Amsterdam Expenses
Transportation:
Flight to Amsterdam- $89.99
Train and bus rides- $26.93
Amsterdam is a very walk-able city with a great public transportation system. We stayed in a hostel a bit out of the center (40 minutes walking) and used the tram/buses to get around. If you visit, don't forget to check in and check out for every ride.
Accommodation:
3 nights in a private room at Stayokay Zeeburg hostel- $104.64
3 nights with friends of friends in Ijsselbuurt- $0
We stayed in a private room in a hostel for three nights complete with a bathroom, free breakfast, and a nearby tram stop that brought us right to the center. When my travel partner and I split up, I went on to stay with friends of friends that graciously agreed to host me for a few nights. In exchange, I stayed in with their sleeping infant daughter so they could have a much-needed date night. Staying with locals has proven to yield great tips for city exploration, a relaxed at-home feel, and good bit of relief on the wallet.
Entertainment:
Tip for our Amsterdam tour guide- $21.97
Admission to the Van Gogh museum- $18.56
Souvenirs- $3.91
Have I mentioned that I love walking tours? I've found they can make a huge difference in both my understanding and appreciation of a city. Every time I go to a new city, I will search "free walking tour *city*" and book a tour for one of the first days at my destination. This way, I immediately get some of the context and culture of the place as well as recommendations from a local. The model is that the tours are "free" but the visitors set their own price and support their guide with tips. I generally tip $5-10/hr/person depending on quality of the tour (information+humor) and cost of living in the city. We also spent our time listening to free jazz music near our hotel and wandering the streets aimlessly.
Food:
Restaurants, snacks, and street food- $58.68
While in the hostel, we had free breakfast every morning and packed sandwiches and fruit for lunch. We also had some incredible Turkish food at Nour Kebab, a few Waffles with Nutella and ice cream and strawberries, and some sub-par fast food. On my solo leg of the trip, I had lots of bread and pastries, some Indian takeout, and delicious fried fish. It was super nice to be in a place with reasonably-priced food again.
Total: 324.71
$50 per day was about what I expected to spend in northern Europe on this trip. It was definitely easier on the budget than Iceland, but hopefully as I travel south, costs with get lower and temperatures higher.
Next up: Bilbao
