How to calculate a travel budget [WITH SPREADSHEET]

As I mentioned in the post about credit card, debit card or cash, many readers send me emails reporting their difficulties in calculating a travel budget.

Really, this part seems complicated, especially for those who have never been very good at math.. Then add some accounts percentage to calculate card fees or tips, cost benefit between airline miles and paying the price of tickets, tax charges in addition to what is on the product label in countries like the United States, and we have almost an entrance exam, rs.

If this is your case, you can stop worrying. The truth is, no matter how good you are with numbers, it's impossible to accurately calculate how much you'll spend on a trip. A budget serves to give you a estimate, but it is likely that you will forget to include one expense or another, and the cost of the trip will turn out a little different than planned.

The good part is that with practice, in addition to learning tricks for saving, you realize which expenses always take you by surprise, and you start to remember to include them in your next calculations. This way, the estimate, even though it is not exact, is closer to reality.

In this post, I will show you what are the main expenses that you need to add to your travel budget, where unexpected expenses tend to hide and tips for saving money during your planning.

I took advantage and turned this post into an Excel spreadsheet, so it's easy for you to fill in the values ​​according to your destination. To download the file, just enter your information in the form below. You will also be added to my email list, and you will receive exclusive tips and offers for subscribers!

[cp_modal display=”inline” id=”cp_id_1231a”][/cp_modal]

How to create a travel budget

Just like putting together a script, calculating your travel budget will require a lot of research. For most places, the biggest costs will be documentation, tickets, accommodation, transport, food, attractions and shopping.

If you know people who have already been to your destination, it's a good idea to ask how much they spent (if you have the intimacy to do so, of course), but use the answer as a base estimate and do your own calculations. Anyone who already has a valid visa for the United States, for example, will not consider this amount as a travel expense. A family of four traveling for the first time, however, needs to pay the American consulate the sum of 640 dollars, approximately 2300 reais at the current exchange rate, to obtain the necessary documentation. A quick Google search would have revealed this unexpected expense.

Documentation

For domestic trips, the identity document or driver's license it is enough to board buses or planes.

For international trips whose destination is a Mercosur country, the identity is also enough. Remembering that, although this document does not have an explicit expiration date, ideally it should have a current photo and have been issued in the last ten years. I've seen cases where people couldn't board because the ballot was “very old“. The value of the duplicate varies depending on the state.

For other countries, it is necessary to issue the passport. Currently the issuance fee is R$257,25 and the validity is 10 years. The request must be made by Federal Police website.

Depending on your destination, you may need a visa, a document that allows you to enter the location for a certain period of time. The ideal is to visit the country's consulate website and check whether Brazilians are exempt from this formality, whether they need to obtain a visa in advance or whether it is granted during immigration.

One cost that many people forget is that of vaccination. Not all countries require vaccines from Brazilians, and The ANVISA website lists the requirements for each destination. The most common is yellow fever, which can be taken free of charge at the health center, but typhoid fever, for example, is only available in private networks.

Flights

There are two values ​​to pay attention to when purchasing flights. First the cost of base rate, and then the price of extras such as Baggage, meals (not usually included in flights low-cost) and up to Entertainment.

If you are checking bags and this benefit is not included, it is best to buy in advance to pay cheaper.. In Brazil, it is possible to save up to 50% with this method.

Also check whether it is cheaper to buy the sections separately or as a single ticket. For international flights, it is usually cheaper to depart from the airports of Guarulhos, in São Paulo, or Galeão, in Rio de Janeiro, and buy separately the route from your city to one of these metropolises. Just be careful as the baggage allowance is not honored on domestic flights that are on separate tickets, and you may have to pay for excess baggage.

To find the best deals, I suggest using search engines like Skyscanner ou Voopter. Create alerts to monitor prices, so you will receive an email if there is a price drop.

Other options for getting discounted tickets are websites like Promo Tickets ou MaxMiles.

You may also like this post: 8 Sites to find cheap airline tickets

Hosting

To calculate the amount spent on accommodation, you need to multiply the price of a night's stay by the number of days you will stay in the accommodation.

This is where there can be the greatest variation between different people's budgets, as there are countless options for saving. You can choose a well-located hotel with a slightly more expensive rate, but it will allow you to do everything on foot and save money on transport. The opposite is also true, and a cheaper and more remote location may be the best option if there is a metro station nearby or if you are driving.

Some hotels in Brazil and the United States charge a resort fee, which can range from Wi-Fi to services such as shuttlecocks free beach chairs and gym. This fee is not usually included in the rate, and is often only charged at check-in.. Read all terms before making your reservation!

Another cheap option for those traveling alone is to stay in hostels. Unlike a hotel, in a hostel you share a room with other travelers, ideal for making friends and saving money. Many also offer breakfast daily, and a good strategy is to eat enough so that you only need lunch in the middle of the afternoon or change a meal into just lunch and dinner, haha.

In both cases, I like to use Booking to get the best prices. In addition to offering the best rates, by making five reservations you reach the status de genius within the platform, and have access to discounts and other exclusive benefits.

In a group, it's worth checking out alternative forms of accommodation like Airbnb, where it is possible to rent complete apartments. In addition to being cheaper than many hotel rooms, it is also possible to save money by buying food at the market and cooking.

You may also like this post: 5 Types of Accommodation to use when Traveling

Travel insurance

Although some people consider this an unnecessary expense, I never travel without insurance. There were countless occasions where I didn’t need to activate it and bought “for nothing“, but I have also needed medical care around the world and You are never I had to pay a penny.

And that's no small feat, you know? In some countries, like the United States for example, healthcare services are very expensive, and just calling an ambulance can cost between US$400 and US$600. The price of service, then, only gets higher.

Furthermore, travel insurance also provides you with financial assistance in other situations, such as lost luggage or flight delays and cancellations, so that you are not solely dependent on the goodwill of the airline.

To ensure that you don't blow your budget due to any unforeseen circumstances in the middle of your trip, invest in insurance. Prices are super affordable (start at R$9 per day for international destinations), and they can save you hundreds or even thousands of reais.

Access this page and answer all your questions about travel insurance and how it works, and find out where to find reliable insurance at a great price.

Attractions

This part includes tickets for museums, shows, theme parks, tourist attractions, viewpoints and even activities such as diving, snorkeling, bungy jumping or boat trips. The list depends on your destination and how much money you have to spend. Remember to include extras such as exhibitions that are not included in the normal ticket!

If you're on a tighter travel budget, I recommend searching for lists of free attractions! Here on the blog I have already written about free tours in Los Angeles and about some free or very cheap in New York.

Another suggestion is to include these activities in the itinerary on the day they offer a discount. The Louvre museum, for example, has free entry from six o'clock on Friday afternoons. The same happens on Tuesdays at MASP.

If you want to buy tours guided in Portuguese, I suggest hiring those offered by WePlann! In addition to many options, the price is great and it is possible to pay via bank slip or in up to 6 credit card installments. The site also sells tickets to the main attractions around the world!

Bus Routes

Here you need to decide whether you will use public transport, Uber or rent a car to get around your destination.

If you choose the first, the ideal is to calculate how much you will spend per day. One ticket to go and another to return? Are you going to do two attractions on the same day and go straight from one to the other, so three tickets? Is there a transport card that can help you save money and transfer between the metro or bus for free? How much is it?

To find out how to get from your accommodation to the attractions using public transport, I recommend using the app from Google maps! Take the opportunity to read the post that explains how Google Maps works.

If you are using Uber, Cabify or other apps, you can get an estimate of the cost of the ride online. Remembering that, in the case of apps which has a dynamic tariff scheme, this price may suffer large variations on busy days. shows or other events.

Finally, if you are renting a car, you need to take into account four expenses: the cost of rent, parking at attractions and at the hotel, tolls and gasoline. Many people calculate the amount using only the daily rate, and forget about these other three expenses. At Disney, for example, parking in each park costs an additional US$20 per day (almost R$500 at the current rate if you are visiting the six main parks), and there are hotels in the region that also charge guests to use the garage.

If you end up on the street, don't forget to check if it's a permitted place, or you could end up with your car towed and a hefty fine. Also research how parking meters work at your destination, and be ready to pay in local currency.

To get the best rate on your car rental, I recommend quoting with Rentcars. The company compares the price between the main rental companies, such as Hertz and Alamo, and you can pay in reais, with no IOF fee and up to 12 installments on your credit card!

Internet

You may even think that you don't need internet on a trip, or that this is an unnecessary expense, but I really recommend buying a travel chip. With it, you will stay connected at all times, even when you are on the street, in restaurants or at attractions.

With internet access, you can use applications like Google Maps to find out how to get from one place to another (it even works in place of GPS, and is cheaper than renting the device), you have access to social networks and you can communicate with your friends. friends and family to let them know everything is okay.

Prices vary depending on the companies and the number of days of your trip. Here on this page I explained in detail everything about the travel chip, which one is best and how (and how much!) you can save using this service.

Food

Here the ideal is to calculate how much you will spend on breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks between these meals. Most restaurants make their menu available online on their website or on app Foursquare, so you can get an idea of ​​prices. Don't forget to calculate tips, In many countries, it is from this amount that employees receive the majority of their salary.

To save money, you can buy some items at the supermarket, such as bread and peanut butter, and make your own breakfast and even lunch or dinner. This option is ideal for those staying in apartments on Airbnb or in hostels with a shared kitchen, but a minibar in the hotel room is a big deal. Instead of buying snacks or other smaller snacks on the street, take the opportunity to buy them at the market where it will be much cheaper.

If you choose this way to save, it's a good idea to look at the websites of local grocery stores to get an idea of ​​how much each “homemade” meal will cost.

Shopping and souvenirs

Lastly, I suggest setting aside part of your budget for shopping and souvenirs. In the second case, you can set a maximum amount for each family member or friend, and see what you think is best at your destination.

For personal shopping, the ideal is to research the prices of items you already know you want to buy, such as electronics, accessories, clothing or beauty products. In the case of the United States, I like to look on Amazon, which has a little bit of everything, and I can even have it delivered straight to my hotel!

For products that are sold in Brazil, remember to compare the price converted into reais, to see if your purchase is really worth it. It is also important to keep an eye on the US$500 exemption that each person has when arriving by air in Brazil. If you need to declare your assets, the fee is 50% of the amount that exceeded the quota. More information on the Federal Revenue website.

And there you have it, all the tips for calculating your travel budget and even tips for saving! Ready to start doing the math? Then enter your details in the form below and download the exclusive spreadsheet for blog readers:

Ah, final tip: if you want to make a quick estimate of how much a trip to a destination costs, I recommend checking the website How Much Does It Cost to Travel? : )

Did you like this post? Save to Pinterest to read later!

Some links in this post are affiliate links.