Southern Europe for travel money, five countries compared
You have narrowed it to Southern Europe but not the country. Here is how Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Croatia stack up on the money side, so your friend in New York, or you, can pick with eyes open. Our read as the True Trip Costs desk, checked Jul 2026.
The short answer
Portugal is the easiest, best-value trip of the five.
Prefer the classics? Italy. Chasing islands? Greece. Set on the coastline? Croatia.
| Country | Daily cost | Cash or card | Tipping | Taxis | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Portugal | Mostly cards | Round up | Easy | Euro | |
 Spain | Cards everywhere | Round up | Easy | Euro | |
 Italy | Carry cash too | Coperto | Some care | Euro | |
 Greece | Carry cash too | Round up | Some care | Euro | |
 Croatia | Mostly cards | Round up | Easy | Euro since 2023 |
Reading this. Daily cost is a rough 1 to 4 scale across these five (more dots, pricier day), the desk's own read rather than a precise figure. Taxi ease comes straight from each country's taxi guide: Easy is straightforward, Some care means a couple of things to watch. Tap any country for the detail behind its row.
The honest headline
On the money mechanics, these five are more alike than different
All five use the euro (Croatia switched in 2023, so there is no kuna to think about), cards are widely accepted, tipping is light everywhere (round up, no set percentage), and as a US visitor you can reclaim VAT on larger purchases in any of them. Each also adds a small local tourist or city tax on your accommodation. So the money plumbing is much the same across the region. Where they genuinely differ is overall cost and a few local habits, which is what the table above and the picks below focus on.
Which to pick
A verdict on each
Portugal
Best value, and easiest overall
The value pick of the five and the simplest to travel: cheap by Western European standards, card-friendly, and easy to get around with Bolt or Uber. Pick Portugal if the priority is stretching the budget without hassle.
The Portugal money guide →Spain
Most card-friendly, great cities
The most card-friendly of the group, with tap-to-pay almost everywhere and honest, cheap taxis. Strong value once you step outside the top tourist spots. Pick Spain for big-city energy and to barely touch cash.
The Spain money guide →Italy
The classic trip, and the priciest
The priciest of the five, especially the north and the famous cities, and the one place to still carry cash: many spots prefer it, and a coperto cover charge per person is normal. Pick Italy for the once-in-a-lifetime hits, with a slightly bigger budget.
The Italy money guide →Greece
Islands, and value away from the famous two
Excellent value on the mainland and most islands, with cards common in tourist areas but cash still handy for tavernas and smaller islands. Santorini and Mykonos are the summer exceptions. Pick Greece for island-hopping and strong value.
The Greece money guide →Croatia
Coast and nature, not the bargain it was
On the euro since 2023, card-friendly, and stunning, but no longer a bargain: the Dalmatian coast in peak summer (Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar) runs genuinely pricey, while inland stays cheaper. Pick Croatia for the coastline, and shoulder season to save.
The Croatia money guide →Quick picks
If you only remember five things
- Cheapest, easiest overall: Portugal, with Greece close behind on the mainland.
- Most card-friendly: Spain, where you can almost leave the cash at the hotel.
- Carry some cash: Italy and Greece, for small places, tavernas and the odd cover charge.
- Watch the summer spike: Croatia's coast, and the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos.
- The quirk to know: Italy's coperto, a small per-person cover charge that is not a scam.
From the desk
If it were my trip
If I were flying over from the US, I would probably land in Croatia, Zagreb or Split depending on the flights, pick up a rental car, and drive down the coast, which is one of the loveliest stretches of the whole trip. I would hop across into Slovenia for a day or two as well, since it is such an easy border and a gentle way to add another country without upending the plan. From there I might drift on to Italy or Montenegro, and happily leave the rest for another visit rather than cram it all in. The driving is half the pleasure here, so I would coast rather than rush. For what it is worth, that is the route I would take, though everyone travels differently, and I hope your own trip is a wonderful one.
A personal aside from the True Trip Costs desk. The verdicts above stay neutral; this is just one traveler's route.
More than one region in mind?
Compare another part of the world
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AfricaPyramids, souks, card-friendly South Africa, or a self-drive.Compare How we rate this. The cost dots and the verdicts are the True Trip Costs desk's own comparative read for a US traveler, meant for choosing between these countries, not a precise index. We compare on things that move slowly, relative cost, currency, card habits, tipping norms and taxi ease, and leave the exact prices, fees and rules to each country's guide, which we date and check on its own. Checked Jul 2026. Confirm anything critical, especially entry rules and current fees, in the country guide before you rely on it.