travelme

I remember when we were only getting 4.5 francs to the dollar and everything in France seemed expensive back then. However, I do remember thinking that the quality of food was so good that it was ok. This was in the early 1990's. Some other countries such as Spain was always a bargain but not today of course.
Do most of you think that we that France or other European countries are more expensive today than ever before?
I am heading to Ireland and France next week. I expect to be paying a lot for things in Ireland. Lodging prices are ok but eating out seems very high. I really don't like picnicing in the park. Especially since I am traveling alone this time.
While in France, I am staying with friends. I will treat them to dinner one evening but other than that, I will be having most meals with them at their home. I don't think that I will spend a lot in France.
My attitude is just to go and have a great time. Its only for 10 days and I will try not to spend more than 50 euro a day on meals.
I am curious to hear from people who have traveled 10 or twenty years ago and to hear their take on expenses today compared to their travels in the past.

avalon

Been traveling to Europe for over 40 years and it's all relative. 40 years ago it may have been cheaper but we also made less money. Now that we're retired we can maximize our time, stay longer, rent apts, eat in some nights , so it dollar averages out.

Dukey

The first time I went to Europe, doing it on "$5 A Day" and sometimes less was possible but I didn't get nearly as much out of my trips abroad then as I do now.

jmw444

I began traveling in 1970. Taking into account all the variables mentioned above, my answer is no. This past June was the most expensive in my memory. And not by just a bit either. J.

StCirq

I've been traveling to Europe at least annually since 1975. It certainly seemed expensive on those first few trips, but then I was pretty poor back then and really had to scrimp and budget. The cost of gas was particularly outrageous to me at the time (though for some reason I almost always drove around instead of taking the train like most young people). I do recall thinking that one could always get good value for the money in Europe, though, and I still believe that.

I still look back in horror when I realize I passed up buying a beautiful little house in Honfleur in about 1980 because at $13,000 it was way over my budget.

But overall, yes, I'd have to say that traveling to Europe right now is, all things being relative, more expensive than ever before, even though I have considerably more means than I did 30 years ago.

Still won't stop my from getting on that plane in 10 days, though, or from thoroughly enjoying my three weeks there!

Ackislander

When my parents were stationed in London in the American forces during WWII, the pound was worth $5 US.

When I was a small boy living in England, the pound was worth $2.85.

In the early 1980's, my own family visited England when the pound and the dollar were just about par -- equal in value. Now the tables have turned.

In recent years, currency has been -- in general -- openly traded like any other commodity, and the market doesn't much like what it sees in the US, with some justification.

At the same time, it is impossible to believe that the Greek or Italian economy could support the euro if Germany and to a lesser extent France were not behind it.

I really like to think in terms of the Big Mac index: what is the cost of a Big Mac, fries, and Coke compared to the cost of the same in New York or Chicago? Another good index is the Honda Civic: what does it cost in local currency compared to what it costs in the US?

Food in a neighborhood restaurant in France does not seem so expensive when I compare the cost of the same three courses in Boston plus 5% sales tax and 18-20% tip, and it would be worse if I lived somewhere with a higher meals tax.

Airfares are horrifying, but when I got out of graduate school in the 1970's the only way academics could afford to go to Europe was on Icelandic on a turboprop or on the Polish ship Stefan Batory, sailing from Montreal. Now the white sneaker set is everywhere.

Pegontheroad

Interesting question. When I lived on an army base in Germany from 1965 until 1970, I traveled a lot, and I traveled CHEAP. I camped on two major trips, and I took group tours to places like Greece, Egypt and Israel and other places in the middle east. When I traveled independently, I often stayed in places with the bathroom down the hall. I had to travel like that because I had so little money.

Now I am much more affluent, and while it pains me to pay so much for accommodations, fares, food, etc., I can afford to travel more comfortably than I did in the 60's.

I have no desire to camp, and an en-suite bathroom is a must. Fortunately, I was born without the shopping gene, so I have no desire to buy anything. That helps keep costs down.

I do long for the prices I paid in the early years of the 21st century, though.

zeppole

When I first started traveling, the exchange rate on the pound was exactly what it is today, perhaps even slightly worse.

But I also think food in France used to be better, irrespective of cost.

socialworker

Yes, when we were young and "poor'. However, I don't think that is what you meat w/your post.

nytraveler

No.

This is by far the worst it has ever been. Granted my first few trips we didn;t have much money - but what we did have went much further than it does now.

luvtotravel

I find prices much higher. I think it's a combination of the dollar exchange rate and inflation. I try to travel overseas once a year, and my travel costs are going up very fast over the past few years, especially for lodging. I have noticed a difference in breakfasts. Where we used to get a roll and coffee with bed and breakfast, now I'm seeing extensive spreads that are filling. That should bring down daily food costs, but I'm finding restaurant charges much higher, too. At least here in the States, I would not dream of spending $30-$40 for lunch, yet I did just that in Italy two years ago. Yes, my salary is higher than it was in the 70s, but the overall effect (or is that affect?) is that it's hurting my wallet more now.

bettyk

When we made our first trip to Europe in 1977, I remember paying the equivalent of about $4-5 for a Coke and thinking how outrageous that was. Everything in Paris and London seemed expensive, but it didn't stop us from having a great time.

We were much poorer then, but I remember that we paid around $750 per person for a 2 week tour to London, Paris and Amsterdam. That included airfare, hotels and some meals as well as the service of a tour guide. Looking back, it seems inexpensive.

dwzemens

I will take a little different approach to this topic.

It seems to me that regardless of the exchange rate, and the recent pounding of the USD, it's far cheaper today to travel to Europe than it was forty years ago.

I remember traveling abroad with my parents in 1969 and 1970. My father was a physican and we lived in an upper class household. During those days, it was my observation that only wealthy folks traveled abroad.

My wife and I have been fortunate to travel abroad for the last seven years. We are deeply entrenched in the "middle class", but through prioritizing our budget, with an importance placed on travel abroad, we have been able to do so quite regularly.

My point is that I think the overall costs of European travel have decreased over time - regardless of the recent exchange rate.

Pegontheroad

Dwzemens post reminded me of why I lived on army posts in Japan and Germany in the 60's. I was a woman and a teacher, so it wasn't that I was drafted into the service.

Nowadays, a broad spectrum of people travel, but that certainly wasn't the case when I was young. It seemed to me that only the wealthy were able to travel. Even to go to Hawaii from the west coast was a big deal. There would be a little article on the society page of the newspaper when a local notable took a ship to Waikiki--and they always went by ship.

I come from a blue-collar family, and I didn't ever imagine that someone of my background would be able to travel to Europe or Japan on my own. When I was in college, I learned that Dept of Defense had schools in Europe, and I decided that was the way for me to be able to go to Europe.

zeppole

Also, there have been some trade-offs. I think buying authentic artisinal products has gotten incredibly expensive, and formal restaurant costs have risen, while accommodation options have greatly increased because of the ability to view them on line and discount brokerages on the internet. Much more competitive.

But when I visit the US from Europe, I have to stop myself from buying more "cheap" goods than I can fit in my luggage (or should sensibly eat).

I'll also throw out this:

It's no doubt always been the case that eating Michelin-starred meals in Paris was always beaucoup bucks, but recently -- throughout much of Europe -- people have being lured into restaurants by the outrageousness of the prices, and given meals no can understand the rationale for. And most of these restaurants have about as much local flavor or character as international airports. I see no point in traveling to London, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona or Athens from New York, Dallas, San Francisco or Chicago to eat the same plate of 'cutting-edge' grass-fed vicuna with lychee foam and chestnut pollen served on a white plate in a grey room.

quokka

Allow a European a comment here. With the introduction of the Euro, prices for food, clothes, etc. and especially restaurants have almost doubled for us (this is Germany speaking). Then the VAT was raised from 16 to 19%. It's not only the fault of the exchange rate, we are suffering, too...

socialworker

I was glad to hear the input from qoukka, as a European, b/c he/she confirms my hypothesis. It has seemed to me that the advent of the euro caused a precipitous increase in the prices in Europe, not just for American travelers, but for the European population.

We chatted w/the desk clerk in Strasbourg in '04 and she said that after the change everything got much more expensive. It seemed that the currency change gave an opportunity for many prices to soar. The change provided a smokescreen, so to speak, making it harder to see that many were just taking advantage for financial gain. Many in the European populace have suffered.

zeppole

One hears this complaint everywhere the euro was introduced, and the theory is much disputed. I don't want to get into the argument here, myself. I just want to warn people that it is widely believed, and widely disputed.

ira

Hi T,

I was in London with the GBP at $2.50.

I was in France with the Franc at 4:1.

I was in Denmark with the Crown at $0.19.

This was in the days when RT economy airfare was about $800 - the equivalent of over $4000 today.

dwzemens

@ira,

That is exactly my point. More people, of lesser means, now have the ability to travel abroad.