Hi, all!

We are two young adults (Canadians) getting set for two months in Europe this summer. We have intentions to live as cheaply as possible - not too many restaurant meals, staying in hostels, watching our money.

Can anyone tell us approximately what we can expect to spend per day on this trip? The countries we intend to be in are France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Ireland and Scotland.

Thanks for your help!

KL_and_TT

France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Ireland and Scotland.

Thanks for your help!

I am afraid not. But I can send you part of my list of countries in order of expense, with asterisks for your countries
Turkey
*Southern Italy
Greece
Prague
*Northern Italy
Netherlands
Sweden
Finland
*France
*Austria
Ireland
Norway
Switzerland
Denmark
*Ireland
*Britain
As you see, you have chosen among the most expensive countries. You can pay a third or even a half of that if you let western Europe wait for your days of age and prosperity, and instead go to central Europe. Here is the rest of my list.
Armenia, using home stay
Ukraine, using home stay
Moldova
Bulgaria
Slovakia
Romania
Armenia, using a hotel
Albania
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Serbia
Poland
(excluding Krakow)
Czech Republic
(excluding Prague)
Hungary
Macedonia
Montenegro
(excluding Podgorica)
Croatia
Podgorica
Slovenia
Portugal
Southern Spain
Krakow
Turkey
… then as you have it.
If you find a west European airport that is cheap to reach, you can then take a train in a day to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, or perhaps Romania. Or if you leave your planer feeling fresh you can spend your first day in the city near the arrival airport, and carry on that night in a couchette compartment (which has a door to lock against thieves).

If you would like more information please write again.

Ben Haines London
[email protected]

In Paris, the minimum budget for two, everything included, is roughly 600 to 700 U.S. dollars per week.

Within a given country, your budget will vary tremendously depending on the places you visit. In a large German city, for example, US$30 for a hostel bed is fairly standard. But in St. Goar on the Rhine, you'll be in a room with a view of the river and castles for around $18.

Hostels are often a decent budget option, but in smaller towns you can find simple rooms in private B&B's for about the same price. Apartments are often a really good option as well. It's great to be able to cook up some soup or whatever when you don't feel like an expensive meal out. Have a look at www.accommodation.de - we found a very nice studio apartment between Rothenburg and Nuremberg that slept 3 for a couple of nights for less than 30 Euros per night.

also try lonely planet website. They have some great advice for real budget travel. There "chat board" is the Thorn Tree.

Hi KL,

The Thorntree forum at www.lonelyplanet.com is much more oriented toward your type of travel.

Also see www.slowtrav.com for Italy.

what young person would like to experience Europe for the first time by seeing Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia?
As some said, big cities are very espensive; you may do better in small towns , or suburbs of big cities ( take a train or bus in).
Your main cost will be accomodation.( food can be bought at the supermarket for about the same as in Canada)
Talk to your university friends , check
the Net , the Lonly Planet etc .

You can keep your daily budget reasonable in any one single location by staying at hostels and eating picnic style from a grocery store all meals.

Where your expense will come is your plane tickets to get to Europe in the first place & then moving place to place once you are there. You need to figure out your plane tickets, train tickets, or rail pass for moving between these 6 countries and locations within each. Are you trying to divide that up as part of a "per day" cost?

Ditto recommendations above to check out The Thorn Tree at Lonely Planet. They are experts on this style and budget for traveling.

You ask: What young person would like to experience Europe for the first time by seeing Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia?

A good question, and I am sorry I confused you. I suggested Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, or perhaps Romania. These suit a person with initiative and intelligence, willing to leave the herd and to delay expense till later.

Ben Haines

Why do people keep quoting US dollar amounts for European things to Canadians? I would say count on having about 75 euro per person per day, at least. If you want to just scrape by as literally cheaply as possible, you should have at least 50 euro per person a day.

"Why do people keep quoting US dollar amounts for European things to Canadians?"

Don't worry Christina, Canadians are used to it. We can do the conversion in our sleep. In fact, the strength of CAD is always gauged by what it buys in USD, never GBP or EUR or <fill in favourite currency here>.

To KL/TT's question, I can't suggest a particular amount/day, since each of us has different comfort levels for food/lodging/etc. You do have the luxury of time, which can sometimes be traded-off for cost. Remember that adding just a teeny bit over a subsistence budget can make a big difference, experience-wise.

>>>>>
Why do people keep quoting US dollar amounts for European things to Canadians?
>>>>>

and as ginto says....here in europe, we are used to it also. it's no big deal. quote me in US$, EUR or my home currency of £ and i can manage.

US$ is the lingua franca of the world...almost everyone in the world can relate to it. many british publications will even translate figures into US$ (providing it alongside &pound. the economist is one that comes to mind.