How Much Does a Trip to Europe Cost?

Countless backpackers, inter-railers and twenty-something hostel-hoppers traverse the ever-changing landscapes of Europe every single year. There are plenty of luxurious hotels, glamorous cities and premium experiences on offer, but thankfully Europe is also more than used to catering for the traveler with one eye on their bank account. Budget accommodation, long-distance travel passes and costless Euro city-strolling culture makes traveling in Europe on a budget more than doable.

This is all you need to know about the cost of a trip to Europe.

With so many different destinations, prices can vary drastically for flights from the US to Europe. It can be as low as $400-500 but also well over $1,000. The strength of flight connections to your chosen destination can impact cost, as can peak season and travel demand. We always recommend the usual money-saving tricks, like checking multiple flight comparison tools, looking for airline discounts and always planning ahead and booking early. Being flexible with dates and flight times can also save you significant sums of money.

Luckily, peak season prices are pretty easy to track, since nearly all of Europe shares the same peak season – summer. July and August in particular, when most European schools break for several weeks, can be extremely expensive. So travelling off-peak, or even during shoulder season, is a great money-saving alternative.

Winter in Europe can be so charming, especially in countries like Germany, where fairytale towns are lit up by festive decorations and traditional Christmas markets. Springtime is glorious across all of Europe, as the weather becomes pleasant and rural areas blossom in color. In fact, city breaks in Spain, Greece or Italy can be much more pleasant in spring, when the heat is gently warming rather than scorching. Even fall is a great option for European travel, with luscious forests in country’s like Scotland and Georgia developing a gorgeous auburn tint.

Regional prices are not fixed and can vary significantly, but generally you can expect to pay more when flying to Scandinavian countries, as well as tourist favourites like Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and London. Central and Southern Europe tends to be cheaper, with flights to the likes of Barcelona, Budapest, Athens and Warsaw often more affordable.

As we said, a European travel budget can be very flexible. If you’re a carefree, cash-splashing globetrotter then you can have quite the glamorous time sunning it up in the French Riviera or skiing in the Alps, but you don’t need to be loaded to see this continent at its best.

The more expensive countries and cities – think northwestern Europe and major cities like Paris and London – have a pretty similar general cost to major US cities. Whether it’s food, transport or accommodation, you will need to set a budget aside. There are lots of extremely cheap destinations, however, especially the further east you go. Central and Eastern European nations have a far cheaper daily cost, while even large stretches of the glorious south will set you back far less for the basics.

There’s a great hostel culture throughout Europe, and most of mainland Europe is super connected by good quality train networks, which can be very affordable if you shop around or buy a travel pass. Food, meanwhile, plays such a big part in most cultures here that getting delicious authentic treats rarely breaks the bank.

The best thing about budget traveling in Europe is obvious – so much of the continent can be explored without spending a penny! Whether it’s giant mountain national parks or gorgeous beaches, the splendid countryside throughout Europe is yours to discover. Meanwhile Euro city culture is totally different to the US. You can quite easily spend a day in a European city doing nothing but meandering down cobblestone streets, taking in wide-open piazzas and visiting free-entry galleries and museums, stopping only for a tasty coffee and the local’s favourite pastry.

Of course a lot of museums are ticketed, as are major sightseeing spots like the Colosseum or Eiffel Tower, but generally it is very easy to discover the true joys of laid-back European life without paying a booking fee ahead of time.

If there’s one trip in our collection that perfectly captures the spirit of traveling through Europe, it’s our 10-day border-crossing Rail Trip through Central Europe.

Our itinerary, carefully curated by experienced Travel Experts, is an ode to the romance of traversing the continent by train. Picture alpine lakes and forested mountains whizzing by your window, interrupted only by the occasional fairytale town. Imagine exploring some of the continent’s oldest and most culturally rich capitals by foot. All we’ve done is swap the dingy hostels for comfortable boutique hotels and brought in a knowledgable Local Insider to guide you around, bringing priceless insight and bang up-to-date recommendations to the table.

We’ll start off in Berlin – the perfect place to gain an understanding of Europe’s long and turbulent history. You’ll get to learn about it all in the German capital, but you’ll also get to experience the city’s vibrant, multicultural present day. Truly a city like no other to kick off our trip.

Next is Prague, the Czech capital, famous for being one of the most picturesque gothic medieval cities on Earth. You’ll be guided around the old town, castle and Charles Bridge before winding down with a beer tasting at a local brewery.

Next it’s onto the home of classical music, Vienna, for schnitzel, sachertorte and a little detour down the Danube, as we go cycling and wine tasting in the stunning Wachau Valley.

Our penultimate city is the hidden gem of our trip. Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, boasts one of the most beautiful old towns in all of Europe. You’ll get a full day and night here before hopping onboard a train to our final destination, Budapest. The Hungarian capital is teeming with history and European cafe culture. You’ll get to have a well-deserved soak in thermal baths, before getting together with the group at a trendy ruin bar to reflect on the ultimate European adventure.

So, with Culture Trip, a 10-day Europe trip’s cost is $2,375. Factor in good flights to Berlin and from Budapest, and you’re looking at easily less than $3,000.

Check out the full itinerary and book your spot today.

We have a beautiful selection of trips all over Europe. There’s another Rail Trip in Scotland, featuring a ride on the real-life Hogwarts Express, as well as an island-hopping exploration of Croatia’s shimmering Dalmatian Coast. Speaking of island-hopping, our Greek Island Odyssey is as dreamy as European travel gets – you can also read our guide to budgeting a trip to Greece.

You can get a little more adventurous with our Iceland adventure, or really go off the beaten path with a trip to Georgia (not that one, this gorgeous country is far east on the borders of Asia). Then, of course, we have a stunning selection of itineraries in Italy, from the classics of the north to the beaches of the south and the foodie delights of Sicily.

Finally, why just stick to Europe? We have two incredible itineraries that cross continental borders. Firstly there’s our Madrid to Marrakech Rail Trip, chartering the cultural, historical and culinary evolution from Iberia to North Africa. Alternatively, you can start with us on the European side of Istanbul, before heading across into Asia by visiting Cappadocia and Antalya on our Majestic Turkey trip.