How Much Does it Cost to Go Around the World?

photo: mysi anne

“Well, gentlemen,” said he, “I’m off, you see; and, if you will examine my passport when I get back, you will be able to judge whether I have accomplished the journey agreed upon.”~Phineas Fogg

Ever since reading Around the World in 80 Days as a child, I’ve been fascinated by round-the-world trips. 80 days just isn’t long enough to take it all in, though. I like the idea of taking it slow, spending 1 or 2 months in each country, and moving on when the mood strikes.

We’re not leaving on our round-the-world trip anytime soon, but I’ve already been doing a little preliminary planning. We’ll most likely work as we go, so I’m not worried about being able to afford it, but I am curious: how much will a round-the-world trip cost? (It cost Phineas Fogg nearly 19,000 pounds in 1872.)

If you’re also dreaming of circumnavigating the globe, you’ve probably wondered the same thing. I was happy to to find that traveling around the world often costs less than it would to live in a developed country for the same amount of time.

Okay, on to the good stuff. First, I’ll share 10 questions I came up with to help draft your round-the-world budget. Next, I’ll introduce you to 5 people who did it–yay!–and show you how much it cost them.

10 questions to ask yourself when making a round-the-world budget

These questions are all interrelated, so you may need to do a bit of back-and-forth at first to come up with a budget that lets you do everything you want. Stay flexible in the early planning stages and look for creative solutions.

1. How long will your trip last?

If this is an open-ended trip or you’re earning as you go, then the answer is simple–just follow your heart.

2. Where will you go?

Unless your goal is to emulate Chris Guillebeau, Kashi Samaddar or Graham Hughes and visit every country in the world, you’ll probably have to narrow it down to a few of your dream destinations. Which places are at the top of your list? Do you have friends who have taken trips recently who can advise you? Is there anywhere you do not want to go?

3. How much time will you spend in each country?

A few days? A couple of months? Think about whether you want to enjoy slow travel and spend more time in each location, or if you’d rather go at a quicker pace and tick off more countries on your “been there” list. Or you could decide as you go, without booking any transportation in advance.

4. How will you travel?

photo: alles-schlumpf

Train, car, tuk tuk, motorhome, on foot, cruise ship, pony trek…? You don’t need to plan out every detail, but try and figure out ahead of time how many planes you’ll catch, as airfare can be a big chunk of a budget. Also, decide whether you’re comfortable taking public transport or if you think you’ll hire taxis and private cars. If you’re flying between countries, compare the cost of round-the-world tickets.

5. What sort of sleeping arrangements will you make?

Will you cough up the money for a posh hotel? Bunk down with the motley crew of a hostel dorm room? Crash on someone’s couch for free? Live in an RV? Rent a furnished apartment? Maybe you want to try a variety of accommodations depending on the country you’re in.

6. What will you eat?

Cook for yourself, eat in restaurants, or buy street food? How and what you eat can affect your travel experience.

7. Will you be a working nomad?

How many hours per day will you work? Do you need to buy special equipment to set up your mobile office? Will you need reliable internet? If your work is offline, how will you market yourself and find work during your travels?

8. Will you need travel insurance?

Unless your current plan covers travel (unlikely) you probably should budget for travel insurance.

9. Will you need immunizations?

This might depend on your destinations. Hopefully, if you’re a seasoned traveler, you already have all the important ones so this will not be a huge cost. If you need to get several shots, start as soon as possible–even if you don’t yet have a departure date.

10. What will you do with your junk–um, stuff?

If you currently have a homebase of some kind, will you have to rent storage space? It’s often easier and more freeing just to get rid of everything. Maybe your mom will let you stash your old yearbooks in her attic if you promise to send her a photo of a Pringles can from every country you visit. Do you own a home? Maybe you can rent it out.

How much did it cost to go around the world?

I looked at 3 different trips, taken by 2 couples and 1 solo traveler. They all went around the world, but the price tag varied quite a bit, as did the number of countries and length of the trip. The most expensive trip lasted only 6 months, but cost over twice as much per month as the least expensive. This drives home the point that a round-the-world trip is highly customizable. It just depends on what’s important to you.

Around the world in 280 days

Cost per person per month: $1403
Countries visited: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, China, Mongolia, Russia

Chris and Jodi went around the world for just over $25,000. They stayed in cheap hostels, ate at small local places, and traveled by nearly every imaginable form of transport. They’ve thoughtfully shared an extremely easy-to-read cost breakdown, along with a detailed spreadsheet.

Around the world in 460 days

Cost per person per month: $2335
Countries visited: French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong/Macau, China, Nepal, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Belgium, Holland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Colombia
Dave spent 15 months on his round-the-world trip and paid $35,029. He also shares a spreadsheet for the detail-hungry. Dave adds:

Through online advertising, Dares, donations, and gifts, I was able to travel longer than I otherwise would’ve been able to on my own.

Around the world in 180 days

Cost per person per month: $3000
Countries visited: Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar
Kelly Westhoff and Quang Nystrom went around the world in 2009. While they don’t have a total figure or a detailed cost breakdown, Kelly estimates that they spent $3000 per person per month during the 6-month trip. This figure sounds really steep to me. Maybe they bought a lot of souvenirs?

Conclusion

It’s not that expensive to travel around the world. If you work as you go, you could even come out ahead.

Been around the world? Planning to go around the world? Tell me all about it so I can live vicariously through you.