Daily Budget by Region
A regional cheat-sheet for mid-range daily travel costs — and what actually drives the gaps.
When travellers compare regions instead of cities, the conversation gets simpler. A mid-range day in Western Europe sits roughly four times above a mid-range day in Southeast Asia, and almost none of that gap is food — it's accommodation and labour cost. This guide gives the regional baseline numbers we use across TravelBudget, with a short note on what really drives each band.
The numbers, region by region
Across the 68 cities tracked on TravelBudget, mid-range shoulder-season daily costs cluster into four broad bands. The cheapest region averages under $150/day; the most expensive sits above $450/day. The relative ranking has been remarkably stable over the last decade, even as absolute numbers have moved with inflation.
| Region | Average / day | Cheapest anchor | Priciest anchor |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Asia | $115 | Kathmandu ($94) | Mumbai ($128) |
| Southeast Asia | $130 | Chiang Mai ($108) | Singapore ($471) |
| North Africa | $160 | Cairo ($120) | Marrakech ($194) |
| Eastern Europe | $185 | Bucharest ($171) | Prague ($236) |
| South America | $190 | Bogotá ($128) | Rio ($257) |
| Middle East | $225 | Amman ($154) | Dubai ($471) |
| Southern Europe | $320 | Athens ($257) | Florence ($385) |
| East Asia | $340 | Taipei ($236) | Hong Kong ($385) |
| Western Europe | $385 | Berlin ($322) | Zurich ($728) |
| Northern Europe | $480 | Stockholm ($471) | Reykjavik ($556) |
| North America | $540 | Toronto ($471) | New York ($728) |
What actually drives the regional gaps
Three forces explain almost every dollar of difference between any two regions. Understanding them lets you predict the cost of a place you have never been to within ~20%.
Driver 1 — accommodation cost as % of daily total
Accommodation is roughly 50–60% of the mid-range daily total everywhere. Variation in nightly hotel rates explains more than half of the gap between any two cities. A Tokyo mid-range hotel runs ~$180/night; the same tier in Hanoi runs ~$45.
Driver 2 — labour cost in food and services
Restaurant pricing tracks local wages, not ingredient cost. A sit-down meal in Stockholm is not three times a Lisbon meal because the food costs more — it's because Swedish kitchen wages do.
Driver 3 — transit and activities
Transit and activities rarely move the regional band on their own. A metro day pass is $4–10 almost everywhere; a major museum is $15–35. These line items round to the same number across most of the index.
How to use the regional table
- 01Pick the region your trip falls in and use the average as a first-pass estimate.
- 02Adjust for the specific city — capitals and resort cities run ~30% above the regional average; secondary cities run 10–20% below.
- 03Apply the season multiplier: 0.85× low, 1.0× shoulder, 1.25× peak.
- 04Multiply by trip length, add fixed costs, add a 15% buffer.