Table of Contents

Planning A Travel Budget

One of the things that stumps travelers the most is planning a travel budget. I find that after talking to clients in my introductory calls, they are most puzzled by my budget questions. They are aware of how much they don’t want to pay, but figuring out what they want to budget is harder. They want their trips to be reasonable, but worth it. How does one put a dollar amount on reasonable? After a year and a half at this, here is a good jumping-off point for planning your budget and the type of trip you want.

Notes

I am using my three budget categories—Budget, Bonus, and Bougie—to show you how much I would budget for a long weekend, Thursday through Monday. (See definitions of the budget categories below)
There may be outliers in these prices, but this provide is my best estimate based on the formula I used to plan travel to a major museum. (How you choose to spend and in what category is up to you. I have a budget calculator below.)
All amounts are in USD—because I know it well. If you want to see what this is in your home currency, I recommend Xe.com (Not affiliated)
Read to the end to find a budget calculator.

Contact me if you want to travel this year. Use the table of contents to jump around to your budget type.

CONTACT

B is for Budget

Moxy Los Angeles example of hotel in the budget category for Planning A Budget Kristen Fung Travels — Moxy Los Angeles

Photo of the neon sign of Sarita's Pupuseria Salvadorean food. Budget eat — Moxy Los Angeles

This is for those who want to enjoy a location without worrying about credit card interest or taking on a second job when the trip ends. You also don’t want to miss out on the fantastic things a location has to offer.

Budget: Free museums, great cheap eats, and budget-friendly but not shabby hotels.

Example: A long weekend domestic trip budget

$1,445 per person for three nights at a hotel, plus the expenses listed below. If sharing a room, the cost is about $1250 per person. Here is how I got here:

Estimated Prices by Category

Domestic Airfare (Within the United States or within the Schengen Zone)

$250 for an economy class, non-refundable ticket

International airfare (Intercontinental)

$800 for an economy class, non-refundable ticket

Hotel per night

$225 including taxes and fees

Examples of hotels in the US: Moxy, SpringHill Suites, and Homewood Suites, all at non-refundable rates.
Examples of international hotels: CitizenM and Ibis at non-refundable rates. I have a cute hotel in Barcelona I’d like to put you in.

Book with me

Dining, drinking, snacking

$65 per day. Your meals would center around bakeries, food halls, and casual bistros. The breakdown we used at the museum was $10 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $35 for dinner per day.

Entertainment

$100 total. Your entertainment options would include free or low-cost museums, free concerts in the park, self-guided tours, and a good happy hour.

Transportation

$100 total. You would rely more on public transit and use taxis/rideshare when it really matters — like getting to and from the airport.

miscellaneous buffer

$60 total. This is for the little things you don’t think about, like luggage fees, tipping housekeeping, or buying water for the room to avoid minibar charges.

Travel Advisor Tips

The exceptions

(Aren’t there always)

There are cities where hotels are inexpensive, and you can get a lot for your money. These include, but aren’t limited to, Lisbon, Bangkok, and Bali. The flight, however, may be more expensive. You will have to decide if this balances out for you. Also, in cities like London, Boston, and Washington, DC, hotels typically start at high nightly rates, even in the budget category. My city guides—such as The London City Guide—all include an estimated nightly hotel cost.

A constant exception is festival-related dates in each city. Large concerts like Coachella and Primavera Sound, sporting events like the World Cup or the Olympics, and city festivals like Rome’s Jubilee or Cherry Blossom festivals all affect hotel prices. Although you may not be attending these events, planning your travel around these dates is important if you want to save money and avoid crowds. (I have a master calendar of what is happening when.)

B is for Bonus

This is where a lot of my clients are, budget-wise.

For those of you who can spend a little more and splurge on the really important things, but also want to enjoy a $20 lunch special. Think of it this way: you just got a bonus and want to spend a little more on once-in-a-lifetime sights, sounds, and eats. You are sprinkling worth-it experiences on top of a budget vacation.

Bonus: Paid entry to museums and interactive installations, craft cocktails, boutique hotels, and a splurge-worthy meal or two

Example: a long weekend domestic trip Budget

$3,300 per person. If sharing a room, the cost is around $2600 per person.

Estimated prices by Category

Domestic airfare (Within the United States or within the Schengen Zone)

$650 for a premium plus class, non-refundable ticket

International Airfare

$2,000 for a business-class, non-refundable ticket. No premium plus class available on most international carriers.

Hotel

$500 per night, including taxes and fees

Examples of hotels in the US: Boutique hotels or the following chains: PaliSociety, Kimpton, JDV, and Curio Collections. Fairmont Hotels also enters this range.
Examples of international hotels: Boutique hotels and the following chains: Kimpton, JDV, and Curio Collections.

Book With Me & Get Perks