How Much Spending Money Per Day Do You Need on Vacation?
Flights and hotels are easy to price — you see the number before you book. Daily spend is the one everyone guesses at, and it's usually where budgets quietly blow up. Here's how to estimate it properly.
The simple daily-spend formula
A reliable per-person estimate:
Daily spend = (mid-range meal × 2)
+ (local transport × 2)
+ (a daily activity budget)
Two meals out, getting around, and a little fun. Breakfast is often free at the hotel, so two meals is realistic.
Typical daily spend by destination
- Southeast Asia (Bangkok): $50–60/day
- Mexico (Mexico City, Cancún): $55–95/day
- U.S. cities: $90–120/day
- Western Europe: $100–125/day
- Premium Caribbean / ski towns: $120–160/day
Multiply by your nights and you'll often find daily spend is the single biggest line on a long trip — bigger than the flight.
We estimate this for every destination
TripBudget pulls real cost-of-living data per city and bakes daily spend into every trip's all-in total, so you're comparing complete numbers:
➡️ See all-in trips with daily spend included →
How to spend less per day
- Eat the big meal at lunch — menus are cheaper midday.
- Use transit or walk instead of constant rideshares.
- Pick one paid activity per day, max — the best travel moments are free.
- Carry a daily cash envelope. When it's gone, you're done for the day.
Estimate daily spend honestly up front and the rest of your budget suddenly makes sense.
Try it on your budget
Set your number and see trips that actually fit — flights, hotel, and daily spend all in.
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