$20 USD in a Day and Budgeting!

Before going abroad, I wondered what an average day of spending would look like. Between planning trips and studying in between classes, how much money would I actually spend? If I had already done my grocery shopping for that week, and this was just a regular day attending class and seeing some of my friends, $20 USD would definitely be enough.

In the morning, I would head over to 365, a coffee shop right next to the Aparto buildings. Here, you can get an iced vanilla latte and a croissant for less than $5 USD. In the first few days here during orientation with IES Barcelona, we are given information on how to purchase the student metro card. This card was around $50 USD, and gives us students unlimited metro, bus, and tram rides for 90 days. This means that my transportation to and from class and transportation throughout the city is free. 

For lunch I would have a salad with chicken that I had already prepared from my grocery trip earlier that week. One thing that I’ve really enjoyed so far is cooking in my dorm room, both alone and with friends. At least once a week, my friends and I will all grocery shop together and get groceries to make a meal together. Last week, we made homemade burger bowls that cost each of us around $7 USD.

Since I had lunch already made, I usually will go out to dinner with friends later in the evening after homework and classes are done. With only $20 USD, I will head to Café Pages for their 2 Euro Tapas. This restaurant has a fun, social atmosphere where my friends and I enjoy sharing a meal and discussing our day. There are many restaurants here in Spain that are “sharing styles”. This is something that I really love as they make it easy to socialize and meet new people. 

After spending money on breakfast and dinner, I may have a few dollars left so I would run into any gelato shop in the Gothic Quarter. Anywhere within the Gothic Quarter you can get a scoop of gelato for less than 5 euros, making it an affordable treat after a night out with friends.

In a week abroad, where I am both traveling, socializing with friends in the evenings and grocery shopping, I spend around $500. Although this may seem like a high number, this includes my spend on travel, plus food and groceries for the week. Flights can range anywhere from $75-$200, plus your accommodation in the place you are traveling. Traveling is something that some feel is a must and is expected every weekend, but this is not the truth for everyone. Spending weekends in your home country is encouraged so that you can explore and become fully culturally immersed in the place you are calling home for the next few months. Finding an even balance between the two, will allow you to experience your semester abroad to the fullest. To ensure you have budgeted enough for your weekend travels, I recommend making a list of the top places you are wanting to visit before leaving for your semester abroad. This will allow you to plan those trips when you get here, and then go from there about other trips to see if you want to stay in your home country or travel around with friends. 

Studying abroad can be expensive, and the cost often discourages many students. However, it is entirely possible and doable, if you take the time to plan your semester carefully and manage your spending responsibly.