💰 My Travel Daily Budgets in 16 Destinations (2024)

In the past two years, I’ve traveled to 16 countries on five continents with budgets ranging from $77 to $306 a day.

In this post, I share my travel costs for each destination and a daily budget range based on research and firsthand experience.

About My Trips

To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my travel style:

• 🗓️ Started in 2022 – I visited all these destinations after the pandemic, starting in 2022 and continuing until today.

This is a living document, so I will continue updating it as I visit more places in 2024.

• 💵 US dollars – I live in the United States, so all costs listed in this post are in US dollars, converted from the destination’s local currency at the time of visit.
• ☝️ Per person – All costs listed here are per person. Except for Spain, I’ve traveled to all destinations with one to three other friends, so I was able to split some costs, such as housing.
• 💰 Mid-range budget – I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m thoughtful about how and where I spend. I’m a mid-range budget traveler, and these expenses reflect that.

Daily Budget for All Travel Destinations

Below is how much I’ve spent per day for all the destinations I’ve visited so far. These do not include round-trip flights from and to the United States.

Destination	Continent	Daily Budget
🇮🇸 Iceland	Europe	$306
🇨🇷 Costa Rica	North America	$233
🇺🇸 Hawaii	North America	$209
🇿🇦 South Africa	Africa	$200
🇧🇿 Belize	North America	$186
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico	North America	$182
🇪🇸 Spain	Europe	$155
🇵🇪 Peru	South America	$149
🇯🇵 Japan	Asia	$145
🇮🇹 Italy	Europe	$131
🇰🇭 Cambodia	Asia	$123
🇸🇬 Singapore	Asia	$122
🇵🇹 Portugal	Europe	$116
🇹🇼 Taiwan	Asia	$102
🇻🇳 Vietnam	Asia	$89
🇹🇭 Thailand	Asia	$77

For detailed budget breakdowns, click on each destination above.

Most Expensive Destination: Iceland

💰 Why is Iceland Expensive? Iceland is one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world. The island relies on imported goods and has a high cost of living, with many locals earning a high wage (90% of the population is part of a labor union).

🍀 Lukiih’s Take: A $230 daily budget is more reasonable for a mid-range budget traveler in Iceland. My trip was pricey because I booked it at the last minute (about a month in advance) during peak season, which was a poor decision for my wallet.

My best budgeting tip for Iceland is to book campervans and accommodations at least four months in advance if you’re traveling during the high season between July and August.

❄️ Lukiih’s Splurge: One of the most expensive things I did in Iceland was go on a five-hour glacier hike, which cost $230. At $46 per hour, this is the most expensive guided tour I’ve paid for.

Most Affordable Destination: Thailand

💰 Why is Thailand Affordable? Thailand is one of the world’s most popular, inexpensive destinations. The country has a low cost of living, and the government has invested in the tourism infrastructure to keep attractions and activities affordable.

🍀 Lukiih’s Take: I didn’t try to budget for my trip to Thailand. The fact that it’s my cheapest destination speaks to its affordability. I happily ate $2 meals and stayed at mid-range accommodations for $20 a night.

A good budgeting tip is to take advantage of exchange rates. For example, in March 2024, the US dollar is strong compared to Japan’s yen and Argentina’s pesos, so your dollars will go further there.

⛰️ Lukiih’s Splurge: One of the most expensive things I did in Thailand was go on a four-hour outdoor climbing guided tour for $62. At $15 per hour, this was one of the most affordable adventures I’ve had.

Best Value Destination: South Africa

💰 Why is South Africa a Great Value? South Africa isn’t the most expensive or cheapest destination, but it’s my top vote for a place with great value because you can enjoy high-end accommodations, food, wine, and experiences for very reasonable prices.

🍀 Lukiih’s Take: In South Africa, I ate at fine dining restaurants for $20 a meal, had an hour-long massage for $54, and went on a full-day wine-tasting tour for less than $30. You also spend close to no money hiking many of its beautiful mountains.

⛰️ Lukiih’s Splurge: Besides a safari, my biggest splurge in South Africa was a two-day private hiking tour in the stunning Drakensberg mountains for $516. This experience included round-trip six-hour transportation, a fantastic dinner, and guided hikes through adventurous trails that I couldn’t have navigated on my own.

Daily Budget Range for All Travel Destinations

Countries vary in how accessible they are to travelers with a wide range of budgets.

Below is my estimated daily budget range for a traveler at each destination. The range takes into account approximate spending on food, transportation, accommodation, and entertainment (e.g., excursions, entrance fees).

How I Calculated the Daily Budget Ranges

• I calculated the lower end of the daily budget range based on research and firsthand experience. I asked questions like: How much does it cost to stay at a hostel? What budget do I need to eat at local spots? What’s the total if I mainly do free activities?
• I calculated the higher end of the daily budget primarily based on my experience. I adjusted the average spend based on whether my choices reflected those of other mid-range travelers.

The higher end does not reflect the maximum spending of a luxury traveler; I suspect they can spend beyond my imagination.

For detailed budget breakdowns, click on each destination below.

Daily Budget Range for Destinations in Asia

Here are my estimated daily budget ranges for Asian destinations:

Destination	Daily Budget Range	My Daily Budget
🇸🇬 Singapore	$70–$140	$122
🇯🇵 Japan	$60–$120	$145
🇹🇼 Taiwan	$45–$90	$102
🇰🇭 Cambodia	$40–$90	$123*
🇹🇭 Thailand	$35–$80	$77
🇻🇳 Vietnam	$30–$65	$89

*My Cambodia daily budget is high because I splurged on accommodation.

Daily Budget Range for Destinations in Europe

Here are my estimated daily budget ranges for European destinations:

Destination	Daily Budget Range	My Daily Budget
🇮🇸 Iceland	$90–$250	$306
🇪🇸 Spain	$90–$200	$155
🇮🇹 Italy	$75–$150	$131
🇵🇹 Portugal	$60–$120	$116

Daily Budget Range for Destinations in the Americas

Here are my estimated daily budget ranges for destinations in North, Central, and South America:

Destination	Daily Budget Range	My Daily Budget
🇺🇸 Hawaii	$95–$250	$209
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico	$85–$200	$182
🇨🇷 Costa Rica	$55–$200	$233
🇧🇿 Belize	$50–$160	$186
🇵🇪 Peru	$40–$130	$149

Daily Budget Range for Destinations in Africa

Here is my estimated daily budget range for African destinations:

Destination	Daily Budget Range	My Daily Budget
🇿🇦 South Africa	$60–$180	$200

Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment below.