Europe is one of the more expensive destinations. There are some developed countries in Europe with high costs of living and this will affect our overall expenses. After paying our roundtrip plane ticket, we should use common sense, or a trip in Europe can be really expensive. By saving money, we can preserve our sanity and enjoy our trip better. Obviously, we shouldn’t live entirely on crumbs while we are visiting Europe, but we should spend so much money that can cause financial issues when we are at home. As an example, it may not be a good idea to travel between European countries with airplanes.
Europe is relatively small compared to America, Asia and Africa, so we can choose train and bus. Both forms of transportations can save us a lot of money. When travelling between countries in Europe, we should go to adjacent countries, so we could save money on transportation costs. We could achieve this if we have planned our trip properly. It is also a good idea to have travel insurance. Medical costs in Europe can be very expensive, so we can be covered if we are in trouble or get sick. The premium is insignificant compared to the potential medical expenses and bills that we may incur later on.
Depending on the duration of our trip and our overall health condition, the coverage can cost us from $35 to $500. We should also spend money on Schengen or European visa, so we can travel in many countries without being questioned by immigration officials. We should also make sure that our passport won’t expire during the trip, because it can be quite costly. Countries in Europe could have significantly different standards of living. This will affect the prices of transportation, food and accommodation. We should perform research to know how much we need to spend when visiting a country in Europe.
In general, former Eastern bloc and Balkan countries have lower standard of living, although they are relatively more developed than many African and Asian countries. These countries include Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Serbia, Poland and former states of USSR. In contrast, more expensive countries are located in Western and Northern Europe, such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Iceland, Monaco and Italy. Spain, Ireland and Portugal can be considered cheaper among Western Europe countries.
Locations that we want to visit also determine the overall pricing. Rural areas are more affordable than major cities. It is advisable to stay in one hotel longer if possible, especially if it offers special deals if we stay there for one week or more. Travelling cheaply in Europe is also about using durable equipments and bags. Replacing our essential equipments and items can be quite expensive in Europe. Our backpack and suitcase should be sturdy, so we don’t have to replace it during our trip. We should also bring our own medicine from our home country, because its alternative can be expensive in Europe.