How the calculator works
It starts with your total budget, takes off what you have already paid for and the buffer you want to keep for surprises, then splits what is left evenly across the days of your trip.
Daily budget = (total budget − already paid for − buffer − spent so far) ÷ days left
Before you go. Say you have $3,000 for a 10-day trip. Flights and hotels already cost $1,200, and you keep a 10% buffer of $300. That leaves $1,500 for daily spending, or $150 a day.
Halfway through. Six days in, you have spent $1,080, an average of $180 a day. The $420 you have left has to cover 4 more days, so your new daily budget is $105.
What counts as daily spending
Daily spending is everything you pay for on the ground: meals and coffee, local transport, entry tickets, SIM top-ups, laundry and souvenirs. Costs you settled before the trip, such as flights, prepaid accommodation, rail passes and booked tours, go in "Already paid for" so they don't eat into the daily number twice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out a daily budget for a trip?
Take your total budget, subtract what you have already paid for (flights, prepaid hotels, tours) and the buffer you want to keep, then divide what is left by the number of days. A $3,000 budget with $1,200 already booked and a $300 buffer leaves $1,500. Over 10 days, that is $150 a day.
Should flights and hotels count toward my daily budget?
Not if you have already paid for them. Enter them as booked costs so they come off the top, and the daily figure covers only what you spend on the ground: food, local transport, tickets and shopping. If you pay for accommodation as you go, leave it out of booked costs so it comes out of the daily amount instead.
How much buffer should I keep for a trip?
A common rule of thumb is 10 to 15 percent of the total budget, for things like a missed train, a doctor's visit or a lost item. The calculator defaults to 10 percent. Set it to 0 if you would rather spend everything.
I've overspent in the first few days. How do I get back on track?
Open "Already on your trip?" and enter what you have spent so far and how many days are behind you. The calculator spreads the money you have left over the days you have left, so you get a new daily number that still lands on budget. If even that runs out, it shows how far your buffer stretches.
Does the calculator convert currencies?
No. Enter every amount in the same currency. The currency menu only changes how the numbers are shown.
Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?
No. The math runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is stored or sent. There is no account and no signup.