What your trip will actually cost

A budget backpacker in Bangkok spends $25–45/day — hostel dorm, street food, tuk-tuks, temples. Mid-range travellers (guesthouses, sit-down meals, some ACs) spend $55–90/day. A 2-week trip from Canada including return flights typically runs CA$2,500–4,500. Thailand extended its visa-free stay to 60 days for most Western passport holders in 2024.

Japan costs $70–120/day mid-range, or $45–70/day budget (hostels + convenience store meals). A 2-week trip from Canada including return flights runs CA$4,000–7,000. The Japan Rail Pass saves significantly on inter-city travel between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Japan is visa-free for 90 days for most Western passport holders.

A 2-week Europe trip runs $2,000–4,500 USD per person. Western Europe (Paris, Amsterdam, London) costs $120–200/day; Eastern Europe (Prague, Budapest, Krakow) is $50–90/day. Return flights from North America add $600–1,200. Europe's Schengen zone is currently visa-free for Canadian and American passport holders — though the EU's ETIAS pre-authorisation (€7) is expected to launch sometime in 2025–2026.

Budget $700–1,200 USD for 2 weeks of living costs — accommodation, food, local transport and activities. Add $600–1,000 for flights from Europe or $900–1,400 from North America. Total trip: $1,300–2,600 USD all in, depending on your travel style and origin.

Southeast Asia — Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bali — is one of the best-value regions on earth. Budget travellers average $30–50/day; mid-range $70–120/day. A 1-month multi-country circuit costs $1,500–3,500 USD excluding international flights. Thailand and Vietnam are the most popular entry points with the most flight connections.

Bali is exceptional value. Budget: $30–55/day (hostel or cheap guesthouse, warungs, scooter hire). Mid-range: $80–150/day (private villa, restaurant meals, spa visits). A 10-day Bali trip from Canada including return flights runs CA$2,500–4,500. Indonesia is visa-free for 30 days for most Western passport holders.

Top value destinations for 2025: Vietnam ($25–45/day), Georgia / Tbilisi ($30–50/day, 365-day visa-free stays), Nepal ($20–40/day), Mexico ($40–70/day), Morocco ($35–60/day), Indonesia/Bali ($30–55/day), and Eastern Europe — Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia — for under $60/day with almost no tourist crowds.

No. Since March 2024, China offers visa-free entry for Canadian passport holders for up to 30 days. No application before travel is needed — simply show your Canadian passport at arrival. This reversed the previous requirement for a full Chinese tourist visa, which cost $150+ CAD and required weeks of processing at a Chinese consulate.

As of January 2025, Canadians need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the United Kingdom. It costs £10, is applied for online before travel, and is typically approved within minutes. It is not a traditional visa — no interview required — but you cannot board a flight to the UK without one. It covers multiple trips and is valid for 2 years.

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a pre-travel electronic authorisation for visiting EU and Schengen zone countries — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Austria, Belgium and more. It will cost €7, be applied for online and be valid for 3 years. As of early 2025, ETIAS has not yet launched and no firm date has been set. European travel remains visa-free for now for Canadians and Americans.

It depends heavily on the destinations. Paris → Rome → Amsterdam for 10 nights mid-range (couple) runs $2,500–4,500 USD per person including inter-city trains but not your transatlantic flight. Bangkok → Hanoi → Bali for 12 nights backpacker-style runs $1,200–2,200 USD. Farebones' multi-destination mode calculates each leg separately — including estimated transit costs between cities.

Couples generally pay 15–30% less per person than solo travellers because the biggest cost — accommodation — gets split. A solo mid-range traveller in Europe might spend $130–180/day; a couple sharing the same room spends $90–130/day each. The savings are largest where private rooms have a fixed nightly rate. Groups of 3–4 save even more on shared accommodation and private transport.

Farebones is completely free — no account, no paywalls, no ads, no affiliate links. Enter your destination, trip length and travel style; the AI generates a detailed cost breakdown covering accommodation, food, local transport, activities, visa costs and return flight estimates. Results include reality checks, best months to visit, women's solo safety info and money-saving tips. It was built as a side project to give travellers an honest planning tool without the incentive to make travel look cheaper than it is.