How Much Money to Bring to Europe: Daily Budgets by Country
Europe varies wildly by country. Here’s daily budgets for major destinations + money strategy.
Cheapest Europe
Portugal, Spain (off-tourist), Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria: €40-70/day backpacker, €80-150/day mid-range. Best value-to-experience ratio in Europe.
Mid-priced Europe
Italy, France (outside Paris), Greece (off-season), Germany, Netherlands, Croatia: €60-100/day backpacker, €120-220/day mid-range. Most popular destinations.
Expensive Europe
London, Paris, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden: €100-180/day backpacker, €250-500/day mid-range. Budget more or skip if backpacking.
ATM strategy
Use bank ATMs (no ‘Euronet’ or yellow standalone, terrible rates). Capital One 360, Charles Schwab, Wise all refund foreign ATM fees. Withdraw €200-400 at a time to minimize fees. Decline ‘dynamic currency conversion’ — always choose to pay in EUR.
Cash + cards
Many Northern European countries (Sweden, Norway, Netherlands) are nearly cashless: cards everywhere. Southern + Eastern Europe still cash-heavy for small purchases. Bring €100-200 cash for arrivals; use ATMs for the rest. Cards: Visa + Mastercard widely accepted; Amex limited.