Italy sounds like a dream vacation, right? And that’s because it is! You probably want to go, but, how much does a trip to Italy actually cost?
Before you even plan a trip, the very first thing you should consider is your budget. Let’s say you want to go to Italy, and you have some savings for your trip. How many days can you stay with that? How much are you able to spend per day? And how much you’ll be able to do with that amount?
You probably don’t know, and that’s why you need to keep reading this article. Here you’ll find a guide with all the main expenses you’ll have, the alternatives in each category and some general tips to make the most of your trip to Italy at a reasonable cost.
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How to Plan your Budget for your trip to Italy
Accommodation Costs in Italy
Budget-Friendly Hostels
If you want to have a low cost vacation, this will be the very first step. After you choose in which city you want to stay, you can find a nice hostel there. For reference you can check hostels like Hostel Trastevere and Yellow Square Rome. On average you can expect to expend around €50-€120 for a double room if you’re traveling during the low season and €80-€200 during the high season for the very same room. Just keep in mind that if you’re staying in a big city like Florence, Rome or Milan, the prices will be on the higher end of the range.
Mid-Range Hotels
If you want an option that’s a bit more comfortable, with some amenities and even small luxuries, then a mid-range hotel is for you. They offer a great way to balance quality with cost, and generally you can expect to pay around €120-€250 per night for a double room during the low season. If you’re traveling during the peak touristic months, then you can expect to pay more, around €120-€250 per night for that room.
If you’re not sure what the difference is between a hostel and a hotel, know that these hotels usually have additional amenities so you’ll be more comfortable in general. These can be features like private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, and air conditioning, but sometimes you’ll find also small pools, fitness centers, and breakfast as well. With recommended hotels like Antica Dimora Firenze and Hotel Laurin being good examples.
Luxury Stays
Now, if you have the means and you want to stay in the most comfortable hotel with all the extras and in the most iconic locations, then go for it. Just keep in mind that a luxury stay in Italy can cost around €300-€600 per night during the low season and even higher on high season, costing about €500-€1500. Of course, that’s a general estimation. Some prestigious hotels in the big cities can cost even more. For the best of the best you can visit hotels like Castiglion del Bosco, Aman Venice and Therasia Resort.
How Much Does Food and Drink Cost in Italy?
Budget Friendly
You can save a lot of money if you’re eating on the go and buying from street vendors. Something as simple as a pizza slice or a sandwich can cost as little as €2! Other street food that you can try are arancini (stuffed rice balls), focaccia or panino, which usually cost around €3-€7. And for something sweet you have gelato! Real Italian gelato in a place like Gelateria la Romana it’s around €2-€5 for a cone.
But if you want a more filling meal you can visit a casual restaurant like Taverna del Seminario. If you’re not familiar with Italian culture, you can search for a trattoria or a tavern, or if you want to keep things simple, a pizzeria. There you can have authentic and regional food for around €15-€25 a meal.
Mid-Range
You can’t live on street food though, and you’ll likely want to experience a bit more of the Italian cuisine right from the source. For that you can go to a traditional Italian Restaurant or a Bistro like Ambrosia Rooftop Terrace Bar and Ristorante Arlu. There you can expect to pay around €30-€60 per person for a full meal. If you’re dining with family and friends, this is the perfect opportunity to ask the waiter for a bottle of wine to share. If you’re not sure what wine to pair with your food, you can always ask.
Fine Dining
Going to a Michelin-Star Restaurant might not be for everyone, but it’s an experience you can try at least once during your trip. And Italy has a few excellent ones like La Pergola and Per Me Giulio Terrinoni. Meals there are expensive, with starters, or antipasti, costing on average €30 and the main course of the meal from €40 to €80. This of course, will add up if you want wine, dessert, and a couple of coffees afterwards, as you should. So the total per person can be around €100 to €250.
Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash
Transportation Costs in Italy
Public Transport
The public transport system in Italy is generally reliable, so you can choose to use it to keep your trip within your budget. In big cities, if you want to use the bus/metro/tram, you can choose between a single ticket, that’s €2, or a day pass for €4-€7 and even a weekly pass for €16-€30. Price might depend on the city and the areas covered, but is a great plan in general.
For moving between regions, you have the regular trains which cost around €10-€30 or the high-speed trains that are more expensive at €30-€100. And if you’re traveling to the islands, you can use the ferry that costs as much as the regular trains.
Taxis and Car Rental
If you prefer to travel with a little more comfort and in your own schedule, then you can call a taxi. The base fare is around €4.5, and the cost for a kilometer can be something between €1 and €2. Keep in mind that some rides have a fixed rate, like going to and from the airports.
For the most autonomy, consider renting a car. Just check Europcar or centauro for example. The price depends more on the model than where you’re renting it. For example, an economic car can cost €25-€60 per day, while a luxury car will be €100 and more. The downside is that you’ll have to pay for gas and parking fees.
The Cost of Popular Attractions and Activities in Italy
But you didn’t go all the way to Italy just for the food, did you? You want to explore the cities and see the famous monuments, but, how much can that cost? So here’s a list of the most popular ones with their current price.
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Colosseum, Rome: The standard ticket is €18, and if you want a tour it’s around €42.
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Vatican Museums, Vatican City: The ticket is around €17, and if you want a tour the starting price is €30.
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Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa: To enter you’ll have to pay €20, and better pre-book your ticket.
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Pompeii, Naples: To see the archaeological site you’ll have to pay €15.
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Doge’s Palace, Venice: The standard ticket is €25.
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Duomo Cathedral, Milan: The entrance is free, but you’ll need to buy a ticket for access to the roof and the museum, and that will be €18.
Photo by Fabio Fistarol on Unsplash
Free and Low-Cost Activities
What a better tip to save your money than to enjoy all the free and low-cost places in Italy? If you love architecture and history, you can spend hours on end walking to the older parts of the cities for the great amount of zero euros! While you’re at it, visit the many piazzas, the church and basilicas, the museums and of course the parks and gardens.
There’s also the beach, if you’re traveling to the coastal cities! Enjoy taking long walks on the shore, and bathing on the Mediterranean Sea. There’s also the Free Walking Tours, that you can find in cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice, although you definitely should tip your guide afterwards.
Examples of Daily and Weekly Budget for Different Travelers.
Backpackers
The cheapest experience you can have in Italy is probably as a backpacker, but, as you saw, this does not mean you’ll enjoy your trip any less and maybe even a bit more. Since you’ll be having an experience more akin to a local and you’ll be more acquainted with the culture.
In general, keeping to the low-budget and mid-range options, expect to spend from €50 to €120 per day, or the same, €350-€840 for a full week.
Mid-Range Traveler
This is probably the most common experience to have in Italy, since most tourists like to spend a bit more for comfort, food, and attractions. It’s still a great way to travel, establishing a balance between quality and price, while enjoying Italy to the fullest.
If you choose this style of traveling, you’ll probably end up spending around €120-€250 per day, or around €840 to €1750 for a week.
Luxury Travel
Probably the most difficult to estimate since the luxury prices don’t seem to have a top. In any case, if you have the means and want to have the vacation of your life, this is the way to go.
For a lower end, you can expect to spend around €500 a day, or €3500 for a week. But if you’re going for the best of the best, then it can cost up to €1200 a day or even more, which makes around €8400 for a full week if you keep that rhythm.
Tips for Saving Money during your Trip to Italy
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Book most things in advance: The more you can book in advance, the more likely you’ll get better deals. This applies especially to flights and hotels.
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Travel Off Season: In Italy, the high season is usually during the summer, so traveling in spring and autumn can cost you significantly less.
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Use City Passes and Discounts: Many cities offer these passes that can help you save a lot on public transport and attractions.
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Stay Connected with an eSIM: If you’re not aware, staying in Italy without an eSIM can drain your budget significantly faster. To avoid these roaming costs and enjoy all the benefits eSIMs offers, you have Yoho Mobile eSIM at your disposal! And you can save even more just by reading this article. Use our promo code YOHO12 for a 12% discount in your next purchase.
FAQs about the cost of a trip to Italy
Is Italy expensive?
As much as any tourist country can be, and it definitely is if you don’t budget correctly, but you have a lot of opportunities to lower the cost of your trip to Italy. For example, by staying in budget-friendly hotels in small towns, using public transportation, eating in local restaurants instead of the more touristic ones, and choosing the free attractions.
Best time to travel to Italy for cheap
The best moment to get good deals while traveling to Italy is the off-season. This is mainly spring and autumn, but even the winter, with the exception of the holidays, is considered off-season. During this month, if you plan ahead of time, you can get significant discounts in flights and hotels.