America is a country in whose vast territory you can find a variety of landscapes, from high dense forests to impenetrable swamps, from deserts to snow-covered mountains, from small lakes to long ocean coasts. This is a country known for its roads. But when going on a trip, it is important to roughly calculate your budget. Of course, it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how much your trip will cost without knowing its details. But you can designate some "reference points" of planning, starting from which it will already be possible to determine a more or less exact amount.
Major expense items when traveling in America
A visa is the first thing you have to spend money on. The amount of the visa fee may vary depending on the decisions of American officials, and if you are applying for a visa through an agency, then this amount increases. It is recommended to clarify this point yourself.
A significant expense to travel to America is a plane ticket. If you plan your trip ahead of time, you can find a cheaper option. Typically, the cost of a roundtrip air ticket per person is about $ 1000. It is often cheaper to buy the cheapest ticket to a big city, and there you can already get to the place you need using domestic flights, since many low-cost airlines fly across America.
Living in America. The cost of hotels usually ranges from US $ 40 to US $ 100 per night for standard no-frills rooms. The rule works here: the smaller the city, the cheaper the hotels there.
Moving within the country. Usually travel to America is planned as a small expedition. Since the country is very different, it is more interesting to go around it, rather than sit in one city. In this case, the easiest way is to rent a car. The longer the lease term, the more profitable this solution will be. A car for a month will cost you $ 600-1000, depending on insurance, type of car and rental location. Gasoline will also be an item of consumption, but not too significant: fuel prices in America are about the same as in Russia. But keep in mind that there are many toll highways in the United States.
Just in case, it is recommended to budget 20-30% of the resulting amount of money in reserve.
You can also travel around the country by plane or by bus. Buses are considered to be the cheapest transport, but a rented car is often more profitable anyway. Rail links in the United States are not well developed.
Food is also not the most significant part of the budget. The amount depends on your appetite and exactingness. Usually, food costs about $ 20 per person per day. In big cities this amount increases, in small cities it decreases.
You should definitely add about $ 300-500 per month for sightseeing and entertainment.
How can you save
The first rule of the thrifty traveler is to avoid the tourist season.
It is advantageous to travel in America with a company of 2-4 people. Thus, the cost of a car and hotel for each participant in the trip is greatly reduced.
If you are traveling by car, try not to spend the night in cities. Suburban motels or campgrounds will cost you half the price. Refueling is also better in the suburbs, petrol is cheaper there.
If you are planning a really long trip, then take care of good insurance: medicine in the States is expensive.
Restaurant prices for food change depending on the time of day. In the evening, food is more expensive.
Be careful when parking. Many parking lots are paid, but there are places where parking is completely prohibited. In cities, choose big shops or restaurants, the same McDonalds usually works, as there is often a large free parking there.
Go to info centers, usually they are called Travel centers or Visitor centers. The staff will tell you how you can save money while traveling and recommend cheap tickets. Information center services are free of charge.
Try not to break the traffic rules, as fines in America will cost you a lot.
