The best way to save money when traveling is to keep in mind the following expenses: exchange rates, buying food in groceries stores, staying at SAFE hostels, and walking or taking public transportation. When buying your food and drinks at the grocery store, keep in mind that even though it is cheaper than eating out you are still spending money, so don’t go crazy, buy what you need and know you will eat.
I know that the goal is to stay in a place that is super cheap but it is important to consider that sometimes investing in safety is rewarding, it has happened to us that for saving $15 a night we ended up robbed and spent even more money replacing our belongings. Finding a safe, comfortable and cheap place is not too hard. We normally try to stay in youth hostels and also carry a lock with us.
Lastly, we highly recommend to take free walking tours in any of the following cities. Not only do you visit the most iconic places in each city but also you learn along the way; our favorite thing is that you tip according to your budget and how much you like the tour. Do not forget that it is also great for your health. We know that if you following our tips you can make your dollar stretch further.
Our top budget friendly destinations in 2024:
1. Prague
Prague is not only known for its beauty but also for how cheap it can be, considering its exchange rate. The cheapest thing we found in Prague was the accommodations. When visiting Prague make sure you try their Trdelník, a sweet cinnamon pastry and of course their Langose, a deep fried flat bread.
➳ Read More: What to do and see in Prague in 3 days
We spend €24 for a double + around€10 more in food per person.
Total cost per day: approximately€22.00 per person.
Accommodation: Arena Hotel Prague
Accommodation Midrange budget:K+K Hotel Central
2. Warsaw
The exchange rate and its cheap food makes Warsaw a good budget friendly destination to visit when having a tight budget. Some of their museums are free on different days of the week. Warsaw has a lot of interesting places to visit, history to learn and places to eat and drink.
➳ Read More: What to do and see in Warsaw
We spend €40 for a private room in a hostel+ around€6 more in food per person.
Total cost per day: approximately€23.00 per person.
Accommodation low budget: Hostel Helvetia, Warsaw
Accommodation Midrange budget: Little Home Old Town 5
3. Berlin
Berlin has a lot of history and has many free museums to visit. Berlin also has a good price on food, hostels and of course beer. It is easy to walk places or take the metro. You can even walk to all its main attractions in less than 15 km. There are several free walking tours around the city.
➳ Read More: What to do and see in Berlin
We spent €32 for a two beds in a one bed in a shared dormitory (for 4 people)in a hostel+ around€15more in food per person.
Total cost per day: approximately€31.00 per person.
Accommodation low budget: TOP Hotel City Gallery
4. Madrid
You can buy a beer for less than one euro. What is better than that? We lived in Madrid for almost a year, and we loved it. The city has a lot to offer and if you are into the party scene, this is your place. People stay out until 6 AM because that’s when the metro opens again. Some of the bars are free, and the alcohol inside the bar is not that expensive either.
➳ Read More: What to do in Madrid in 12 Hours
Accommodation:We did not need to rent a hotel room because we were living in Madrid at the time.
Accommodation Midrange budget:Leonardo Boutique Hotel Madrid
5. Budapest
When we arrived to Budapest we realized that we lost our wallets in Vienna. All we had for a total of 3 days was 20 euros, the hotel reservation and a credit card on our Uber account. I won’t lie: it was tough but we made it. The food is not expensive at all, especially if you go grocery shopping. We highly recommend visiting the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, the Parliament Buildingand thefisherman’s bastion. We did not like our hotel too much. We think you could get a better hotel for a similar price.
➳ Read More: Complete Guide to explore Budapest in 5 days
We spend €25 for a double + around €10* more in food per person.
Total cost per day: approximately €18.00 per person.
Accommodation low budget:Dominik Panzio
Accommodation Midrange budget: Art’Otel Budapest By Park Plaza
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