Planning a Budget for a 50-Day European Backpack Trip

Traveling through Europe for a month or more can be an incredible adventure, offering a vast array of cultures, landscapes, and historical sites to explore. When planning your trip, one of the most important considerations is your budget. Whether you are planning a 50-day European backpack trip like Maximilian Rhm or a shorter journey, understanding the cost breakdown can help you make your trip both affordable and enjoyable.

Estimated Daily Costs of a European Backpack Trip

For a 50-day (or 6-week) trip to Europe, a common budget might be around €80 per day, as mentioned in your recent trip. This includes:

Average cost of accommodation (around €40 per night in Airbnbs) Daily expenditure on food and drink (approx. €40)

However, the exact costs can vary widely based on your chosen destinations, travel style, and how you manage your expenses. For instance, if you stay with local couchsurfing hosts, you can significantly reduce your accommodation costs. If you're open to cooking meals in your host's home, you'll also greatly lower your daily food budget.

Maximilian's Tips for Affordable European Travel

I think as Maximilian Rhm said, 30€-40€ x day should be enough. I would add some tips:

1. Couchsurfing and Local Cuisine

Couchsurfing: This is an excellent way to save on accommodation. Find itineraries online or through to find local hosts. Some hosts may offer breakfast, which is usually included in the room cost.

Local Cuisine: Even small cities will have plenty of options for quick and budget-friendly meals. Shawarma and doner kebabs are widely available and are a great choice for a quick, inexpensive meal on the go. Additionally, if you have the opportunity to cook in your host's home, you can prepare a healthy and more complete meal, helping to connect with your host and experience the local culinary culture. For example, in Spain, supper is often late, around 21:00 to 22:00, which can be quite different from the more common dinner times elsewhere.

2. Home Exchange

If you own or rent an apartment or a room, I recommend trying a home exchange. This can be especially useful for a multi-stop journey like yours. For example, if you have a property in a tourist destination like New York, Paris, London, or Barcelona, you might be able to find people interested in exchanging places. This will give you a place to stay and a chance to cook, allowing you to save on additional expenses. I have done this multiple times and managed to chain three different exchanges with different families in Barcelona, which works well when you are in a popular travel city.

3. Other Considerations

Don't forget that accommodation in northern countries tends to be more expensive than in the south. Do your research and adjust your budget accordingly. Lonely Planet and Rick Steves' books can be valuable resources for information on costs in different countries. They offer great tips on traveling and finding local lodging, which is always cheaper and more interesting.

For daily expenses, we often ate breakfast at our hostel or inn, with the cost included in the room. For lunch, we either bought from a grocery store or a market. For dinner, we usually dined out, but with a budget for sightseeing and museums, we often had to picnic.

Remember, the key is to be realistic about your budget, especially when it comes to admissions to significant sites and activities. Plan for a few splurges, such as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, to make your trip even more memorable.

Adopt a flexible and thoughtful approach to managing your budget, and your European backpack trip will be more affordable and enjoyable. Happy travels!