Munich on a budget: 7 travel hacks to save on your trip

If you are planning a trip to Munich on a budget, you shouldn't worry. There are so many things to do in the city centre that are affordable, and you will have no trouble accessing the best of what this lovely city can offer. Visiting Munich on a budget is not as difficult as you might think, and places like beer halls, museums, and sites of interest will not be closed to you if you are on a tight budget. Budget travellers love coming to Munich on a budget just because it is so simple and easy to have an amazing time in this city without breaking the bank.

Before you head out to see the entire city or visit beer gardens and beer halls, you will want to be sure that you let Bounce keep your bags in secure storage. Even places like the Bavarian National Museum are much easier to visit with your hands free. Bounce provides luggage storage options for a few hours up to multiple days to ensure you can explore the areas around Munich City unencumbered.

Cheap places to stay in Munich

One of the biggest costs for any vacation is the hotel room charge. However, there are many affordable places to stay in Munich to save money and have many of the amenities you're used to. If you are unsure which part of the city centre you want to stay in, check out our guide to the best neighborhoods in Munich. And here are a few ideas to get things started:

MEININGER Hotel München Olympiapark

This very affordable hostel offers shared bunks for just $30 a night. This is a hotel chain that specializes in hostel-style hotels. You will enjoy access to a bar and game room at this lovely hotel, and you can walk to public transport. The Munich Olympic Stadium is a few minutes away if you walk, as is the Sea Life Munich aquarium. This is one of the best hotel options right outside the city center, and you will be comfortable and cozy here during your time in Munich.

Wombat's City Hostel Munich Hauptbahnhof

Rooms are just $40 a night here, and there is a bar and free wi-fi included with your stay. This hotel tends to attract a young crowd with its cool, hipster vibe, but anyone can stay here and enjoy access to everything that is exciting about the city center. If you have the Munich City Card (more on this in the bonus budget tips section below), it's easier to get around without shelling out too much cash.

Premier Inn Munich Messe Hotel

This is not a hostel, but the prices are as affordable as one. You can get private rooms here for just $60 a night. This hotel includes a bar area, as well as free wi-fi. You are close to the Deutsches Museum, and you can walk to various beer gardens and restaurants from this spot. The hotel is quiet and clean and is likely your best option for an affordable hotel near all the action.

Cheap things to do in Munich

Believe it or not, there are many cheap things to do in Munich. You can enjoy free walking tours, and many of the churches, like St Peter's Church, are free to enter as well. Bavarian history is also easily accessible, and many locations offer ticket deals online that can save you a lot of cash. Consider heading to the museums you want to see outside of peak times because you might be offered a deal close to closing time on your entrance ticket.

Nymphenburg Palace

This location is very affordable to visit, with the palace tour being about $15. You can tour the grounds and see the gardens and the beautiful buildings for just $5. This is one of the most beautiful palaces in all of Germany, and you don't want to miss out on seeing this example of Baroque architecture from the 1600s. There have been additions to the grounds over the years, and history lovers will approve of the various periods of history that are frozen in time at Nyphenburg Palace.

Oktoberfest

One of the best times to head to Munich if you love a festival is during the world-famous Oktoberfest. While the accommodations will likely cost more, the beer and food in the city will be more affordable. Many places give out samples of their food and drink during Oktoberfest, and people are usually quite happy to buy you a pint if you look thirsty. This even turns the whole city into what basically amounts to a beer garden, and it is a ton of fun.

Bavarian National Museum

The Bavarian National Museum offers many free exhibits. The exhibitions that cost money are very affordable, however. You can easily spend a large portion of the day here enjoying things like art, the decorative arts exhibition, or the collection of pieces that belonged to the Wittelsbach family, who ruled Bavaria for generations. There are more than 40 rooms to see here. It can be wise to get a multi-day pass to this museum if you love this kind of adventure. These will cost you about $50, but you will get five days to access the museum and see everything that it has to offer.

Cheap places to eat in Munich

Sitting down to eat at a restaurant is not the only way to enjoy a meal in Munich on a budget. The city is full of tasty street food vendors that can save a lot of money, especially when you have at least two meals a day you need to purchase. Comfort food and beer are very important to Munich, and you will love that you can enjoy access to so much variety in this department without going broke.

Sababa

This cute spot offers delicious Middle Eastern food of various kinds. Count on authentic and flavorful falafel, hummus, and shawarma, and you can enjoy teas and other kinds of specialty drinks as well. It is easy to pick up to-go from here if you want to save a little money on your meal. Sitting down here to eat will cost you about $10-$15 a person. This location only takes cash, so be prepared before you sit down to eat.

Munich Soup Kitchen

While the name might make you think that this location is just for those who are down on their luck, you would be wrong. This is a great place to head for an affordable meal, and you will have a great time eating here as well. The entire menu is soup-based, and you can get an assortment of goulash and other traditional Bavarian food for less than $5 a plate in some cases.

Visit the Viktualienmarkt

This outdoor market has 140 stalls of food and drink products made by local businesses and chefs. You will be amazed at the variety of food and goods on offer here, and you might even learn a bunch of history while you are being treated to samples of cheeses, beer, and wine. This kind of experience is a lot like taking one of the various walking tours that are offered in the city. The merchants know all about the history of their goods and are happy to share information with you as you pick and choose what to eat or drink.

Cheap bars in Munich

Visit a Beer Garden

Beer gardens are not allowed to sell food, they can only sell beer. This means that you can actually bring your own meal with you to a beer hall and enjoy your pint along with your food of choice. This is a tradition that dates back to 1812 and is still observed. You can easily go grab some traditional Bavarian food and head to a beer garden for lunch or dinner. Your beer will probably be about $5 a pint, and these locations sometimes run sales or even beer giveaways if you can meet and surpass the drinking challenge at each location. This might be drinking an entire huge glass of beer in a set amount of time or other kinds of daring drinking practices.

Hofbrauhaus

This is the most famous beer hall in the city, and it is a place that you absolutely must go to during your trip. You will definitely be spending your time with other tourists here, but beer halls are a ton of fun, and your pint will be $8 or less. It is really fun to watch the servers carry loads of pints to tables, and there is a tradition of shoving thousands of people under one roof during peak times at this location. While the beer halls are not allowed to serve food, you can bring your own meal and eat it here.

StammBar

This little hole-in-the-wall offers up a sleek, 1950s soda shop-style bar and great service. You can enjoy scotch and whisky here, as well as beer and wine. As with other drinking establishments, you must bring your own food, but you will be welcome to sit at the bar and snack while you enjoy your drink of choice.

Bonus budget tips for Munich

Get a Munich City Card

Public transport here is excellent. You will save money staying outside of the city centre, and you can get a Munich City Card which will give you access to all of the transportation that is offered in the city. Skip the car rental and save money and time when you are traveling in Munich. Plus, as an added bonus, this card also entitles you to significant discounts at many of the city's most popular tourist attractions.

Eat like a local

Head to "meat houses" for a pretzel or a sausage for $2-$3 like the locals do. You can eat very affordably from these locations, and the food is really good! This is the right kind of food to bring to beer garden locations as well. Restaurants that sell these items are usually willing to let you take them to go as well, making this one of the best money-saving tips on this list.

Breakfast can easily be purchased from street food vendors or from small local bakeries for $2-$3. You might need to pick items that can be held in your hand and snacked on as you wander, but who doesn't love a croissant or another kind of delicious bakery item to start the day?

Sightsee on Sundays

Museums are often deeply discounted on Sundays, so if you want to visit Munich and see all the museums but don't have the budget to buy tickets, this is the right solution to your problem. Some locations just charge €1 for Sunday access to the museum. This is a great way to keep kids busy when you are in Munich, but history buffs will also appreciate this helpful tip that saves a lot of money and makes learning about Munich on a budget really easy.

Conclusion

Visiting Munich on a budget is easier than you might think. Many things can be enjoyed in this city for just a few euros. From free walking tours to affordable hostel rooms, there are many ways to make it easy and affordable to stay in or around the city centre during your trip. Making the most of Munich on a budget is easy, and you will never regret booking a trip to this cool place. From the moment that you land at Munich Airport, you will feel welcome and like you have come home.

If you need a few more things to do and see while you are in Munich on a budget, you need to check out our guide to the best free things to do in Munich. There are more free things in the city centre than you might think, and lots of ways to experience some of the local ambiance without spending any money. Traveling to Munich and saving money can go hand in hand.