How much $ to budget?

[snorkelman]

I always tell people to break the budget into a few different parts.  1) the cost of your backpack and Eurail and airline tickets.  That is a "sunk cost" which you will have to invest and probably cannot do much to avoid or lessen.  Then you will have to budget how much you will spend when your are actuall in Europe.

Generally, expect that Western Europe (France/Switzerland) is quite expensive and will really tax your budget.  A good ballpark figure should be realized depending on your budget ($40-$50/day to include all expenses like lodging, food, transportation (subway/trams, reservations and supplements on trains) & attractions).  That way, you can see how much you should be spending.  When you are in Europe, you will try to keep to this budget, and if you realize that you are in fact spending more, then expect to run out of money!  You will know if you are spending too much very easily if you exchange $200 for 4 days in a country and you run out of money in 2 or 3 days.  I say this because I suggest seeing Western Europe (or Scandinavia if you really, really want to) first because they are the most expensive.  Generally, if this is your first trip, you will probably not go to the extreme parts of Europe (Scandinavia is the extreme north).
     Eastern Europe (Prague, Budapest, Sophia (Bulgaria) are significantly cheaper, but be careful because the Eurail pass does not include some Eastern Europe countries (but the train/bus tickets aren’t too expensive).

So, bottom line is $40-$50 per day for western Europe (not including airline and train tickets)

['Guest']

aain, i think Dave has some good advice here.

[nitsansh]

Back in 1988, I travelled through western Europe, including Scandinavia, for 20-25$ a day. That was really starvation budget (I lost 8KG...), but it allowed me to go on longer.
I guess 40-50$ nowadays buy about the same, and it's not easy to maintain this budget for long.
I recently went to Czech Republic and spent close to 40$ a day. That level of spending would be equal to 60$ in western Europe, I figure. I wouldn't suggest to budget less than 50$ unless you are ready to sleep at the cheapest hostels, cook all your meals and cut out entertainment alltogether. Not many people will feel comfortable with that.
Apart from the differences between countries, there's also difference between big cities and the countryside. Everything is more expensive in cities, and you have more opportunities to spend... if you go hiking in the Scottish highlands, you can spend no more than 20 pounds (30$) a day. In London you'll spend that sum only for a dorm bed.

[[e-mail]]

umm.... can't a person on a budget just shop at grocery stores and eat sandwiches and salads back at their hostel? I think $50 a day is including a fair amount of eating out. But I still think one can "eat in" even on a 2 month trip to europe

also... are drinks expensive in Western Europe.. at bars and stuff?

[Kim]

I wouldn't really say that $50 a day would include a fair amount of eating out-you have to take into consideration that things are much more expensive in Europe that you might be use to.

There are also a lot of smaller costs that you run into on a daily basis that will eat up quite a bit of your $50/day. Cooking at hostels will definately save you money-the problem is many hostels don't have kitchens. I speak from experience when I say that the sandwich salad thing gets pretty tired very quickly-esp. when you are travelling in the cold and you want something hot.

Other costs can be things such as phoning ahead for hostels, transportation (subway, bus etc) to the hostel from the station, having a reserve a seat on a train, admission prices to sites, transportation to the sites, using the internet, sheet rental at the hostels, having to pay for tokens to use the stove at a hostel, doing your laundry...things like that.

Kim

[nitsansh]

Surely you can do that. But that can also be expensive... a loaf of bread was 2.5$ in Norway back in 1988...
Even without eating out, you would need 40$ in the expensive places.
Members' kitchens are common in UK, especially up in Scotland. You won't find them easily in city hostels on the continent.

[nitsansh]

Surely you can do that. But that can also be expensive... a loaf of bread was 2.5$ in Norway back in 1988...
Even without eating out, you would need 40$ in the expensive places.
Members' kitchens are common in UK, especially up in Scotland. You won't find them easily in city hostels on the continent.

[snorkelman]

Ok, i guess since I started this thread, I better pipe up.  Yes, back in 87 I also did Western Europe on $25/day.  There is no way in hell that I would try that today, but I have met some that still can do it in 2001!  

As for me, I always tell people to budget $50/day.  On the boards I catch a lot of flak from the thrifty folk who tell me that they do it on $40 just fine.  Hey, my experience is that $50 is just right.  The more time that you spend in Western Europe, the costlier your trip will be.  Also, my estimate is based on the assumption that most people will also hit Prague and maybe some other places in Eastern Europe.  All in all, it averages out to $50/day.

Rather than only spending $30/day in Prague, you may want to live it up a little.  if you already budgeted $50/day and you are able to stick to that in Western Europe, then in Eastern Europe, you can live a little better on the same budget.  

I stay in better lodging and eat more in the East.  Also, I usually do most of my drinking in the East.  I am not sure about others, but I eat a decent amount and I rarely have to use the grocery store to keep to my $50/day budget.  

Keep in mind if you are in the big capitals in the west (such as London/Paris) then yes, these are expensive places and a beer will run you $5.  So, don't plan on partying in the expensive places, and party hard in other areas.  Either that or else budget a little more for some fun in the big cities.

I have had a blast partying in Paris and Amsterdam and all that stuff, but I did that when I had more money budgeted.  Anyone that goes to clubs knows what the cover is.  But a backpacker can often party hard at pubs and in hostels.  Another option is to visit the grocery store just for booze.

[[e-mail]]

Re: Drinking expenses...
 I recommend drinking in the hostels (when possible).  You can buy wine/beer/even the hard stuff at the store, and throw a few back before heading out.  Plus thats a great way to befriend folk before a night out on the town.
 If youre going to Ireland, beers/ciders are about $3 most places you go (comfortingly consistant), but the problem is you'll spend twice as much (and therefore drink 2-3-? times as much, whether you plan on it or not.  
 

[[e-mail]]

Hi there,

Having just got back from a holiday in Paris, I just thought I'd let you all know that if you are drinking beers from cafes/restaurants, you can end up paying around £5 for a pint, or between £3.60 to £5.00 for a bottle.  On the other hand, our hostel was selling bottled 'Bavarian' beer for about the equivalent of 90 english pence so that was really cheap!

['Guest']

Powderprincess,

Which Paris hostel was that?  With the cheap beer?  

- d