One thing I get asked a lot is how much a certain trip will cost. Sure, I can tell you that you can backpack Thailand on about $30 a day but you can also do the same things (activties) as that backpacker and spend hundreds to thousands of dollars more. It all depends on what type of traveler you are and how you’re traveling.
Of course, there’s travel that’s self explanatory - solo, couples, student, family, group, etc.
But the way each type of traveler travels is what really separates them. Usually, there’s noticeable trends from each type. For example, solo travelers typically do budget backpacking saving the most money on accommodation by staying in a hostel. Couples and families tend to be between affordable and luxury travelers, staying in hotels and not hostels.
Want to travel on a low budget? Backpack. Carry only your essentials with you. Stay at a hostel, and eat local food. If you volunteer at the hostel you stay at, many times they will likely exchange a few hours of work for free accommodation and even a few free meals a day. The volunteer work typically consists of working at the bar or restaurant if the hostel has one, or doing reception / janitorial work. Budget travelers obviously have a budget so don’t plan on bringing home a suitcase or souvenirs for everyone or doing the typical tours. Budget travelers / backpackers tend to explore areas on their own, using public transportation or walk. These types of travelers can make a thousand dollars last a month or more without a problem. If you see someone globe trotting but know they aren’t quite wealthy, it’s likely they are backpacking and making every dollar count. These types of travelers are often single young adults, or part of group / student travel. Sometimes couples will also go this route, however typically sharing a room with a handful of others in bunk beds isn’t usually a couples idea of a vacation. If you’re single and in your 20s to early 30s wanting to travel the world but not break the bank - I highly recommend this option. It’s great for solo travel since you’ll meet so many new people and also ideal for students or friend travel taking into consideration that in these cases usually a budget is the main deciding factor.
Don’t want to “rough it” as much? Join hundreds of thousands of travelers and be an affordable traveler. Stay in a decent priced nice hotel (3* average), do the necessary tours, and be conscious of how much you spend on meals. Grab a few reasonably priced souvenirs and travel economy air fare on the most adorable airline. These types of travelers typically spend a few thousand dollars for a couple weeks, although it really depends on how much you’re willing to spend ultimately and where you are going. Affordable Travel is often done by middle class families and young adult couples in their 20s-30s. Solo or student travelers who want a little more security, privacy, or a more “tourist” approach will also likely travel this way as well. Keep in mind many countries "haggle" or are open to negotiating prices. They will mark prices way up and have fun negotiating with you on the price you're willing to pay. This is another great way to save money and have a little fun.
Want to go all out? Business class flights, luxury hotels, private tours, pampered the whole way around? Is money just a number to you? Then luxury travel is the way to go. Get the best of the best, arrange everything before you go and leave nothing to fate. Bring home as many souvenirs as you want and enjoy 4 course meals at the most luxurious restaurants every day. These types of travelers can spend tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars on a few weeks. These types of trips are usually done by wealthy families or those in the mid 30s+ age group. Many retired couples or those in high paying jobs will often chose the luxury route.
Of course, ultimately it really all comes down to your budget on what type of travel / tour you will end up with. Of course, many of us wish we could travel business / first class and stay at the highest of category hotels, but the reality is not many of our budgets meet this expectation. There are countries where you’ll be surprised how much your money can get you, and others where you can’t believe how much only a handful of days costs you. Unless you pre-arrange every second of your trip (every transfer, meal, drink, activity, etc), it’s also important to keep in mind your additional costs you’ll likely come across when in country. When I went to Thailand we had thought we were only going to spend $100-300 more in country but ended up spending almost $800 in additional costs- each! This was a result of a handful of factors, but I would always recommend budgeting a couple hundred more than planned unless everything is truly already pre-booked.
I'm sure some of you are wondering how the heck did we spent closely to $2,000 than originally planned? Don't worry, the same thought crossed our minds also and so many people come across this dilemma when traveling. For starters, we didn’t have many meals included (really only breakfast) and were not on the same page for meal expectation. Sitting down prior to the trip and explaining expectations is essential. I had planned on eating the local street food for a majority of the trip, but we ended up eating at a decent restaurant every night costing triple what the street food would have been since John was not comfortable eating the food on the streets. We also left the last 3 days un-booked which racked up a decent amount - and purchased more than a handful of “souvenirs” (in which a few ended up being taken away at TSA - boo!). Aside from this, random snacks, drinks (remember water isn’t always free or drinkable from tap!), and tips were a lot of what we spent a handful of our money on. It’s important to keep all of these things in mind when booking a trip, especially on search engines like Expedia (and not a travel agent) when they will often only include hotel and air - no transfer, food, drink, activity, tips, etc. If you have a strict budget for the whole trip, budget $500 over to leave a buffer for unforeseen expenses.
If you have a country you want to visit and an ideal budget in mind, let me know! I’d be happy to advise you of what your budget would likely get you. If you’re not happy with what your budget would cover, I can also give you an approximate cost on what your ideal standards would come to so you can work on amending your budget accordingly.
Travel truly isn’t as expensive as many people think, it all just comes down to what type of traveler you are, your expectations / plans, and budget. I believe whole heartedly that travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer and its one of the few things that you have control over how much the trip will end up costing. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and see what this big, beautiful world has to offer!