Budget travel has allowed me to see many beautiful sights in the world and in some cases for less than the average bar tab back home.
I typically allow myself $80-$100 a day when I travel to western countries, which is generous compared to many travelers I have met while on the road.
This can be a meager allowance in some countries, while in others, it is an obscene amount of money. In some places $20-$30 dollars a day is more than enough to get by, so a little research into the average cost of each city you are visiting never hurts.
Knowing what weight the conversion rate carries also helps in understanding the cost of lodging, food, drinks, and other recreational/sightseeing activities while traveling.
As an example, a hostel in Europe has cost me around $25-$40 a night, while somewhere like Luang Prabang cost me $5 a night, Ho Chi Minh cost around $8-$10 for a nice hostel.
Location, Location, Location.
To continue on a cost comparison, a beer cost me about 5,000-8,000 kip. The conversion at the time of my visit was 8,000 kip per US dollar.
You can only imagine what sort of damage you can do to your liver on a budget like that.
A beer in Europe can cost from €2-€10. It all depends on the city. Is it Prague or Paris?
This is why I jokingly measure in beer.
It’s a good gauge for spending.
So if you can’t bring more money and are wise enough to avoid going into debt, learn the value of the local currency and where you can cut costs in each city you plan to visit.
This will make your budgeting more fluid and make you less likely to over spend.
