Europe offers incredible range in travel costs. A day in Romania or Albania can cost as little as €20, while the same day in France or Ireland runs €50-70 at backpacker level. This table compares daily budgets at three spending levels across 15 popular European destinations, ranked from cheapest to most expensive.
Source: BestTravelScout research, verified 2026-03-12. Data from BestTravelScout budget travel research based on accommodation aggregators, restaurant pricing and transport costs, March 2026..
| Country | Flag | Backpacker (€/day) | Mid-Range (€/day) | Comfortable (€/day) | Local Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 🇦🇱 | €20-30 | €45-70 | €90-140 | ALL (Albanian Lek) |
| Romania | 🇷🇴 | €20-32 | €45-70 | €100-150 | RON (Romanian Leu) |
| Turkey | 🇹🇷 | €20-30 | €50-80 | €110-170 | TRY (Turkish Lira) |
| Hungary | 🇭🇺 | €25-38 | €55-85 | €120-180 | HUF (Hungarian Forint) |
| Poland | 🇵🇱 | €25-35 | €55-80 | €120-180 | PLN (Polish Zloty) |
| Czech Republic | 🇨🇿 | €28-40 | €60-90 | €130-190 | CZK (Czech Koruna) |
| Montenegro | 🇲🇪 | €30-45 | €65-100 | €140-210 | EUR |
| Portugal | 🇵🇹 | €35-45 | €70-100 | €150-220 | EUR |
| Germany | 🇩🇪 | €40-58 | €85-130 | €180-270 | EUR |
| Greece | 🇬🇷 | €40-55 | €80-120 | €160-240 | EUR |
| Spain | 🇪🇸 | €40-55 | €80-120 | €170-250 | EUR |
| Croatia | 🇭🇷 | €45-60 | €90-130 | €180-260 | EUR |
| Italy | 🇮🇹 | €45-65 | €90-140 | €180-280 | EUR |
| France | 🇫🇷 | €50-70 | €100-150 | €200-320 | EUR |
| Ireland | 🇮🇪 | €50-70 | €100-160 | €200-320 | EUR |
Daily budgets include accommodation, food, local transport and basic activities. Backpacker assumes hostels/camping, street food and public transport. Mid-range assumes 3-star hotels, restaurant meals and some paid activities. Comfortable assumes 4-star hotels, dining out and car rental. Prices vary significantly by season and city — capital cities are typically 20-40% more expensive than provincial towns.
Eastern Europe remains the best value for budget travellers. Albania, Romania and Turkey offer daily costs of €20-30 at backpacker level — roughly one-third of what you would spend in Western Europe. Hungary and Poland are also excellent value, with a full day including meals and accommodation possible for under €35.
The mid-range category reveals where countries truly separate. A comfortable mid-range day in Portugal (€70-100) costs half of what the same standard costs in France or Ireland (€100-160). For road trippers specifically, Eastern European countries offer double the value — cheaper fuel, cheaper accommodation, cheaper food and cheaper (or no) tolls. The combination of low costs and dramatic scenery makes countries like Romania, Montenegro and Albania increasingly popular with self-drive travellers.
Albania and Romania are consistently the cheapest countries in Europe, with backpacker budgets of €20-30 per day. Turkey is similarly affordable due to the weak lira making it excellent value for visitors paying in euros.
Yes. A mid-range day in Hungary or Poland (€55-85) costs roughly half of the equivalent in France or Ireland (€100-160). The gap is even larger for accommodation and dining.
Portugal is the best value in Western Europe, with backpacker budgets of €35-45/day and mid-range costs of €70-100 — significantly cheaper than Spain, Italy or France.
The comfortable tier includes car rental costs. Backpacker and mid-range budgets assume public transport. Car rental itself is typically €25-50/day depending on the country and season.
Shoulder seasons (March-May and September-November) offer the best combination of good weather and lower prices. Accommodation can be 30-50% cheaper than peak summer, and attractions are less crowded.
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