You can’t plan a great trip if the money side is fuzzy. The question isn’t “How cheap can I go?” It’s “What can I actually afford without stress?” A realistic budget starts with simple math: fixed costs (flights, insurance) + daily spend x nights + a cushion. The hard part is knowing the right ranges. I’ll give you those ranges, show you a clean formula, and walk through real examples so you can price your trip-no guesswork, no guilt.

TL;DR

• Quick answer: For a mid-range 7-day trip in 2025, plan about $1,400-$2,400 USD per person (or $1,900-$3,200 CAD), including flights. Short city breaks often land under $900 USD/$1,200 CAD.
• Rule of thumb: Daily spend per person (not counting flights) runs $60-$120 USD for budget travel, $130-$250 USD for mid-range, $300+ USD for high-end. Big cities and peak season push those up.
• Flight ballpark from North America: $150-$350 USD for short-haul; $600-$1,200 USD for transatlantic; $800-$1,400 USD for Asia/Pacific, depending on season and booking window.
• Core formula: Total = Flights + (Nights × Daily Spend) + Insurance/Visas + 10-15% buffer.
• Best move: Lock flights and stays early; keep food/activities flexible. Prepay 60-70% of the big costs before departure.

One note on 2025 prices: airfare is off the 2022 peak but still volatile; hotels in major cities stayed firm because of demand; food costs track local inflation. Sources I watch: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics for airfare trends, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Statistics Canada for inflation, plus Google Flights/Hopper booking windows. You don’t need their spreadsheets-just use the ranges below and you’ll be in the right zone.

For clarity, I’ll reference USD and CAD when it helps. I live in Toronto, so I’ll drop a couple of Canada-based examples too. And yes, if you’ve got a dog like my guy Toby, I’ll show where pet care sneaks into the budget.

One last thing: this is a guide, not a lecture. Pick what fits your style. Your vacation budget should make the trip feel easy, not tight.

What a realistic vacation budget looks like in 2025

Think of costs in two buckets: fixed (you pay them whether you spend on extras or not) and variable (what you control day to day). Fixed costs are flights, long-distance trains, car rentals, travel insurance, visas/ESTA/eTA, and sometimes prepaid hotels or tours. Variable costs are food, local transport, activities, tips, and shopping. Get the fixed stuff right, then give yourself honest daily money so you don’t feel squeezed once you’re there.

Simple formula

• Total trip cost per person = Flight + (Nights × Daily Spend) + Insurance/Visas + Buffer
• Daily Spend = Food + Local Transport + Activities + Coffee/Drinks + Small Extras
• Buffer = 10-15% of total (covers price spikes, baggage fees, mini-emergencies)

Daily spend ranges (2025)

• Budget style: $60-$120 USD ($80-$160 CAD)
• Mid-range comfort: $130-$250 USD ($175-$335 CAD)
• Higher-end: $300-$500 USD+ ($400-$675 CAD+)

These ranges assume you’re comfortable but not wasteful on mid-range, and careful but not miserable on budget. For a solo traveler, daily costs are higher because you don’t split rooms and rides. Couples save on rooms and rides; families save on rooms but spend more on attractions and meals. Location matters: Lisbon isn’t London; Chiang Mai isn’t Tokyo.

What drives price most

• When you go: Peak season can add 30-70% on flights and hotels versus shoulder season.
• Where you go: Expensive metros (London, NYC, Zurich, Tokyo) vs. value hubs (Mexico City, Porto, Kuala Lumpur, Oaxaca).
• How far: Transoceanic flights are the big swing cost.
• Trip style: Apartment with kitchen vs. hotel with daily breakfast changes food spend a lot.
• Time horizon: Booking 2-4 months out for short-haul and 3-8 months for long-haul tends to catch better fares, per Google Flights trend analyses.

Flight ballparks from North America (economy, roundtrip, 2025)

• Short-haul (2-3 hours): $150-$350 USD / $200-$500 CAD
• Transatlantic: $600-$1,200 USD / $800-$1,600 CAD
• Asia-Pacific: $800-$1,400 USD / $1,050-$1,900 CAD

Prices swing with fuel, capacity, and demand. Government data (U.S. BTS) showed domestic airfares peaking in 2022, easing in 2023-2024, then wobbling in 2025. Translation: shop early, set alerts, and be flexible on dates if you can.

Hotel and nightly costs (double occupancy, mid-range)

• Major North American/Western European cities: $150-$280 USD / $200-$375 CAD per night
• Secondary cities, shoulder season: $100-$180 USD / $135-$240 CAD
• Value regions (parts of SE Asia, Latin America, Balkans): $50-$120 USD / $70-$160 CAD

Big city weeknights can be cheaper than weekends. Apartments can cut breakfast costs and allow some cooking, but watch cleaning fees.

Quick decision guide

• If your flight is over 40% of your total, consider a closer destination or shorter trip.
• If your daily number feels tight, cut paid activities first, not meals. Hungry travelers overspend later.
• If you’re traveling peak season, move your daily budget up one notch or plan for more picnics and free sights.
• Pay for travel insurance if the trip crosses borders or prepaid amounts are high.

Currency and fees

• Use a no-foreign-transaction-fee card for purchases. Those 2.5-3% fees add up fast.
• ATM your cash locally; skip airport currency kiosks with poor rates.
• Turn off “dynamic currency conversion” at card terminals (choose local currency).

Step-by-step: Build your trip budget (with real examples)

Here’s a simple flow I use every time, whether I’m doing a Toronto weekend or flying to Europe.

1. Pick dates and destination. Note if it’s peak, shoulder, or off-season. Add special events (festivals, conventions) that spike hotel prices.
2. Price flights or long-haul transport. Set alerts 2-8 months out. Check nearby airports and midweek departures.
3. Choose lodging type. Hotel with breakfast, apartment with kitchen, or a mix. Price 2-3 realistic options.
4. Set your daily spend. Use the ranges above. Adjust for your habits: coffee daily? cocktails? museum passes?
5. Add must-do activities. List 2-4 paid activities you won’t skip (gallery tickets, boat trips, food tours). Price them now.
6. Estimate local transport. Transit passes, a handful of rideshares, or a rental car fuel + parking + tolls.
7. Include extras. Travel insurance, eSIM/roaming, checked bag fees, tips, pet care, airport parking.
8. Apply a 10-15% buffer. Currency swings and surprises happen.
9. Split costs fairly. Per person totals change a lot when you share rooms and rides.

Daily cost benchmarks by region (mid-range, per person, not including flights)

Swap USD for CAD using a rough 1.35× multiplier for quick math (actual rates move). If you cook breakfast, reduce $10-$15 per day. If you love sit-down dinners and wine, add $20-$40.

Example A: 3-night city break from Toronto (solo)

• Destination: Montreal (weekend, shoulder season)
• Transport: Train or flight (booked 4 weeks out)
• Stay: 3 nights mid-range hotel

Ballpark (CAD):

• Train/Flight: $180-$320
• Hotel: $180-$260 per night × 3 = $540-$780
• Daily spend: $120-$170 × 3 = $360-$510
• Insurance (optional domestic), extras: $0-$30
• Buffer (10%): ~$110-$160
• Total: ~$1,190-$1,780 CAD

Tips: Go Thu-Sun, not Fri-Mon, for better rates. Book one great dinner, fill the rest with markets and bakeries. Transit pass + a couple rideshares.

Example B: 7-night Mexico resort week (couple)

• Destination: Riviera Maya, shoulder season
• Transport: Nonstop from Toronto
• Stay: Mid-range all-inclusive or hotel + eating out

Ballpark (CAD, per person):

• Flights: $500-$800
• Hotel/all-inclusive share: $120-$220 per person per night × 7 = $840-$1,540
• If all-inclusive: daily spend drops to $30-$60 for tips/excursions; if not, plan $110-$170
• Insurance: $40-$80
• Excursions/transport: $120-$250
• Buffer (10%): $160-$300
• Total: ~$1,690-$2,930 CAD

In USD that’s roughly $1,250-$2,200. All-inclusives simplify daily costs, but watch for resort fees and transfer costs. If you love off-resort dining and day trips, a non-inclusive hotel may be better.

Example C: 10 days in Western Europe (couple, one city + day trips)

• Destination: Paris with two day trips
• Transport: Roundtrip Toronto-Paris
• Stay: 9 nights mid-range hotel or apartment

Ballpark (CAD, per person):

• Flights: $900-$1,300
• Stay: $140-$220 per person per night × 9 = $1,260-$1,980
• Daily spend: $170-$240 × 9 = $1,530-$2,160
• Rail day trips: $80-$180
• Insurance: $50-$90
• Buffer (10%): ~$380-$570
• Total: ~$4,200-$6,280 CAD

In USD: about $3,100-$4,650. Want to trim? Shift to shoulder season, pick an apartment with a kitchenette, book one fine-dining night and balance with bistro lunches.

Add-on costs people forget

• Checked bag fees: $30-$75 each way
• eSIM/roaming: $10-$40 per week per person
• Airport transfers: $20-$60 each way in many cities
• City tourist taxes: $2-$10 per person per night in parts of Europe
• Pet care: In Toronto I see $45-$70 CAD/day for dog sitting (Toby snores; worth it)

What if you’re driving? Fuel, tolls, parking, and maintenance replace flights. For a 1,000 km roundtrip, budget $120-$180 USD ($160-$240 CAD) for fuel depending on car and prices; urban parking can be $20-$50 USD per night.

Cheat-sheet: booking windows that tend to help

• Domestic/short-haul: 1-3 months out
• Transatlantic: 3-7 months out
• Asia-Pacific: 4-8 months out
• Holiday weeks: book as soon as schedules open (often 9-11 months out)

Those windows match patterns shared by Google Flights and large ticketing agencies. You won’t always hit the absolute bottom, but you’ll avoid the top.

Sample budgets at a glance

Use these as starting points. If your taste runs to boutique hotels and tasting menus, shift up. If you’re happy with simple stays and street food, shift down.

How to stay on budget without feeling restricted

• Pre-book 2-3 big experiences. Leave the rest open for free or cheap fun.
• Anchor meals: book one special meal, then plan markets, bakeries, and picnics around it.
• Use 1-2 transit passes instead of constant taxis. Walk more; it’s also how you see the place.
• Group costs: museum pass for multiple entries, combo tickets for attractions.
• Track once a day. A 60-second note in your phone keeps the numbers on track.

Benchmarks, scenarios, and your next steps

Common scenarios

• Last-minute travel (inside 2 weeks): Expect 20-50% higher flights and fewer room choices. Shift to nearby cities, off-peak days, or loyalty points. Keep daily spend the same; squeeze the fixed costs instead by picking a simpler hotel.
• Peak-season trip you can’t move: Increase hotel budget first. Save money with breakfast-in, late lunch as main meal, and early attraction entries to avoid line-paid skip-the-line add-ons.
• Traveling with kids: Rooms with kitchenettes save big. Many attractions offer family or child pricing-check before arrival. Pack snacks to dodge impulse purchases.
• Couples trip: Share rooms and rides to drop your per-person daily cost by 15-25%. Spend that difference on one memorable experience.
• Friend group trip: Apartments can cut costs by 20-35% per person, but agree on 2-3 must-dos and a spending pace before you go.
• Working remotely while traveling: Add $5-$10/day for co-working or strong cafe Wi‑Fi plans, and check data eSIM pricing ahead of time.

Quick checklist (copy/paste)

• Flight priced and held (or alerts set)
• Stay booked with flexible terms if possible
• Daily spend chosen: budget / mid-range / higher-end
• Top 3 paid activities costed out
• Local transport plan (passes, rideshares, or car)
• Insurance, bags, roaming/eSIM, tips added
• Pet care or house sitting priced if needed
• 10-15% buffer added
• Per person total confirmed

Pitfalls to avoid

• Building a plan around the cheapest flight then landing in an expensive city during a festival.
• Ignoring resort/occupancy taxes shown only at checkout.
• Assuming airport transfer is cheap; in many cities it’s not.
• Not checking luggage rules on basic fares-two surprise bag fees can wreck a budget.
• Exchanging cash at airports. Use ATMs or card.

Mini‑FAQ

• How much spending money do I need per day? If lodging is already paid, plan $60-$120 USD (budget), $130-$250 USD (mid-range), $300+ USD (higher-end). Big cities sit at the top of each band.
• Are all-inclusives cheaper? They can be if you’d otherwise eat all meals out and drink on-site. They’re less flexible and excursions add back costs. Check transfer fees and resort taxes.
• Do I need travel insurance? If your prepaid costs are high or you’re crossing borders, yes. For a week-long international trip, $35-$90 USD per person is common for basic coverage. Read exclusions.
• Should I use cash or card? Card for most spending, ATM for some cash. Decline dynamic currency conversion at terminals. Avoid tourist exchange kiosks.
• What about tipping? North America: 18-20% at restaurants is common. Much of Europe: service often included; 5-10% or rounding up is typical. Research norms for your destination.
• How do I budget with a weak home currency? Lock in prepaid rates in your currency, pick apartments to cook a few meals, and choose value destinations or shoulder season.

Your next steps

1. Pick a destination and season. Note if it’s peak or shoulder.
2. Set alerts for flights; check 2-3 date ranges.
3. Price 2 lodging options: breakfast-in hotel vs. apartment. Compare total daily costs, not just nightly rate.
4. Choose your daily spend band and list 3 paid activities.
5. Run the formula and add 10-15% buffer.
6. Prepay what you can. Leave food and extras flexible.
7. Set a quick daily tracking habit on your phone.

Troubleshooting

• My flight price jumped. Check nearby airports, shift by 1-2 days, try one-way combos, or consider a train for short-haul. If it’s a must-date, trim hotel tier.
• Hotel rates are brutal. Split the stay: first 2 nights central, last nights farther out near transit. Or go apartment + one hotel night treat.
• Daily spend blown by day 2. Make lunch the big meal, swap two paid attractions for self-guided walks, and buy a transit pass.
• Currency moved against me. Use card more (better rates), skip DCC, and avoid cash exchanges. Reduce paid add-ons for a couple days.
• Traveling with a pet at home. Price sitters early. In Toronto I budget $45-$70 CAD/day for my dog. Ask friends/family first; offer a future pet-sit trade.

You don’t need perfect numbers-just honest ones. If you plan for the fixed stuff and give yourself a daily amount that matches your style, you’ll relax into the trip. That’s the point. Book the big pieces, set that daily number, and go make some memories.