My Europe Adventure: Solo and Affordable

Disclaimer: This Post May Contain Affiliate Links (AFF)

This post may contain affiliate links. This Means I Will Receive A Small Commission Should You Choose To Purchase Through This Site. This Is At No Extra Cost To You, and any purchases are greatly appreciated! This helps support and run my blog. You can Read The Full Disclosure As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!

How did I spend less than RM4,000 on an 18-day solo trip around Europe?

In spring 2018, I took my first solo trip: 18 days and 16 nights across four countries—the UK (London), the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Germany, and Poland. It was one of the hardest yet most rewarding experiences of my life. I wanted to try something new and prove to myself that I could travel alone. And guess what? I did it—and I’m so proud.

Should I do it again? Absolutely! But first, I’d love to share how I managed to keep my total costs under RM4,000 for the entire trip.

Flights

Flights are usually one of the biggest expenses for any Europe trip. I was constantly checking online for cheap tickets, but in the end, I booked my flight quite last-minute.

Even so, I managed to score a round-trip ticket for just RM1,965 (from Singapore to London, then Cologne to Thailand, then Thailand back to Malaysia). For a last-minute booking from Malaysia to Europe, that’s quite lucky—flights often cost over RM2,300!

Klook.com

Accommodation

This trip was also my first time backpacking and trying Couchsurfing.

In London, I was incredibly lucky to find a wonderful host who made me feel completely at home. We’re still in touch today, and I can’t wait to visit again. Besides Couchsurfing, I stayed with friends in some places, which helped save money and made me feel safe and welcomed.

In Amsterdam, I stayed in hotels because it was harder to find Couchsurfing hosts. I booked two different hostels:

• One cost €73 for two nights (a bit pricey because it was a last-minute booking).
• Another cost €40 for two nights, which was more affordable because I booked it earlier.

In total, I spent €113 (~RM526) on accommodation in Amsterdam.

Klook.com

You might wonder why I changed hotels. The truth is that my first hotel was fully booked for my remaining dates, so I had to move. But both places had great locations, close to museums, markets, food spots, and gardens—which made getting lost less stressful!

Transportation

For getting around, I mainly used buses and trains. Booking tickets online in advance saved me a lot of money.

I’d highly recommend applying for local transportation cards, such as the Oyster card in London. Interestingly, I discovered that you can also simply tap in and out with a Visa credit card on London’s transport system—which is what I ended up doing, and it worked perfectly.

In Amsterdam, my friend helped me get a transportation card, which made getting around the city cheap and convenient.

Food

Here’s where my budget took the biggest hit: FOOD.

I just couldn’t resist trying all the amazing food in Europe. Sometimes my friends shared meals with me to help me save money—which I’m incredibly grateful for. My tip? Share meals when possible because European portions are often huge!

Shopping

I didn’t really shop on this trip—not because I didn’t want to, but because my luggage was already full. Next time I visit Europe, I’ll definitely plan more space (and budget) for shopping!

Places I Visited

Klook.com

By the end of the trip, my legs were exhausted—but my heart was so full!

Jess LING

My Expenses Breakdown

Here’s exactly how I spent my money:

• Round-trip flights: RM1,965
• Accommodation (Amsterdam): RM526 (€113 for 4 nights)
• Food: RM650
• Transportation: RM800 (mostly pre-booked online, plus spontaneous trips to Poland and Berlin that cost me around RM570)
• Cash I carried: RM1,978 (£360) and RM1,980 (€410)
• Remaining cash at the end of the trip: RM2,059

Total spent: RM3941

I’m thrilled that I managed to complete this incredible journey under RM4,000. I’m deeply thankful to everyone I met along the way who helped, taught me new things, and made my solo trip possible. It’s something I’ll never forget.

Thank you for reading, and I hope this post inspires and helps anyone dreaming of their own solo adventure through Europe! ❤️

🌸 For more cozy content, here’s my post on Is Nintendo Switch OLED Worth It? Unboxing, First Games & Review

✈️ Want something travel-themed instead? Read my Top Reasons Japan Should Be on Every Traveler’s Bucket List 

🏨 Looking for Cheaper Flight? Read this My Go-To Tools for Scoring the Best Flight Deals

Thanks so much for reading.
Have a beautiful day.
— Jerserry 🌸