Don't get surprised by expenses you didn't plan for.
Quick Questions
🛡️ Travel Insurance
💡 Usually 4-8% of trip cost. Essential for international trips.
🏨 Resort / City Taxes
💡 Barcelona city tax: €2.25-4.50/night. Resort fees in Vegas: $30-50/night.
🏧 ATM / Currency Fees
💡 Use cards with no foreign transaction fees (Revolut, N26, etc.)
🚑 Emergency Fund
💡 Always budget 5-10% of total as a buffer.
💡 Specify your estimated base budget above to see its adjustment.
The hidden costs travelers forget most
Baggage fees, airport transfers, visas, travel insurance, city taxes and currency conversion fees rarely appear in the headline price of a trip — but they routinely add 10–20% to the total. Answer the quick questions above to see which of these apply to your trip, and how much they add to your budget once accounted for.
Frequently asked questions
Baggage fees, airport transfers, travel insurance and city/resort taxes top the list. A checked bag alone can add €25–€45 on budget airlines, and city taxes can add another €2–€5 per night that rarely show up in the headline hotel price.
A common rule of thumb is 5–10% of your total trip cost set aside as an emergency fund, on top of any hidden costs you've already accounted for.
It's not always legally required, but it's cheap relative to the risk — usually 4–8% of the trip cost — and essential for international travel where a missed flight or medical issue can otherwise be very costly.
Use a card designed for travel with no foreign transaction fees (several European neobanks offer this) instead of withdrawing cash repeatedly from ATMs that charge a fee on top of a poor exchange rate.