While interning abroad is amazing, it can also be expensive! There are plenty of ways to budget for your experience both before and during your program.
Several of our program locations are known for having a relatively low cost of living – Galway, Ireland, San Jose, Costa Rica and Lisbon, Portugal. If you are traveling on a tight budget, these locations might be for you! Keep reading for three tips on budgeting for your time abroad!
1.) Be on the lookout for student discounts
Make sure you bring your student ID with you abroad. Lot’s of museums, guided tours, shows etc. offer special discounts to students! There may also be student discounts available for some retail stores, restaurants and train and plane tickets. For example, Irish Rail has a great student discount program – allowing students to travel between Galway and Dublin via train for less than 15 Euro.
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2.) Create a community in the kitchen
One of the most affordable cities in Europe to live is Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon is *almost* as affordable as it is beautiful! An average meal at a restaurant is about 12 Euro per person. A great way to save money while abroad is to utilize the kitchen where you are living. This is a great chance to hang out with your roommates and cook a great meal using local ingredients. Cooking during the week and then visiting local restaurants on the weekends is a great way to budget your food costs!
3.) Participate in activities that are part of your program
All of our programs offer day trips and cultural events that are included in the program tuition! Before booking a ticket to visit a museum or see a show, check to see if you are already doing that as part of the program! In San Jose, Costa Rica, our students go hiking at the Irazu Volcano and visit a coffee plantation at no cost for the students. These excursions are a great chance to travel with your new friends on the program and see incredible sights – all include din your tuition!
There are lots of great resources online about budgeting for your time abroad and information about your specific destination city. Our favorite is Numbeo. This allows you to put in a country or a specific city and get a feel for the cost of living based on groceries, restaurants, travel, activities and more!
Going abroad can be a challenge financially, however with the right preparation and strategy, your travel expenses will be less daunting and you will be able to enjoy your life-changing experience abroad even more!
