Best Value Cities In Europe For Budget Travelers (PHOTOS)

As many frequent travelers know, budgeting while away is a difficult task. How do you spend your money? Do you go hog-wild on hotels or reserve your spending for meals and outings?

The website, PriceofTravel.com, looks at how much travelers spend around the world--whether it's on a budget or not--and how that can differ from place to place.

The site recently put together a list of the 10 cities in Europe where you get the most bang for you buck, a difficult task in much of that continent, especially for American travelers these days.

What have you spent on travel in Europe? Did you find it outrageous or budget-friendly? Leave it in comments.

 

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#10 Madrid

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Comments

[UncleJimbo]

08:15 PM on 02/24/2011

I must say how happy I am that I lived in Oxford,England from '77 to '86 while in the USAF!.....I traveled to every country in Western Europe except Portugal!......got to the old U.S.S.R.too ( 12 Day Tour $360 ).....I saw Billy Idol & Generation X for 50 pence at a Local Pub......Saw 4 F.A. Cup Finals ( never paid more than 40 Quid for a Scalped Ticket ).....When I see todays Prices I figure it would cost over 1 Million Dollars to make all the trips I took!......Easily!

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

03:27 PM on 02/24/2011

huh? sofia does not make the list? krakow is a nice city but for the same bang for the buck warsaw offers a lot more. many of the second tier cities in europe are often better priced for decent accommodations and food plus there is lots of arts and music outside the major cities esp in the summer.

the only thing about lists like this is that real bargains are ignored leaving them to the people who do a little research on their own.

[Aviate]

07:01 PM on 02/23/2011

London? Maybe if you think the prices are in dollars and not pounds...

[TFDNYC]

10:47 PM on 02/22/2011

LONDON? Are they kidding? Not only does your money basically get slashed in half upon arrival, everything costs more than even NYC-- and that's if you're thinking in pounds. Don't even bother trying to convert to dollar as you go or it will make you nauseous. Example: entry to Westminster Abbey: 20 ponds. Not terrible, but in dollars, make it 40 (when I was last there in '09). A ride on the tube? 4 Pounds-- outrageous but think of it in dollars? $8! 8 dollars to ride the subway.

Discredits the entire list.

[HelloooCanada]

11:38 PM on 02/22/2011

haha, the 20 pound thing is no joke - it seemed like EVERY tourist attraction in the entire uk is 20 pounds, no matter how small or lame (i'm talking about YOU, cardiff "castle").

but then, bizarrely, there's the incredible free stuff, like all the best museums. and i agree that the tube and buses were pricey, but the cabs were a heck of a lot cheaper than over here (and if you gave any tip, they were very appreciative).

[TFDNYC]

01:32 AM on 02/23/2011

I did find some pretty good cheap food too... Cheap in pounds that is. And my hotel was reasonable too. BUT, it was 3 star and cost $150/night. Again, reasonable in pounds.

[GrainneKathleen]

12:11 PM on 02/22/2011

i don't know what the prices are like now, but when i lived in dublin for a while 10 years ago, it was pretty affordable and a wonderful city. all of ireland is a gem. edinburgh is also wonderful, but it was definitely a bit costlier - worth it though.

[maggiee]

03:11 PM on 02/22/2011

Dublin has gotten expensive.Still worth it though.

[maggiee]

03:12 PM on 02/22/2011

Also have to add how much I love the name Grainne.

[GrainneKathleen]

11:24 AM on 02/24/2011

thanks! you are one of the few commentors who recognize it as a name. usually folks just skip it and say kathleen ;o)

[Jolimont]

05:30 AM on 02/22/2011

London for budget traveler?! Are you kidding me?!!!!

[GrainneKathleen]

12:13 PM on 02/22/2011

maybe hey are referring to some travel specials, i don't know. i remember when i was a student the crappy hostel i stayed in. it was even a budget buster. well worth the visit, though.

[Angelus2007]

02:11 PM on 02/22/2011

I was thinking the same thing, my wife and I are planning a vacation for next year, and London was one of the most expensive, with only Paris more expensive. Madrid and Barcelona were not bad, and neither was Rome. There were probably less expensive cities, but we were keeping the list to places we really wanted to go.

[Doctoress]

03:12 AM on 02/22/2011

We travel in Europe every summer with our Motorhome. We sleep in our own beds, eat our own food, and it costs 1/10th of the hotel-restaurants. In addittion, one meets lots of people from all over the continent instead of being isolated and lonely staying in hotels. Try it, it is worth the investment for a motorhome. As to London, I dislike the Britts and never go there. It has nothing to offer except arrogant and cold people.

[deluk]

07:04 AM on 02/22/2011

You'd be hard pushed to find a "Britt" in London it;s so popular...stay away and enjoy your stereotype's

[Jay Tavora]

09:35 AM on 02/22/2011

If you don't like Brits London is a great place to be...

[HannaSchmitz]

12:33 AM on 02/22/2011

LONDON is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. I spent 5.00 for a can of coke there.

[netzwerg]

09:01 AM on 02/22/2011

Ever heard of supermarkets?

[HannaSchmitz]

03:00 PM on 02/22/2011

I don't go to eat in a super market while I'm on vacation. That's silly and tacky. If I can't afford to go someplace, then I go some place cheaper. I knew London was expensive and it ws worth it.

[LittleLadyWolf]

10:27 PM on 02/21/2011

London?? London is indeed outrageously pricey - it shouldn't be on the list. Krakow and Prague are quite affordable, as are a lot of places in eastern Europe. They don't get the attention that big western European cities do, and not as many tourists either (maybe Prague excepted), which is good! Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary ... amazing vacations, where your dollar will still go a long way.

[HannaSchmitz]

12:34 AM on 02/22/2011

I know. 5.00 for a can of coke, 9.00 for a slice of pizza. Are they joking?

[Henry J Morgan]

05:13 AM on 02/22/2011

Honestly, where the hell did you go to spend that much on a can of coke and a slice of pizza? I've been to other European cities and it is simply not that expensive unless you're going out of your way to find the most pricey place for food.

[deluk]

07:02 AM on 02/22/2011

TBH you simply can't be a very good traveller (no offence) if you allow yourself to get ripped off to that extent, you can pick up 16 cans of Coke in the supermarket for $5.

Our supermarkets are excellent, you need to plan.

[Stacey Peters]

06:17 PM on 02/21/2011

Are you serious??? Aside from the free museums, EVERYTHING ELSE is expensive!!

[John Falter]

03:32 PM on 02/21/2011

London????????????????????????

[FPhoebe]

03:48 PM on 02/21/2011

Seriously, I can't tell you the number of people who have gone there and said to me something along the lines of "I don't know how anyone lives there, it's the most expensive place I've ever been." There is no way that city should be on the list.

[librarianesque]

03:56 PM on 02/21/2011

I live in London, and it is absolutely, hands-down one of the most exorbitant places to live in the world. On top of that, VAT (tax) has increased with the New Year, and the Bank of England has upped inflation. As a non-British resident, I assure you it has no place on this list.

[HelloooCanada]

11:50 PM on 02/22/2011

to the large uber rich population who lives there, i imagine there's nowhere better.

i've never seen such displays of wealth, not even in new york or beverly hills.

[yadayer]

01:26 PM on 02/21/2011

Ermm,I meant #1 to the major easter european cities in general.

[Widespread Panic]

01:26 PM on 02/21/2011

London? My mom told me it was expensive.

Prague is definitely cheap. We used to go there to get shoes and household items on the cheap.

[yadayer]

01:25 PM on 02/21/2011

You showed the ancient Lisbon...common now, you know it should be number 3.
Berlin is amazing, those germans know how to do stuff. #2
#3 I'd have to give it to some Eastern European one, they are cheap as hell.

[pineappaloupe]

12:33 PM on 02/21/2011

I have heard Prague has better *bang* for you buck than Amsterdam.

[netzwerg]

02:07 PM on 02/21/2011

Yeah, but without the marijuana.

[mikeyaz17]

05:27 PM on 02/21/2011

ya, the guys are hot there