Antwerp on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, with some care: Antwerp has many free sights and cheap street food, though rooms and restaurant meals cost Western European prices. A realistic minimum is about €95 a day per person sharing a room — around €45 for a bed, €30 for food, €15 for sights and €5 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €45 | €80 | €150 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €95 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €35 | €50 |
| Local transport | €5 | €8 | €25 |
| Per person, per day | €95 | €178 | €320 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Antwerp day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Grote Markt, the Stadhuis and the Brabo fountain
- The MAS rooftop viewpoint, reached by free escalators (check hours)
- Walking through the Sint-Annatunnel under the Scheldt
- Antwerpen-Centraal station's domed hall
- The riverside quays and Het Steen castle at sunset
- Seeing the Port House from outside on the docks
Cheap eats
- Belgian fries in a paper cone — about €4–5
- Lunch menu in Het Zuid or Kloosterstraat — about €18–25
- Stoofvlees (beer stew) with fries in a simple café — about €18–22
- Antwerpse handjes biscuits — a few euros a bag
- A bolleke of De Koninck — about €3–4
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay around Antwerpen-Centraal, where hotels cost about €80–120 for a double and hostels offer cheaper dorm beds. It is a 5-minute premetro ride or a 25-minute walk along the Meir to the old town.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre or rent a Velo bike (day pass about €5–7). De Lijn tickets cost about €3 for 60 minutes, cheaper in multi-ride bundles. From Brussels Airport, direct trains take about 30–35 minutes.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Grote Markt and the cathedral (about €12)
- Lunch: fries in a cone (about €5)
- Afternoon: Velo bike to the MAS rooftop and the docks (about €6)
- Evening: a lunch-style menu or stew and a bolleke (about €25)
- Total: about €95 including a shared room near the station (about €45 per person)
More ways to save
- Choose one big museum per day and spend the rest of the time on free sights.
- Buy groceries and a picnic at supermarkets; restaurant dinners are the big food cost.
- Buy multi-ride De Lijn tickets if you will use trams often.
- Look for hotels with breakfast included; café breakfasts add up.
- Use Velo bikes for short trips instead of taxis.
- Visit in late winter or early spring for cheaper rooms.
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Common questions
Can you visit Antwerp on a budget?
Yes. Many sights are free, fries and lunch menus are cheap and Velo bikes are inexpensive. Plan on about €95 a day.
Is the MAS rooftop free?
Yes, the escalators to the rooftop are free; check opening hours. Exhibitions cost about €10–12.
How do I get from Brussels Airport to Antwerp?
Direct trains take about 30–35 minutes to Antwerpen-Centraal.