“How much does it cost to go backpacking through Europe?” That’s the question everyone wants to know.
This is why we created our Europe City Price Guide Series. Each cost guide outlines how much you can expect to spend during an average day while traveling on a backpacker’s budget. The daily cost consists of a night in a hostel, three meals, a snack/adult beverage, an attraction, and daily public transportation.
Note: These daily travel cost guides are designed for budget-minded travelers— so you may want to add a little extra wiggle room to your daily budget for those times you can’t find the best deals or want to splurge a little.
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €70-€120 (Approx. $75-$130)
Amsterdam is a world-class city that’s become a popular destination for multiple reasons — but cheap prices aren’t one of them. See the complete price guide for Amsterdam
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €55-€80 (Approx. $60-$85)
While Antwerp is best known as the center of the diamond trade, it’s actually a hidden gem thanks to its medieval architecture, vibrant nightlife, fashion scene, and art. See complete price guide for Antwerp
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €55-€75 (Approx. $58-$79)
Athens is one of the most popular cities to visit — mainly for the many grandiose ancient ruins. See complete price guide for Athens
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €36-€66 ($42-$77 USD)
If you hunt for a cheap place to stay Barcelona ends up being a fairly good value — by Western Europe standards. See complete price guide for Barcelona
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €36-€57 (Approx. $42-$65)
Berlin has been the cheapest capital city in Western Europe for years so it has always attracted budget travelers. Prices are rising but there are plenty of great deals to be found on lodging and food. See complete price guide for Berlin
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €37-€65 (Approx. $43-$76)
Bruges isn’t the cheapest place to visit but most travelers spend just a day or two in this fairytale village — so it shouldn’t hurt your budget. See complete price guide for Bruges
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €48-€71 (Approx. $52-$78)
Brussels is home to the EU parliament and many jet-set business professionals — which means prices are high. See complete price guide for Brussels
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $20-$45
Budapest has a lot of great stuff going for it — a great nightlife scene, beautiful architecture, loads of history, and super cheap food, alcohol, and accommodations. See complete price guide for Budapest
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €38-€54 (Approx. $40-$58)
Germany’s fourth largest city has an amazing cathedral, great beer and the prices are affordable. See complete price guide for Cologne
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $62-$95
Copenhagen is beautiful but it certainly isn’t cheap — especially alcohol and food. You can find ways to save but it’s going to take some effort. See complete price guide for Copenhagen
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $43 -$63
Nicknamed the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” Dubrovnik is Croatia’s most popular destination and one of the most beautiful walled cities in the world. It is a little more expensive than other cities in the region but it’s certainly worth the visit if you’re in the neighborhood. See complete price guide for Dubrovnik
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€64 (Approx. $47-$75)
Dublin can be reasonably affordable or expensive — it depends on your drinking habits. So while you can’t expect to find many good deals on alcohol (or food for that matter), you can probably find a reasonably priced hostel. See complete price guide for Dublin
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: £32-£59 (Approx. $43-$78)
Scotland uses the pound so automatically prices are going to be higher thanks to the unfavorable exchange rate. Avoid the city during the summer festival season if you’re on a budget because prices for hostels and hotels increase dramatically. See complete price guide for Edinburgh
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €42-€61 (Approx. $50-$72)
Florence is generally a good deal so you can experience the city without spending a fortune. Do budget extra for all the amazing gelato because you’ll probably find yourself eating it every day. That said, cheap hostel beds get snatched up quickly in the summer. See complete price guide for Florence
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €39-€65 (Approx. $46-$76)
Even though it’s Germany’s second largest city, Hamburg is overshadowed by Berlin’s and Munich’s tourism draw. Hamburg is actually a very modern city so it has a much different vibe than the stereotypical “quaint” Germany — although is does have plenty of old-world charm. See complete price guide for Hamburg
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $20-$35
Krakow is cheap — the hostels are cheap (but still great quality), the alcohol is cheap, and the food is cheap. But as more people learn about the amazing town the more prices will rise… so visit sooner than later. See complete price guide for Krakow
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €24-€38 (Approx. $27-$43)
Lisbon is a beautiful hilly coastal city famous for its pastel buildings, cafe culture, and Fado music. It’s also very friendly on the wallet when compared to other Western European cities. See complete price guide for Lisbon
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: £45-£75 (Approx.$65-$110)
London is going to hurt your budget so you’ll have to get creative if you want to experience this city without going broke. However, the government-run museums are both world class and completely free. See complete price guide for London
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €32-€56 (Approx. $37-$64)
Madrid is a ton of fun and easy on the budget — especially by western Europe standards. Take advantage of free tapas (when you purchase alcohol) for a cheap meal. See complete price guide for Madrid
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €34-€60 (Approx. $40-$70)
Not only is Milan is Italy’s fashion and business center, but it’s also home to da Vinci’s The Last Supper and the amazing Duomo Cathedral. See complete price guide for Milan
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€65 (Approx. $45-$75)
The capital of Bavaria and the home to beer gardens, giant pretzels, and quintessential Germany. See complete price guide for Munich, Germany
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €32-€50 (Approx. $35-$56)
They say Rome is Italy’s heart and Naples is its soul — maybe this soul comes from the fact that Naples is one of Europe’s poorer (but also affordable) cities. See complete price guide for Naples
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €37-€60 (Approx. $42-$70)
Located on the Côte d’Azur (The French Riviera), Nice is a cheaper destination than the ultra-lux destinations of Monaco and Cannes. See complete price guide for Nice
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€80 (Approx. $50-$90)
Everyone needs to see Paris. True, it isn’t a cheap place to visit (especially the hostels and hotels) but there are plenty of ways to save. See complete price guide for Paris
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $23-$40
Prague looks like you’ve stepped into a fairytale and the prices are great too! Ok, prices have been steadily rising but you can easily experience the city without spending much cash. See complete price guide for Prague
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: Approx. $70-$105
Reykjavik is expensive… and that’s just to stay in the city. If you want to explore nature (which is the best reason to visit Iceland) you’ll have to shell out a lot more money. See complete price guide for Reykjavik
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €25-€40 (Approx. $30-$50)
Riga’s cheap prices, super cheap booze, bustling nightlife, and beautiful scenery make it an ideal location for budget travelers… except that it’s physically located away from the normal budget traveler’s trail. See the complete travel price guide for Riga
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€70 (Approx. $46-$80)
Rome is on just about every European itinerary. The prices actually aren’t too bad considering its popularity but it can get expensive if you’re not careful. See complete price guide for Rome
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€55 (Approx. $45-$70)
Seville is a beautiful and compact city that’s worth visiting for a few days. It’s prices are reasonable and its laidback vibe will make you want to spend multiple nights chowing down on tapas. See the complete travel price guide for Seville
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: 550 SEK-840 SEK (Approx. $62-$93)
Stockholm is a beautiful city. It is also expensive. As in, it’s one of the most expensive cities to visit. If you do go, you may want to keep your trip short if you’re on a tight budget. See complete price guide for Stockholm
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €51-66 (Approx. $60-$75)
One of the most picturesque cities in the world that has to be seen — even if it’s expensive and overrun with tourists. See complete price guide for Venice
Average Daily Budget Travel Cost: €40-€62 (Approx. $46-$70)
The gorgeous capital of Austria that’s been dubbed the City of Music. It can be a little expensive but thanks to its inexpensive accommodation and budget food options it ends up being cheaper than other comparable cities. See complete price guide for Vienna
New York City is the most visited city in the US and my current home so I put together an NYC Price Guide to help you budget for your next trip to the Big Apple.
