Munich on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Munich can be done on a budget of about €110 per person per day, sharing a room near the Hauptbahnhof and eating in beer gardens and markets. Hotels are the hard part; avoid Oktoberfest and trade fairs if money is tight.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €55 | €110 | €250 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €40 | €90 |
| Local transport | €9 | €20 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €109 | €225 | €500 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Munich day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Watch the Glockenspiel on Marienplatz at 11:00 or 12:00
- Watch the surfers on the Eisbach wave in the English Garden
- Walk the English Garden to the Chinese Tower
- Look for the devil's footprint inside the Frauenkirche
- Visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site (about 40 minutes by S-Bahn and bus)
- Stroll the Viktualienmarkt and the Hofgarten
Cheap eats
- Weisswurst and a pretzel before noon, about €8-12
- Leberkäse roll from a butcher, about €3-5
- Your own picnic in a beer-garden self-service area, plus a drink
- Half chicken (Hendl) in a beer garden, about €12-16
- Bakery pretzel or roll and coffee, about €4-6
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay around the Hauptbahnhof, which has hostels with dorm beds from about €30-50 and budget doubles at about €100-160, and is 10 minutes' walk from Marienplatz.
Getting around cheaply
An inner-zone day ticket costs about €9-10 and covers U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses. The S1 and S8 trains link the airport with the centre in about 40 minutes. For day trips, the Bayern-Ticket covers regional trains for up to five people.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Glockenspiel and St Peter's tower, about €5
- Lunch: weisswurst at Viktualienmarkt, about €10
- Afternoon: Alte Pinakothek on a Sunday (€1) or the English Garden, free
- Evening: beer garden with a picnic and a Mass, about €20
- Total: about €110 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Buy a group day ticket if you are two or more.
- Visit the Dachau memorial, which is free, with an optional guided tour.
- Check the opening days of museums; many close on Mondays.
- Pick up supermarket picnic food for beer gardens.
- Book Neuschwanstein tickets online to avoid paying for a coach tour.
- Walk between the old-town sights instead of using transport.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Munich on a budget?
Yes, at about €110 a day with a room near the Hauptbahnhof, beer-garden meals and cheap Sunday museums.
Can I bring my own food to a Munich beer garden?
Yes, in traditional beer gardens with a self-service area, though you must buy your drinks there.
How do I get from Munich Airport to the city cheaply?
Take the S1 or S8 S-Bahn, about 40 minutes to the centre.