How to Build a Complete Trip Budget
Enter your trip length, travelers, and daily cost estimates for each category. The calculator totals everything and adds a 15% buffer estimate so you can set a realistic spending target before you travel.
Accommodation Input
Enter the nightly accommodation cost for the entire group — not per person. If 2 people share a $150 room, enter $150. The calculator applies this across all nights. Per-person costs (meals, transport, activities) are entered individually and multiplied by the number of travelers.
What to Put in Fixed Costs
Use the fixed costs field for expenses that don't depend on trip length: flights (total for all travelers), travel insurance, visa fees, and any pre-booked tours or events. Adding these in gives you a true all-in trip total rather than just on-the-ground daily expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the US, standard restaurant tipping is 18–20%, effectively adding $10–$15 to every sit-down meal per person. Either add this to your daily meal budget or set aside a separate "tips" miscellaneous line. Countries outside the US rarely require tipping, so adjust based on your destination.
10–15% is standard practice in travel planning and personal finance. For developing country travel where ATM reliability or medical access is limited, 20% is safer. For all-inclusive resorts where most costs are pre-paid, 5–10% is usually enough for incidentals.