Europe Summer Budget
 

Hello!
I am studying abroad for 2 months this summer in Southern France.
I am also doing a small 25-day backpacking trip with a friend through Germany and Italy and Amsterdam afterwards and a 10-day trip beforehand to Paris and Montpellier.
I have already paid for lodging for the entire trip and transportation.
I am assuming that I will have around 3000 USD remaining for the trip, mainly to be spent on food, activities, and any clothing that I may want.
Do you all think that this will be adequate for the time that I will be there?
Thanks!

just to be clear the $3000 is to cover 95 days?

will your visa cover 90+days?

1) are you vegetarian, if so you'll find that takes about 1/3 off your food budget?
2) do you drink branded products like coke, bottled water, Budweiser. That will add loads to your budget. Get used to local tap water, wine often comes for free as you head south. Avoid international brands.

3000/95= 31.

Out of this, lets assume you find a way to get breakfast for free out of your lodging

Eat your main meal when the locals do as this will be cheaper, so in France 12-1pm 5 days a week 14E will get you a three course meal away from tourist town. Weekends are more expensive so lets say 18E eating veggie in ethnic restaurants.

Unless you are a major athlete you only need another light meal and then a few coffees etc, so say 15E

Based on that I'm coming up light on the 31. Nothing for emergency, nothing for laundry

Tight I'd say, starvation is not an option

bilboburgler, where is wine free? I've never encountered free wine in any country, anywhere. I'd just be very interested in where that is in case I want to visit, that sounds great.

as for the budget, it's a bit too tight, I'd say. Certainly not if you intend to buy clothes with it. If it only covered food, you could do it if you really wanted, but that's it.

I'd like some free wine, too! Pray tell, bilbo, where can I get some? It's not free where we live in SW France, though it can be very inexpensive.

The proposed budget, if it is indeed for 95 days, seems really restrictive to me. Sure, you could eat cheap sandwiches and finger food from market stalls and drink tap water, but for 95 days on end, I think that would get old. And I don't see any way you could pay for entry into museums and such, or even take much public transportation, never mind buy clothes.

Free wine, in Spain, France and Italy I often get free wine.

Look out for those signs that say "Lunch E13" outside busy bars. This is where your usual workmen get their honest meals. You tend to get

1) a bottle of tap water
2) a bottle of jug wine (choice red or white) you leave what you don't drink for the next people
3) a very basic starter
4) something cheap for mains, so chicken leg or odd cut of pig
5) very simple dolce

coffee is normally extra as are spirits (though I've been offered local booze for free)

Very important food stock if you are cycling somewhere on holiday.

I'm amazed neither of you have had this. You often find the restaurant is "out the back" of a quiet looking bar and not a hint gets out until someone opens a door.

For a workman away from home this is a vital source of nutrition.

Well, I'm more than familiar with the workmen's hangouts in these parts (usually a PMU bar, or where the rugby players eat), but it's been a dog's age since I've seen jug wine laid out on tables, even in the back rooms and outdoor spaces behind the actual bar. Jugs of tapwater, yes, and always a simple 3-course meal of soup (usually tourain or vegetable medley), chicken confit or enchaud de porc or something similar, usually with potatoes or green beans, plus a flan or slice of apple tarte for dessert. But jugs of wine? Last time I can remember seeing that was in about 1998 at a truck stop in Cénac.

Yep, on two occassions in our ride from La Rochelle to Bergerac we found it which was 2014. Not been in those sort of areas for a couple of years.

Of course the OP's canteen may offer a cheap meal 5 days a week??

I'm going to be there for about 90 days. And my student card will lower the price of museum/attractions that I hope to get into. I'm hoping to cook my own food a lot of the time while I am at school, and they offer meals for 3,20 euros for lunchtime. I am mostly a vegetarian, so big meat meals will not be a problem.
Thanks for the replies!

Ah, that makes complete sense, I think you have enough ideas here to make sense of your budget. Have fun.