Planning your Florence travel budget in advance makes it much easier to enjoy the city without constantly worrying about expenses. Florence is not Italy’s cheapest destination, particularly when accommodation and major museums are included, but its compact historic centre, free public spaces and affordable casual food make it possible to control costs.
As a practical starting point, a budget traveller might spend around €70–€120 per person per day, excluding flights, while a mid-range traveller could expect roughly €150–€250 per person per day. Travellers choosing upscale hotels, frequent restaurant meals and multiple paid attractions can easily spend €300 or more per person per day.
Your actual costs will depend heavily on accommodation, travel season, how many museums you visit and how often you eat in restaurants.
For general planning before calculating your budget, read our Florence travel guide.
Price note: All prices in this article are approximate and were checked at the time of publication. Prices may change.
Florence Travel Budget at a Glance
A useful daily estimate per person, excluding flights, is:
| Travel style | Approximate daily budget |
|---|---|
| Budget | €70–€120 |
| Mid-range | €150–€250 |
| Comfortable/upscale | €300+ |
These figures are planning estimates rather than fixed prices.
Accommodation is normally the largest variable, particularly for solo travellers who cannot split a hotel room.
A couple sharing a room may have a considerably lower per-person accommodation cost.
How Much Does Accommodation Cost in Florence?
Accommodation can consume the largest portion of your Florence budget.
Prices vary dramatically according to season, location, weekends, events and how far in advance you book.
Hostels
A hostel dormitory bed may cost approximately €30–€60 per night, although popular dates can be more expensive.
Hostels can make a significant difference for solo travellers because hotel costs do not need to be absorbed by one person.
Budget Hotels and Guesthouses
A simple private room or budget hotel might cost roughly €80–€150 per night.
Properties outside the immediate Duomo area can sometimes provide better value while still remaining within walking distance of major attractions.
Mid-Range Hotels
Expect approximately €150–€280 per night for many well-located mid-range hotels, depending on season and demand.
Spring, early summer and September can be particularly competitive.
Upscale and Luxury Hotels
Higher-end accommodation can easily exceed €300 per night, with luxury properties and premium rooms costing substantially more.
Location, historic buildings, terraces and Duomo views can all increase prices.
If you haven’t chosen your neighbourhood yet, our guide to where to stay in Florence compares the Historic Centre, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce, San Marco, Oltrarno and other convenient areas.
Florence Tourist Tax
Remember that your accommodation price may not represent the complete cost of your stay.
Florence charges an accommodation tax, known as the imposta di soggiorno, with the amount depending on the type and classification of accommodation.
The tax is normally calculated per person per night according to the applicable municipal rules.
Because rates vary according to accommodation category, check the amount shown by your hotel, B&B, hostel or rental when booking.
Do not assume the first price displayed by an accommodation website includes the tourist tax.
How Much Does Food Cost in Florence?
Florence can accommodate very different food budgets.
You do not need to eat a full restaurant meal three times a day.
Combining bakeries, markets, sandwich shops and occasional restaurant meals can substantially reduce costs.
Breakfast
A simple Italian-style breakfast of coffee and a pastry might cost around €3–€7, depending on where you eat and whether you sit at a table.
Hotels that include breakfast can therefore provide additional value.
Quick Lunch
A sandwich, pizza slice or other casual lunch might cost approximately €6–€12.
Florence is particularly well suited to quick lunches because there are many sandwich shops, bakeries and market options around the centre.
Casual Restaurant Meal
Expect roughly €15–€30 per person for a casual meal, depending on what you order.
Adding wine, desserts and multiple courses will increase the total.
Mid-Range Dinner
A more substantial restaurant dinner may cost around €30–€60 per person, particularly when drinks are included.
Restaurants in premium locations immediately beside famous landmarks may cost more.
Daily Food Budget
Budget travellers could aim for around €25–€40 per day by relying on simple breakfasts, sandwiches and casual meals.
A mid-range food budget of around €50–€80 per person per day provides considerably more flexibility.
Travellers choosing sit-down meals, wine and higher-end restaurants can easily spend €100 or more per day on food.
Florence Attraction Costs
Museum tickets can quickly increase your Florence travel budget.
Fortunately, many of the city’s streets, squares, bridges and viewpoints are free.
Florence Cathedral and Duomo Complex
Entry to Florence Cathedral itself is free.
The surrounding Duomo monuments use several passes.
The Brunelleschi Pass costs €30 and includes the Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Opera del Duomo Museum, Baptistery and Santa Reparata.
The Giotto Pass costs €20 and includes the Bell Tower, museum, Baptistery and Santa Reparata but not the Dome.
The Ghiberti Pass costs €15 and covers the museum, Baptistery and Santa Reparata.
If climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome is a priority, include the €30 Brunelleschi Pass in your sightseeing budget.
Uffizi Gallery
Standard Uffizi admission currently costs €25 when purchased on the day of entry.
An advance ticket currently costs €29.
The higher advance price can still be worthwhile when securing a planned entry time is important to your itinerary.
Palazzo Pitti
Standard same-day admission to Palazzo Pitti is currently €16.
Advance admission is €19.
Boboli Gardens
Standard same-day admission to Boboli Gardens currently costs €10, while advance admission costs €13.
A combined Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens ticket currently costs €22 on the day or €25 in advance.
Example Major-Attraction Budget
Suppose you choose:
- Brunelleschi Pass — €30
- Uffizi — €29 advance
- Accademia — approximately €20
- Pitti Palace + Boboli Gardens — €25 advance
Your major paid sightseeing could therefore total approximately €104 per person.
You do not need to purchase every ticket.
A traveller concentrating on Florence’s free squares, churches with free entry, neighbourhoods and viewpoints can spend substantially less.
Our 3 days in Florence itinerary can help you decide which major attractions deserve space in your schedule.
Free Things to Do in Florence
Florence offers many experiences that cost nothing.
You can walk across Ponte Vecchio, explore Piazza della Signoria, admire the Loggia dei Lanzi, wander through Oltrarno and explore many of the city’s historic streets without buying a ticket.
Piazzale Michelangelo provides one of Florence’s most famous views and is free to visit.
The exterior of the Duomo complex can also be enjoyed without purchasing a pass, while entry to Florence Cathedral itself is free under its normal visitor arrangements.
Building some free attractions into every day is one of the easiest ways to control your Florence travel budget.
Public Transport Costs in Florence
Florence’s compact centre means many visitors spend very little on local transport.
Walking is usually the easiest way to move between the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce and large parts of Oltrarno.
When you do need public transport, Florence uses Tuscany’s regional urban ticket system.
A standard urban ticket currently costs €2.
Buying an urban ticket by SMS costs €2.40 plus any telephone operator charge, while a ticket purchased from the driver costs €3.
Buying your ticket through normal sales channels before boarding is therefore cheaper than purchasing from the driver.
How Much Should You Budget for Local Transport?
If you stay centrally, you may only use public transport occasionally.
A traveller walking most of the time might spend less than €10–€20 on urban transport during a short Florence visit.
Your costs will increase if your accommodation is outside the centre or if you frequently use buses and trams.
For many first-time visitors, paying slightly more for centrally located accommodation can reduce both transport costs and travel time.
Getting from Florence Airport to the City
Florence Airport is connected to the city by the T2 tram line.
This makes public transport considerably cheaper than relying entirely on taxis or private transfers.
Travellers arriving with light luggage can therefore keep airport-transfer expenses relatively low.
If you are staying near Santa Maria Novella, the tram is particularly convenient.
Always check the current fare and service arrangements shortly before travelling.
Can You Visit Florence Without a Car?
Yes.
In fact, most visitors staying in central Florence are better off without one.
The historic centre is designed for walking, and driving introduces additional expenses including rental charges, fuel and parking.
Florence also has restricted traffic areas, making driving in the historic centre inconvenient for visitors unfamiliar with local regulations.
If Florence is part of a wider Tuscany road trip, consider collecting or returning your rental car outside the days you spend exploring the central city.
Budget Traveller: €70–€120 Per Day
A budget traveller can keep costs under control by choosing hostel accommodation or sharing an inexpensive private room.
A typical day might include:
- Hostel or shared accommodation: €35–€60
- Food: €25–€35
- Local transport: €0–€6
- Attractions: €10–€25 averaged across the trip
That gives a rough total of €70–€126, depending on accommodation and sightseeing.
Keeping the total near the lower end requires careful accommodation choices and plenty of free attractions.
Mid-Range Traveller: €150–€250 Per Day
A mid-range traveller sharing a hotel room might budget:
- Accommodation share: €75–€140
- Food: €50–€70
- Transport: €0–€10
- Attractions: €20–€40 averaged across the trip
That produces a typical daily range of roughly €145–€260 per person.
The exact total depends heavily on whether accommodation costs are shared.
This level allows you to visit major museums, eat in restaurants and stay relatively centrally without requiring luxury accommodation.
Comfortable or Upscale Traveller: €300+ Per Day
Travellers choosing upscale accommodation and frequent restaurant meals can easily spend more than €300 per person per day.
A possible daily budget might include:
- Accommodation share: €150–€250+
- Food and drinks: €100+
- Attractions and activities: €30–€60+
- Taxis and other transport: €20–€50+
Luxury hotels, private tours, fine dining and premium experiences can push costs much higher.
Florence provides plenty of opportunities for luxury travel, so there is effectively no meaningful upper limit.
Example Budget for 3 Days in Florence
For a 3-day trip, excluding flights, a useful approximate estimate per person is:
Budget Trip
€210–€360
This assumes hostel or inexpensive shared accommodation, simple food, mostly walking and a selective approach to paid attractions.
Mid-Range Trip
€450–€750
This provides room for a comfortable shared hotel, restaurant meals and several major attractions.
Comfortable Trip
€900+
This allows for higher-end accommodation, frequent restaurant meals, paid attractions and greater use of taxis or premium experiences.
For help deciding what to fit into 3 days, follow our 3 days in Florence itinerary.
How Season Affects Your Florence Budget
The month you visit can significantly affect accommodation prices.
Spring and early autumn combine attractive weather with strong demand, so hotel prices may be high.
Summer remains busy, although heat can influence travel patterns.
Winter outside the Christmas and New Year period can provide better opportunities for accommodation deals.
If your dates are flexible, compare several weeks rather than choosing your trip based solely on assumptions about high and low season.
Our guide to the best time to visit Florence explains how weather, crowds and seasons differ throughout the year.
How to Save Money in Florence
Walking instead of taking transport is one of the easiest savings because many headline attractions are close together.
Book accommodation early if travelling during popular periods.
Compare hotels outside the immediate Duomo area rather than paying solely for a cathedral view.
Use bakeries, markets and sandwich shops for some meals instead of eating in restaurants three times a day.
Choose the museums that genuinely interest you rather than purchasing admission simply because an attraction appears on every sightseeing list.
Spend time at Florence’s excellent free attractions, including Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo.
Carry a reusable water bottle rather than repeatedly purchasing small bottles.
Check whether breakfast is included when comparing hotels.
Always compare the complete accommodation price, including tourist tax and any additional charges.
Is Florence Expensive?
Florence can be expensive, but it does not have to be.
Accommodation and famous museums are the biggest expenses for most visitors.
Once those costs are controlled, walking, affordable casual meals and free sightseeing make it possible to experience Florence on a moderate budget.
A traveller who wants every major museum, a central hotel and restaurant meals will naturally spend considerably more than someone staying in a hostel and concentrating on free attractions.
The advantage of Florence is that many of its greatest experiences are visible simply by walking through the city.
You can admire the Duomo’s exterior, cross Ponte Vecchio, explore Renaissance squares, wander through Oltrarno and watch the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo without paying admission.
How Much Money Do You Need for Florence?
For most travellers, excluding flights, a reasonable starting point is:
Budget: approximately €70–€120 per person per day.
Mid-range: approximately €150–€250 per person per day.
Comfortable/upscale: approximately €300+ per person per day.
Add a separate allowance for shopping, nightlife, private tours and day trips.
Before finalising your budget, use our Florence travel guide, compare accommodation in where to stay in Florence, organise your sightseeing with our 3 days in Florence itinerary, and choose your season with our guide to the best time to visit Florence.
Explore more places through our destinations page or browse our complete collection of itineraries.