Cost of travel in Italy
It’s common knowledge that travelling Europe is not cheap, and Italy is no exception, especially if you are travelling during high season. However, depending on your travelling style and the amount of luxury you want to inject into your holiday, a tour to Italy can be done to suit all budgets. One of the great benefits of joining a group tour is that you don’t need to budget for accommodation, entry to the main attractions, or any connecting travel costs as it’s all included!
The average daily spend for a holiday in Italy is around €80 - €100 a day which will cover a mid-range budget for dining out, drinking and visiting and major attractions.
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Food & Drink
Italian cuisine is some of the best in the world, and thankfully you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy it. You will however find that around popular tourist attractions and famous piazzas, everything is expensive! A coffee can even be seen to cost €9! However, if you head down the more unassuming side streets, you will find a much cheaper and more authentic coffee for around €1 - €1.20.
You can comfortably live on with small meals and street food in Italy for very cheap. For a couple of euros you can pick up a slice of pizza, a couple of arancini or a panini. Also, make use of the fantastic Italian tradition of the aperitivo! When purchasing a drink in a bar during the early evening (usually between 6 - 9) you will also be served either a plate of snacks or have access to a buffet - completely free!
For meals at a local to mid-range restaurant, budget for around €20, a fancy restaurant can set you back upwards of €40. Most restaurants also add a €3 “coperto” fee which covers service and bread. The average glass of wine would cost around €4, with a bottle at about €10, and a large beer around €3 - €4. -
Admission fees
Admission to a museum can vary from €5 - €15 depending on where you are going. Whereas an opera ticket can cost anything between €45 - €200.
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City tours
A great way to get your bearings on a new place is to join a free city walking tour. They tend to run a few a day and are generally pretty comprehensive for a short tour (usually lasting around 2 hours).The guides do work for free though so will always appreciate a tip. A private tour or a food tour of a city can cost around €70 - €100. -
Taxis
This can vary from place to place however the minimum charge for a taxi is around €3 during the day and €5 at night. Taxi rates work in three tiers - the further you go, the more the journey will cost per km:
Tier 1 : €1.10 per km. This is until you reach €11, then the pricing moves over to tier 2.
Tier 2 : €1.30 per km. This is until you reach €13, then the pricing moves over to tier 3.
Tier 3 : €1.60 per km. -
Other additional costs whilst on holiday to Italy
Any tips and government taxes, donations at sacred sites and churches, souvenirs, duty free, incidental items such as SIM cards, medicine etc
Tipping etiquette and costs
Tipping is not a big deal in Italy, however there are a few times when it is customary.
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Taxis
Generally people round up to the nearest euro. -
Restaurants
Will usually include a “coperto” fee so there is no need to provide an extra tip. If they don’t however, €1 - €2 will be fine in a pizzeria and 10% in a restaurant.
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Bars
Normally not expected but you can leave small change on the bar when ordering a coffee. -
Guides
Tipping guides is not customary, however if you feel like they did a really good job then €5 for a half-day tour or €10 for a full day tour would be sufficient and very much appreciated.
Bargaining etiquette
Like most of Europe, it is acceptable to haggle in Italy in certain circumstances, but not all. At street markets, it is often seen as arrogant and sometimes even rude if you don’t haggle, however it is most definitely not acceptable to haggle over products/goods in shops.
Be Social
Haggling is a social interaction in Italy. Spend time getting to know the merchant, chat to them for a while before you get down to business.
Wait for the offer
Let the seller make the first offer. They may keep asking “how much you want to pay?”. Don’t fall for it and wait for their price, then the game can begin!
Know your margins
After the merchant has bought the price of the item down, counter offer by half that much. E.g if they drop the price by €20, add €10 onto your next offer, then continue until you both reach a happy medium.
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