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How much to live in Europe for 6-8 months?

G

gopunk

Lifer
i'm thinking about taking a 6-8 month trip to 9 or so countries in europe, spending a couple weeks in each one. can somebody who has experience in this give me an estimate of how much i can expect to pay for board, and food? i'm just going to get a plane ticket to some country and then use a rail pass from there. so i got that part down...

the youth hostels look to be about 25-50 bucks a night, at least in france... does that sound about right? i really don't need any place fancy... just safe (i.e., nobody is going to assault me in the middle of the night). how badly do they frown upon sleeping in public in europe? because at 25 bucks a night, that's like 1k a month... for 6 months... that's a lotta dough. i wouldn't mind sleeping on a park bench or something, and it'll be warm because it'll be spring / summer time.
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
i'm thinking about taking a 6-8 month trip to 9 or so countries in europe, spending a couple weeks in each one. can somebody who has experience in this give me an estimate of how much i can expect to pay for board, and food? i'm just going to get a plane ticket to some country and then use a rail pass from there. so i got that part down...

the youth hostels look to be about 25-50 bucks a night, at least in france... does that sound about right? i really don't need any place fancy... just safe (i.e., nobody is going to assault me in the middle of the night). how badly do they frown upon sleeping in public in europe? because at 25 bucks a night, that's like 1k a month... for 6 months... that's a lotta dough. i wouldn't mind sleeping on a park bench or something, and it'll be warm because it'll be spring / summer time.
Click to expand...

it's going to be pretty expensive because of the euro/dollar exchange rate for the moment

food is going to be more or less the same price
20-50$ sounds about right for a youth hostel in Europe and they are very safe
sleeping in public places is possible (homeless people do it all the time) but that is probably not very safe.


 
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I really wouldn't sleep on the benches or anything.

I'd bring at least $10,000 if I were doing that.
Click to expand...

damn it that's a lot of moolah. i was afraid of that 🙁

yea i guess park benches might not be that good of an idea... maybe if i end up visiting the countryside i can just sleep outside, that should be okay right? countryside... not many people... easy to find a hidden spot...


thanks for the help you guys 🙂 4:20 am on a saturday morning, and you guys are giving me advice on a trip to europe...
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
damn it that's a lot of moolah. i was afraid of that 🙁

yea i guess park benches might not be that good of an idea... maybe if i end up visiting the countryside i can just sleep outside, that should be okay right? countryside... not many people... easy to find a hidden spot...
Click to expand...

Maybe. I've never been to Europe, but I'd imagine it's pretty similar to the US.

It may sound romantic, but really sleeping in a bush in the middle of nowhere is still sleeping in a bush. Could you shorten the trip? Maybe to 2 or 3 months?
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I really wouldn't sleep on the benches or anything.

I'd bring at least $10,000 if I were doing that.
Click to expand...

damn it that's a lot of moolah. i was afraid of that 🙁

yea i guess park benches might not be that good of an idea... maybe if i end up visiting the countryside i can just sleep outside, that should be okay right? countryside... not many people... easy to find a hidden spot...


thanks for the help you guys 🙂 4:20 am on a saturday morning, and you guys are giving me advice on a trip to europe...
Click to expand...

bring a tent with you and stay at camp sites. Safe and cheap

 
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: gopunk
damn it that's a lot of moolah. i was afraid of that 🙁

yea i guess park benches might not be that good of an idea... maybe if i end up visiting the countryside i can just sleep outside, that should be okay right? countryside... not many people... easy to find a hidden spot...
Click to expand...

Maybe. I've never been to Europe, but I'd imagine it's pretty similar to the US.

It may sound romantic, but really sleeping in a bush in the middle of nowhere is still sleeping in a bush. Could you shorten the trip? Maybe to 2 or 3 months?
Click to expand...

yea but when sleeping in a bush is the difference between 4k and 10k... sleeping in a bush doesn't sound all that bad 😛

i could shorten it... but then i'd either have to spend less time in each country or visit fewer countries. i was hoping to have this one last fling of freedom and youth before i head off to graduate school. there's a good possibility i'll be traveling with a friend who's graduating a quarter earlier (who is also taking one last fling of freedom and youth before she heads off to graduate school). we might go pack fish in alaska for fundraising 😛
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
yea but when sleeping in a bush is the difference between 4k and 10k... sleeping in a bush doesn't sound all that bad 😛

i could shorten it... but then i'd either have to spend less time in each country or visit fewer countries. i was hoping to have this one last fling of freedom and youth before i head off to graduate school. there's a good possibility i'll be traveling with a friend who's graduating a quarter earlier (who is also taking one last fling of freedom and youth before she heads off to graduate school). we might go pack fish in alaska for fundraising 😛
Click to expand...
Well, I hope you get to go for the whole time. I've always wanted to do something like that, but it may be too late. I've already become a working stiff. 😉

Maybe you can stay with some ATers? Which countries are you going to?
 
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Originally posted by: gopunk
yea but when sleeping in a bush is the difference between 4k and 10k... sleeping in a bush doesn't sound all that bad 😛

i could shorten it... but then i'd either have to spend less time in each country or visit fewer countries. i was hoping to have this one last fling of freedom and youth before i head off to graduate school. there's a good possibility i'll be traveling with a friend who's graduating a quarter earlier (who is also taking one last fling of freedom and youth before she heads off to graduate school). we might go pack fish in alaska for fundraising 😛
Click to expand...
Well, I hope you get to go for the whole time. I've always wanted to do something like that, but it may be too late. I've already become a working stiff. 😉

Maybe you can stay with some ATers? Which countries are you going to?
Click to expand...

ah a working stiff... what i'll be after the trip! 😀

i was thinking about great britain for a few days (i really just want to try their fish and chips and check out london), france, germany, austria, italy, spain, switzerland, greece, and quite possibly a few others. france might be longer than the others because my friend was originally planning on just living there for a year (!), and she's been raised speaking french. for the other countries i dunno what we'll do because neither of us knows spanish, german, etc...
 
ah a working stiff... what i'll be after the trip!

i was thinking about great britain for a few days (i really just want to try their fish and chips and check out london), france, germany, austria, italy, spain, switzerland, greece, and quite possibly a few others. france might be longer than the others because my friend was originally planning on just living there for a year (!), and she's been raised speaking french. for the other countries i dunno what we'll do because neither of us knows spanish, german, etc...
Click to expand...

most Europeans can speak some English so the language barrier is not really a problem.
and like I said before, just bring a tent with you and stay on camp sites
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
i'm thinking about taking a 6-8 month trip to 9 or so countries in europe, spending a couple weeks in each one. can somebody who has experience in this give me an estimate of how much i can expect to pay for board, and food? i'm just going to get a plane ticket to some country and then use a rail pass from there. so i got that part down... the youth hostels look to be about 25-50 bucks a night, at least in france... does that sound about right? i really don't need any place fancy... just safe (i.e., nobody is going to assault me in the middle of the night). how badly do they frown upon sleeping in public in europe? because at 25 bucks a night, that's like 1k a month... for 6 months... that's a lotta dough. i wouldn't mind sleeping on a park bench or something, and it'll be warm because it'll be spring / summer time.
Click to expand...

Living in Europe for six months with no money to find a decent place to sleep? NOT FUN!!!
Are you serious?
 
I backpacked through Europe for 3 months before I went on to backpack through Israel and several other middle eastern countries. This was five years ago, but in those three months in Europe (pre-euro) I spent 8k. Mix of sleeping in hostels, and at times a decent hotel.

Sleeping in park benches or in public is not advisable. It is unsafe, and you will probably get your stuff pinched if not worse. I did find that with my Euro Rail pass, I saved some money by sleeping on the train many times.

Adequate funds are essential though. Europe is VERY expensive for Americans right now due to the exchange rate.
 
Hmmm...

For some reason, the desire to visit other countries is very weak in me. I mean.. I guess it would be cool, since I've hardly been out of the state, really... but.. I dunno.

lol..

Off the top of my head, I would guess around $10,000 also. That would give you 1600$ a month for 6 months, or 1250$/mo for 8 months.

That should be enough for everything. You may be able to live quite well in some countries. 🙂 If you make a budget... you best add at least 10% to it for unseen expenses. I'd say 1000$/mo is minimum. Food and shelter gets expensive, and you aren't going to want to be broke at any point.

Don't go with the idea of sleeping outside, oh man.. It may sound like a good idea while sitting in your comfy house with your bed at your side, "Oh I can do that, it would be fun!", but it would get really old, really fast... lol

plus, what about going to the bathroom, showering, eating, stuff you need a room for? lol....

Oh, and about the packing fish in Alaska thing.. I've heard it pays super good(like what, 16 - 18$/hr?).......

But that it is very dangerous work, and also VERY hard.. like 14 hour days.. lol..

It probably depends though. If you really want to do this, you're going to have to find a way to save some $ up, that's for sure.
 
Originally posted by: tnitsuj
I backpacked through Europe for 3 months before I went on to backpack through Israel and several other middle eastern countries. This was five years ago, but in those three months in Europe (pre-euro) I spent 8k. Mix of sleeping in hostels, and at times a decent hotel.

Sleeping in park benches or in public is not advisable. It is unsafe, and you will probably get your stuff pinched if not worse. I did find that with my Euro Rail pass, I saved some money by sleeping on the train many times.

Adequate funds are essential though. Europe is VERY expensive for Americans right now due to the exchange rate.
Click to expand...

I concur. Many backpackers sleep on the train to save money. Don't forget the fact it's safe.
 
Originally posted by: Xiety
Originally posted by: tnitsuj
I backpacked through Europe for 3 months before I went on to backpack through Israel and several other middle eastern countries. This was five years ago, but in those three months in Europe (pre-euro) I spent 8k. Mix of sleeping in hostels, and at times a decent hotel.

Sleeping in park benches or in public is not advisable. It is unsafe, and you will probably get your stuff pinched if not worse. I did find that with my Euro Rail pass, I saved some money by sleeping on the train many times.

Adequate funds are essential though. Europe is VERY expensive for Americans right now due to the exchange rate.
Click to expand...

I concur. Many backpackers sleep on the train to save money. Don't forget the fact it's safe.
Click to expand...
Unless there's a train wreck.

😛:evil:

 
how badly do they frown upon sleeping in public in europe? because at 25 bucks a night, that's like 1k a month... for 6 months... that's a lotta dough. i wouldn't mind sleeping on a park bench or something, and it'll be warm because it'll be spring / summer time.
Click to expand...
If you're not kidding you should kill yourself. Sorry gopunk, but I'm serious 😛
 
Depends on the country, but food is really expensive unless you buy it from a grocery store and keep it light. There are crappy hostels and good ones, but you can go as cheap as $10 a night. You could also find some travel mates before you go to save money by sharing costs.
 
Ask aphex .... he stayed (or is staying) in The Netherlands.

I was going to backpack through Europe, did all the research but then had no money to fulfill the trip.
Some general tips:
- If you are realllly short on money, travel by bus. It takes longer, but it's cheaper.
- Consider that a night spent on a train/bus equals to one night less to pay for accomodation.
- Try to reschedule your trip to stay less time in the summer, when prices and temperatures are very high.
- Visit southern countries in autumn/winter.
- Apply for a Student Travel Bureau card (or any student traveler association), which can provide discounts with flights and accomodation.
- Plan, plan, plan ... research, research, research.
 
Originally posted by: Xiety
Originally posted by: tnitsuj
I backpacked through Europe for 3 months before I went on to backpack through Israel and several other middle eastern countries. This was five years ago, but in those three months in Europe (pre-euro) I spent 8k. Mix of sleeping in hostels, and at times a decent hotel.

Sleeping in park benches or in public is not advisable. It is unsafe, and you will probably get your stuff pinched if not worse. I did find that with my Euro Rail pass, I saved some money by sleeping on the train many times.

Adequate funds are essential though. Europe is VERY expensive for Americans right now due to the exchange rate.
Click to expand...

I concur. Many backpackers sleep on the train to save money. Don't forget the fact it's safe.
Click to expand...

how does that work? wouldn't you wake up in a different city? or do they just go to a new place every day....
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I really wouldn't sleep on the benches or anything.

I'd bring at least $10,000 if I were doing that.
Click to expand...

damn it that's a lot of moolah. i was afraid of that 🙁

yea i guess park benches might not be that good of an idea... maybe if i end up visiting the countryside i can just sleep outside, that should be okay right? countryside... not many people... easy to find a hidden spot...


thanks for the help you guys 🙂 4:20 am on a saturday morning, and you guys are giving me advice on a trip to europe...
Click to expand...


?!?!?! how much do you live on now for 6-8 months? I'd expect it to be at least a LITTLE more.

Å
 
I backpacked for three months this spring for $1500 bucks. If you're going to be there for that long, I'd STRONGLY recommend the Bunac program. www.bunac.org. Before I backpacked I worked in Central London for 6 months at England's largest IT law firm as their one web geek. It was so much fun. I met a crew of people from Chicago and we got our own place in North London. Living there was great because there were so many cheap flights out of London that I took a lot of little weekend trips and then figured out where I really wanted to go while backpacking. Here's something else. If you've been living in London for 4 months, you can get an Inter-Rail pass which is half the price of the Eurail pass that you'd buy in America. I can let you know about all that stuff!

If you get YAFC (yet another f'in church) syndrome, most do after 2 or 3 months, may I strongly recommend a week at the Moutain Hostel in Gimmelwald, Switzerland. It's set in a valley surrounded by stunning mountains. When I was there in March I got to see snow storms and avalanches one day and get sunburned sunbathing the next. This place costs 8 dollars a night, has a stainless steel kitchen where you can cook whatever you want (rare in hostels), free pool table and the owners would buy shots for us at night in the hostel's little bar. www.mountainhostel.com. I was only going to stay there for a few days but ended up staying over a week.
 
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