Currency: Euro
Meals

Budget: €5-10
Mid-range: €10-20
High: €20-30
Deluxe: €30+

Lodging

Budget: €8-40
Mid-range: €40-120
High: €120-200
Deluxe: €200+

Those on a tight budget will find eating and sleeping in Italy expensive. Prudent backpackers might squeeze by on around EUR40.00 a day if they stay in hostels, make their own sandwiches, avoid indulging in alcohol and don’t visit too many museums. If you want to stay in comfortable hotels, eat out regularly in restaurants and visit lots of museums and galleries, you should budget at least EUR100-150 a day; hiring a car will double your expenses. Be aware that Italy has more luxury hotels, expensive restaurants and shops to die for than you can shake a Gold Amex card at, so be prepared to stretch your budget if you are easily tempted.

Service charges are included in your restaurant bill, so you are not expected to tip. It is common practice, however, to leave a small amount. In bars, Italians will usually leave any small change as a tip, but this is by no means obligatory. Be aware that prices in Italian bars and cafes double (sometimes even triple) if you sit down. Tipping taxi drivers is not necessary, but your hotel porter will expect a little something.