One Year of Round-the-World Travel: Our Complete Expense Breakdown
We’ve been traveling full-time for one year now and are excited to share our detailed expenses as a follow-up to our first six months report. Below is our comprehensive round-the-world trip budget, tracking every penny spent from April 30, 2010, to April 30, 2011. We’re sharing this for two key reasons: to benchmark against other long-term travelers and to demonstrate just how achievable and affordable extended travel can be for anyone.
Note: All expenses are listed in both USD and GBP, as we earn in GBP but primarily compared spending to USD across currencies.
Total Round-the-World Trip Budget
| USD | GBP | |
|---|---|---|
| Per Couple | $28,483.55 | £18,181.51 |
| Per Person | $14,241.77 | £9,090.75 |
Average Monthly Expenses
| USD | GBP | |
|---|---|---|
| Per Couple | $2,373.63 | £1,515.13 |
| Per Person | $1,186.81 | £757.56 |
This budget covers every flight, our luxurious Corn Islands getaway, all accommodations (hostels, hotels, motels, apartments), transportation (buses, boats, tuk-tuks, taxis, trains), car rentals, meals, drinks, medications, donations, and more.
Latin America vs. Europe/North America
We spent two-thirds of our time (8 months) in Mexico and Central America, and one-third (4 months) split between the US (2.5 months) and Europe (1.5 months). Yet, over half our expenses—$13,232.24 / £8,494.41—came from Europe and the US. Sticking to Latin America alone would have been far cheaper.
Our total was higher than anticipated, but as digital nomads earning income on the road, we didn’t skimp. We rented cars in the US and Europe, dined out frequently, chose comfortable stays, and splurged on a premium flight to Europe.
Housesitting Savings
Thanks to housesits, we saved over 10 weeks of accommodation costs, significantly trimming our lodging budget.
Average Daily Expenses Per Country
| Country | Per Couple USD | Per Couple GBP | Per Person USD | Per Person GBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $90.00 | £60.00 | $45.00 | £30.00 |
| Mexico | $41.16 | £26.91 | $20.58 | £13.45 |
| Belize | $108.00 | £68.20 | $54.00 | £34.10 |
| Guatemala | $46.24 | £29.25 | $23.12 | £14.62 |
| El Salvador | $48.10 | £29.58 | $24.05 | £14.79 |
| Honduras | $57.36 | £36.87 | $28.68 | £18.43 |
| Nicaragua | $63.63 | £40.35 | $31.81 | £20.17 |
| Costa Rica | $53.24 | £32.97 | $26.62 | £16.49 |
| Panama | $71.42 | £43.92 | $35.71 | £21.96 |
| Germany | $52.82 | £33.45 | $27.41 | £16.73 |
| Italy | $113.62 | £68.83 | $56.81 | £34.42 |
Key Notes on Daily Averages:
- Belize’s high cost stemmed from premium tours like snorkeling and caving—worth every penny. Food and lodging can be budget-friendly with research.
- Nicaragua spiked due to the Corn Islands; otherwise, it was very affordable.
- Honduras was pricier over Christmas/New Year’s, with festive splurges.
- Costa Rica is more affordable than its reputation suggests.
- Italy’s costs included car rental ($35/day), high gas ($9/gallon), and tolls (e.g., $6.50 for 45 mins, $35 for 3 hours Milan-Lucca).
Long-term travelers: How does our budget compare? Dreamed of extended travel but worried about costs? Share your thoughts in the comments!
