This is the first installment of an urban travel series. By the end of the summer I will have visited a number of different cities all over Europe. For each new urban experience, I will break down the basic costs, examine where I could have saved money, and how. Writing these will not only help me plan better, it will also give you a realistic idea of the cost of traveling Europe on a budget in today’s world.

Our first stop is Paris. I spent three days in that lovely city last weekend. I found out quickly that Paris on five dollars a day is a historical myth that has no place in the Paris today. Money goes fast in most cities, and Paris is not on the cheap end of the scale. Here’s a quick budget recap:

My train ticket cost 160 euro. Three days and two nights in a hostel ran 50 euro. And I brought 180 euro in cash to spend on food, wine, museums, souvenirs, and chocolate.

At the end of three days, I had emptied my wallet. It was not difficult.

The train ticket was my biggest single expense. Note that for 160 euro I got a round trip ticket on the InterCity Express (ICE for short) from central Germany to Paris. Unfortunately, because this trip was a spontaneous decision and I bought the ticket two days before my departure, they could have charged me anything they wanted.

Transportation costs are the same the world over. Whether you’re buying a train or a plane ticket, the earlier you buy it, the cheaper it will be. Looking online at <a href=”http://www.raileurope.com”>RailEurope</a>, I found a train ticket from central Germany to Paris and back for just over 40 euro – if I buy three weeks in advance. That’s a lot of savings. I can content myself with the knowledge that even an overpriced train ticket costs less than it would have cost for gas to drive to Paris and back, but I know that I will plan better and save more money in the future.

Lodging was, in comparison, relatively cheap. Hostels are a great way to go when you’re traveling on a budget. My Hostel was located in the northern part of the city near Montmartre. It was close to the metro, had a bathroom in my room, a kitchen for use on the main floor, common areas, free wifi, and the essential free breakfast every day from 7:30-9:30. Two free breakfasts saved me about 10 euro, which is the cost of the wonderful Dali exhibition I attended in Montmartre. I also met two cool guys in the Hostel that spoke English, one from Washington, DC and one from Singapore, and you cannot put a price on intelligible companionship in a strange city if you are traveling alone.

Next we have the cash expenses, the biggest of which was, undoubtedly, food. The streets of Paris are like a buffet. Fresh fruits and vegetables sit under shaded canopies on the sidewalks, pastries and bread decorate the displays of every bakery (of which there are a great many), vendors cook crepes and serve ice cream in windows open to the street, and people eat delicious meals on the sidewalks in front of cafés wherever you go.

Half the charm of Paris is the food and the cafés, so make sure you treat yourself a few times. But don’t discount the cost. Even a little crepe can run you 3 or 4 euro, and those costs add up. You can buy a baguette (which you will see people carrying home for dinner), some cheese and salami in a grocery store that will be cheaper and last longer than any meal at a street-side vendor. Also, the savings of bringing your own snacks, bottled water, soda, and even a meal or two with you cannot be overstated. I didn’t do any preliminary shopping or take advantage of the kitchen in my Hostel, and planning ahead in each case would have saved me a bunch of money.

Lastly, I spent money to get into museums and exhibitions and on souvenirs. If I had known about the free museum Sunday, I could have saved a few bucks. Also, depending how much you ride the metro, plan to get a pass instead of chocking up 1.60 euro each time you ride. The metro in Paris is easy to use, and it’s a big city, so take advantage and save your feet.

The big lesson this time around is to plan ahead. Planning saves you money, especially on train tickets and on food.

My next stop is Barcelona. See you again in a couple weeks!