How to travel Europe on a budget for an entire year

“Hi! My name is Jemima, and I’m all about traveling on a budget.”

“I spent a year traveling around Europe in 2019 – my final major adventure before the world stopped abruptly. And I did it without using up all of my savings. My monthly spending varied, but I never exceeded $2,000 in a month.”

To make last-minute planning easier, keep a running list of places you wish to visit.

I established a Google Doc sorted by country before I left for Europe, where I entered any great destination I read or heard about on blogs, videos, Instagram posts, or word of mouth. I could just open the page whenever I arrived at a new location on my bucket list and plan my journey around it. I was able to budget ahead of time by having an organized list of things I planned to do in each location. Because I was traveling aimlessly, it also helped me avoid overspending in unexpected areas.

Consider taking advantage of free walking tours.

I took a free walking tour every time I landed in a new city. To find one in the city you’re visiting, simply do a fast Google search. These free tours, in my experience, are the finest way to become oriented in a new location, learn about the culture and history, and get local recommendations for where to dine, drink, and sightsee. Remember to give your guide a tip at the end!

Whenever and wherever possible, use the bus.

Train travel is handy, but it may also be costly. When traveling long-term in Europe, many people choose the Eurail pass, but for the benefit of your pocketbook, try taking the bus instead. Flix Bus was a great way for me to travel.

Sure, using the bus takes longer and the terminals are often in inconvenient locations, but the savings make it beneficial if you’re going for a long time and aren’t in a hurry.

Research which destinations are the most cost-effective for travel.

Yes, Italy, France, and Switzerland are wonderful places to visit, but if you want your money to stretch further, you should avoid Western Europe and instead travel to more affordable countries. I utilized Budget Your Trip to figure out where I could spend the least amount of money, and I came up with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Albania, Croatia, and mainland Greece as my top choices. The expense of living, as well as lodging, is generally lower. In a budget-friendly hotel in Croatia, you’ll have just as much fun as you would in a 300-euro-per-night Airbnb in the South of France.

Stay somewhere with complimentary breakfast…or a kitchen, if possible.

Any cheap vacation trip would be incomplete without a complimentary breakfast. Yes, I’m the kind of person that surreptitiously makes a sandwich for breakfast and stashes it in my bag until lunchtime. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Don’t get me wrong: I adore food. The finest aspect of traveling, in my opinion, is trying new meals and cuisines. However, eating out for every lunch and supper can rapidly become prohibitively expensive. On a two-week trip, I’ll spend the majority of my money on food. When I go for a longer amount of time, though, I make sure to book a room with a kitchen so that I may prepare my own meals a few times a week.

Go off the usual route for even greater savings.

Even while visiting these more affordable countries, capital cities might be expensive due to the high number of tourists. If you want to save money, look into destinations outside of the major cities. I do a lot of googling, watching YouTube videos, and scrolling through Reddit to get recommendations for off-the-beaten-path destinations.

For the best rates, book directly and avoid third-party booking services.

Use Agoda or Hostelworld to discover the best location to stay, but attempt to book your accommodation and transportation directly with the hostel, hotel, or B&B wherever possible. You’ll avoid unexpected fees, and if something goes wrong with your reservation, it’ll be much easier to fix if there’s no third party involved.

Obtain a SIM card from a local utility company.

Don’t be caught off guard by a hefty data roaming fee. You can get an inexpensive local SIM card if your phone isn’t locked to a network. Get a basic data package — enough to utilize Google Maps and Messenger while you’re out and about — and use Wi-Fi for the most of your internet browsing and social media scrolling. Get a SIM card that works in all (or almost all) European countries.

Consider visiting during the shoulder or off-season.

I’ve always wanted to visit the Amalfi Coast, but the costs were prohibitively expensive in June. So I waited till October to go there for a few nights. I paid $50 a night instead of $400, and the beaches were deserted, the restaurants were quieter, and the atmosphere was much more relaxed. So, if you truly want to go to a pricy, popular destination, consider going during the off-season to save some money.

If you’re going on a long trip, plan your money by month rather than day.

It didn’t go well when I tried to keep to a daily budget. On a daily level, it was difficult for me to balance major expenses like bus tickets with smaller expenses like meals. Setting a budget on a monthly basis proved to be far more effective. I’d spend $10 one day and $100 the next, but seeing it all add up over 30 days made a lot more sense.

Don’t dismiss hostels; they’re often superior to what you might expect.

I understand that some hostels are downright filthy. However, if you do some study in Europe, there are some fantastic hostels to be found. If you don’t want to share a room, a private dorm is still less expensive than a hotel or Airbnb. I enjoy the atmosphere that comes with staying in a hostel because it’s the perfect location to meet other travelers over breakfast or a few beers in the communal spaces.

At the end of the day, you must determine your priorities and allocate your resources properly. It’s your money, and you can do whatever you want with it. Splurge when you want, save when you want, but don’t let a limited budget prevent you from doing what you truly, really want to do.

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How to travel Europe on a budget for an entire year

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