Two questions drive almost every first Europe trip from India: what will it cost, and how much do I need to show in the bank? They are related but not the same. The trip cost is what you will spend. The balance the consulate wants to see is the part of that cost you have not paid yet, plus a reserve, plus the country’s daily subsistence figure. This guide builds the first number honestly for 7, 10 and 14 days in 2026, then derives the second.
All figures are per person, mid-range (three-star hotels or good apartments, some restaurant meals, trains between cities), for two people sharing a room, in the shoulder season. Peak summer and Christmas add 20 to 40% to flights and hotels; hostels and budget airlines can cut the totals by a third.
Headline numbers, 2026
- 7 days, one or two cities: ₹1,40,000 to ₹1,80,000 per person
- 10 days, two or three countries: ₹1,90,000 to ₹2,50,000
- 14 days, three or four countries: ₹2,60,000 to ₹3,40,000
- Visa-side cost (fee, centre charge, insurance, photos): ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 per adult, regardless of trip length
- Bank balance to show: unpaid trip cost + daily subsistence for every day + ₹1 to 1.5 lakh reserve
Cost by category
| Category | 7 days | 10 days | 14 days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return flights (Delhi/Mumbai to a major hub) | ₹55,000 to ₹85,000 | same | same | Book 8 to 12 weeks out; one-stop Gulf carriers are usually cheapest |
| Accommodation (half of a double room) | ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 | ₹50,000 to ₹70,000 | ₹70,000 to ₹1,00,000 | ₹5,000 to ₹7,000 per night per room, mid-range, outside peak |
| Food | ₹18,000 to ₹25,000 | ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 | ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 | ₹2,500 to ₹3,500 a day with one restaurant meal; less with supermarkets and Indian restaurants |
| Local transport and intercity trains | ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 | ₹15,000 to ₹22,000 | ₹22,000 to ₹32,000 | Book intercity trains early; passes rarely pay off for under three long journeys |
| Sightseeing and entries | ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 | ₹12,000 to ₹18,000 | ₹18,000 to ₹25,000 | Major museums €15 to €30; skip-the-line adds more |
| Visa, insurance, photos | ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 | same | ₹13,000 to ₹16,000 | Insurance rises with days and age |
| SIM, tips, contingency | ₹5,000 to ₹8,000 | ₹7,000 to ₹10,000 | ₹10,000 to ₹14,000 | An eSIM for Europe is ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 |
| Total per person | ₹1.4 to 1.8 lakh | ₹1.9 to 2.5 lakh | ₹2.6 to 3.4 lakh |
How the trip budget becomes the bank balance
Consulates do not ask for the trip cost. They apply a per-day subsistence figure for the deciding country (roughly €24 in Hungary, €45 to €65 in Italy, France and Spain, €100 or more in Austria and Switzerland; see proof of funds by country) and check it against your statements, together with whatever flights and hotels are still unpaid. A safe target for a 10-day mid-range trip to Italy:
Unpaid flights and hotels (if reserved, not bought): ≈ ₹1,30,000
Reserve: ₹1,20,000
Balance to show ≈ ₹3,00,000 to ₹3,20,000
If you have already paid for flights and hotels, the balance needed falls, but do not buy non-refundable bookings before the visa; use refundable reservations. The bank statement rules explain why the balance should have been there for months, not weeks.
Where Indian travellers overspend, and where they underbudget
Overspend
Booking flights inside six weeks of travel. Hotels in the tourist centre of Paris, Amsterdam or Zurich instead of a metro stop out. Buying a rail pass for two train journeys. Eating every meal in restaurants. Paying for “skip the line” at sights that have no line off-season.
Underbudget
City taxes on hotels (€2 to €8 a night, paid at the hotel). Airport transfers, which can be ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 each. Luggage fees on budget airlines. Tips. The 45-day insurance if the trip runs long. The reserve the consulate expects to see.
Cheaper and dearer countries
Daily costs vary by about two to one across Schengen. Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Czechia, Poland, Greece outside the islands, and Croatia in spring or autumn sit at the low end; Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Austria at the high end; Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands in between. A 10-day trip built around Lisbon, Seville and Madrid can come in under ₹2 lakh; the same days in Switzerland and Austria will not. For choosing on a budget, see best Schengen country by salary and bank balance.
A sample 10-day budget: Italy, two people, October
| Item | Per person |
|---|---|
| Delhi to Rome return, one stop | ₹68,000 |
| 9 nights: 3 Rome, 3 Florence, 3 Venice, three-star, half of a double | ₹58,000 |
| Trains Rome-Florence-Venice, booked 6 weeks ahead | ₹7,500 |
| Local transport, airport transfers | ₹6,000 |
| Food, ₹3,000 a day | ₹30,000 |
| Colosseum, Uffizi, Vatican, Doge’s Palace, gondola share | ₹14,000 |
| Visa, centre charge, insurance, photos | ₹13,500 |
| eSIM, city taxes, tips, contingency | ₹12,000 |
| Total | ₹2,09,000 |
Balance to show for this trip, with flights and hotels reserved but unpaid: about ₹3.2 lakh. See the visa cost breakdown for what is inside the ₹13,500.
Budget done? We turn it into an approvable file
Itinerary, refundable reservations, statement review against the balance the consulate expects, and the full application. Starting at ₹20,000 / $200 (GST included).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 7-day Europe trip cost from India?
About ₹1.4 to 1.8 lakh per person in 2026 for a mid-range trip, two people sharing a room, outside peak season. Flights are roughly half of that.
How much does a 10-day Europe trip cost from India?
About ₹1.9 to 2.5 lakh per person for two or three countries, mid-range. Budget travel with hostels and low-cost flights can bring it near ₹1.3 lakh.
How much bank balance should I show for a Europe trip?
The unpaid trip cost plus the deciding country’s daily subsistence for every day plus a reserve of ₹1 to 1.5 lakh. For a 10-day Italy trip that is about ₹3 to 3.2 lakh.
Which European countries are cheapest for Indian travellers?
Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Czechia, Poland and mainland Greece are the cheapest Schengen destinations day to day; Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark the dearest.
How much is the Schengen visa itself?
€90 per adult (about ₹8,500), €45 for children 6 to 11, free under 6, plus a centre service charge of ₹1,500 to ₹2,500, insurance and photos: ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 all in.
Should I pay for flights and hotels before the visa?
No. Use refundable reservations. Non-refundable bookings are lost if the visa is refused, and paying early does not improve approval odds.