A typical two-night Costa del Sol hen or stag weekend costs about €550-€1,050 per person including return flights. For a group of 12 travelling outside July and August, €800 per person is a sensible working target for shared accommodation, flights, food, drinks, one paid activity and transport.
That is a planning range, not a package quote. Flight city, exact dates, room allocation and drinking habits can move the figure more than the difference between an eight-person and a 16-person group.
What the estimate includes
To make the figures comparable, every column uses the same weekend:
Two nights and three days
Return economy flight with a cabin bag
Shared rooms or a group apartment or villa
Two dinners, two breakfasts or brunches and casual daytime food
Drinks on two evenings, without a nightclub table or unlimited package
One organised activity
Return airport transport and the main local journeys
It does not include checked baggage, travel insurance, a damage deposit, single-room supplements, golf club hire, nightclub tables or covering the bride's or groom's share.
Cost breakdown by group size
All figures are per person in euros. The total row also shows what the range means for the whole group.
| Category | 8 people | 12 people | 16 people | What changes with group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, two nights | €180-€280 | €150-€240 | €130-€220 | Larger groups can share villas, apartments and fixed cleaning costs more efficiently, provided most beds are used. |
| Return flights | €120-€250 | €120-€250 | €120-€250 | The group size provides little protection. Price depends on route, dates, baggage and when each person books. |
| Food | €110-€180 | €110-€180 | €110-€180 | Set menus can control the bill, but the amount people eat does not fall because the group is larger. |
| Drinks and nightlife | €90-€200 | €90-€200 | €90-€200 | This is mainly personal spending. Tables, premium bottles and clubs can take it well above the range. |
| One organised activity | €70-€150 | €60-€130 | €55-€120 | Private boats, guides and transfers become cheaper per person when fixed costs are shared. |
| Airport and local transport | €45-€80 | €35-€65 | €30-€55 | A pre-booked minibus usually scales better than several taxis, although a 16-person group may need two vehicles. |
| Typical total per person | €615-€1,140 | €565-€1,065 | €535-€1,025 | — |
| Useful working figure per person | About €875 | About €815 | About €780 | The midpoint is for planning, not a promised price. |
| Whole-group range | €4,920-€9,120 | €6,780-€12,780 | €8,560-€16,400 | The organiser should not personally carry these commitments. Collect money before booking. |
The lowest figure in each range assumes sensible dates, shared rooms, one standard activity and controlled nights out. The top figure allows for stronger flights and accommodation, a more expensive activity and two lively evenings. A luxury villa, premium golf, a private boat or nightclub table sits outside it.
Why a larger group is not automatically much cheaper
Going from eight people to 16 can reduce the per-person cost of accommodation, private transport and activities with a fixed charter or guide fee. It does little to reduce flights, meals or drinks, which make up a large part of the weekend.
The saving also disappears when the property has unused beds. A 16-bed villa shared by 13 people is priced for 16 but divided by 13. Build the budget around the number who have paid a non-refundable deposit, not the number in the group chat.
How destination changes the budget
Puerto Banús is normally the most expensive base because accommodation, drinks and late-night venues are concentrated in a premium area. Central Marbella and the Golden Mile remain relatively expensive, while San Pedro de Alcántara can reduce the accommodation bill if the group accepts taxi journeys. Cancelada, in Estepona, is also worth comparing for villas and flats with communal pools; it can cost materially less than Nueva Andalucía or central Marbella, but transport to Marbella and Puerto Banús must be added. Benalmádena and parts of Mijas Costa generally offer a lower entry price for accommodation and casual nightlife.
As a practical planning adjustment, allow roughly €100-€250 more per person for a Puerto Banús-led weekend than for a comparable trip based in Benalmádena or Mijas Costa. This is an estimate rather than a fixed destination surcharge: a cheap apartment in Banús can still beat an expensive villa elsewhere, and repeated taxis can erase the saving from staying farther away.
Compare the full plan, not just the nightly rate. A property that saves €25 per person but creates four extra return journeys for a large group may cost more by Sunday.
How season changes the budget
July and August are the most expensive and least forgiving months. Flights and accommodation rise, popular venues may require stronger commitments and there is less room to replace a bad booking. For the same two-night plan, allow about €100-€300 extra per person compared with a well-booked shoulder-season weekend.
May, June, September and early October usually offer the best balance of warm weather, active venues and manageable prices. March, April and late October can cost less, but beach, boat and outdoor plans need a more realistic weather fallback. Easter, bank-holiday weekends, major events and school holidays can behave like peak dates even outside summer.
Three workable budget levels
Around €550 per person: possible, but every choice matters
This budget needs lower-cost flights, full use of shared accommodation, one modest paid activity and controlled food and drinks. It is more realistic in Benalmádena, Mijas Costa, San Pedro or a well-priced Cancelada apartment than in Puerto Banús. A nightclub table, premium villa or private boat will break it.
Around €800 per person: the realistic middle
This is the most useful target for a 12-person group. It gives room for decent flight times, shared accommodation, one strong activity, two proper dinners, organised transport and two nights out without treating every decision as the cheapest available option.
€1,100+ per person: premium choices or peak dates
Expect this level when the group wants Puerto Banús accommodation, single rooms, a high-end villa, golf at a premium tee time, a private boat, higher-end dinners or bottle service. It can also happen without luxury when July or August flights and rooms are booked late.
How to keep the cost down without ruining the weekend
1. Set the maximum before choosing the destination
Ask for a firm, affordable total from each person before anyone starts sending villa links. If the lowest genuine limit is €700, build a €630 plan and keep €70 uncommitted. Designing an €850 weekend and hoping everybody finds the difference is how the organiser ends up subsidising it.
2. Get flight commitment on the same day
Flights are not a group cost unless they are booked as one contract, and fares can move while people wait. Agree the route, baggage allowance and latest booking time, then have everyone book within the same short window. Compare the final price with the required bag, not the headline fare.
3. Price accommodation by paid guests and usable beds
Divide the total by the people who have paid, not the property's advertised capacity. Check bed types, sofa beds, cleaning fees, tourist charges, damage deposit and whether hen or stag groups are accepted. Compare villas with apartments or flats that have communal pools: the latter can be cheaper and easier for a group that will spend most of the weekend out. A cheaper property in Cancelada is not cheaper overall if repeated taxis remove the saving.
4. Pay for one activity people will remember
One well-chosen activity is better than filling every hour with average packages. Use the second half-day for the beach, pool, Old Town, a self-run padel tournament or watching a match. This saves money and leaves enough time for a delayed flight, a slow lunch or people who need a break.
5. Compare activities with transport included
A canyoning or quad-biking price can look cheaper until a private transfer is added. Ask for the meeting point, return time, equipment, insurance, drinks and transport in the same quote. Compare the complete per-person figure and the amount of the day it occupies.
6. Use set menus selectively
A transparent group menu can control one important dinner, speed up service and reduce arguments over the bill. Check whether VAT, service, water and drinks are included and how long any drinks package lasts. Keep the other meal casual so the group is not committed to two expensive menus.
7. Spend on location or transport, not both by accident
Staying close to the main night out may justify a higher room rate. Staying farther away can work when accommodation savings exceed the cost of airport, activity and late-night transport. Put both versions into the same budget before deciding.
8. Collect non-refundable money before making commitments
The organiser should not finance the weekend. State which payments are refundable, set the group's deadline earlier than the supplier's and make late joiners accept the current price. If one person drops out, do not automatically divide their unpaid share among everyone else without agreement.
9. Keep a 10% contingency outside the advertised spend
Airport food, a missed transfer, luggage fees, extra taxis and a final round are ordinary risks, not exceptional ones. A small reserve lets the weekend absorb them without a fresh collection every few hours. Return what is not used.
Costs people commonly forget
Checked bags, sports equipment and allocated seats
Travel insurance and activity exclusions
Cleaning fees, tourist charges and accommodation damage deposits
Airport food and drinks on arrival or departure day
Transfers to mountain, golf or karting locations
Restaurant service charges and drinks outside a group menu
Club entry, cloakroom, table minimums and late-night taxis
The bride's or groom's share, if the rest of the group is covering it
If the group is paying for the guest of honour, multiply that person's expected spend by one and divide it among everybody else. On an €800 weekend, 11 people covering one person's share add about €73 each; seven people covering one add about €114 each.