16 Most Expensive Countries to Spend a Month in Europe

Take a break and “treat yo self” to a vacation in one of the most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe because you only live once.

Living like a European, sitting at an outdoor cafe, drinking strong coffee and munching on a perfectly flaky croissant is one of my favorite past times. I love traveling anywhere in the world and learning about a new environment and culture. However, Europe holds a special place in my heart. That’s probably because I spent half a year leaving the easy-going life of the Spaniards, in Granada, Spain. Any place where a siesta is still very common and part of the city’s daily routine is the place for me. Also, anywhere where a glass of water is the same price as a glass of wine (you can expect to pay for water at most restaurants in Europe) is my kind of place — let’s face it, we’d all rather drink the wine.

Traveling doesn’t come cheaply, but it also doesn’t have to cost you your life’s savings. Some people prefer to travel on a budget and others prefer to spend lavishly on these new and exciting experiences. Whatever category you fall into, it’s smart to do some reading ahead of time, so you enjoy and get the most out of your trip. If you’re interested in the cheapest cities in Europe to visit (and by default the cheapest European cities to live in) hop on over to our lists of the best places to spend a month in Europe and the best cities to spend a week in Europe on a budget.

Unless you are ready to part with a fair amount of money, this list of the most expensive cities to visit in Europe is not going to appeal to you. If money is not an issue for you, then you are really going to thoroughly enjoy this list, as we list the most expensive and lavish cities you can visit in Europe. On a plus note, some of the countries on our list are home to cheapest European cities to fly into, so at least you can spend smartly in one category. Europe has always been the destination for extravagant trips for wealthy individuals, and given how big and beautiful Europe is, where do you actually go the get the royal treatment you deserve? Well, the methodology for this one is fairly simple, we scoured the internet and sources like Budget Your Trip, U.S. News, Lonely Planet and Google to find the most expensive European cities to live for a month.

For ranking, as the title of this article suggests, the more expensive a country is, the higher it has been ranked in our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe. Budget Your Trip has approximated costs for every European country, and their data is gathered from real tourists, which includes things like accommodation, average meal cost in Europe 2017, and traveling expenses. It is a good way to get an idea of how much you will need if you were to stay in a given European country for a month. One more thing to note here is that we are only considering the expense for a single person, if you are traveling in a group, then your expenses will obviously change.

Start packing and get our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe started.

16. Germany

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $3,679

Let’s just start off our list by naming some of the most famous cities that you cannot miss on your trip to Germany, cities like Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dresden, Düsseldorf, and Cologne. They have fast cars and world-famous beer to offer, so what else do you need? Of course, we are not suggesting that you drink and drive at the same time, but you will get plenty of time to enjoy both things separately when you are visiting Germany for a month.

15. Spain

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $3,764

A holy land for soccer fanatics and tourists alike, Spain is a beauty to behold. Thinking about brushing up your Spanish or perhaps learn it? Well, you cannot do it better anywhere else than in Spain. Apart from the potential to becoming bilingual for good, you will also have the opportunity to experience the beauty and cultural diversity of Spain firsthand. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Granada, Valencia just ooze with positive energy and fun.

14. Belgium

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $3,764

If chocolate gets you all excited, then Belgium, next on our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe, could be really an amazing experience for you. Also, another dessert that is loved by many Americans are the Belgian waffles. As this is only the beginning of our list, that means the prices of things at Belgium are not that high. That said, if you are going to Belgium do mark your map for Ghent, Leuven, Liège, Namur, Antwerp, Brussels and Bruges which are some of the bustling Belgian cities that you must visit.

13. Romania

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $3,883

The 13th spot in our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe is occupied by Romania. This Southeastern European country has a lot to offer if you are willing to shell out nearly four thousand bucks a month. It has plenty of medieval towns preserved for tourists and beautiful forests full of natural scenery and picturesque landscapes for you to explore. The cities we most recommend in Romania are Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, and Sibiu.

12. Sweden

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,044

Sweden is probably the most peaceful country in the world. They like to keep to themselves, but that does not mean they don’t welcome visitors with open arms. Sweden is a beautiful country and full of wonderful and amazing city life. No matter what you like, you are going to find a lot of things about Sweden that you love before your month-long trip ends. While you are there, do not forget to visit Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Uppsala, etc.

11. Netherlands

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,176

People in Netherlands know how to party, that much is true. If you are a party animal then you will fall in love with Netherlands, as you would be able to do some crazy things there that would be very difficult to pull off in the U.S. Also, the country is full of monuments and beautiful sights that any nature-loving person would cherish for a lifetime. We highly recommend that you visit the following cities in Netherlands: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Haarlem, Best, and Leiden.

10. Italy

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,274

If you are a history buff, then you just cannot go wrong with Italy that ranked 10th on our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe. If you choose Italy for your trip, you will be able to visit some of the oldest cities in Europe. Also, Italy is the birthplace of Renaissance, for all you artsy people out there, Italy is a must-see for that. If you do plan to visit Italy, please don’t forget to visit the following cities: Rome, Venice, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Florence, Milan, Pisa, etc.

9.  Finland

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,311

We are halfway through our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe, and boy is Finland expensive. You will need to spend at least four thousand dollars to live and travel around in Finland for a month. But thankfully, there are so many beautiful sights to see and experiences to have in Finland that you will not regret parting with that amount of money at all. Cities like Helsinki, Tampere, Oulu, and Espoo attract a lot of tourists every year.

8. United Kingdom

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,592

At number eight on our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe we have the United Kingdom. So, what could we say about this awesome country that hasn’t been said a thousand times over? It’s one of the most influential countries in the world and also one of the most beautiful. Full of rich history and heritage, and where you can actually see the royals occupying their palaces. Nowadays, we cannot say that for many countries, can we? In your month-long trip, you will be able to enjoy many things in the U.K. especially if you visit London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Liverpool.

7. Andorra

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,655

Do you love shopping? If you answered yes, then you will absolutely love this place as duty-free shopping is the norm in Andorra. This tiny principality is situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. However, duty-free shopping is not the only thing Andorra has in store for tourists; you can also enjoy some amazing skiing while you are there. You can pretty much visit the whole of Andorra in a month as well. The cities we recommend are, Andorra la Vella, Canillo, La Massana, Sant Julià de Lòria and El Pas de la Casa.

6. France

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,870

We are continuing our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe with France that is one of the most romantic places on Earth. If you are traveling with your significant other, then we highly recommend France for your tourist destination. Of course, it will be rather expensive, but millions of tourists from all over the world will swear by their life that every penny you spend in France will be worth it. Just imagine the prospect of spending a beautiful evening with your significant other in a city like Paris or Marseille or even Lyon. There is so much to see in France that even a month-long trip couldn’t do it justice.

5. Denmark

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $4,935

Denmark is full of surprises for tourists. Beautiful palaces, long and wonderful beaches and cobblestone roads, will have you spellbound for the duration of your visit. If you grew up with Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, then you will love Denmark even more and be able to visit his hometown of Odense. Apart from that, we also recommend that you visit Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Esbjerg.

4. Luxembourg

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $5,232

Next up on our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe we have Luxembourg. It is the first country to be featured on our list, where you would need over five grand to stay a month. It is quite expensive to spend a long time there, but if you do, then you will be able to enjoy cities like Luxembourg City, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Dudelange, and Differdange.

3. Switzerland

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $5,282

If you can spend over five thousand on a month in Luxembourg, then you may as well want to take a look at Switzerland. It is certainly one of the most beautiful countries in Europe and one of the most peaceful as well. The country is a heaven for any outdoors people since you can hike, ski and do all that good stuff there and soak in nature in its raw form. Also, you will not miss the busy city life if you travel to Zürich, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne.

2. Monaco

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $5,848

What makes Monaco different from all the rest that made our list is the fact that Monaco is a City State. Despite its small size, Monaco packs a big punch. Monaco is where the rich and famous of Europe go to enjoy themselves. Whether you like Grand Prix motor racing or lavish casinos, you can experience all of that in Monaco. Another attraction of Monaco is its yacht-lined harbors that just say you are among the rich.

1. Iceland

Cost of travel for a month for one person: $8,110

Iceland is a geological wonder to put it simply. You have interesting volcanic activity along with impressive glaciers on the same landmass. However, do not think for a moment that if you are a tourist who doesn’t care for all that science stuff will have nothing to do in Iceland. Iceland can actually be a really fun place to visit. Apart from picturesque esplanades and wondrous geologic features, you will be able to enjoy amazing city life and colorful local traditions. We highly recommend that you pay a visit to the following cities: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Keflavík, and Hafnarfjörður.

This wraps it up for our list of most expensive countries to spend a month in Europe.