Attractions in Riga are affordable and often free — but some free sites may ask for a donation. Food is cheap in Riga so there are plenty of affordable restaurants — but you’ll want to do a little research to find the best quality.
Like most Baltic and Eastern European cuisine, traditional Latvia food is heavy on the pork, potatoes, and cabbage. Super budget travelers can make a super cheap lunch of bread, cheese, and fruit from any grocery store for a few euros.
Pelmeni (small, meat-stuffed dumplings) are available at stands and for takeaway, and a popular budget choice.
FolkKlub Ala offers traditional Latvian food for cheap – it caters to tourists and locals alike. Pretty much all the options from the ‘Budget Lunch’ section above will also apply for dinner. Traditional meal of Latvian food at Key to Riga in Castle Square will run €18-€30; expect to pay similarly at other Castle Square restaurants.
From my experience rental apartments (via Airbnb) tend to be much bigger and much nicer than similarly priced hotel rooms. This guide will help your initial budgeting so you can plan well enough to not run out of money halfway through your trip — because you don’t want to call your parents for more money. Below is a list of individual city guides that break down the average daily costs that you can expect to spend in the most popular European destinations. The main day-to-day costs associated with travel include accommodation, food, sightseeing, public transportation, and a few extra incidental costs. I’m a big fan of rental apartments and they can be extremely affordable in many cities — my go-to site is Airbnb. I suggest budgeting a little high for food because even the most diehard budget travelers will break down and buy a prepared meal sometimes. Between subways, buses, and trams, European public transportation is excellent in nearly every large and medium size city. Munich (Beer): $9 for a huge mug at a beer garden and around $1 for a liter of beer from the store.
The trains in most of Europe are amazing and they’re usually fairly affordable — but they can get a little pricy. The advice above is just a small portion of what you’ll find at The Savvy Backpacker.
However, you plan on eating in Castle Square you’re going to pay a premium so watch out for that. Pickled vegetables – mushrooms, cucumbers, and beets – are a common accompaniment to all meals. That’s why we created The Savvy Backpacker — an independent resource to help give you the skills and knowledge to travel through Europe on a backpacker’s budget. Be sure to apply early because it will cost you another $60+ if you need one in less than 4-6 weeks.
If you’re on a budget ask your friends if they have an old backpack or consider buying used. This cost estimate can skyrocket if you start adding things like digital cameras, tablets, and speciality travel clothing. Some plans even cover loss and theft of personal items and rental car collision coverage. There are multiple companies that offer insurance but World Nomads Travel Insurance seems to be a popular choice for backpackers.
We do have a guide to finding cheap flight to Europe that will help you get the best deal possible. The price you pay could be higher or lower depending on the exchange rate at the time of your travels. However, the price of a cheap hotel can sometimes be cheaper than a hostel if it is shared between two people.
Especially given that food is such a large part of experiencing a country’s culture — it would be a shame to miss this experience. Most countries charge by distance traveled but the prices can change based on time of day, availability, and type of train (high speed vs normal speed).
These passes aren’t dirt cheap like they were in the past but for many travelers it is an affordable way to travel. For example, it’s not uncommon to find a oneway ticket from Paris to Berlin for $50 and London to Barcelona for $40 — of course there will be extra costs like transportation to and from the airport. I rented a car to drive around France for four days and it cost around $200 for an automatic transmission (after all the extra taxes). If you’re new here I highly suggest checking out our Complete Guide To Backpacking Europe — as it will give you step-by-step advice for planning your big journey abroad.
But, no matter where you eat, a meal in a normal restaurant is going to cost a fraction of what it would in Western Europe. Airbnb rentals are also super affordable so that’s a great option if you want some privacy or are traveling in a group. If you want a private room expect to pay 40€-80€ total (for two people) so it’s probably a better deal to rent an apartment.
Passport photos will cost you about an extra $10 or you can print your own for free at ePassportPhoto.
Check out our Backpacking Packing List for Guys and our Backpacking Packing List for Women. At this level you can travel fairly modestly and comfortably without making too many sacrifices.
Do note that these prices are generally for the cheapest option at decently rated hostels in each respective city. Do check guidebooks for recommendations as sometime the cheap (yet quality) independent hotels aren’t listed though the online booking portals. When you’re not familiar with the city it can be challenging to find a grocery store and it’s even worse when you’re already hungry. Most cities are walkable and I always suggest waking when possible — but in some cases public transport might be a better use of your time and energy.
Just be cautious because those big nights out can cost you a fortune — but I don’t have to tell you that.
There are dozens of Eurail passes available to suite about any need and prices range from about $100 for super basic passes and they can cost up to $2000 for a 3-month unlimited pass. However, you’ll cut your rental fees in half if you know how to drive a manual transmission. I figured I would go back through all my notes and records to help give you — the budget backpacker — a ballpark idea of how much you might spend. If you watch your budget closely and make a conscious effort to keep your costs down it’s possible to drop your expenses by around 25%-30%. You might be able to find a slightly cheaper place if you choose the bottom-of-the-barrel option. Additionally, making a meal after a long day of sightseeing can sometimes be a pain in the ass, so it will often be challenging to motivate yourself to cook something. However, I can give you all some general guidelines and point you all to more in-depth articles.
