Staggering prices to attend the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, to be held in February, will be an unforgettable experience, but also a very expensive one for those who can afford to attend. An Altroconsumo survey conducted between November and December 2025 revealed exorbitant prices for those wishing to watch the events live.

The most expensive resort will be Cortina d'Ampezzo, where for a weekend during the Games, people spend an average of over 2,000 euros on accommodation alone, an increase of 261% compared to a normal weekend in January 2026.

But it's Valtellina that records the most shocking price rise: here, the average cost of accommodation reaches almost 1,700 euros, an increase of 437% on January.

The resorts of Val di Fiemme (around 500 euros) and Milan (just over 300 euros for a weekend) are more affordable, although still twice as expensive as normal.

Altroconsumo's survey compared the prices of three-star hotels and the five best Airbnb deals available, revealing some interesting differences between the various destinations.

In Cortina, Airbnbs exceed 3,000 euros for an Olympic Games weekend away, and are more expensive than hotels. In Valtellina, on the other hand, it's hotels that run up the bill, at over 2,000 euros versus just over half that for short-term rentals. In Val di Fiemme, Airbnbs cost almost one and a half times as much as hotels, while in Milan the difference is less poignant.

Getting to the mountain resorts where the races take place has a cost that is far from negligible. A return ticket for two from Milan airport to Cortina costs 216 euros, and from Rome 338 euros. The cheapest destination is Tirano in Valtellina, which can be reached from Milan for just 50 euros return.

Ticket costs also vary enormously depending on the sport. Ice hockey matches in Milan are the most affordable, at less than 100 euros for two people. Biathlon, curling and cross-country skiing are also below this threshold. But the situation is quite different for the more popular sports: freestyle skiing and short track exceed 300 euros for two tickets, while figure skating can cost up to 560 euros.

(MP/©️GreenMe.it/Translation and adaptation: The Global Money/Pic: picture alliance / NurPhoto | Mauro Ujetto)