Vacation Budget Calculator
Estimate your vacation budget based on destination type, trip length, and number of travelers.
Get a daily and total cost breakdown.
Estimated Vacation Budget
A vacation budget has six main buckets, and most people forget at least two of them when planning. Capturing all six upfront prevents the post-holiday credit card shock that ruins the memory of an otherwise great trip.
Formula: Total Vacation Cost = Flights + Accommodation + Ground Transport + Food + Activities + Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous should be at least 10–15% of the subtotal for unexpected costs.
What each variable means:
- Flights — include baggage fees, seat selection, and airport transfers.
- Accommodation — nightly rate × number of nights, plus resort fees and taxes (often 15–25% on top of quoted price).
- Ground Transport — car rental + fuel + parking, or taxi/rideshare budget, or public transit passes.
- Food — daily meal budget × number of days. Restaurant meals in tourist areas can run 2–3× local prices.
- Activities — tours, entry fees, experiences, souvenirs.
- Miscellaneous — travel insurance, visas, medications, tips, currency exchange fees.
Worked example: 7-night trip for 2 people to a European city.
- Flights: $1,200 (round trip, 2 people)
- Accommodation: $140/night × 7 = $980
- Ground transport: $200 (trains + metro passes)
- Food: $80/day × 7 = $560
- Activities: $300
- Miscellaneous (12%): $398
Total = $3,638 for the trip ($1,819 per person)
Typical daily all-in budgets (per person):
- Budget backpacker: $50–$80/day
- Mid-range traveler: $150–$250/day
- Comfort/luxury: $350–$600+/day