THE EUROPE PRICE MYTH
People hear "Europe" and picture Paris hotel prices. But most of Europe — Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Portugal, Southern Spain, Greece outside of Santorini — is genuinely affordable. And even in expensive Western Europe, the gap between tourist prices and local prices is massive. This guide is about closing that gap.
FLIGHTS
- Use Google Flights Explore — search "from [your city]" with no destination to see the cheapest places you can fly right now.
- Fly budget carriers within Europe: Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet. They're not comfortable. They're cheap. Buy carry-on only and stick to it.
- Trains beat planes for under 3 hours. City center to city center, no security theatre, more comfortable. Check Trainline or Omio.
- Flixbus for cheap long-haul. Paris to Barcelona for €15. It takes 14 hours. Sometimes that's the right call.
ACCOMMODATION
- Hostels in Eastern Europe cost €12–20/night for a dorm, €25–40 for a private room. Same quality as Western Europe at half the price.
- Booking.com and Hostelworld both have last-minute deals. If you're flexible on where you sleep, you can often find great places for almost nothing.
- Apartments via Airbnb or Booking become cheaper per-night for stays of 3+ days, and having a kitchen cuts food costs dramatically.
FOOD
| Strategy | Savings |
|---|---|
| Eat where there's no English menu outside | 40–60% vs tourist restaurant |
| Lunch as your main meal (plat du jour, menu del día) | 30–50% vs dinner equivalent |
| Supermarket breakfast and lunch | €3–5 vs €12–18 at a café |
| Local markets for produce and street food | Cheap and better than most restaurants |
| Tap water (safe in most of Europe) | €3 per bottle, all day, saved |
FREE THINGS IN EVERY EUROPEAN CITY
- Free walking tours — tip-based, run daily in every major city, guides are excellent
- Most national museums are free on the first Sunday of the month
- Public parks, beaches, and viewpoints — often the best views in any city
- Churches — free entry, extraordinary architecture, quiet space
- Wandering — the single best thing you can do in any European city is walk with no plan
Stop. Look. Around.
"The best meal you'll eat in Europe will cost €12, be in a place with plastic chairs, and be recommended by the person who checked you in at your hostel."