bethaney

Hi guys!

My boyfriend and I are heading to europe for 1 month, we will be visiting paris, germany and amsterdam. We have all of our accomodation paid for and all major transport between countries paid as well, just wondering if anyone can help with how much roughly we would need just for spending money
Any help is appreciated

PalenQ

Lots of expenses are discretionary - do you like to go out at night - like to pubs - if so they can be very expensive as can a coffee in a cafe - and in Amsterdam if you want to (legally) buy cannabis or magic mushrooms those things will cost a lot.

Even postcards back home can cost a few bucks with stamps.

Museums and cost a ton too - so are you into seeing every museum (if so in Amsterdam and Paris be sure to buy the bargain museum passes that pay off if you visit just a few major museums.

Souvenirs - things across the board IME more costly than in the U.S.

Do you like to walk - if so Paris and Amsterdam are eminently walkable as sights are clustered in a compact area - but if you take public transit again that can add up or taxis from stations to hotels.

Discretionary expenses can vary so so much that it is hard to tell - bring everything from home you can easily carry in terms of toiletries, etc as they cost a lot more in those places.

All that said I'd say $50 a day for things would be comfy but it could go much higher depending on your tastes. I knew someone who every few hours insisted on stopping for a coffee in a cafe - well at $3-5 a cup that adds up.

Food is the major expense but if you like to picnic there are always lots of supermarkets even in city centres with salad bars and anything you'd find at home. Proper restaurants can cost a ton - nothing really cheap so if eating out in nice places twice a day double that $50 - hotels usually provide breakfasts and are a gret deal as they are usually buffet style - stuff yourself to last for much of the day (but don't nick stuff off the buffet table for later as Rick Steves once suggested.

bethaney

Wow thanks so much for that info!
I will definitely be looking into passes I think.
Ive heard people spending $20,000 in a month which I think is just crazy!
We have budgeted $10,000 for spending for the month. I may even try to buy a few passes/ tours before we leave to have money spending money in the puggy bank

PalenQ

Well for those museum passes buy them at any participating museum - they don't cost that much.

And use a charge card whenever you can - you get the best rate of exchange possible - call your bank and ask what their fees are for overseas purchases - some are a flat 3% others less.

And use your ATM card for cash - again the best rate possible - most banks only charge a $5 flat fee for up to about $270 a crack - see what is best for you - to use credit cards or ATM cards - never change money before leaving as you'll get a dismal rate and never change cash in Europe for the same reason - many banks no longer change foreign money but exchange books on streets and in stations and airports do but at a lousy rate often.

10 grand a month and you'll bring most of that back....unless you want to buy a diamond or something in Amsterdam!

suze

I allow $100 per person per day.

mytravelove

If you two have a budget of $10,000, then you should be totally fine.. and no need to curb your coffee/wine/beer (and other) cravings!

PalenQ

In Amsterdam you could drop a lot of coin - IF into the legal drugs which don't come cheap.

Yup with that budget no worries at all. Do not take cash over - use the ATMs and credit cards - every airport will have ATMs so use or a exchange office for say starting money - I always take a few hundred in cash with me as a back up but never need to change it.

Tell you card-issuing banks what countries you are going to and say those are the only countries you are going to - if you do not inform them they may block ATM or c c transactions as a security measure. And ask about all fees on either. Some have none!

Robert2533

Since I/we know nothing about your habits, it would be difficult to discuss a budget. A glass of wine in Paris will be less expensive then a coffee, but could still set you back 3€, more in Germany. A fixed price lunah will be less expensive then going out to dinner, but pickin

Robert2533

Since I/we know nothing about your habits, it would be difficult to discuss a budget. A glass of wine in Paris will be less expensive then a coffee, but could still set you back 3€, more in Germany. A fixed price lunch will be less expensive then going out to dinner, but picking something up at a market isn't always cheaper. We typically budget €60 or so a day in Spain and the Pays Basque, more in Paris.

Tulips

$10.000 spending money, if all accommodation and travel are paid for, is a lot. Hope you're not bringing that in cash.
That's about 290 euros a day for the two of you.

You buy the museum pass in Amsterdam. It's a great saving and allows you to bypass the ticket queue.

PalenQ

It's a great saving and allows you to bypass the ticket queue.>

well not always IME - I've had to wait in lines at the Troppen Museum and other places but yes at the main ones like the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh it did - but not all museums IME.