Planning a travel budget
We do not publish a budget app or a spreadsheet to download — there is nothing here to install. What we do publish is the numbers a budget is made of, and this is the order to put them in.
Start with what one day costs
A bed, food, local transport, and one thing you actually came to do. Multiply by the nights and you have a floor; every later decision either defends that number or moves it, and both are useful to see.
Price the country before you price the trip
The daily number is not portable — the same day costs three times as much in one country as in its neighbour. Set it per destination rather than once for the year.
Country guidesPut the fees in the total, not in a footnote
Tourist taxes, entry fees and arrival charges are paid on the ground, after the booking, and they move. Add them as a line rather than discovering them at a reception desk.
Fee and tax changesBaggage is a line item, not a surprise
The hold-bag charge applies per leg and is often more than the fare on a short hop. Look up the carrier's actual allowance and price it in before you compare flights.
Airline baggage rulesInsurance is a fixed cost, not an optional one
It is a small line next to a hospital bill, and for a Schengen visa it is a documented requirement with a minimum cover level. Budget it at the start rather than trimming it at the end.
What travel insurance coversThe packing list tells you what you still have to buy
Most trips have a pre-departure spend nobody plans for — an adapter, a rain layer, a power bank that meets the airline's limit. Build the list first and that spend becomes visible while there is still time to avoid it.
Build my packing plan
The calculator takes your trip and returns the packs you actually need — weight, size, and the rules of the airline you are flying.