When I first began planning for my Europe travels, I was overwhelmed, but also worried. I thought, "Europe is expensive how much money do I really need?" I did not want to run out of cash during my travels. I wanted to explore different places, enjoy great food, but keep track of my expenses. How To Budget For Europe Trip then I thought to me: "If I create a simple and smart budget, I can travel without stress."
That's exactly the way it happened. In this article I'll walk you through step-by-step how I arranged the budget I had to Europe in a manner that was simple, straightforward and safe for my bank account. I'll make sure to write everything in plain English so that even children aged 10-11 can comprehend the information. If you follow these steps, you will be able to make the perfect Europe trip with confidence.
I Started By Choosing My Travel Style
Before I began planning anything I made a straightforward question:
"What kind of Europe trip do I want?"
Since every style has a different cost
- Backpacking - cheapest
- Mid-range travel - medium price
- Luxury or comfort travel the most expensive price
I also did a search:
- Are I traveling alone or with an partner or family or acquaintances?
- Do I prefer an speedy travel (many cities) or an slow one (few cities)?
I picked the middle of the range and slow travel to save money as well as makes me feel more at ease. How To Budget For Europe Trip this helped me to understand the amount of money I could save.
Read also: Top Winter Festivals and Christmas Markets Across Europe
I Picked Budget-Friendly Countries And Cities
Europe includes costly places as well as cheap ones.
Expensive cities
London, Paris, Zurich, Oslo, Copenhagen.
Cities with budget-friendly prices
Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Lisbon, Warsaw, Athens. I saved lots of money by mixing
- One or two cities with high prices
- 3-4 cheaper cities
This balance has helped me manage my budget overall.
I Chose My Trip Length And Best Time To Travel
Then, I chose the number of days I wanted to spend traveling.
More days = less cost daily
but it also means
More Days = more expensive total cost
I was looking at various seasons:
- The peak season (June-August): expensive
- Season of the shoulder (April-May September to October): cheaper + excellent weather
- The winter months (Nov-Feb): very inexpensive, but cold
I decided to go with the shoulder season and was able to reduce the cost of flights as well as hotels.
I Calculated My Total Savings Target
Here's the basic formula I employed:
Total Trip Cost = (Daily Budget x Number of Days) + Fixed Costs
Fixed costs include:
- Flights
- Visa
- Insurance
- SIM/eSIM
- Transport between cities
Example:
If I decide to:
- Rs6,000 per day x 14 days = Rs84,000
- Flights = Rs45,000
- Visa = Rs7,000
- Insurance = Rs1,000
- Other fixed charges equal to Rs.3,000
Total savings goal is Rs.140,000 (approx)
It is possible to adjust this depending on your currency and way of life.
I Broke My Budget Into Clear Money Buckets
To organize everything I designed easy"money "buckets":
- Flights - 30%
- Hotels/hostels - 25%
- Food - 15%
- Transport - 10%
- Activities - 10%
- Shopping - 5%
- Emergency - 5%
This has helped me not spend too much in any single subject.
I Budgeted My Flight Costs Smartly
Flights are usually among the the most costly component.
Here's how I cut back on my spending:
- I started looking for flights before the sun rose.
- I logged on to weekdays, not weekends.
- I switched to incognito mode, so prices didn't spike.
- I looked at different Airports (some towns have multiple airports).
- I kept track of flight alerts via Google Flights.
This has helped me cut nearly 20-25 percent of the cost of a flight.
I Planned My Stay: Hostels, Hotels & Apartments
The cost of accommodation can quickly go up If you don't prepare it well. How To Budget For Europe Trip this is what I've learnt from my experience:
Hostels
- Cheapest
- Great for solo travelers
- Rooms shared
Budget hotels
- Mid-range prices
- More privacy
Apartments (Airbnb etc. )
- Perfect for families or couples
- Saves money on cooking by preparing meals
I picked apartment in a few cities so that they let me cook for breakfast, and save money.
Average cost per night:
- Hostels - Rs1,200-2,500
- Budget hotels - Rs4,000-7,000
- Apartments - Rs3,500-8,000 (shared)
I also made savings by staying just a bit outside the city central but within walking distance of metro stations.
Read also: Best Europe Holidays for Families
I Set A Simple Food Budget
Food in Europe can be costly when you dine out regularly.
My trick was very simple:
Cheap options:
- Supermarkets
- Bakeries
- Picnics
- Street food
Medium options:
- Local cafes and restaurants
- Smaller eateries
Expensive:
- Fine dining
- Tourist-heavy restaurants
I had planned:
- Breakfast - cook in apartment
- Lunch - bakery/supermarket
- A mix of inexpensive and restaurant-style food
Budget for daily food:
Rs1,000-1,800
It was enough to enjoy delicious meals that were not stressful.
I Budgeted For Transport Inside Europe
Europe has many options to travel around the world:
Cheapest
- Buses (Flix Bus, Bla Bla Bus)
- The night buses (save hotel cash)
Medium price
- Regional trains
- Rides shared
Expensive
- High-speed trains
- Last-minute flights
I took buses between nearby cities and trains to go to the more distant ones.
Within cities:
- Metro day passes
- Walking
- Bicycles for public use
- Trams
Budget for daily transportation:
Rs500-1,000
I Planned For Activities And Fun
The cost of activities can be high when you don't plan your activities.
The most popular attractions are expensive:
- Eiffel Tower
- Colosseum
- London Eye
- Museums
However, many things are free:
- City walking tours
- Cathedrals and churches
- Parks
- Viewpoints
- Old towns
- Street festivals
I created a daily budget of
between Rs700 and 1,200.
I also let myself have a "special" experience like:
- A boat ride
- Show
- Fancy dinner
- Theme park
I Tracked Hidden Costs That People Forget
Many people don't remember these, but I didn't.
Visa fee
Insurance for travel
SIM/eSIM
Fees for exchange of currency
Transfers to airports
Baggage fees
Taxes on city tourism
These are expensive So I added them to my budget.
I Created A Simple Daily Budget I Could Stick To
To control my spending I have established a daily budget.
Example:
- Food: Rs1,500
- Transport: Rs700
- Activities: Rs1,000
- Extra/fun: Rs500
Budget for the entire day = Rs3,700
When I was spending more money on one day, I would spend lesser the following day.
This helped me to stay in a healthy balance.
I Used Helpful Tools And Apps
The tools helped make everything simpler:
Budget applications
- Spendee
- Travel Spend
- Split wise
Planning apps
- Google Maps
- Booking.com
- Skyscanner
- Omio (for buses/trains)
Tracking of money
- My Bank app
- Google Sheets
- Notes app
I was able to check my expenses each evening for two minutes. It was all it took.
My Sample Europe Budgets
Here are a few budgets that you can use as examples.
A) Backpacker with a low-budget Trip (10 Days)
- Hostels
- Buses
- Cheap food
- Activities for kids
Total approximation: Rs70,000 to Rs90,000.
B) Mid-Range Couple Trip (10 days)
- Apartments
- Mix of trains and buses
- Mix of cafe and cheap food
- 3-4 paid-for attractions
Approx total: Rs1,40,000-Rs1,80,000
C) Family Trip (10-12 days)
- Apartments
- Travel time is slower
- Simple eateries
- Attractions for kids
Approx total: Rs2,00,000-Rs3,00,000
FAQs - Questions I Asked Myself While Budgeting
1. What is the best time to I begin saving?
At a minimum, six to eight Months earlier.
2. What is the biggest error that people make?
Don't forget about unexpected costs such as transportation or food. Also, don't forget to include attractions, such as transport, and food.
3. Are Europe feasible with a small budget?
Yes! If you select cities with lower prices and you take buses or hostels.
4. Is there a most costly portion of Europe travel?
Hotels and flights are the biggest portion.
5. How can I reduce my spending?
Set a daily goal and adhere to it.
Conclusion: How To Budget For Europe Trip
When I finally took my Europe vacation, I felt at peace and content as my budget was in order. How To Budget For Europe Trip i knew exactly what I could afford to spend every day. I was not worried about buying food, riding an excursion on a bus, or buying tickets to museums. The whole experience was relaxed since I had laid out everything step-by-step.
