How Much Does It Cost to Travel in Eastern Slovakia for 5 Days?

After visiting Budapest, we traveled through Slovakia by bus on our way to Krakow. We spent two days in Košice, the major city in eastern Slovakia (check out our 24-hour itinerary to Košice), before retreating to Zdiar, an alpine town in the Tatras, for three days.

Slovakia: $515.90

City theater of Kosice, Slovakia, from above — View of Košice from the St. Elisabeth Cathedral bell tower

Transportation: $16.44

We took FlixBus from Košice to Zdiar (a 2-hour ride) for around $8/person. Average: $3.29/day.

Lodging: $180.45

We used Booking.com for all our accommodation in Slovakia, including a private hostel room in Košice and a pension (guesthouse) in Zdiar. Average: $36.09/night.

Bryndzove halusky (dumplings) at Med Malina in Kosice, Slovakia

Eating out: $183.12

We ate out for all our meals in Košice. In Zdiar, our pension included a free breakfast. We usually ate out for lunch or dinner, and had protein bars or grocery store snacks for our other meal. Bryndzové halušky (dumplings in sheep’s cheese, pictured above) is the national meal of Slovakia, and it is delicious. We had it multiple times during our time in the country. Average: $36.62/day.

Groceries/household items: $36.14

As mentioned above, we usually ate one meal per day from the grocery store in Zdiar. We also bought some snacks for our hikes and bus rides. Average: $7.23/day.

Tiles on roof of St. Elisabeth Cathedral in Kosice, Slovakia — Tiles on the roof of St. Elisabeth Cathedral (as seen from the bell tower).

Entertainment (tours, etc.): $26.77

We took a fabulous GuruWalk (free walking tour) in Košice ($22.31 tip) and climbed to the top of St. Elisabeth Cathedral’s bell tower ($4.46). Average: $5.34/day.

Gifts & souvenirs: $42.03

In addition to our usual postcards and stamps, I (Megan) finally bought a long skirt to add to my travel wardrobe. (I’ve been looking for a maxi dress or skirt since we began this trip in April because I know I’ll need it to visit some religious sites, especially once we arrive in Asia.) I also finally bought a new purse after carrying mine around like a football for several weeks due to a broken strap. Average: $8.40/day.

Hiking through the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia — Beautiful views during our hike around Zdiar in the Tatra Mountains.

Travel insurance: $30.95

We have travel insurance through World Nomads for $6.19/day. Travel insurance costs will vary depending on chosen plan, length of travel, location, etc.

Total: $103.18/day = $51.59/person* per day

*Did you know we have a new page on the blog completely dedicated to Money & Budgeting? Check it out! We also list our country-specific costs on this page, but those numbers might differ a bit from the numbers shown here. The numbers in our detailed budgeting posts (like this one) are a true reflection of what we personally spent on our trip. The numbers on the Money & Budgeting page are meant to reflect what a typical tourist traveling at our comfort level can expect to spend.

Of course, you can always spend far less (or far more) than the numbers listed here or on our Money & Budgeting page. These figures are provided as a loose guide to help you plan travels within your budget range.