Backpacking Europe on €50/day
Updated October 2026 · first published March 2026
Can you travel Europe on €50 a day? Yes, in much of it, with planning and some flexibility. In the Balkans it leaves room to spare; in Scandinavia and Switzerland it takes hard work.
Where €50 goes furthest
The figures below take a day that costs €50 at EU-average prices and show what the same day costs in each country, using Eurostat's 2025 price level for restaurants and hotels, the two things a backpacker spends most on.
| Country | The same day costs | Restaurants & hotels against the EU average |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | €28 | 44% below |
| Romania | €30 | 41% below |
| Czechia | €35 | 30% below |
| Portugal | €37 | 26% below |
| Poland | €40 | 20% below |
| Hungary | €41 | 18% below |
| Spain | €43 | 15% below |
| Greece | €43 | 14% below |
| Croatia | €45 | 10% below |
| Germany | €54 | 8% above |
| Italy | €55 | 11% above |
| France | €58 | 16% above |
| Netherlands | €60 | 20% above |
| Norway | €70 | 40% above |
| Switzerland | €82 | 63% above |
These are national averages. Capitals and tourist hotspots cost more, and summer prices more than winter ones.
A day on €50
A rough plan for a day at EU-average prices:
| Expense | Budget | How |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | €20–25 | Hostel dorms |
| Food | €15–20 | Cooking, markets, lunch menus |
| Transport | €5–10 | Buses booked early, walking |
| Activities | €5–10 | Free museums, walking tours |
| Buffer | €5 | For the day something goes wrong |
Where to sleep
Hostels are the backbone of a budget trip: a dorm bed, a kitchen and other travellers. Book through Hostelworld or Booking.com, read recent reviews, and check the location on a map before you pay.
Couchsurfing is free to stay but now charges members a small yearly fee. Fill in your profile properly; hosts read them. Be a good guest and bring something small from home.
Airbnb makes sense for two or more people or longer stays. Many hosts give a discount for a week or more.
Wild camping is allowed under the right to roam in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and in most of Scotland. In Norway you may camp in uncultivated land for up to two nights, at least 150 metres from houses. In most other countries it is restricted or banned, so use campsites.
Eating on a budget
- Cook your own meals. A hostel kitchen and a discount supermarket such as Lidl or Aldi save more than anything else.
- Eat at markets. A rotisserie chicken and bread feed two for little.
- Have lunch out, not dinner. Look for the menú del día in Spain and the Mittagstisch in Germany: a set lunch for a fraction of the dinner price.
- Eat street food. Döner kebab almost everywhere, pizza al taglio in Italy, burek in the Balkans.
A day of cooking for yourself can come in around €15: oats and fruit for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, a cooked dinner and some snacks.
Getting around
| Mode | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| FlixBus | €5–30 | Long distances |
| Train | €10–50 | Comfort, city centre to city centre |
| BlaBlaCar | €5–20 | Shared rides |
| Local bus | €1–3 | Short trips |
| Walking | Free | Cities |
- Book early. Bus and train prices rise as departure gets closer.
- Travel overnight and save a night's accommodation.
- Use student discounts. An ISIC card often pays for itself.
- Look at rail passes if you are crossing several countries.
- Walk. It is the best way to see a city anyway.
Free things to do
- Many museums have a free day or evening each week or month
- Free walking tours run in most European cities; you tip the guide
- Churches, parks and markets cost nothing
- National parks are usually free to enter
Tips
- Stay longer in the cheap countries: the Balkans and Eastern Europe.
- Avoid July and August, when prices and crowds peak.
- Compare flights on price comparison sites, and look at buses and trains too.
- Travel with a friend and split rooms.
- If you can work remotely, you can travel for longer.
Where the numbers come from
The table uses Eurostat's price level indices for restaurants and hotels, EU27 = 100, 2025. The €50 day and the prices in the other tables are planning figures, not measured prices. More in About the data.