💰 Quick Context: Spain's Islands, a Per-Night Tax, Cards Almost Everywhere
The Balearic Islands are a Spanish autonomous region and use the euro. Every visitor aged 16 and over pays the sustainable tourism tax, EUR 1 to 4 per night in summer depending on the type of accommodation and a quarter of that in winter, halved from the ninth night, plus 10 percent VAT. Cards and phones work almost everywhere, and on Palma's city buses paying by card is cheaper than cash. Spain has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner.
🎧 Order Euros Before You Fly
Land with euros for beach bars, markets and sunbeds. Insured delivery, 2–5 days.
Order EUR → CEI Currency ExchangeThe Sustainable Tourism Tax, Explained
What it is. The Balearic Islands charge an impuesto sobre estancias turísticas, usually called the ecotasa or sustainable tourism tax, on every night spent in tourist accommodation: hotels, apartments, holiday rentals, hostels, campsites and cruise ships in port. The money goes to a regional fund for environmental and heritage projects.
How much. The rate depends on the type of accommodation and the season. From 1 May to 31 October, each adult pays per night: EUR 4 in five-star hotels, EUR 3 in four-star superior hotels, EUR 2 in other hotels and tourist apartments, and EUR 1 in hostels and campsites. From November to April, the same categories pay a quarter of that: EUR 1, EUR 0.75, EUR 0.50 and EUR 0.25. Ten percent VAT is added on top.
The discounts. Children under 16 pay nothing. From the ninth night of the same stay, the rate is halved, so a two-week holiday costs less per night than a long weekend.
How you pay. Your hotel or rental host collects it, usually at check-in or check-out, by card or cash. It is rarely included in the price shown on booking sites. Two adults in a standard four-star hotel for a week in July pay EUR 2 each per night: EUR 28 plus VAT. In a five-star hotel the same week costs EUR 56 plus VAT. Budget for it.
Why the Tax Is Not Going Up (Yet)
The 2026 debate. Through 2025 and 2026 the Balearic government floated raising the summer rate, to as much as EUR 6 a night in peak months, as a response to protests about overtourism in Palma and Ibiza. In September 2026 the proposal was dropped from the next regional budget after it failed to win support. The rates above, set in 2018, still apply.
What has gone up instead. Prices on the ground. Palma's official beach tariff raised the price of a sunbed or parasol from EUR 6 to EUR 10 for 2026, and ferry fares to Formentera have risen faster than inflation. The tax is a small part of a Balearic bill; the beach and the boat are where the money goes.
Island by Island: How Much Cash You Need
Mallorca. The largest and most varied island. Palma is a city where cards work everywhere, including the buses. In the mountain villages of the Serra de Tramuntana, the weekly markets and some old-fashioned bars still like cash, and village car parks often use machines that take coins or cards. EUR 30 to 50 a day in cash is plenty.
Menorca. Quieter and more local. Most restaurants take cards, but the beach kiosks on the southern calas, the parking attendants at popular coves in summer, and the markets in Ciutadella and Maó are easier with cash. Some of the most famous coves have limited car access in July and August and are reached on foot or by bus.
Ibiza. The most expensive island per day. Clubs and beach clubs take cards, often with minimum spends for a bed or table that run to hundreds of euros. The hippy markets at Es Canar and Las Dalias are cash-friendly, and the island's buses, like Palma's, charge less by card. See our Ibiza airport guide for getting from the plane to the beach.
Formentera. Reached only by ferry from Ibiza. Scooter and bike rental, beach chiringuitos and the small shops in Sant Francesc mostly take cards, but machines are few, so arrive with some euros.
Buses, Trains and Ferries
Palma's buses. Since March 2026, every bus in the EMT Palma fleet accepts contactless cards and phones, and the card fare is lower than the cash one. The A1 airport bus to the city centre costs about EUR 3 by card against about EUR 5 in cash. The old paper airport tickets were withdrawn in January 2026.
Mallorca's island buses. The TIB network links Palma with the resorts and villages and accepts contactless cards; tap on when you board and tap off when you leave so you are charged the right fare. Resident discounts on the network do not apply to visitors.
The Sóller train. The wooden train from Palma to Sóller through the mountains is a ride rather than transport, priced accordingly: about EUR 23 one way or EUR 30 return, and around EUR 38 with the vintage tram from Sóller down to the port.
Ferries. Ibiza to Formentera is a 30-minute fast ferry, from roughly EUR 10 for the cheapest crossings to more than EUR 25 at peak times; average fares rose about 18 percent in the 2026 season. Longer routes, Palma to Ibiza or Formentera and Barcelona or Valencia to the islands, cost from about EUR 50 and should be booked online by card in summer.
Formentera's Car Limit
A cap on vehicles. To protect the smallest island, Formentera limits the number of cars and motorbikes allowed on it in summer. For 2026 the cap stays at just over 10,000 authorisations, of which about 1,700 are for visitors' cars brought over on the ferry. Visitors taking their own or a hired car across must register it and pay a daily fee.
The simpler option. Most visitors leave the car in Ibiza and hire a bike, an electric bike or a scooter on Formentera, by card, at La Savina harbour. The island is small enough to cross in half an hour.
Beach Costs: Sunbeds, Beach Clubs and Chiringuitos
Municipal sunbeds. On Palma's city beaches, the official 2026 tariff is EUR 10 for a sunbed and EUR 10 for a parasol, per day. Premium beds with service cost far more: EUR 45 is common, and a full premium set at Cala Major has been priced at about EUR 125 a day. Other municipalities set their own prices, typically EUR 8 to 15 per sunbed.
Beach clubs. In Ibiza and the smarter Mallorca coves, beach clubs sell beds with a minimum spend, often EUR 50 to 150 per bed and much more for front-row or VIP areas, charged to a card at booking. Read the terms: a minimum spend is not a discount.
Chiringuitos. The small beach bars take cards more often than not, but card machines fail when the signal does. Keep a little cash for a coffee and a bocadillo.
Best ATMs to Use in the Balearic Islands
Spanish banks charge foreign cards a withdrawal fee, typically EUR 2 to 5, and the law requires the machine to show it on screen before you confirm. Read it, and cancel if it is high. There is no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in Spain.
CaixaBank
The biggest network on all four islands, with machines in Palma, Maó, Ibiza Town and the larger resorts, and at Palma and Ibiza airports.
Top Pick
Santander
Branches and machines in every main town. Shows its fee clearly before you confirm.
Recommended
Sabadell
Strong in Mallorca and Menorca. A good second option when the first machine's fee is high.
RecommendedEuronet and standalone machines
Found along the seafronts of Magaluf, Sant Antoni and Platja de Palma. Higher fees, and a screen that pushes you to accept conversion into your home currency.
Avoid⚠️ Always Choose Euros
Machines, restaurant terminals and hotel desks in the islands often offer to charge foreign cards in their home currency. The rate includes a markup of 3 to 7 percent or more. Choose euros every time; our DCC explainer shows the arithmetic.
Tipping in the Balearic Islands
Spanish habits. Service is included in prices, and tipping is modest: round up at a bar, leave 5 to 10 percent at a restaurant for good service, and give a euro or two to a porter. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip. In the British and German resorts, some staff are used to more generous tips; there is no obligation.
Balearic Islands Quick Reference
| Destination | Cards? | Cash Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist tax | ✅ Card or cash | EUR 1–4/night in summer | Halved from night nine |
| Palma buses | ✅ Contactless | About EUR 3 by card | Cash costs more |
| Sóller train | ✅ Yes | About EUR 23 one way | Book ahead in summer |
| Formentera ferry | ✅ Online | From about EUR 10 | Rising every season |
| Beach sunbeds | Mixed | EUR 10 in Palma, more elsewhere | Premium beds far more |
| Markets and kiosks | ❌ Often cash | Small amounts | Menorca coves, Ibiza markets |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the tourist tax in Mallorca and the Balearic Islands?
Per person per night, from 1 May to 31 October: 4 euros in five-star hotels, 3 euros in four-star superior hotels, 2 euros in other hotels and tourist apartments, and 1 euro in hostels and campsites. From November to April the rates are a quarter of that. Ten percent VAT is added, under-16s are exempt, and the rate halves from the ninth night of a stay.
Is the Balearic tourist tax going up in 2026?
No. A proposal to raise the summer rate to as much as 6 euros a night was dropped by the Balearic government in September 2026. The rates have been unchanged since 2018.
Is the tourist tax included in my booking?
Usually not. Most hotels and holiday rentals collect it at check-in or check-out, in addition to the price you booked online. Some package holidays include it; check your confirmation.
Do I need cash in Mallorca?
Very little. Hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, buses and most beach clubs take cards. Carry 30 to 60 euros a day for small beach bars, market stalls, sunbed attendants on some beaches, parking machines in villages, and tips.
Is the Palma airport bus cheaper by card?
Yes. Palma's EMT buses, including the A1 airport line, take contactless cards and phones on every bus since March 2026, and the card fare is lower than paying cash on board: about 3 euros against about 5.
Is there a Global ATM Alliance bank in the Balearic Islands?
No. Spain has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA debit card pays the 5 dollar non-network fee and 3 percent international transaction fee at any machine. Spanish machines must show their own fee before you confirm.
Balearic Islands money toolkit
Deep-dive guides for specific banks, airports, and traveler nationalities in the Balearic Islands. Each one builds on this overview with card-by-card fee math, exact ATM locations, or terminal-by-terminal directions.
Go deeper: the Balearic airports and mainland Spain
Most visitors arrive through Palma or Ibiza, and both airports have their own guides covering the buses, the taxi ranks and the machines in arrivals. For Spanish banking in general, tipping and the rules on ATM fees, the Spain guide is the place to start.
Hero photo: Cala Mesquida, Mallorca, by dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.