15 European Cities Under $50 a Day
London costs $150/day minimum. Paris isn’t much better. But Eastern and Southern Europe have dozens of cities where $50/day covers a bed, three meals, transport, and something worth seeing. The architecture rivals Western Europe. The food is often better. And the crowds are thinner.
Here are 15 cities where budget travel means comfort, not sacrifice.
1. Pristina, Kosovo — $25-35/day
Europe’s youngest country. Accommodation runs $8-15/night. Excellent coffee culture (Kosovo takes espresso seriously), vibrant street art, and some of the friendliest people on the continent. The whole city is walkable. Restaurant meals rarely hit $10.
2. Skopje, North Macedonia — $28-40/day
Home to the oldest bazaar in the Balkans. An eccentric mix of Ottoman architecture and oversized modern statues. Traditional kebabs cost under $3. Many museums offer free Sunday entry.
3. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina — $30-42/day
Ottoman mosques next to Austro-Hungarian buildings next to brutalist apartment blocks. Sarajevo’s layered history is visible on every street. Traditional ćevapi (grilled meat) costs $4. Free walking tours explain the city’s complex past.
4. Plovdiv, Bulgaria — $32-45/day
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, with a Roman theater still in use for concerts. The Kapana district has craft beer bars where a pint costs $2-3. Public transport runs about $0.50 per ride.
5. Sofia, Bulgaria — $35-48/day
Golden-domed churches, Soviet monuments, and excellent parks. Traditional mehanas (taverns) serve hearty Bulgarian food for under $8. Free walking tours run daily. The mountains are a 30-minute bus ride away.
6. Cluj-Napoca, Romania — $35-48/day
Transylvania’s unofficial capital, minus the vampire tourism. Gothic architecture, a large student population keeping prices reasonable, and the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania for under $3. Good base for exploring the Carpathian mountains.
7. Belgrade, Serbia — $35-47/day
Dynamic nightlife, the confluence of two rivers, and traditional kafanas serving enormous portions. Belgrade’s floating river clubs are unique to the city. Accommodation runs $15-22/night.
8. Warsaw, Poland — $38-50/day
A reconstructed historic center that somehow doesn’t feel fake. Polish food is hearty and cheap — bar mleczny (milk bars) serve traditional meals for $3-5. Museum-heavy but many offer student and free-day discounts.
9. Brno, Czech Republic — $38-48/day
Prague’s overlooked sibling. Same Czech beer (cheaper), similar architecture, a fraction of the tourists. Vila Tugendhat is a UNESCO site. The student population keeps the city affordable and lively.
10. Bucharest, Romania — $36-48/day
Grand architecture, a turbulent recent history you can see in the buildings, and affordable prices. The Palace of Parliament tour ($15) is worth every cent. The Old Town has cheap nightlife.
11. Krakow, Poland — $40-50/day
UNESCO-listed medieval center, walkable and compact. Restaurant prices climb near the main square but drop sharply two blocks away. Great day trip options (Wieliczka Salt Mine, Zakopane mountain town).
12. Budapest, Hungary — $40-50/day
Prices have risen but Budapest remains one of Europe’s best-value capitals. Széchenyi Thermal Baths cost about $25 for a day — exceptional for a unique experience. The ruin bar scene provides affordable nightlife. Hungarian meals in local spots run $8-15.
13. Vilnius, Lithuania — $40-50/day
The largest baroque old town in Eastern Europe, mostly free to wander. Compact enough that you rarely need public transport. Lithuanian cuisine is hearty and inexpensive.
14. Prague, Czech Republic — $42-50/day
Popular enough to push toward the $50 ceiling, but Czech beer is still cheaper than water in most pubs ($1.50-2.50/pint). Skip the tourist-trap restaurants on Old Town Square and eat where locals eat. Free attractions include bridges, gardens, and architectural wonders you can see from the street.
15. Riga, Latvia — $42-50/day
The world’s largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture. A self-guided walking tour of the architectural district costs nothing and rivals any museum. The medieval old town is compact and photogenic.
Practical Tips for Budget Europe
Accommodation: Book hostels in advance during peak season. Private rooms in hostels are often cheaper than budget hotels and include common areas where you meet other travelers. Staying one metro stop outside the center can cut costs 20-30%.
Food: Lunch specials (“daily menu” or “menü” in many languages) are the best restaurant value — full meals at half the dinner price. Local markets are cheaper than supermarkets and more interesting. Skip any restaurant on the main square.
Transport: Multi-day transit passes save money in most cities. Walk when distances are reasonable — European cities are compact compared to American ones. Between cities, FlixBus connects most destinations for $10-30. Ryanair and Wizz Air fly between budget cities for $20-50 if booked early.
Free stuff: Every city on this list has free walking tours, free church/cathedral entry, free parks, and free architectural sightseeing. You can fill half your days without spending on activities.
Sample 7-Day Circuit: $290 Total
| Days | City | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Prague | $45/day |
| 3-4 | Budapest | $42/day |
| 5-6 | Krakow | $40/day |
| 7 | Warsaw | $38 |
Excludes intercity transport ($60-100 for the circuit by bus/budget airline).
How Spentrip Keeps Your Budget Honest
Spentrip converts between Czech koruna, Hungarian forint, Polish zloty, and your home currency automatically. When you’re changing currencies every two days, the mental math gets exhausting fast — and that’s when overspending happens. The app shows every expense in your currency so you know whether that “cheap” lunch was actually cheap.
The free version handles everything a budget traveler needs. Premium receipt scanning is useful for deciphering Czech or Hungarian receipts, but the manual entry with automatic currency conversion does the job on its own.
Budget travel in Europe used to mean sleeping in train stations and eating supermarket bread. Not anymore. These 15 cities offer real beds, real food, real culture, and real history — at prices that let you travel for weeks instead of days. The $50/day ceiling isn’t a survival budget. It’s a comfortable one. And if you pay attention to where the money goes, it stretches further than you’d expect.
