One of first things that comes to mind when planning a trip is (understandably so) money. Likewise, when people find out we’re traveling the world for a year, they want to know how it is possible. The main reason we started this blog was not to keep friends and family updated on our travels (though it is nice for that!). Rather, we wanted to create a resource that will help (and encourage!) other travelers when planning their trips, whether for a weekend or an entire year. For that reason, we have tried to be very transparent about our saving and spending for travel. Questions? Just ask!
Our Savings
For a high-level overview of our budgeting process and perspective on saving for travel, read these posts:
– 9 Money Mistakes to Avoid on Your Next International Trip
– How We Saved Enough Money For A RTW Trip—In Just One Year
– Saving Money Is The Easiest Part Of A RTW Trip
– How Much Does A RTW Trip Cost? (And How You Can Spend Thousands Less)
Country-Specific Costs
The following daily cost numbers are based on our actual spending in these countries during our RTW trip. These numbers are per person and include nearly everything we spent on the trip, including food, transportation within the country, entertainment, tours, personal care items, visa costs, etc. These numbers do not include the following expenses:
– Transportation into the country (as presumably, we are all flying in from different places and that number can drastically change your travel budget).
– Gifts and souvenirs.
– Travel insurance (if you have a travel rewards credit card, insurance may be included for short trips).
– Extra-special activities that most travelers wouldn’t attend, due to niche interest or timeliness (for example, attending a soccer championship match in Portugal or getting our scuba certifications in Thailand). All other paid tours and activities are included, however; these “extra-special activities” are few and far between.
Also keep in mind that though we traveled on a budget, we did not travel on a shoestring. We almost always slept in private rooms, ate out 2-3 meals a day, drank alcohol (frequently), and usually chose the most efficient transportation over possibly cheaper options. You can save money in any of these countries by staying in hostel dorms, couch-surfing or house-sitting; purchasing more meals at markets and/or cooking in your accommodations; taking fewer guided tours; and/or not drinking alcohol. So if a number looks intimidating to you, please remember the above and check out our detailed budget posts (linked below) to see where you can cut costs and make your trip happen!
RTW Destinations Sorted by Affordability
Albania (Tirana): $33/day per person
Ukraine (Lviv): $35/day per person
Georgia (Tbilisi): $37/day per person
Azerbaijan (Baku): $37/day per person
North Macedonia: $38/day per person
Armenia (Yerevan): $40/day per person
Bosnia & Herzegovina: $40/day per person
Colombia: $40/day per person
Sri Lanka: $40/day per person
Serbia (Belgrade): $41/day per person
Cambodia: $42/day per person
Malaysia: $45/day per person
Vietnam: $48/day per person
Thailand: $51/day per person
Mexico: $52/day per person
Latvia (Riga): $52/day per person
Slovakia: $53/day per person ($44/day in eastern Slovakia, $62/day in Bratislava)
Turkey: $53/day per person
Hungary (Budapest): $54/day per person
Lithuania (Vilnius): $56/day per person
Austria (Vienna): $59/day per person
Estonia (Tallinn): $61/day per person
Egypt: $68/day per person
Poland: $69/day per person
Indonesia: $70/day per person
Slovenia: $71/day per person
Montenegro (Kotor): $72/day per person
Croatia: $80/day per person
Portugal: $81/day per person
Jordan: $88/day per person
Liechtenstein (Valduz): $89/day per person
Costa Rica: $96/day per person
Switzerland: $110/day per person