How to Travel Europe on $50 a Day or Less

May 2, 2026
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Headed to Europe for Euro summer but concerned about breaking the bank? Here is exactly how you can travel my home continent for less than $50 a day. From pre-trip booking tips to money-saving hacks on the road!

Holiday season is well and truly here and if you haven’t booked your summer getaway yet, this is the article for you. Did you know that it is possible to visit Europe budget-friendly yet without compromising on the overall experience?

I have summarised all the tricks I use to travel affordably in Europe, from finding cheap flights and accommodation to saving money on activities. Where are you headed this summer?

Table of Contents

Top Budget Europe Travel Tips

1. Pre-trip money-saving hacks for Europe

How to Find Cheap Flights to Europe

Over the years, I have become really good at finding cheap flights. However with the current flight chaos, if you can avoid flying and travel by train or bus, I’d highly recommend doing that.

If you are flying, here is how to find the cheapest flights:

Go to Kiwi.com to check for all possible routes – that means not just the airports you ideally want, but anything that is nearby (use the +250km option). This will give you an idea of the cheapest departure airports and dates. Kiwi has the most playroom when it comes to dates and locations.
Then head to Skyscanner and check flights for those dates and airports you got from Kiwi. This should give you your exact dates and possible airlines. You can book now if you find a flight you’re happy with.
If prices are a little higher than you’d like at this stage, monitor the airlines and dates you have selected on their website. Prices can change a lot throughout the week and sometimes even drop randomly.

Sorting affordable travel insurance

I cannot stress the importance of a good travel insurance when travelling anywhere, no matter your budget!

If anything happens, you need their backup or it will get really expensive really quickly. Make sure the one you choose covers the activities you are planning.

The insurance I use is True Traveller. I’ve had something happen two times during my travels with them, for both I got the money back without any issues in only a few days.

They are a great balance of good value, budget-friendly and excellent coverage!

Cheapest Countries in Europe to Visit in 2026: Choosing the right destination

Choosing where you travel in Europe makes a huge difference in your daily budget. That doesn’t mean you can only visit cheaper countries, but you may need to combine some expensive ones (like France, Italy, Switzerland) with cheaper ones (Albania, Slovenia, Hungary) in order to overall keep within budget.

Some of my favourites that are also affordable are:

Albania
Hungary
Portugal (outside the big cities)
Czechia

Get inspiration here:
👉 Underrated European Beach Destinations
👉 12 Best Cities in Europe for Solo, Female Travellers

2. Saving money during your trip

Best Budget Accommodation in Europe: Hostels, AirBnB, Booking

Accommodation can quickly raise the price of your holiday, especially in Europe. In some cities, even a hostel dorm can cost you $50 per night during peak season (e.g. London, Paris and Rome come to mind).

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find budget accommodation. Hostels are always my first port of call to see how much dorms are. While hostels come with much prejudice, if you find the right one, it can be a great experience and you will meet so many amazing people.

If you don’t want to stay in a hostel, I would recommend using a combination of Booking and Google to check for different hotels within your price range. Make sure to compare reviews from several sites as they can vary vastly.

Sometimes it is cheapest to book directly with a hotel, sometimes a third party booking site is better, so do a little research.

In some destinations, AirBnBs can also be a very affordable and more private alternative to hostels. It is always worth a look – just make sure to read reviews carefully and if you are a solo, female traveller, look for female hosts. Places I’ve had great experiences with AirBnB have been Italy, France and Croatia for example.

Free and low-cost activities

Contrary to popular belief, holiday activities don’t have to be expensive. From finding public beaches instead of private ones (bring your hotel’s umbrella to save even more) to scoring the cheapest tours (I always scour Viator and Get Your Guide for the cheapest options) to free things to do.

One of my favourite activities in any new city for example are free tours. You tip at the end (usually around 10€/$) and get a 2-3 hour tour by a local. Check Guru Walk for options in your city!

Hostels will also often have offers and discounts on tours in the area.

If you are set on seeing a couple of more expensive things, check if the destination has a tourist pass – this can save you money in the right cases. Weigh up where you want to go with what the pass will save you.

In Europe, many museums and art galleries are also free, especially if you’re an EU citizen under 26.

I also always check for local events and festivals which are usually free to enter and are such an amazing way to get to know a country and its culture better. The same goes for local markets, including secondhand and food ones.

How to Eat Cheap in Europe: Eating local and cooking for yourself

Food is another thing that can get expensive quickly while on holiday. I totally get the idea of wanting to treat yourself, but it does add up. That doesn’t mean you have to totally swear off eating out.

Many local restaurants are a lot cheaper than their touristy alternatives. They tend to be a little away from the main streets (ask your accommodation for recommendations). Some countries have “menu of the day” where you get 2-3 courses for an affordable price (e.g. Spain).

Markets are also a great way to experience local cuisine for an affordable price. Pretty much every European city has one!

If you are in a hostel or AirBnB and have a kitchen, you will save the most money by just cooking yourself.

I tend to find that a mix of cooking for myself, packing lunches (like a wrap or sandwich) and eating out works for me – I get to still enjoy local food and eat out in nice places, just not for every meal.

What is the Cheapest Way to Travel Around Europe?

Europe actually has an incredibly developed railway network as well as countless buses between cities and even countries.

Flixbus and BlaBla Car are probably the cheapest way to get from place to place, though you kind of get what you pay for. I’d still highly recommend for those on a strict budget.

Interrailing may be a way to see many countries in a shorter period by train while saving money. It’s usually only worth it if you spend 2-3 days in a place and try to cover larger distances, both definitely worth checking!

Trains can be super affordable too, especially if booked in advance. There are countless local, cross-border and even overnight options. Operators to know are:

SNCF for France
Deutsche Bahn for Germany
Trenitalia for Italy
Renfe for Spain
SBB for Switzerland

👉 The Best European Sleeper Train Routes for 2026

Making the most of public transport

In general, you want to avoid taking taxis and opt for public transport whenever possible and safe to do so. Especially when heading from the airport to the city, taking public transport tends to be a lot cheaper than taxis. Google Maps now often shows the cost of a journey using public transport, which is super useful.

Many cities also have public transport passes for 24 hours or even several days which can save you money if you are looking to see a lot of things in a short period.

3. Sample budget daily itinerary

Stay in a hostel dorm for $20 per night
Ideally the hostel has breakfast included, if not head to a local bakery for less than $5
Join a free walking tour of your city in the morning (tip $5-10)
Buy lunch at a supermarket or market for $5
Check out a local event or free museum in the afternoon
Treat yourself to a local restaurant in the evening for $10

Of course this is just a rough guide, but it shows you that it can be done for less than $50 per day. You could save even more by buying every meal for the supermarket and spending less than $10 on food.

Accommodation costs will vary greatly between places, but I’d say try to average between $15-20 per night for the trip.

You’ll also want to splurge on some activities, so try and balance that with your food budget to keep within whatever your personal budget might be.

I personally just keep an eye on this on the go (it’s my hidden talent I guess), but there are great apps like TravelSpend that keep track of your budgeting for you.

4. General travel hacks to save money

Travel in the off-season

Another way to enjoy Europe on a budget (and often without the crowds) is by going in the shoulder season. The time of year will depend on the location, but for Europe it tends to be April-May and September-October.

Those are the times when the summer holidays haven’t started yet or have finished and most people are at work/school (especially families). My personal favourite is September because you can still get summer temperatures in the South without the prices of August.

Destinations like Albania and Portugal are perfect for this, but even the expensive areas like Greece or Italy become more affordable in the shoulder-season.

Keep luggage to a minimum

The above photo always makes me laugh as it was SO inconvenient to travel with. The bags were for my ski season in Japan, where I was working for 5 months.

Normally, I prefer to travel with only hand luggage. So either a small trolley or my 40l backpack. For Europe, I find either works fine (except if you are staying in one of those cobblestone streets in Italy haha). I also pack a smaller backpack, which can be used as a daypack for longer days. Though I mostly just use my tote bag for that.

The less luggage you have, the cheaper flights and overall transportation will be. A small bag (like my Osprey Fairview 40l which I love – get some good packing cubes to fit more) means it counts as hand luggage plus you will be able to get on public transport and walk around with it when necessary. It always surprises me how much money this saves in Taxi and luggage costs.

Research discounts and travel passes

A lot of places will have student discounts or by age, for example many Museums in Europe are cheaper or even free if you are under 26. Famous examples would be the Louvre in Paris which is free for EU residents under 26.

Another thing to research are travel passes or city cards, which more and more cities offer. I actually think that most of the time they are not worth it, but it is worth researching and checking against your schedule to see if it will save you some money. The Munich Card in Germany for example is worth it if you are visiting a lot of museums/castles as it includes transport too.

FAQ about Budget Travel

What is the most affordable place to travel?

There are many different places that are affordable to travel to. Here are some lists of my favourites:

Also check out my Budget to Luxury series for accommodation inspo for any budget.

What is budget travel?

Many people think of hotel in disrepair, basic meals and overrun beaches when you talk about budget travel. But that is not what it means at all. It is all about value for money and hacking the system a little.

I have travelled to some of the most beautiful destinations, found amazing accommodations and tours and all that on a pretty tight budget. Check the above guide for all my tips and tricks on how to do exactly that.

Volunteer travel opportunities low cost

A great way to travel for longer while on a budget is to “volunteer” or work for accommodation while abroad. I have done so in 5 different countries and saved thousands of $ that way. I have written a full guide on everything you need to know and how to find great placements here:

How to Work or Volunteer for Accommodation: Travel for Cheap