Europe on $2,500 a Day

Arthur Frommer had the right idea on budget travel. How did life get so complicated in the meantime?

I used to think those rabbits were chocolate, not gold — Image by James Bellerjeau

If you’ve traveled in your youth in Europe, chances are you came across a travel guide by Arthur Frommer. The one I saw in the 1980s referred to navigating Europe for just $25 per day.

The 80s aren’t that distant past, are they?

Frommer started in the 1950s with Europe on $5 a day. Over the years, there were many iterations of the guide (with steadily increasing daily amounts).

There’s no magic to $25, other than it was a modest amount at the time. Well, that and it is a convenient fraction (one percent) of what it’s costing me this time.

How the heck does one spend $2,500 per day?

An important disclaimer. That’s what our trip this time is costing us, but not what we’re spending. Let me explain.

We are in Switzerland for three weeks. Our out-of-pocket costs are not excessive. Say we spend about $70/day all in to maintain our home. Groceries and dining are a similar daily amount. Remember to add the cost of our tickets to fly here and back.