A few interesting Italy facts, that make it a country I love is that it’s packed full of tasty food, historical sights, and a vibrant culture. I spent a lot of time backpacking Italy and I love it more and more.
For these reasons Italy is one of the most and best countries to backpack in Europe, and people often ask me “How much does it cost to travel Italy for a month?”.
Italy is expensive compared to other countries in Europe.
Wait wait! Don’t let that last sentence scare you away!
Skipping Italy because of the price tag would be a huge mistake. Italy is a country worth visiting, and it’s well aware of that fact. It is one of my favorite countries to visit when backpacking Europe.
This post will break down how much you need to budget to travel in Italy, and some tips I’ve personally used to help save some extra cash.
Cost of Traveling Italy for a Month
Accommodation in Italy
Hostels – Most of my travels in Italy have been by staying in hostels. If you are new to backpacking then check out my post about thoroughly explains what is a hostel and what a hostel experience is like.
Hostels have a few types of rooms to choose from.
Dorms – A night in a hostel dorm cost around $30-$50. In the big cities like Rome, it can be even more.
Private Rooms- In a Hostel range between $50-$70.
Airbnb – Is a great option for getting a nice private room in a locals house. Want an Airbnb coupon code?
Sign up using this link and save $40 off your first stay with Airbnb.
The earlier you book your dorms chances are the prices will be cheaper. I suggest doing this even though it takes out some of the randomness and adventure of not knowing where you’re going.
As you can see a major cost of Italy is the accommodation.
Of course, there are easy ways to save money on accommodation by couchsurfing or house sitting. (Both are alternatives for Airbnb)
Eating in Italy
Not experiencing Italy’s food is nothing short of a tragedy. In my opinion, it is some of the most delicious food on the planet.
I am drooling over my keyboard just thinking about the soft freshly baked bread, cheeses that have reached the levels of perfection, pasta overflowing with creamy sauces and unforgettable red wine.
However, eating out every night will kill your budget. I suggest striking a delicate balance.
For breakfast and lunch eat at local bakeries or cook your meals and go out for dinner. The food in Italy is just too good to miss.
Cheap Eateries- Cost around $10 – $15 a meal.
Midrange- $15-$25
High-end restaurants– $25- sky’s the limit.
If you are adding wine to your meal budget at least $10 more.
Travel Tips to save money on food
Of course cooking yourself saves tons of money, and you can eat as little as $5 – $10 a day as well.
If you confine yourself to eating bread and cheese from bakeries eating in Italy in fairly inexpensive. For three meals at bakeries, you are looking at spending $8-$10 a day.
Getting Around Italy
If a Eurail Pass is the right option for you then, transportation is reasonably cheap.
Italy has a vast and reliable train network. Training to other cities in Italy won’t break the bank with journey cost somewhere around $10 -$30.
You can walk most cities,like I explain in my Rome guide, otherwise a few sights.
Following travel tips like this saves a little money every day that adds up to significant savings over time.
There are other cheap ways to travel Europe as well.,
Another option is budget airlines in Europe. However, make sure you are aware of the airlines rules and policy’s.
Budget airlines sometimes have tricky little fees that add up quick.
Things do in on a Budget in Italy
Now we get to the fun stuff. Italy is jam packed with tons of things to do, especially sightseeing.
The Colosseum = $15 and gives you access to the Foro Romano and Palatino.
The Vatican- including the Sistine Chapel = $20
Last Super in Milan- $22 ( Book ahead of time)
Galleria dell’Accademia, or Accademia Gallery – ( Michelangelo’s David) = $26
Florence Cathedral – $23
Souvenirs – $25 – $100. Here are some great slow travel souvenirs in Italy.
Another option is to plan a tour with Walks of Italy. It is a day tour company in Italy that I recommend to my readers. If you are curious what makes them so great check out my Walks of Italy review.
Partying in Italy
Italy Travel Tips(Read More)
Italy Travel Blog(Read More)
Things do in Florence(Read More)
I’m not going to lie I went a little wild my first time in Italy.
In Rome, the nightlife is intense, energetic, and it seems never to stop. If you are not careful, too many wild nights out in Italy will destroy your budget.
However, I do think seeing the night life of a culture is important while backpacking. For a night out in Italy you need to budget between $30-$50 ( tolerance depending, of course)
Breakdown of the Cost of Traveling in Italy a Month
Hostel Dorms = $1050
Eating ( Eating at a restaurant once a day) = $750
Partying ( Going out once a week) =$200
Transportation ( Rome, Florence, Sienna, Milan, Venice) =$150
Sightseeing = $150
Total = $ 2,300
Don’t let this discourage you. There are many ways to cut cost, go a restaurant every other day, don’t party often, and travel slow and you can set your budget for a month in Italy to around $1700.
Is the Cost of Traveling Italy Worth it?
Yes, Italy isn’t cheap, but it is a country worth the price tag.
When you think that for $1,700 I am getting a month to explore Rome, watch the sunset over Florence, gaze up at Sistine Chapel, eat pizza in its birthplace, and wander the alleyways canals of Venice. The price doesn’t seem so bad.
The Italian culture is wonderful; it is jam-packed with sights and history, you have beautiful coastlines, and in the north incredible mountains. Italy embodies everything I love about Europe, and I will visit this country regularly the rest of my life.
Are you hooked on Italy? I thought so, then check out my full list of Italy Travel Tips also see 5 Ways to Travel Europe Cheaply
Hmmm I think you spent about the same as I did, I was teaching English in summer camps last year in Italy, and I had 3 weeks holiday between a couple camps. I started in Sorrento and stayed around there 5 days or so, popped to Naples for a day and a night and got an overnight train to Sicily. Saw a couple places in the West first (including the Valley of the temples- incredible!) then went over to the East in a lovely place called Siracuse (where I actually fell in love with a Sicilian and am still seeing now…) then hopped back on the overnight train straight to Rome for 3 nights, Florence for 3, and Venice for 2. Was a great trip and I spent £1000 ($1600) for accommodation ,food and everything I did (I think just one day in the whole trip I did nothing and laid on the beach, ah yeah in Venice when I ran outta money!).
I adoreeeeeeeeeee Italy! Which is why I’m moving there in January to teach English. Yay me! Thanks for your post. Ciao!
Italy is superb. Glad you found my budget on point 🙂
Let me know how you enjoy it back there !
What currency are the prices mentionne in. thank you
Thanks for the post Sarah. I’m an older woman with a TESOL certificate planning to go to Italy this spring. I’d like to check out for the future if there is work there teaching English. I’ve heard it’s really hard to get a job in Italy teaching if you are an American and not an EU citizen. Can anybody give me any feedback on that?
Hey Stephen here. Thanks for the comment Diana. Yes, everything I have read is that its very very hard to get an English Teaching job in Europe. I think this is for a few reasons. I think the main reason is that they are more likely to hire from countries like the England, Scotland, and Ireland because they don’t need work visa’s. I wish you the best! Teaching in Asia is always a great back up plan.
Thanks for this.. we are planning on going in the next few years.. and really need to budget!
Now I want to go back to Italy to try out these travel tips.
I’m glad my budget post could inspire your wanderlust. lol
It sounds amazing! I hope one day I get to go to Italy. We just went to Disneyland for 5 days and it cost about the same $2,300. So really this probably isn’t too bad in price.
Haha especially since this is a budget for a month. Though I don’t know how many people you would be traveling with.
Those are some great tips. It makes it seem to me that Italy is totally doable on my budget.
It is doable, but not the cheapest place in the world. However it is totally worth it lol
Wow. Thanks for the very nice breakdown.
I’d want to save some emergency money too to back that up.
It would take quite awhile to save it up though.
But I’d love to travel there.
—-JamericanSpice
Thanks for your comment! I hope you get to go soon as well!
This is great! I will need to save this for when we decide to go!
Glad I could help!
Hopefully you get to go soon. It is my favorite country Cait.
I thought it would be a lot more. I would so love to see Italy. I would love to travel anywhere outside the US at this point. I’m so jealous.
That doesn’t seem like a lot of money for a month in Italy! Awesome!
My aunt spent a month in Italy and lived on a budget. She rented a room and bought furniture from a resale shop and then sold it back when it was time to go home.
Wow I never realized that it was that affordable. I think my son’s grandma took him to Disney and they spent close to 10k so going to Italy may actually be cheaper. lol
Oh to have a month to spend in Italy. Le sigh. Sounds amazing! I’m just trying to carve out 10 days to explore!
That’s not a bad price. I’d love to go to Italy!