Travel Budget Calculator
Planning a trip without a full budget often leads to overspending or running short on cash. This calculator brings together all major travel cost categories: flights, accommodation, daily food, local transport, activities, insurance, and a contingency buffer. Enter your expected costs in each category to get the total trip cost for the whole party and the cost per person.
Fixed costs (total for all travellers)
Per-person per-night accommodation
Per-person per-day costs
Travel budget formula
Base cost = Fixed costs + (Accommodation per person x People x Nights) + (Daily costs per person x People x Days)
Total = Base cost x (1 + Contingency / 100)
Fixed costs (flights, insurance, visas) are entered as totals for the whole group. Accommodation is entered per person per night (if sharing a room, divide the room rate by the number of occupants). Daily costs are per person per day and multiply by the number of travellers and days.
Travel budget calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I build a travel budget?
A complete travel budget should include: flights or transport to the destination, accommodation for each night, daily food and drink (breakfast, lunch, dinner), local transportation (taxis, transit, car hire), activities and entry fees, travel insurance, visa fees, and a contingency buffer of 10% to 15% for unexpected costs. This calculator covers all these categories.
How much spending money should I budget per day?
Daily spending money varies enormously by destination. Budget destinations in Southeast Asia or Central America may require only $30 to $60 per day for food, transport, and activities. Mid-range travel in Europe typically costs $100 to $200 per day. Major cities in the US, UK, or Australia may require $150 to $300 per day for a comfortable mid-range experience excluding accommodation.
What contingency percentage should I add?
A 10% to 15% contingency buffer is generally recommended for leisure travel. For adventure travel, remote destinations, or trips with complex logistics, 20% is prudent. The contingency covers flight delays, unexpected medical costs, price increases, and other unplanned expenses.
Should I budget in USD or local currency?
Budget in your home currency to keep everything comparable. Track exchange rates for your destination using official data from the US Federal Reserve or the destination country's central bank. Allow for exchange rate fluctuation by budgeting 5% to 10% above the current rate.
Are travel insurance costs worth including in the budget?
Yes. Travel insurance typically costs 4% to 10% of the total prepaid, non-refundable trip cost. For a $5,000 trip it might cost $200 to $500. Given that medical evacuation from abroad can exceed $100,000, travel insurance is widely considered essential for international trips.
Official sources
- US State Department travel information: travel.state.gov.
- UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organization) tourism statistics: unwto.org tourism statistics.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.