Picking a destination starts with budget. You can have an amazing time in Vietnam for $50 a day or in Switzerland for $300 a day — but knowing the floor helps decide where to go. Here are 12 popular destinations with realistic mid-range daily costs in 2026.
Asia
Vietnam (Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City): $40–60/day mid-range.
- Lodging: $20–35 for boutique hotel; $5–10 hostel.
- Food: $15–25 (street food + restaurant mix).
- Transport: $5 (rideshare app like Grab).
- Activities: $5–15 (museums, walking tours).
Thailand (Bangkok/Chiang Mai): $50–80/day.
- Lodging: $30–50.
- Food: $15–25.
- Transport: $5–10.
- Activities: $10–20.
Japan (Tokyo/Kyoto): $130–200/day.
- Lodging: $80–130 (3-star hotel).
- Food: $30–50 (mix of conveyor sushi and ramen).
- Transport: $10–15 (subway pass).
- Activities: $20–30 (temples, gardens, occasional show).
Note: JR Pass for inter-city train travel adds ~$300 for 7 days.
Europe
Eastern Europe (Prague/Budapest): $80–120/day.
- Lodging: $50–80 (3-star hotel).
- Food: $20–35.
- Transport: $5–10.
- Activities: $10–20.
Italy (Rome/Florence): $150–230/day.
- Lodging: $100–150.
- Food: $40–60.
- Transport: $10–20.
- Activities: $30–50.
France (Paris): $180–280/day.
- Lodging: $130–180.
- Food: $50–70.
- Transport: $10–15.
- Activities: $20–35.
UK (London): $220–320/day.
- Lodging: $150–220 (London hotel premium).
- Food: $50–70.
- Transport: $15–20 (Tube + bus pass).
- Activities: $25–40.
Switzerland (Zurich/Geneva): $250–400/day.
- Lodging: $180–280 (extremely expensive).
- Food: $60–100.
- Transport: $15–25 (Swiss travel pass).
- Activities: $20–50.
Switzerland is consistently the most expensive country in Europe.
Iceland (Reykjavik): $200–350/day.
- Lodging: $130–230.
- Food: $40–60.
- Transport: $10–25.
- Activities: $50–80 (Blue Lagoon, day tours).
Americas
Mexico (Mexico City/coastal): $80–150/day.
- Lodging: $50–100 (boutique hotel).
- Food: $20–40.
- Transport: $10–20.
- Activities: $15–30.
Resort areas (Cancun, Tulum) skew higher.
U.S. major cities (NYC, SF, Chicago): $200–350/day.
- Lodging: $130–230.
- Food: $50–80.
- Transport: $10–25.
- Activities: $30–50.
NYC sits at the top end; Chicago and Atlanta closer to bottom.
Costa Rica: $80–140/day.
- Lodging: $50–80.
- Food: $20–35.
- Transport: $10–20.
- Activities: $30–50 (national parks, eco-tours).
Oceania
Australia (Sydney/Melbourne): $150–250/day.
- Lodging: $100–150.
- Food: $40–60.
- Transport: $10–20.
- Activities: $20–50.
New Zealand (Auckland/Queenstown): $140–220/day.
- Lodging: $90–140.
- Food: $40–60.
- Transport: $10–20.
- Activities: $30–80 (adventure activities are expensive).
Side-by-side comparison
For a 10-day trip:
| Destination | Mid-range × 10 days |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | $500 |
| Thailand | $700 |
| Mexico | $1,200 |
| Costa Rica | $1,200 |
| Eastern Europe | $1,000–1,200 |
| Japan | $1,800 |
| Italy | $2,000 |
| France | $2,500 |
| UK | $3,000 |
| U.S. major cities | $3,000 |
| Switzerland | $3,500–4,000 |
| Iceland | $3,000 |
Add 1,000–2,000 for international flights, 15% buffer, plus visa/insurance.
What's NOT included in these
- Round-trip flights from your home country
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
- Souvenirs (often $50–200/trip easy to overlook)
- Phone roaming or international SIM ($20–50/week)
- Pre-trip gear
Off-season pricing
Most destinations have an off-season that drops prices 30–50%. Some examples:
- Europe: November–March (excluding holidays). Saves ~40%.
- Caribbean: hurricane season June–November. Saves 30–50% but weather risk.
- Asia: monsoon season varies; some destinations cheaper June–September.
- Iceland: October–April. Saves 30%, but limited daylight.
Off-season trips can shift Switzerland from $300/day to $200/day, dramatically.
Calculate your trip
Our trip budget calculator takes your daily costs by category, the number of nights, and one-time costs. It returns total cost and per-day average. Use it to compare different destinations or styles before booking.