This calculator gives estimates for education and planning. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; for decisions about your own situation, talk to a qualified financial professional.
A vacation is easier to enjoy when you know what it will cost before you leave. This calculator adds up the main parts of a trip, adds a margin for the unexpected and tells you how much to set aside each month to pay for it without debt.
The parts of a trip budget
- Lodging: the price per night for the whole group, including taxes and resort or cleaning fees.
- Travel: flights, trains or bus tickets per person, round trip, with bag fees and seat selection. For a road trip, estimate fuel and tolls instead.
- Food: a daily amount per person. Mixing restaurant meals with groceries or picnics lowers it a lot.
- Activities: tours, tickets, museum passes, ski passes or equipment rental, per person per day.
- Local transport: car rental, gas, parking, taxis, rideshares or transit passes per day.
- Margin: 10 to 15% for souvenirs, tips, travel insurance and surprises.
Example
Two people for 7 nights:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Lodging, 7 × $150 | $1,050 |
| Flights, 2 × $450 | $900 |
| Food and activities, 2 × 7 × $90 | $1,260 |
| Local transport, 7 × $20 | $140 |
| Subtotal | $3,350 |
| Margin 10% | $335 |
| Total | $3,685 |
That is $1,843 per person and about $526 per day for the group. To pay for it in 6 months, save $614 a month.
Saving for the trip
- Open a separate savings account or a dedicated “vacation” bucket and automate the monthly transfer.
- Book flights and lodging early when prices are low, but check cancellation terms.
- Travel in shoulder season, just before or after the peak, for lower prices and smaller crowds.
- Use travel rewards points only if you pay your card balance in full every month.
Hidden costs to remember
Passport or visa fees, vaccinations, airport parking, pet boarding, foreign transaction fees on your card and the cost of mobile data abroad can add hundreds of dollars. Add them to the margin or as extra lines in your plan.
After the trip
Compare what you spent with the budget. Knowing your real daily spending makes the next estimate much more accurate.