There’s an ongoing narrative that Ibiza has become greedy. I read it all the time on social media and its mentioned frequently when talking to people, especially during the peak season.
Everything is apparently too expensive – drinks, restaurants, hotels, clubs, sun-beds, taxis. Basically, if it involves spending money on the island, someone somewhere is complaining that Ibiza has lost the plot.
Now here’s a point of conversation. Is it really greed or is it just business? If a business can charge €20 for something and people are prepared to pay €20, why would they charge €10?
That isn’t uniquely Ibicencan. It’s pretty much how every business on the planet works and here’s the bit that seems to always get forgotten: Ibiza gives you choice.
You don’t have to spend €25 on a cocktail. You can find a perfectly decent drink for considerably less, a can of beer in Lidl is 50 cents FFS.
You don’t have to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant. There are cafés, menú del día, local restaurants, supermarkets and plenty of places where your wallet won’t immediately require medical attention.
You don’t have to stay in a five-star hotel. You don’t have to spend €100 on a sunbed and you certainly don’t have to spend €200 on a night out.
The island offers an enormous spectrum of experiences and prices. Yes, some of them are eye-wateringly expensive but nobody is forcing you to pay those prices.
The simple fact is that Ibiza commands a premium because people want to be here.
The discerning tourists want world-class clubs, top DJs, fancy restaurants, beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets and a ridiculous choice of entertainment. Let’s not forget the atmosphere, the people, the freedom and the feeling that, for a few days, normal rules have been suspended.
You can find cheaper holidays, of course you can. I can’t recommend the Greek Islands enough and I love Benidorm. You can also go to Turkey, Egypt, Bulgaria and the Canaries. Plenty of destinations offer cheaper beer, cheaper accommodation and cheaper nights out.
And that brings me to one of my favourite Ibiza conversations:
“Ibiza is so expensive, it’s only €2 a pint in Benidorm.”
“Go to Benidorm then.”
“I don’t want to go to Benidorm. I want to go to Ibiza.”
Exactly and that’s the point. You can’t simultaneously demand Ibiza’s unique product while insisting it should be priced like somewhere completely different.
The more pertinent question isn’t whether Ibiza is consumed by greed it’s how much is too much because every market has a tipping point. Charge too much and customers walk away. Charge too little and you’ve probably got a problem too.
Ibiza businesses are constantly testing that invisible line between “that’s expensive, but I’ll pay it” and “you can fuck right off” and some will undoubtedly get it wrong.
There will be businesses that overreach. There will be tourist traps. There will be ridiculous prices for mediocre products and these absolutely need calling out.
But let’s not pretend the entire island has suddenly discovered greed. Ibiza is a premium destination operating in a market where demand is incredibly high. That’s not necessarily greed, it’s pure capitalism and Ibiza has been practicing it for generations and ultimately, and I can’t emphasise this enough – the customer has the final vote.
If you think €25 for a cocktail is ridiculous, don’t buy it. If €500 for a hotel room makes your eyes water, stay somewhere else. If a club ticket is too expensive, don’t go. There are plenty of alternatives.
And if enough people decide that the price has crossed the line, the market will respond. That’s how it works.
Ibiza isn’t for everyone and that’s just fine – My Mum wasn’t a big fan – but perhaps the real misconception is that Ibiza should somehow be affordable to everyone simply because everyone wants to come here. It shouldn’t and nor should it become an exclusive playground where only the wealthy can enjoy it.
The challenge for Ibiza is maintaining that balance, keeping the island accessible while recognising the extraordinary demand for what it offers because Ibiza’s greatest asset isn’t a €25 cocktail, a €500 hotel room or a €200 club ticket. It’s Ibiza itself.
The incredible landscape. The beaches. The villages. The sunsets. The music. The food. The people. The history. The spontaneity and that care-free attitude that makes people fall in love with the place.
You can absolutely have an amazing time in Ibiza without spending a fortune but you’ll have to look beyond your Instagram feed and if you really believe everything is too expensive, there’s always Benidorm, it’s only €2 a pint!
MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace 
We’ve been coming to Ibiza twice a year for the last 20 years. I would say we were “middle of the road” type visitors. (Don’t want 50c Lidl beer, but don’t want €50 G&T’s either). Car Hire has always been a reasonable price, around €450 for 3 weeks. This year, just shy of €1000 for the same period.
Now I don’t know whether that’s supply and demand, due to the vehicle cap, business, greed, or downright Highway Robbery. It does feel like we’ve been pulled over by Dick Turpin though!
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I’ve been coming to Ibiza since 1995, originally staying at the Jovial, have have now visited over 100 times and have owned property on the island. The VIP culture and high prices has always been discussed but I think the difference is that the ‘VIP’ bars and restaurants are the norm rather than the exception now. CBBC taking over local restaurants on the beach, the loss of the traditional restaurant at Cala Gracio (although run by the same people, but much bigger price tags), I think that is the difference. We used to mix our holiday up, expensive days and cheaper days. This now seems harder to do. Or maybe I’ve just become that person that moans that it’s not as good as it used to be!
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I think you should stop sitting on the fence, Martin. I wouldn’t call the visitors who come for the clubs for stays of 1 to 3 days discerning. Yes it’s greed, with the already rich being the main benefactors via endemic corruption. It’s also more expensive here now than many other capital cities including London. The bargain outlets you mentioned are disappearing fast.
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