How to eat well on a tight travel budget
Prioritize grocery stores for two meals a day, focus on local street food for one high-quality meal, and drink tap water using a filtered bottle. Avoid all tourist-centric restaurants with multi-language menus or photo displays, as these have a 30-50% markup.
- Shop the perimeter and local markets. Avoid 'convenience' stores which mark up prices by 20-40%. Find a local neighborhood supermarket or open-air produce market. Buy seasonal fruit, bread, local cheese, and pre-cooked proteins like rotisserie chicken or canned fish.
- Master the 'Lunch Special' strategy. If you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant, always go between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Many restaurants offer fixed-price 'menu del dia' or lunch sets that cost 40-60% less than the dinner menu for the same food.
- Carry a portable kit. Pack a reusable spork, a lightweight collapsible bowl, and a reliable water filter bottle. This allows you to eat grocery store items anywhere—parks, trains, or benches—without paying for takeout packaging or bottled water.
- Identify the 'two-block' rule. Walk at least two blocks away from any major tourist attraction, museum, or train station before choosing a place to eat. Prices drop significantly once you are outside the immediate tourist bubble.
- Is it safe to eat street food?
- Yes, if the stall has a high turnover of locals. Look for queues of residents, not tourists. If the food is cooked at a high temperature right in front of you, the risk is minimal.
- How do I save on drinks?
- Stick to water, local house wine, or tea. Avoid cocktails, branded sodas, and imported beers, which are almost always marked up aggressively.