How to use the trip budget calculator
- Choose your home currency. Pick the currency you think in: US dollars, pounds, euros, Pakistani rupees or one of 20 others.
- Budget each category. Enter what you expect to spend on flights, accommodation, transport, food, activities and shopping, each in whatever currency you’ll pay in.
- Add who’s travelling. List the people sharing the trip to see the budget per person.
- Split shared costs. Add what each person paid for. The calculator shows the fewest payments that settle everyone up.
How to plan a travel budget
A trip budget is easiest to build from the big, fixed costs down. Flights and accommodation are usually the largest items and are known when you book. Local transport, food and activities depend on how you travel, so estimate them per day and multiply by the length of the trip. Leave a separate line for shopping and gifts, and a small buffer under “Other” for the things nobody plans for.
- Flights: include bag fees and seat selection if you will pay for them.
- Accommodation: include taxes and resort or city fees shown at checkout.
- Local transport and car: airport transfers, trains, taxis, car rental (car hire), fuel and parking.
- Food and drink: a realistic daily amount per person, plus tips where they are expected.
- Activities: tickets, tours and entry fees you already know about.
Budgeting in more than one currency
You often pay for one trip in several currencies: flights in dollars or pounds, a hotel in euros, street food in local cash. Enter each amount in the currency you will pay it in, and the calculator converts everything to your home currency. Rates are approximate, so round up a little and check your card’s foreign transaction fees before you go.
Tipping customs change the real cost of eating out: in the United States 15–20% at sit-down restaurants is expected, while in Japan tipping is not part of the culture. Our destination guides list tipping norms country by country.
Splitting costs with friends and family
On group trips, one person often books the house while another pays for dinners and a third covers the car. Add each shared cost with who paid for it, and the calculator works out what everyone owes and the fewest payments needed to square up, so nobody has to do the maths at the airport.
Planning the days as well as the money? Use the itinerary template and the packing list generator.
Frequently asked questions
Which exchange rates does the calculator use?
Built-in approximate rates, the same offline fallback rates the Wayfold app uses when it has no connection. They are fine for planning; for exact amounts check your bank or card provider’s rate on the day.
Is my budget saved?
Yes, in this browser only (local storage). Nothing is sent to us. Use Print to keep a copy, or Reset to start again.
How does the cost split work?
Each shared cost is split equally between everyone listed. The calculator adds up what each person paid and owes, then suggests the smallest number of payments to settle up, the same method as the expense split in the Wayfold app.
Can I split costs unequally?
This free calculator splits equally. The Wayfold app’s budget and split feature tracks spending as you travel.