Free travel research resource
Real costs from 17 completed budget trips
A transparent snapshot of what we actually spent or recorded across trips in the UK, Europe, Asia, India and the United States.
These are historical first-hand costs, not current quotations. Each entry links to the full itinerary, where inclusions, exclusions and unusual circumstances are explained.
| Trip | Duration | Recorded cost | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul & Jeju | 7 days | ₹60,000 pp | South Korea |
| Shanghai & Beijing | 6 days | ₹67,000 pp | China |
| Isle of Man | 4 nights | £209.50 pp | Isle of Man |
| Birmingham & Warwick | 3 nights | £98.25 pp | England |
| Isle of Arran | 1 day | £70.50 pp | Scotland |
| New York City | 3 days | $202 personal spend | New York |
| Denver | 3 days | $91 out-of-pocket | Colorado |
| Pittsburgh | 2 days | $298 core spend | Pennsylvania |
| Edinburgh | 3 days | £71.50 pp | Scotland |
| St Andrews | 1 day | £12 return bus pp | Scotland |
| Pitlochry | 1 day | Low-cost trip | Scotland |
| Matheran | 3 days | ₹6,000 pp | India |
| Coorg | 4 days | ₹12,800 pp | India |
| Paris | 2 days | About £120 pp | France |
| Scotland NC500 | 4 days | £300 pp | Scotland |
| London | 3 days | Under £200 pp | England |
| Lake District | 3 nights | £120 pp | England |
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Source: Smart Budget Traveler, “Real costs from 17 completed budget trips”, https://smartbudgettraveler.com/resources/trip-cost-data/Important methodology
- Figures are based on completed trips and the records available for each journey.
- “Per person”, “personal spend” and group totals are kept distinct.
- Company-paid or otherwise excluded costs are explained inside the relevant article.
- Currency conversions shown in older articles are contextual and should not be treated as current exchange rates.
- Prices change; readers should verify current fares and admission charges.