eating out in Sicily than in many other destinations.
How much do day trips in Sicily cost?
Day trip costs vary:
Mount Etna tour: about $170 for two with cable car, 4×4 ride, and guide
Valley of the Temples in Agrigento: $26.18 entry for two
Greek Theater in Taormina: $26 for two
Villa Romana del Casale: €10 per person
Train trips to Messina, Siracusa, and Catania ranged from $30–$57 for two round-trip tickets
Is public transportation in Sicily reliable?
Trains and buses work well between major towns, but schedules can be limited, especially outside peak hours. We relied on rental cars for Agrigento, Palermo, and Cefalù since public transport would have taken too long. Around Taormina, local buses were cheap but cash-only.
When is the best time to visit Taormina and Sicily for budget travel?
The shoulder seasons (spring and fall) are ideal. We visited in March at the tail end of the off-season, which meant fewer crowds and lower prices. Summer and fall are high season, with higher accommodation costs, crowded beaches, and packed narrow streets. Winter is generally cheaper, but the weather is less predictable.
Can Sicily be done on a smaller budget?
Absolutely. You can lower costs by:
Basing yourself in Catania instead of Taormina
Cooking more meals at home and limiting dining out
Reducing the number of day trips
Booking flights with more flexible routes
Using regional trains instead of rental cars when possible
Was Sicily worth the cost for slow travel?
For us, yes. Sicily had been on our list for years, and we wanted to experience it fully. The food, history, and scenery lived up to the dream. While it was one of our more expensive months, balancing pricier destinations like Sicily with more affordable months keeps our overall travel lifestyle sustainable.
