Bruges is a small village that has been frozen in time for hundreds of years. It’s certainly one of the most charming places to visit in Europe—which is why people flock there. Despite the summer crowds, Bruges’ canals and gorgeous medieval Flemish architecture make the city well worth the visit.
Bruges is a “touristy” destination so prices are higher than what you’ll find in the rest of Belgium—most notably food and accommodation. In this travel price guide, we’ll cover typical Bruges travel costs for food, accommodation, sights, and extras so you can better budget your trip.
This article is part of our Europe Price Guide Series which outlines the travel prices of Europe’s most popular cities.
Average Daily Cost For Visiting Bruges
For budget-minded travelers, it costs around €80-€100/day to visit Bruges. These prices are based on what you’ll need to visit the city comfortably as a budget traveler.
If you want to upgrade your accommodations then you’ll want to add another €80-€100/night depending on where you stay. These prices also don’t include things like big nights out at the bar/pub, club entry fees, souvenir/clothing shopping, tours, random purchases, nicer food, etc. Don’t forget to budget extra for those “non-essentials.”
Daily Cost of Budget Travel in Bruges: €85 (Approx. $90)
- Attractions: €15 (one paid attraction + any free sights)
- Food: €38
- Breakfast: €4
- Lunch: €11
- Dinner: €18
- Treat (dessert/beer/wine): €4
- Transportation: €0
- Accommodation (hostel): €33
Daily Cost of Frugal Travel in Bruges: €45 (Approx. $56)
- Attractions: €5 (free walking tour + visit one of the free sights)
- Food: €22
- Breakfast: €0 (free hostel breakfast)
- Lunch: €8 (ethnic street food, takeaway shop fare, or similar)
- Dinner: €12 (make your own meal in the hostel or grab something cheap)
- Beer (pint): €2
- Transportation: €0 (the city is very walkable)
- Accommodation: €28 (cheap hostel bed)
Bruges Attraction and Museum Prices
Bruges is famous for its charming canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings, so most visitors spend most of their time happily wandering the streets. Most of the museums and other sights are reasonably priced, and you can save a little money with a Bruges City Card (assuming you want to visit a few attractions). Visit Official Bruges Tourism Page for more information.
- Basilica of the Holy Blood: free (holy blood only displayed at certain times), €2 for museum/treasury
- De Halve Maan Brewery: €16+ (includes one beer)
- Belfry Tower: €14 to climb to the top
- Stadhuis (City Hall): €5
- Groeninge Museum: €14
- Chocolate Museum: €13
- Fries Museum: €9.50
- Canal Boat Tour: €12
- Flanders Fields Battlefield (day trip): €45-€75
- Walking tour: Free (but you should tip the guides) or €15-€35 (for paid tours)
- Bike tour: €25-€30
Bruges Food Prices
Bruges is a touristy town so expect to pay a premium for food in the city center. You can still find quality food at reasonable prices by wandering a few blocks away from the tourist zone.
Belgium is also world-famous for its beer so spend some time searching for unique Belgian brews—you won’t have to look very hard. Belgium is also famous for chocolate so be sure to indulge yourself.
Bruges Budget Breakfast Prices: Free – €8
- Many hostels will offer a free simple breakfast that normally consists of cereal, bread/croissant, and maybe milk, coffee, tea, or juice (some hostels will offer more and some less).
- A typical Bruges breakfast consists of coffee and some sort of bread/pastry (usually with cheese). Expect to pay around €2-€4 at a bakery, or check out the HEMA department store’s cafeteria for their €1 coffee & croissant special.
A Few Budget Breakfast Ideas
- Chez Albert Brugge: Can’t-miss Belgian waffles.
- HEMA Brugge: Department store cafeteria with cheap food.
- Sanseveria Bagelsalon: The place to go for breakfast and bagels in Bruges.
- Li O Lait: Lovely little cafe serving up breakfast and coffee.
- At Tattie’s: Waffles, smoothies, coffee, and other breakfast options.
- Arlecchino Gelateria: Foodtruck selling delicious waffles.
Bruges Budget Lunch Prices: €5-€16
- Super budget travelers can make a cheap lunch of bread, cheese, and fruit from any grocery store for a few dollars.
- HEMA also has some good lunch options at reasonable prices (soups, pasta, sandwiches). Expect to pay €5-€9.
- Cheap takeaway meals like a kebab with fries will cost about €6.
- Lunch at a restaurant/cafe runs around €8-€14.
Bruges Budget Dinner Prices: €15-€25
- Mussels & fries at a decent restaurant will cost €20-€30.
- You should be able to find dinner at a restaurant in a less touristy part of town for €15-€20.
- Many of the options from the Budget Lunch section above also apply for dinner.
A Few Budget Lunch and Dinner Restaurant Ideas:
- Pasta Presto: This no-nonsense takeaway serves up cheap pasta in generous portions.
- Bocca: Another no-nonsense takeaway restaurant that serves up cheap pasta in generous portions.
- chez vincent: Fast food joint serving up burgers and fries (and a few other dishes).
- Soup: Nice little spot serving soup and sandwiches at solid prices.
Bruges Drinks, Alcohol, and Snack Prices
- A pint of standard beer out: €3 but some specialty Trappist beers can be €5-€9.
- Pint of beer from a grocery store: €1
- Bottle of (drinkable) wine from the grocery store: €7
- Espresso: €1
- Waffle (from a street vendor): €2-€5, depending on toppings
- Fries & mayonnaise (from a street vendor): €3.50
Bars & Pubs in Bruges With Great Beer:
- De Garre: Hidden little bar. Maybe the best in Bruges.
- ‘t Brugs Beertje: Another great pub with 300+ beers.
- Beers Yesterday’s World: Quirky bar/antique shop. Sure, why not.
Bruges Transportation Prices
Bruges is small and very walkable, so you shouldn’t have to budget anything for transportation unless you plan on renting a bike (about €13 for a full day). There is a bus service that costs about €1.50 per ride but it’s doubtful you’d ever use it.
Bruges Hostel, Hotel, and Rental Apartment Accommodation Prices
Accommodation prices in Bruges are higher than in other cities because there aren’t many hostels, hotels, or rental apartments.
Bruges Hostel Prices: €27-€37 (bed in a shared dorm room)
You should budget about €30/night per person for a decent hostel — although many hostels raise their prices on the weekend. Remember, these prices are for a bed in a shared dorm room.
Private rooms start around €80-€110 per night.
I recommend booking through Hostelworld because they have the most selection and best prices.
Bruges Budget Hotel Prices: €70-€120
Budget hotels start around €80/night but expect to pay around 120-140/night for a budget hotel in the city center. Check out hotel prices at Booking.com for current prices.
Bruges Rental Apartment Prices: €90-€175+
Rental apartments tend to be bigger than similarly priced hotel rooms. Plus, you’ll get a kitchen so you can save more money by cooking your own meals. Furthermore, if you’re traveling in a group, it can often be cheaper per person to rent a single apartment. That said, be sure to add in the extra service fees and cleaning fees. Airbnb is always popular but you can sometimes find cheaper/better options on our list of Airbnb Alternatives.
Learn More About European Travel Costs
Check out our guide on How Much It Costs To Backpack Europe to learn more about budgeting your entire trip (including many more city price guides).
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