Germany blends medieval castles, fairy-tale villages, and vibrant cities with world-class museums, beer gardens, and Christmas markets. From the Black Forest to Berlin's contemporary art scene, experience rich history, excellent public transport, and hearty cuisine in the heart of Europe.
Local currency: Euro (€) - EUR.
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Germany.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $20-35/night dorm
- Budget
- $50-80/night budget hotel
- Midrange
- $100-180/night 3-4 star hotel
- Luxury
- $250-600+/night 5 star hotel
Food
- Street
- $3-6 for currywurst, kebab, or bakery item
- Local
- $12-18 for lunch at casual restaurant
- Midrange
- $25-45 for dinner at mid-range restaurant
- Fine
- $80-200+/person at Michelin-starred restaurant
Transport
- Bus
- $2.50-4 single ticket on city public transport
- Taxi
- $10-20 for average city ride
- Airport
- $5-65 depending on airport and city
- Daytrip
- $20-50 for ICE Sparpreis or FlixBus round trip
Activities
- Museum
- $8-16 average museum admission
- Sites
- $0-20 (many free; Neuschwanstein $15, Reichstag free)
- Tour
- $15-45 for walking or guided tour
- Excursion
- $50-120 for day excursion including transport
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Germany costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$350-500/week (hostel, street food, free sights, public transport)
Midrange traveller
$840-1260/week (budget hotel, restaurant meals, mixed activities)
Luxury traveller
$2100-4000+/week (luxury hotels, fine dining, premium experiences)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Buy the Deutschland-Ticket (€49/month) for unlimited regional train and local transport travel - the best value in Germany for travelers staying 3+ weeks
Book Deutsche Bahn ICE trains 4-6 weeks ahead for Sparpreis discount fares reducing Berlin-Munich tickets from €140 to €29-49
Visit supermarket bakery sections for excellent fresh bread, pastries, and sandwiches at half the café price
Use city museum cards (Berlin Museum Pass €29 for 3 days, Munich City Tourism Card) for significant discounts
FlixBus intercity buses are 50-80% cheaper than trains on most routes if time is not critical
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
East Side Gallery Berlin
1.3km stretch of Berlin Wall transformed into the world's largest open-air gallery with 105 murals by international artists. Free access 24/7 along the Mühlenstraße in Friedrichshain.
Brandenburg Gate and Holocaust Memorial
Two of Berlin's most significant historical sites are completely free. The Holocaust Memorial's underground information center is also free and powerful.
Topography of Terror Berlin
One of Berlin's most important historical documentation centers, built on the former Gestapo and SS headquarters, is entirely free with excellent English-language exhibitions.
Munich English Garden (Englischer Garten)
Larger than New York's Central Park, Munich's massive English Garden has free beer gardens, nude sunbathing meadows, Japanese tea house, and famous river surfers at Eisbach.
Hamburg Harbor Walk and Speicherstadt
Walk freely through Hamburg's UNESCO World Heritage Speicherstadt warehouse district and along the harbor promenade. Elbphilharmonie viewing platform is free with online booking.
Cologne Cathedral
Germany's most visited monument is free to enter. The Gothic interior and treasury are remarkable. Climb the tower ($6) for panoramic Rhine views.
Bavarian Alps Hiking
Hundreds of kilometers of marked hiking trails in the Bavarian Alps are completely free. The scenery rivals expensive Alpine destinations at no cost beyond transport to the trailhead.