Separate fixed and daily costs
Budgeting for a trip is easier when you split it into two parts. Fixed costs are the things you pay before you leave: flights, any extra bags or seat choices, accommodation and travel insurance. Daily costs are what you spend once you arrive: food, drink, local transport, sights and shopping.
Fixed costs are easy to add up because you know them in advance. The daily part is where trips usually go over budget, so it deserves a bit of thought.
Estimate a daily figure
Think through a typical day. Breakfast, lunch, a coffee or two, dinner and perhaps a drink in the evening. A day ticket for public transport. One or two paid attractions. Prices vary a lot across Europe, so a day in Zurich or London will usually cost more than the same day in Prague or Lisbon. Look at a few local menus and museum websites to get a feel for typical prices before you go.
Multiply your daily estimate by the number of days, then add a margin of perhaps ten to twenty percent for the unexpected: a taxi in the rain, a forgotten charger or a tempting market stall.
Ways to stretch the budget
Lunch menus at sit-down restaurants are often better value than dinner. City passes can save money if you plan to visit several museums, but only if you would really use them. Walking is the best way to see most historic centres, and many cities have free walking routes, viewpoints, parks and churches.
Accommodation with a small kitchen, or at least a fridge, lets you have breakfast and the occasional picnic. Bundling your flight and hotel as a package can sometimes simplify costs too.
Track as you go
Banking apps that show spending in real time make it easy to see how you are doing. Check at the end of each day rather than waiting until you get home. If you are over budget, plan a cheaper day of walks and parks next; if you are under, you can enjoy a special dinner on the last night.
Remember the airport journey home. Leave enough for the train or taxi back, and something to eat if your flight is late.
Good to know
- Add a ten to twenty percent margin to your daily spending estimate.
- Use lunch menus for good-value sit-down meals.
- Check your spending each evening in your banking app.