Destinations Europe Top European Cities: From the Cheapest to the Most Expensive How much does it cost to travel in Europe? By Martyn Lambourne Updated on 06/04/19 When budgeting for a trip to Europe, it helps to know how much the average trip costs. But prices around Europe vary, as do people's preferences for what they do when they go abroad. Where exactly are you going? What do you normally do on vacation? Estimating how much money you'll need on a trip to Europe depends on so many variables, I thought I'd break it down for you. Note that this is not a 'cost of living' list, which would require monthly rent and grocery costs. Instead, I've tried to include what costs that the average tourist will have, using data from Numbeo.com. To compare the cities, I created a 'vacation basket' which shows what a couple will spend in a day. See the bottom of the page for exactly what is in this 'basket'. See also: How to Plan Your Trip to Europe Which are the Best Youth Destinations in Europe? 01 of 12 Prague (Czech Republic) TripSavvy / Alisha McDarris The only former Eastern bloc city to make it beyond the budget airline boom of the 2000s and cement its reputation as an essential European destination. Prague is still excellent value for money, though you need to walk away from the tourist traps to get local prices. What makes the Czech capital even cheaper is that the old-town sights are free. People come to Prague to wander the streets and see Charles Bridge: adding a museum entry here wouldn't really represent what people do in Prague. Check Prices and Read Reviews of Prague Evening Walking Tour Vacation Basket Total*: 75.39€ Inexpensive Restaurant Meal: 4.44€Three-Course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 22.20€ Beer (0.5 liter): 1.30€Cappuccino: 1.67€Coke/Pepsi : 1.07€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 0.80€ Transport Ticket: 0.89€Taxi (5km): 6.11€ Entry to Top Sight in Prague (the Old Town): Free, of course. Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 25€ 02 of 12 Istanbul (Turkey) TripSavvy / Lauren Breedlove The city on the border between east and west is great for the budget travel. Head into Anatolia (the Asian side of Turkey) for even better deals. If you don't want to visit the Hagia Sophia, you'll pay even less. Vacation Basket Total*: 93.22€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 4.65€Three-Course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two) 20.15€ Beer (0.5 liter): 2.79€Cappuccino: 2.17€Coke/Pepsi: 0.78€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 0.28€ Transport Ticket: 0.71€Taxi (5km): 4.09€ Entry to Top Sight in Istanbul (Hagia Sophia): 12.40€ Cheapest Top Three Star Hotel on Tripadvisor: 20.00€ 03 of 12 Lisbon (Portugal) TripSavvy / Gautier Houba The cheapest capital city in western Europe has prices comparable to those of Eastern Europe! Porto, in the north of Portugal, is also a great budget destination. If you're on a real budget trip, you can cut costs on your hotel considerably, bringing the price of a trip to Lisbon almost to the level of Prague. See also: The Most Popular Day Trip from Lisbon Vacation Basket Total*: 135.59€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 7.50€Three-Course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 30.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 1.50€Cappuccino: 1.30€Coke/Pepsi: 1.18€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 0.89€ Transport Ticket: 1.50€Taxi (5km): 5.85€ Entry to Top Sight in Lisbon (Jeronimos Monastery and Tower of Belem): 12 euros€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 45€ 04 of 12 Berlin (Germany) Athanasios Gioumpasis/Getty Images You might be surprised that the economic powerhouse of Europe has such a cheap capital, but that's what being divided by the Berlin Wall for so long does to a city. See also: Berlin Walking Tour Vacation Basket Total: 138.20€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 8.00€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 40.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 3.00€Cappuccino: 2.50€Coke/Pepsi: 1.75€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 1.50€ Transport Ticket: 2.70€Taxi (5km): 13.90€ Entry to Top Sight in Berlin Riechstag: 0.00€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 40.00€ Continue to 5 of 12 below. 05 of 12 Barcelona (Spain) TripSavvy / Jamie Ditaranto Despite being the most popular city in Europe's most visited country, Barcelona's prices are surprisingly low. I decided to give no entry fee for a sight in Barcelona, because most of what makes Barcelona so interesting is free, particularly the Gothic Quarter and the Gaudi architecture. Sure, you could pay to go inside the Sagrada Familia, but why would you want to stand in line so long when the best bits are on the outside? Check out this Barcelona Modernism and Gaudi Walking Tour Vacation Basket Total: 152.04€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 11.00€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 40.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 2.50€Cappuccino: 1.66€Coke/Pepsi: 1.70€Water (0.33 liter bottle) 1.11€ Transport Ticket: 2.10€Taxi (5km): 7.70€ Entry to Top Sight in Barcelona: Free Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 60.00€ 06 of 12 Rome (Italy) Angelo Hornak/Getty Images Another surprisingly cheap city, considering how important its sights are. Hotels in Rome are of a lower quality than their star rating suggests, so check reviews and amenities before booking. See also: Ancient Rome and Colosseum Walking Tour Vacation Basket Total: 166.10€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 15.00€Three-Course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 50.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 4.00€Cappuccino: 1.00€Coke/Pepsi: 1.65€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 0.90€ Transport Ticket: 1.50€Taxi (5km): 11.00€ Entry to Top Sight in Rome (Colosseum): 12.00€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 30.00€. 07 of 12 Munich (Germany) TripSavvy / Chira Chirakijja Munich comes in cheaper than perhaps expected because many of its sights are free. The English Garden and Marienplatz cost nothing, while the famous Bavarian beer is included in the price of a beer (though they will cost a little more in the beer halls). Suffice to say, you don't need to pay much to see the sights of Munich, though you'll pay more to sleep and eat. Sample a Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Vacation Basket Total: 173.30€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 11.50€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 50.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 3.50€Cappuccino: 2.80€Coke/Pepsi: 2.70€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 2.00€ Transport Ticket: 2.70€Taxi (5km): 12.50€ Entry to Top Sight in Munich (Neues Rathaus): 2.50€. Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 50.00€ 08 of 12 Paris (France) Xavier Laine/Getty Images Paris is notoriously expensive, particularly to drink, but it's not all bad news. Hotels can be surprisingly cheap, and you can eat a reasonable two-course meal in the Montmartre district for just 13 euros. Restaurants never force you to buy a drink; the waiter will always bring you a carafe of water if asked. Plus, though the Louvre is a must, walking the streets of the city costs zilch, and you really don't need to go up the Eiffel Tower. Amelie's Montmartre Walking Tour Vacation Basket Total: 194.20€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 13.00€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 50.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 6.00€Cappuccino: 3.50€Coke/Pepsi: 3.25€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 2.00€ Transport Ticket: 1.80€Taxi (5km): 11.50€ Entry to Top Sight in Paris (Louvre): 15€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 40.00€ Continue to 9 of 12 below. 09 of 12 London (United Kingdom) George Rose/Getty Images Of course London comes high on this list. But it's not all bad news: most London museums have free entry. I would dispute Numbeo's inexpensive restaurant price: go to a Wetherspoons pub, get a fantastic Indian meal or head to a suburban fish-and-chip shop and pay a good deal less for your dinner. See How They Made Harry Potter from London Top Eurostar Destinations from London Vacation Basket Total: 225.06€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 18.15€Three-Course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 60.50€ Beer (0.5 liter): 4.84€Cappuccino: 3.15€Coke/Pepsi: 1.45€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 1.15€ Transport Ticket: 3.03€Taxi (5km): 22.39€ Entry to Top Sight in London (British Museum): Free Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 72.60€ 10 of 12 Dublin (Ireland) australiaphotos.co.uk Dublin edges out London for costs, partially due to its expensive hotels. Check out this Dublin Literary Pub Crawl Vacation Basket Total: 243.40€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 15.00€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 60.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 5.00€Cappuccino: 2.80€Coke/Pepsi: 1.50€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 1.25€ Transport Ticket: 2.70€Taxi (5km): 10.50€ Entry to Top Sight in Dublin (Kilmainham Gaol): 8.00€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 95.00€ 11 of 12 Amsterdam (Netherlands) Paulo Amorim/Getty Images Amsterdam is a tough city to visit for the budget traveler. Even youth hostels are prohibitively expensive, the museums cost a lot and it's very hard to get any meal for under ten euros. Visit the Famous Windmills of Holland from Amsterdam Vacation Basket Total: 248.32€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 15.00€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 60.00€ Beer (0.5 liter): 4.50€Cappuccino: 1.66€Coke/Pepsi: 1.70€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 1.10€ Transport Ticket: 2.90€Taxi (5km): 13.80€ Entry to Top Sight in Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum): 17.50€ Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 80€ 12 of 12 Geneva (Switzerland) Tim Graham/Creative Commons Ouch. Geneva is far and away the most expensive city on this list (Zurich costs even more). And I didn't even include any sights! If you plan on visiting Switzerland, ask yourself why: if it's for the Alps, then work out how to get there as quickly as possible and minimize your time in the cities. (Not that the mountain villages are any cheaper, it's just that you're better off spending your money where you will get the most out of it). Read more about: How to Save Money in Geneva Visit the French Alps from Geneva Vacation Basket Total: 333.13€ Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: 25€Three-course Mid-Price Meal at Restaurant (for two): 100€ Beer (0.5 liter): 7.50€Cappuccino: 4.13€Coke/Pepsi: 4.00€Water (0.33 liter bottle): 3.56€ Transport Ticket: 3.00€Taxi (5km): 22.75€ Entry to Top Sight in Geneva (Lake Geneva): Free Low-Priced Three-Star Hotel: 110€ *What's in our 'Vacation Basket'? Our 'vacation basket' includes rough costs for a day in each city for two people. So, one night in a hotel, one inexpensive meal for two, one mid-priced three-course meal for two, two of each drink, four transport tickets (two per person), one 5km taxi ride and entry to the top sight, where appropriate. A note on hotel star ratings: most countries have their own star ratings and so it's very hard to compare rates. The prices on this page are a guide. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! 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