Europe: Budget Travel Guide
Europe on a budget is harder than it used to be — but it's still absolutely possible. The key is going east. While Western Europe will punish your wallet in expensive cities like Paris and Amsterdam, Eastern Europe remains a phenomenal value: Prague, Budapest, Krakow, and Belgrade offer world-class culture at a fraction of Western prices. The continent's interconnected rail network means you can move between countries cheaply, and the Schengen zone makes border crossings seamless.
Featured Destination
Start with Portugal
The cheapest entry point in Europe. Explore the full guide or compare all countries below.
Compare Countries
All Europe destinations
Click any country to open the full guide. Click column headers to sort.
| Country↕ | From/Day↑ | BDI↕ | Cost Bar | Cities↕ | Best Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇵🇹Portugal | $37 | -- | 7 | Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct | |
🇹🇷Turkey | $41 | -- | 2 | Apr, May, Sep, Oct | |
🇵🇱Poland | $52 | -- | 4 | -- | |
🌍Bosnia | $53 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇨🇿Czech Republic | $58 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇬🇷Greece | $65 | -- | 5 | -- | |
🇷🇸Serbia | $66 | -- | 1 | Apr, May, Sep, Oct | |
🇱🇹Lithuania | $67 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇦🇱Albania | $67 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇲🇪Montenegro | $68 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Sep | |
🇧🇬Bulgaria | $68 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇸🇰Slovakia | $69 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇷🇴Romania | $72 | -- | 2 | May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇭🇺Hungary | $72 | -- | 1 | -- | |
🇱🇻Latvia | $75 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇭🇷Croatia | $78 | -- | 4 | -- | |
🇪🇪Estonia | $79 | -- | 1 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇪🇸SpainTRENDING | $84 | -- | 7 | Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct | |
🇸🇮Slovenia | $89 | -- | 2 | Jun, Jul, Sep | |
🇮🇹Italy | $92 | -- | 8 | -- | |
🇩🇪Germany | $93 | -- | 4 | May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇫🇷France | $98 | -- | 4 | Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct | |
🇫🇮Finland | $100 | -- | 1 | Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇦🇹Austria | $105 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇸🇪Sweden | $107 | -- | 1 | Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇧🇪Belgium | $108 | -- | 3 | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇮🇪Ireland | $109 | -- | 2 | May, Jun, Jul | |
🇳🇱Netherlands | $114 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇩🇰Denmark | $121 | -- | 1 | Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇬🇧England | $128 | -- | 1 | -- | |
🇳🇴Norway | $132 | -- | 2 | Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🇮🇸Iceland | $133 | -- | 1 | Jun, Jul, Aug | |
🏴Scotland | $184 | -- | 1 | -- | |
🇨🇭Switzerland | $193 | -- | 2 | -- |
Cheapest overall: Portugal at $37/day. Highest BDI: Portugal at . Most travelers underestimate how far their money goes once they get off the tourist trail.
Itineraries
Classic Routes
Western Europe Grand Tour
France → Netherlands → Germany → Austria → Italy
Paris → Amsterdam → Berlin → Vienna → Rome. Iconic but pricey. Hostels fill fast in summer.
Eastern Europe Budget Loop
Czech Republic → Poland → Hungary → Croatia
Prague → Krakow → Budapest → Split. Best value circuit in Europe.
Iberian Adventure
Spain → Portugal
Madrid → Lisbon → Porto → Barcelona. Excellent food and nightlife. Budget-friendly compared to Northern Europe.
Italy backpackr Route (10 Days)
Rome → Florence → Venice
Europe backpackr Route (21 Days)
London → Paris → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague → Vienna
More destinations
Also in Europe
Every country guide includes budget breakdown, hostels, visa and city-level data.
Cheapest European capital. Nightlife rivals Berlin.
Thermal baths, ruin bars, and a daily budget that makes Prague jealous.
Tiny, green, and criminally underrated. Day-trip to Lake Bled.
Cheapest major Western European capital. Doner for $4.
World-class free museums. Hostels hurt. Zone 1-2 Oyster cap saves everything.
Arthur Seat hike costs nothing. Festival in August costs everything.
Entry
Visa Snapshot
Insight: Most Western passports have it easy in Europe. The main friction is Vietnam for some nationalities (e-visa required) and Myanmar (check current advisories). Use the visa lookup on each country guide page for your exact passport pair.
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