Some countries are prohibitively costly. Or so I thought.

Switzerland is one of, if not, the most expensive countries in the world. When I was planning my trip there, I asked 10-15 backpackers if they had any recommendations for the country.

None of them had been. It’s not exactly a budget backpacker destination.

However, during my 9 days in Switzerland, I spent less than CHF450 (~€450) for an average of less than €50 per day. Here’s how I did it.

Accommodation

Despite spending 9 days, I only paid for 2 nights of housing. I used Couchsurfing for 2 nights in Interlaken and stayed with my new friend Ronald!

It was my first time using the app but it came in super handy. Ronald was very hospitable–he’s a Couchsurfing super host who’s accommodated almost 200 guests.

I then traveled to Lucerne, where I spent two nights at a hostel for around €38 a night. Having just come from Spain and Portugal, that felt brutal, but it’s comparable to popular backpacker cities like Amsterdam and London.

Finally, I spent 4 days in Zurich, where I stayed with a Singapore study-abroad friend, Axel. Having a network of friends from Singapore who live throughout Europe proved very handy, but maybe nowhere more than Zurich. I got a great impression of the city through his eyes, met his university friends, and even celebrated his birthday.

By flying out on my final day, I avoided paying for another night of accommodation.

Food

Can you name a food that Switzerland is known for?

The only two that come to mind are chocolate and fondue. I bought some Swiss chocolate duty-free on my way out of the country and, upon Axel's advice, skipped the fancy Swiss fondue restaurant experience.

Somehow I survived without it.

Swiss restaurants were insanely expensive but I was thrilled to find a couple “cheap” (€10-20) kebab spots in Lucerne and Zurich.

One night I was craving a McFlurry but I remembered hearing the most expensive McDonald’s in the world is in Switzerland. I went anyway, spending €11 on a McFlurry and 6-piece McNuggets 😭.

(Worth it).

I bought the rest of my meals at supermarkets for €10-15 per meal. Not bad!

In Interlaken, Ronald was kind enough to leave me breakfast every morning and treated me to Thai takeout one night.

My 9 days weren’t the sexiest food experience, but I wasn’t going hungry either.

Everything else

Switzerland is known for its natural beauty and that costs €0. I did some hikes in Interlaken and around Zurich, worked from a park in Lucerne, and went for some runs in nature whenever possible.

The country is best navigated by train and I had a Eurail pass, costing me €0 (on top of what I’d already paid for the pass).

I had some additional miscellaneous expenses. I worked out of a Starbucks so I bought a snack to sit there. I did laundry. Paid for bus tickets around Zurich. Bought a little birthday cake for Axel. Exchanged some euros for a Swiss Franc note because I collect bills everywhere I go.

I definitely didn’t splurge, but I wasn’t prohibiting myself from a good time either.

Unsurprisingly, the free things were the most fun. Hiking Harder Kulm in Interlaken. Going for a Polar Plunge to celebrate Axel’s birthday. Our late-night convos at his apartment.

Conclusion

The trip to Switzerland taught me a lot about being a budget backpacker.

It made me realize with greater intentionality the use of money while backpacking–primarily to make the trip last. Knowing that the best experiences are usually free, serendipitous, and spontaneous, I don’t see the point in spending money on manufactured tourist traps just because everyone is doing it.

While there are exceptions, that money could be better spent on tomorrow night’s accommodation–or anything that’s actually critical to your travel needs (usually that’s only housing and food). Extrapolating over months, you might be able to squeeze an extra few weeks of travel, more time to let the €0 serendipity happen!

I also learned there are always ways to live on a tight budget even in “expensive” countries. I spent less per day in Switzerland than in Portugal, a famously cheap European country.

The money-saving hacks might be harder to come by in wealthier places, but every country has supermarkets, Couchsurfers, and public transport. You might be sacrificing a lavish lifestyle, but you’ll be gaining an experience that you’d otherwise thought was impossible with your budget.

Sounds like a win to me!

Next time, consider making your trip without the limitation of how expensive you perceive a country to be!