ninab95•1mo agoProlific Poster

Hostel vs Airbnb in Prague - which one actually saves you money?

I spent my first three trips to Europe always booking hostels because I thought that was the budget way. But last year in Prague, I stayed at an Airbnb near the city center for $35 a night and realized I wasn't factoring in hostel breakfast costs or paying for laundry. Meanwhile, my friend stayed at a hostel for $20 a night but spent $10 on breakfast and another $8 on a locker fee. What's been your experience - do hostels or Airbnbs end up cheaper for you when you add up all the hidden costs?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_baker691mo ago

Have you checked if the Airbnb charges a cleaning fee on top of the nightly rate? I've seen places in Prague that look cheap until you add $40 for cleaning and a service fee. For a solo trip, I usually come out ahead with hostels if I book one that includes breakfast and free lockers. Some of them even have kitchens where you can cook a cheap meal instead of eating out.

the_olivia1mo ago

The $40 cleaning fee is basically the Airbnb version of "gotcha." I rented a place in Rome once that looked like a steal at $50 a night, then the fees pushed it to $85. I could have stayed in a hostel, met some weirdo from Sweden, and split a bottle of wine for less than that. Plus those hostel kitchens are usually a mess but hey, you can make pasta and pretend you're in a cooking show.