Corfu on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, if you stay near Corfu Town, use the buses and swim at free beaches. A realistic minimum is about €73 per person a day: €35 for a bed, €20 for food, €10 for sights and €8 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €35 | €75 | €180 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €40 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €35 | €70 |
| Local transport | €8 | €25 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €73 | €175 | €380 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Corfu day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Venetian lanes (kantounia) of the UNESCO-listed Old Town.
- The Spianada square and the arcaded Liston, with cricket matches on the green in summer.
- Saint Spyridon Church, the island's patron saint's church in the Old Town.
- The Kanoni viewpoint over Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island (Pontikonisi).
- Swimming at Glyfada, Agios Gordios and the bays of the west coast.
- The morning municipal market at the foot of the New Fortress.
Cheap eats
- Gyros pita from a grill: €3.50–4.50.
- Tsigareli (spiced greens) in a taverna: €7–10.
- Pastitsada, the island's Sunday dish: €13–18.
- Bougatsa or cheese pie from a bakery: €2.50–3.50.
- Ginger beer, the island's British-era drink: €3.50–5.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay at the edges of Corfu Town or in Gouvia, near the buses and marina, with doubles from about €60–100 in summer and less in shoulder months. A few hostels exist on the west coast, including at Agios Gordios.
Getting around cheaply
Use the blue city buses around the town and the green KTEL buses to Paleokastritsa, Kassiopi and Sidari for a few euros. The airport is 3 km from the Old Town: a taxi takes 10 minutes, and city bus 15 links the airport with the town.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk the Old Town and the Spianada (free), with a bougatsa and coffee (about €6).
- Midday: Old Fortress (about €10).
- Lunch: gyros pita (about €4).
- Afternoon: KTEL bus to Paleokastritsa to swim (about €5 return).
- Evening: tsigareli and house wine in an Old Town taverna (about €12). Total: about €73 including a €35 bed share.
More ways to save
- Come in May or late September to halve room costs compared with August.
- Bring snorkel gear from home rather than renting.
- Pick tavernas where locals eat, often a street or two back from the sea.
- Share a licence-free motorboat between four people for the east-coast coves.
- Buy picnic food at the municipal market and bakeries for beach days.
- Use the free Old Town and coastal walks instead of paid boat tours.
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Common questions
Can you do Corfu on a budget?
Yes. Stay near Corfu Town or Gouvia, use the KTEL buses, eat gyros and taverna dishes, and swim at free beaches for about €73 a day.
How do I get from Corfu airport to the town?
The airport is 3 km away: about 10 minutes by taxi, or take city bus 15 to the town centre.
What is the cheapest month for Corfu?
May and October offer warm weather and much lower prices than July and August; winter is cheaper still but many places close.