My husband and I will be in Barcelona for two days and Provence for four days in May. I am trying to guesstimate what we might have to budget for food per person per day while there. We are not looking for extravagant meals, just typical, moderately-priced meals.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
I eat cheaply in Europe and probably spend about 30€ a day. If you eat more normally, 40-50€ might do it ( or 60-75 USD). This includes a breakfast that is not included in rent. If breakfast is included, calculate about 10€ less.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Barbara, looking at our travel spreadsheet for a recent trip, we spent about 70Euro/day for our 4 days in Barcelona and about 60Euro/day for our 3 days Provence. One major difference that you will find is that you won't eat dinner in Barcelona until about 10:00pm. That's when the locals dine. We mainly dined in Tapas bars. A great breakfast was in Bar Lobo which is immediately behind the Hotel 1898 on La Rambla. Great tapas there in the late afternoon also. Our dining habits are a few more dollars or Euros than some.
Posted by
Windham, CT, USA
6 posts
It depends on where and what you want to eat. A simple breakfast of coffee and a pastry can be only 3-4 euros. You save the service charge if you eat standing at the counter. A bocadillo (small sandwich) for lunch in Barcelona can be about the same. A typical two-course lunch, 10-20 euros. Dinner more like 20-30. Similar prices in Provence.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4085 posts
For lunch anywhere in Europe, look for groups of uniformed school students (you'll be able to hear as well as see them) who know where the cheap carry-away sandwich stands are. Markets will usually have sandwiches too. Sit-down breakfasts are expensive, especially in hotels. A continental, standing at a coffee bar, should do you until lunch; then take a full meal after 8 p.m. so you are extending your nourishment intake through the day. You can save a few euros with a Tetra pack of breakfast juice for your room. And to sip coffee during the day, the cheapest stop will be an American-branded coffee shop, although the atmosphere will be more satisfying at a local coffee bar where a few sips of expresso will cost two dollars or more. And yes, there are three prices: Standing at the bar, sitting down for table service, and outside on the terrace.