Berlin on a Budget: Under £300 for a 3 night city break
Looking to visit Berlin on a budget? Find out exactly what I spent on a three night Berlin break for flights, accommodation, food and activities!
Berlin is known as one of the cheaper capital cities in Europe, although flights and hotel costs have crept up since my last visit. When we decided to book a February trip on a whim to watch one of our favourite bands there, we wanted to keep costs as low as possible. Here’s how we did it!
Travel dates – Friday 2nd – Monday 5th February 2024
Flights & Accommodation £150 / €175 each
Okay so, usually I don’t bother with package deals, as most of the time it works out as a better deal to get the flights booked then find some cheap accommodation to lay our head down in.
But on this occasion, we actually managed to find a deal via LoveHolidays for Ryanair flights, plus three nights in Schulz Hotel Berlin Wall.
Schulz Hotel is a really nice, modern-feeling hotel that was an easy walk to the center of Friedrichshain, and right on the East Side Gallery, the largest remaining section of the Berlin Wall.
Transfers & city trains €18.80
We’re pretty keen walkers when we travel, so didn’t use the train loads but did a couple of journeys in the city to cover some longer distances, as well as €4.40 each way for the airport train.
In Berlin, you pay based on zone for your journey. You buy your ticket at a machine, then stick it in one of the small machines on the platform to validate. Zone prices for a single journey are:
Zones A-B: €3.50 (regular), €2.20 (reduced)
Zones B-C: €4 (regular), €2.70 (reduced)
Zones ABC: €4.40 (regular), €3.20 (reduced) – this includes Berlin Brandenburg Airport
There’s also a short trip fare of €2.40 if you’re travelling three stops on the subway or an S-Bahn train, or up to six stops on the bus or tram.
With the small amount we used it, it wouldn’t have been economical for us to get a daily or weekly ticket, but these start at €9.90 (for 24hrs in Zones A-B), and €41.50 (for 7 days in Zones A-B).
Food €125
We managed to keep our food spends super cheap by heading to casual spots for two of Berlin’s most iconic dishes – currywurst and kebabs. Unlike in the UK, most takeaways and fast food spots in Berlin offer a solid vegan option alongside the usual meaty offerings. So I took full advantage, obviously.
Because of this, most of our meals in Berlin ended up costing no more than €10-12, and the biggest food expense was a slightly fancy but still affordable brunch that cost €24. In the summer, you’ll find loads of street food stalls in bars and market areas too, which is a great way to save on food costs in Berlin.
Some of my favourite cheap places to eat in Berlin:
House of Small Wonder
Cosy brunch vibes in a gorgeously decorated building. The vegetarian Eggs Benedict was delicious, with a perfectly runny egg on top of delicious biscuits and a wasabi hollandaise sauce. I also loved the side salad, garnished with spices and nuts for a truly unique taste.
Curry 61
In the birthplace of the currywurst, it’d be rude not to indulge. Berlin is teeming with places to grab a saucy, spicy sausage, but our favourite was Curry 61 by Hackescher Markt, close to Alexanderplatz. From just €3, the currywurst alone makes a perfect snack, or you can order a combo deal with chips from €5.20
Frittenwerk
Strolling through the ‘business’ district on a weekend day with a serious hunger, all we could find were pricy brasseries that didn’t take our fancy. So we ate like the locals! The German casual chain Frittenwerk offers up chips aplenty, loaded with a variety of toppings. I had the poutine, with a vegan currywurst on the side because WE REALLY WERE HUNGRY.
Aceto Chicken Döner – Döner Dach
You can basically take your pick of the kebab houses in Berlin with a likely chance it’ll be pretty damn great, but our favourite was Aceto Chicken Döner – Döner Dach, where I got myself a huge vegetarian kebab for well under €10!
Drinks – €???
Ha. Um. I’m not pricing up every beer I had, because…I had a lot. Most places we went to were cheaper/more alternative bars where the beers were €3-4 each. Probably why I had a lot. We tended to stick to the Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg areas for our evening activities, because that’s where you’ll tend to find the cheaper bars in Berlin. We didn’t manage to get out to the Mitte district, but it’s on the list for the next trip – apparently it’s even cheaper to drink there than in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg!
Some of my favourite cheap bars in Berlin:
Blechbilderbar (Friedrichshain)– rustic spot with lots of natural light
Freibuter (Friedrichshain) – punk dive bar with super cheap beer
Simons (Friedrichshain) – intimate and dark bar with music and food available
Primitiv Bar (Friedrichshain) – cosy, compact bar close to Urban Spree
YAAM Beach Bar (Friedrichshain) – I actually went here on a previous trip, but it’s a really fun outdoor space!
Trinkteufel (Kreuzberg) – rough and ready punk bar (the inside is super smoky, so outside might be the best bet here.
Misfit Bar (Kreuzberg) – vibrant rock bar
Taqueria Florian (Kreuzberg) – café by day, lively spot with live music by night
Activities and Attractions – €13.50
We actually spent very little in terms of attractions in Berlin. The one thing I really love about this city is the outdoor scene – despite falling victim to some rainy February weather and having to wrap up warm, we spent as much time as possible walking the streets
The only paid attraction we splurged on was the DDR Museum – I’d actually been before and liked it so much I wanted to take Ashley. It’s a really interesting insight into daily life in the Deutsch Democratic Republic, with lots of interactive elements.
Total spent each: €332 (about £280)
(plus beer costs…)
I was really happy with how much we spent on our long weekend in Berlin. The food and beer prices especially really impressed me – I could probably spend more than half of this amount on a fancy meal and one big night out in London if I wanted to! Berlin is a fascinating and lively city to visit, with plenty to do and see, even when you’re travelling on a budget.
Berlin On A Budget Travel Tips
If you’re visiting Berlin on a budget, these tips will help you make the most of your money!
- Consider staying in a hostel to save on accommodation costs – some of the best include EastSeven Berlin, Circus Hostel and Kiez Hostel.
- Visit free museums like the Topography of Terror, Allied Museum and Deutscher Dom.
- Check whether a 24 hour public transport ticket works out as better value than single tickets.
- Take local bus routes M100, M200 or M300, which go past some of the best sightseeing locations.
- Take advantage of cashback when you’re booking, to recieve a percentage of your spending back. TopCashback is my favourite UK cashback site – I’ve earned over £300 just buying things I normally would!
More on Berlin:
How to spend 2 days in Berlin – itinerary & travel guide
The Best Alternative Things to Do in Berlin
