How Much Spending Money to Take to Europe for 1, 2 or 4 Weeks

How to Save Money on the Road

There are plenty of ways to reduce the pressure on the wallet, no matter how long you’re in Europe for.

We’ve picked up some of our favourite savings tips to help you stick to your budget – or even save money – while travelling through Europe:

• Pack a picnic: Europe is renowned for its small, independent bakeries, butchers, fromageries, and more. Pack a picnic to eat in the public parks and you’ll have a unique (and cheaper) experience.
• Go on a free walking tour: Virtually EVERY European town or city has at least one company offering free daily walking tours. Find out the hours in the cities you’re visiting and schedule them into the trip. They’re illuminating and funny. You’ll be asked to pay tips at the end - but trust us, they’re worth it.
• Pick up a City Tourist Card: Most European cities offer passes that combine entries to multiple tourist attractions and shows, as well as discounts on restaurants and shopping destinations. You can also get free public transport using them.
• Book in advance: Make the most of early-bird deals by booking in advance and paying online.
• Try Ridesharing: Particularly successful in Europe, Rideshare apps are the Airbnbs of the transport world. The biggest website, BlaBlaCar, lets you connect with drivers travelling your route so you can share the driving costs, usually much cheaper than travelling by bus or train (and a great local experience too).

Once you’ve got an idea about the type of trip you’re planning, it’s time to start calculating actual daily costs. And for that, it’s best to break your trip out into each main area where you’ll be spending money.

 

The Costs of Accommodation in Europe

Accommodation costs are one of the most variable costs across Europe. The cost of a hotel in Bucharest will be vastly cheaper than one in Paris.

Then, of course, prices vary depending on whether you choose to slum it in a dorm room or live like Marie Antoinette in a palatial hotel.

You’ll even face variations in price depending on when you book for - including which season and what day of the week (midweek bookings are typically cheaper).

As a rough estimate, you could be looking at:

• Budget: €15–30 for a bed in a dorm room for one night
• Mid-range: €80–150 for a double room in a small hotel for one night
• Luxury: €200 or more for a stay at a high-end hotel for one night

 

The Costs of Food in Europe

Europe is a gastronomical delight. There’s paella in Valencia, pizza in Italy, or the traditional Turkish kahvalti breakfast with all the bells and whistles.

There’s a particular pleasure reserved for eating out in Europe. But the costs can add up quickly - depending, of course, on where you go.

Eastern European restaurants and cafes are often markedly cheaper than Western European joints, but then you could just as easily eat like the ancient Romans in suave luxury venues and pay for the privilege.

Think of it this way: In Italy, you can attend the fanciest establishment and spend €100 or more on a three-course meal or you could nip round the corner and pick up a slice of pizza for €5.

On average, it’s a good idea to budget about €25–90 a day for food, accounting for the fact that your hotel might provide a free breakfast.

When costing out your meals, considering the following as a rough guide to prices:

• Budget: €9–15 for fast food
• Mid-range: €20–25 for a restaurant meal
• Luxury: €35 or more for a fancy meal

 

The Costs of Transport in Europe

Thankfully, most cities in Europe are fairly walkable, making it easy to avoid transport expenses. And when you do want to go further afield, public transport is organised and easy.

Most European cities offer different transport passes for a certain length of days (often 1-day, 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day passes).

To get an idea of inner-city public transport costs in Europe, you might be looking at:

• Paris Metro: €2.50 for a single trip or a carnet of 10 tickets for €22.50.
• Amsterdam tram: Ranging from €4.50 to €9 a day, depending on the period of validity.
• Barcelona metro: €2.40 for a single trip.

Taxis can make inner-city travel easier, especially if you’re carting around wheeled luggage on rough cobblestone roads.

The average cost for a 30-minute ride can be roughly €50 though the price drops considerably if you ride with Uber or are in Eastern European countries.

For long-distance journeys, you might be keen to hire a car. Prices are drastically different depending on the country but in a city like Paris, expect to pay €45 a day for an economy-sized car or €60+ per day for larger cars.

Finally, the expansive railway network across Europe and the prevalence of high-speed trains makes it easy to cross the continent without a car. But these costs can add up quickly. It’s not uncommon to pay over €100 for a ticket.

Bundle your train travel into a Eurail pass to save money; there are many passes to cover a specific number of journeys or as many journeys as you like

 

The Costs of Sightseeing in Europe

You’re going to want to get out and see as much as possible on your Euro-venture and it would hurt to have to miss out on a single activity because of lack of funds. So budget generously for all your sightseeing ambitions.

We’ve provided the costs of some of Europe’s most popular attractions to give you an idea of prices:

• Louvre Museum, Paris: Starting from €17 per person
• Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam: €20 per person
• Sagrada Familia, Barcelona: €26 for a basic ticket purchased online
• Colosseum, Rome: €16 per adult
• Tivoli Park, Copenhagen: 155 Denmark krones