Average prices
Not surprisingly, prices vary considerably depending on the city. Here are some sample costs, converted to USD:
beer in Dublin: $6
pub dinner in London: $20
pair of shoes in Paris: $65
pizza in Rome: $9
club entrance in Berlin: $20
concert ticket in Barcelona: $25
cone of fries in Amsterdam: $4
snow globe in Lucerne: $3
movie in Prague: $10
lunch in Costa Rica: $4
Daily budget
How much you'll spend depends on what you want to do. Will you be scraping by on bread and water or will you be enjoying fine dining and a daily shopping spree for the latest European styles?
If you fall somewhere in between, we recommend about $50-70 per day for spending money.
Tipping
Tipping customs vary depending on the destination. Generally, tipping is not quite as generous abroad as it is in the U.S., but it is becoming more and more common to leave a nice tip, especially if you enjoyed the service. Your tour director will be able to give you specific advice on tipping in the city you're in.
Speaking of your Tour Director, don't forget to tip him/her $3-4 per day of tour (and $1-2 per day for the bus driver).
Currency exchange
Most countries in the European Union use the euro, including Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, and Greece (not the UK, Sweden, or Denmark). Use the currency converter at the bottom right to get up-to-the-minute exchange rates.
Haggling tips
Most stores have fixed prices, but you'll probably find yourself in at least one marketplace where bargaining for the best price is the name of the game. Here are some tips:
- Try to see what the locals are paying; market vendors tend to charge more for tourists.
- Pretend you don't care—the minute the vendor thinks you can't live without it, you'll be hard-pressed to get the price down
- Work the price all the way down, then walk away. The last price he yells at you to get you back is the one to take.
- Act the expert; show you know about the merchandise and you know what it's worth
- If all else fails, walk away and save your money; don't buy it if you think you're being had