How Much Does a Trip to Berlin Cost? (2024 Budget Breakdown)

Last Updated on 9th November 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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If you’re a fan of street art, a vibrant cultural scene, capital cities, and fantastic food, then Berlin is probably close to the top of your Europe bucket list. But, as the capital city of Germany, you might be left wondering ‘is Berlin expensive?’ Well, in this article I’ll break down step by step how much a trip to Berlin costs.

The currency of Germany is the Euro (€) and so this is the currency that we’ll be using for this article. My top money recommendation for Berlin would be to carry a card and cash on you at all times as some places only take card payments, while others will only accept cash.

I recently spent an entire week in the city and, while it was my second time discovering the German capital, I soon found new and exciting things to do, as well as discovering new haunts. I have to admit that I didn’t exactly warm to the gritty city on my first visit, as Berlin really takes some time to get to know.

My husband and I are the kind of travellers I would describe as ‘affordable luxury’. We typically stay at mid-range hotels but are happy to splash out a little more on an extra special meal/ activity that will be particularly memorable.

It’s also worth noting that, as of 2024, the cost of visiting Berlin has gone up considerably in comparison with our last visit in 2021. Do be sure to bring cash with you (we typically kept around €100 on us at all times) as many establishments are cash only. Conversely, a lot of cafés and hipster restaurants are card only.

Cost of accommodation in Berlin

After getting to Berlin and the cost of your flight/ train, the next most expensive thing you’ll have to budget for is accommodation. We personally stayed in the Mercure Berlin Tempelhof close to the Tempelhof airport, but next time we visit I would probably opt to stay in Kreuzberg as it’s closer to many of the main attractions in town.

For a budget stay in a hostel, you’ll want to budget around €45 per person per night. A midrange hotel will set you back around €120-€150 per night (so split in two, I would budget around €70 per person), and a luxury hotel will cost you around €300 per night (so €150 per person if travelling as a couple).

Cost of food in Berlin

The amount of money you’ll spend on food in Berlin is probably the part of your budget you can control the most. Berlin is literally filled with bars, restaurants, and shops which range from incredibly budget (i.e. buying and preparing your own groceries from the supermarket) and high-end (there are around two dozen Michelin starred restaurants in Berlin). Here is how much we spent on each meal:

Breakfast: We had a coffee maker at our hotel and so made use of that each morning to save on the cost of coffee. Coffee typically costs €2- €4 in Berlin depending on the establishment you visit.

If you don’t like coffee, then a personal favourite of mine is opting for a fresh ginger and lemon tea. Each morning we had a pastry for breakfast and these cost around €3 each.

Brunch/ lunch: We alternated between getting brunch and lunch during our time in the city. In a trendy spot (for things like pancake stacks/ avocado toast), you can budget around €15 per dish.

A cheaper alternative for lunch can be getting street food like a kebab. Budget around €7 for this. One of the most important things to note is that tap water typically isn’t offered and so you’ll either have to bring your own water bottle or budget for a drink (€3-5).

Dinner: Of course, you can always opt to stay somewhere with a kitchen if you don’t want to eat out every night. We dined out most nights and typically got a bunch of sharing plates or starters and main courses. Together with wine/ beer and a soft drink, we spent about €30 per person per dinner.

Drinks and snacks: We typically didn’t drink anything outside of meal times. However, you might want to set aside €10- €15 per day for extra coffees and beers during your trip. Most places charge around €5 for a beer.

Getting around Berlin

As Berlin is such a large and sprawling city, you’ll want to make use of public transportation. Taxis can be pretty expensive and, though a trip to the airport will set you back just €4 per person, a taxi ride to the airport cost our friends €64 (so if you’re travelling on a budget do be sure to avoid taxis).

A single trip ticket is valid for 120 minutes and breaks are allowed in your journey, meaning that you can interrupt your trip/ transfer destinations as many times as you like. Tickets cost €3.20 (even for a relatively short bus ride) and so it’s probably more cost effective to buy a 24 hour transportation ticket.

As its name would suggest, this is valid for 24 hours and allows you to take as many buses, local trains, U-Bahns (metro/ underground) etc. as you like. In fact, it’s worth buying a 24 hour ticket if you’re planning on taking more than 3 public transportation trips within the time period. This costs €8.80 if you stick within the AB zone (this zone doesn’t include the airport).

Activities in Berlin

Another area of the trip where you’ll have the freedom to budget how you like is on activities. There are a number of free activities in Berlin (some of which I’ve detailed below), but here are some of the top monuments that you’ll want to budget for in your trip:

If you are planning on seeing a lot of paid attractions during your time in Berlin, then you might save money by investing in the Berlin Pass. To work out if the pass is worth it for you personally, add up the cost of all of the individual activities you want to do and work out if it’s cheaper than the pass or not.

• Climbing the TV tower: This is the most expensive activity we did in Berlin at a cost of around €25 per person. I highly recommend booking a ticket in advance as you can choose your time to go up. If you buy a ticket at the site, then you won’t know what time you’ll be allowed to enter until you’ve bought the ticket.
• Berlin Cathedral: While the exterior of this beautiful place of worship is free to admire, you’ll have to pay to go inside. Buy your ticket here in advance.
• Clubbing: We didn’t go to any clubs as it isn’t really my scene and instead opted for cocktail bars and pub-style venues which were free to enter. Entrance into some of Berlin’s most famous clubs costs around €12, with drinks costing around the same price.

Free activities in Berlin

The main way that you’ll be able to save money in Berlin is by taking advantage of all of the free activities on offer in the city. While many are outdoors (outdoor markets, visiting parks), there are also a number of free galleries, exhibitions, and museums. Here are some of the best free things to do in Berlin:

• Visit the Berlin Wall: The most famous part of the Berlin wall which is still standing is East Side Gallery, an area of the wall which has been covered in murals from various street artists from around the world.
• Museums on Museum Island: While the museums themselves are not free, the actual Museum island is a great spot for a leisurely walk. Throughout the year, there are various free exhibitions. The best time of the year to visit is undoubtedly in the autumn when all of the beautiful fall foliage is out.
• Tiergarten Park: Berlin’s largest park is best visited during the summer and is perfect for relaxing, a picnic, or people watching.
• Brandenburg Gate: This is one of the most iconic landmarks in Berlin. It’s exterior is free to visit and you can almost always walk under it (apart from when special events are taking place).
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Holocaust Memorial): This striking and somber memorial is open to the public 24/7 and offers a thought-provoking experience. Just be sure to be respectful and do not walk on the memorial stones/ make TikTok videos, etc.
• Tempelhofer Feld: This is my personal favourite free thing to do in Berlin. Tempelhof is a former airport turned into a park. It’s a great place for biking, picnicking, or just enjoying the open space. There is even an abandoned plane you can see and a dog park where you can see all of the dogs of Berlin playing together!
• Mauerpark Flea Market: The Sunday flea market at Mauerpark has a great vibe and, while you’ll have to pay to get anything, you can wander around it for free.
• Street Art: Berlin is famed for its street art and is easily one of the best places in Europe to wander around ad spy various murals and graffiti. Some of the best neighbourhoods to explore are Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain.
• Christmas Markets: Unlike in much of Europe, many Christmas markets in Europe actually charge entrance of a few euros. This includes the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market and the RAW Christmas Market.

Average cost of a day in Berlin

This breakdown was from our mid-range stay in the city. You can cut down on accommodation costs by staying in a budget hotel or hostel and you can definitely save money on food by opting for street food and avoiding pricey bars. There are a myriad of free things to do in Berlin, which would mean you don’t have to spend anything on activities.

• Hotel €75 (hotel room split in two)
• Food €50 (breakfast €5, lunch €15, dinner €30)
• Transportation €8.80
• Activities €20

If you are planning a trip to Berlin in the near future, be sure to check out our guides on how to spend the perfect two days in Berlin, how to spend 3 days in Berlin, and how to spend a rainy day in Berlin.

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