Milan on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Milan is not cheap, but it is manageable with a hotel near the station, aperitivo dinners and cheap public transport. A realistic daily minimum is about €116 per person when sharing a room.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €60 | €120 | €300 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €60 | €120 |
| Sights & tickets | €20 | €45 | €80 |
| Local transport | €6 | €15 | €40 |
| Per person, per day | €116 | €240 | €540 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Milan day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Duomo's interior is ticketed, but Piazza del Duomo and its facade are free to admire
- Walking the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
- Sforza Castle courtyards and Sempione Park
- The Navigli canals and the last-Sunday antiques market
- Bosco Verticale and the Porta Nuova skyscraper district
- Brera's streets and the Brera Botanical Garden
Cheap eats
- Panzerotto from Luini near the Duomo, about €3-5
- Mondeghili (Milanese meatballs), about €8-12 a portion
- Aperitivo drink with snacks, about €9-15
- Pizza al taglio slice, about €3-5
- Panettone slice from a bakery, about €4-6
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay around Milano Centrale, where hotels cost about €110-170 for a double, or in hostels in the same area and around Porta Venezia for dorm beds.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre and use the metro and trams (about €2.20 a ride, with contactless caps). From Malpensa, the Malpensa Express takes 40-50 minutes; buses to Centrale are cheaper. From Linate, the M4 metro takes 15 minutes. Regional trains to Lake Como cost a few euros.
A sample budget day
- Morning: espresso and brioche at a bar (about €3), Piazza del Duomo and the Galleria (free)
- Lunch: panzerotto near the Duomo, about €5
- Afternoon: Sforza Castle courtyards and Sempione Park (free; museums about €10)
- Evening: aperitivo on the Navigli as an early dinner, about €15
- Total: about €116 including a shared hotel room and transport
More ways to save
- Refill water bottles at the green vedovelle fountains.
- Visit museums on the first Sunday of the month, when many state museums are free.
- Book the Last Supper on the official site about three months ahead to avoid expensive tour packages.
- Eat a fixed-price lunch menu (menu di mezzogiorno) instead of a big dinner.
- Use regional trains for Bergamo or Lake Como day trips.
- Ask whether coperto (cover charge) is included before ordering.
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Common questions
Can you visit Milan on a budget?
Yes, with a room near the station, aperitivo dinners and public transport, about €116 per person a day.
What is free in Milan?
Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria, Sforza Castle courtyards, Sempione Park, the Navigli and Porta Nuova.
Is Lake Como an easy day trip from Milan?
Yes. The train to Varenna takes about 1 hour and costs a few euros.