TripAdvisor announced the results of its annual TripIndex™ Cities cost-comparison study, revealing that Hanoi, Vietnam is the least expensive international destination. The findings also show that Cancun is the most expensive internationally, while Dubai is firmly in the Top 10 which is not very encouraging fact for young travelers.
The TripIndex helps travelers identify the destinations that offer the best value by comparing the cost of a three-night trip during the summer in nearly 60 key tourist cities around the U.S. and world, taking into account typical travel costs for two. For each day, the Index factors a four-star hotel stay, an organized tour or activity at local attractions, a round-trip taxi ride, as well as lunch and dinner. The study was conducted ahead of the summer travel period by TripAdvisor with Ipsos, an independent research firm.
- Four of the 10 most affordable cities worldwide are in Southeast Asia: #1 Hanoi ($732) #4 Bangkok ($822), #7 Kuala Lumpur ($914) and #9 Manila ($925).
- Southeast Asia destinations are 28%, or approximately $320, less than expensive than Dallas, the most affordable U.S. city in the TripIndex.
Tip for Saving: The TripIndex prices out on-the-ground costs, but travelers should also factor in flight fare when planning their budgets. Travelers can compare flight costs and book on TripAdvisor and also sign up for Air Watch alerts to get emails when prices drop.
TripIndex Cities: Average Cost of a Three-Day Summer Trip for Two
Least Expensive — International:
| Destination | Lunch (per day) | Dinner (per day) | Taxi (2-mile round-trip) |
Tour/ Activity (per day) | Hotel (per night) | Total (three days) | |
| 1 | Hanoi, Vietnam | $15.97 | $45.36 | $4.10 | $91.41 | $87.22 | $732.18 |
| 2 | Warsaw, Poland | $19.72 | $72.01 | $20.01 | $47.30 | $87.42 | $739.38 |
| 3 | Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt | $14.45 | $52.06 | $5.80 | $99.33 | $101.78 | $820.26 |
| 4 | Bangkok, Thailand | $16.44 | $59.57 | $10.38 | $92.97 | $94.76 | $822.36 |
| 5 | Mumbai, India | $20.88 | $62.40 | $4.97 | $73.02 | $120.83 | $846.30 |
| 6 | Lisbon, Portugal | $35.57 | $55.18 | $25.33 | $56.46 | $129.70 | $906.72 |
| 7 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | $23.57 | $69.40 | $6.52 | $112.64 | $92.64 | $914.31 |
| 8 | Marrakech, Morocco | $47.08 | $78.89 | $4.00 | $73.28 | $103.63 | $920.64 |
| 9 | Manila, Philippines | $14.87 | $30.63 | $11.55 | $111.13 | $140.18 | $925.08 |
| 10 | Berlin, Germany | $23.02 | $68.26 | $24.77 | $76.33 | $117.88 | $930.78 |
Most expensive — International:
| Destination | Lunch (per day) | Dinner (per day) | Taxi (2-mile round-trip) |
Tour/ Activity (per day) | Hotel (per night) | Total (three days) | |
| 1 | Cancun, Mexico | $30.42 | $89.12 | $13.43 | $166.95 | $373.11 | $2,019.09 |
| 2 | Zurich, Switzerland | $61.68 | $151.39 | $46.15 | $89.08 | $300.23 | $1,945.59 |
| 3 | New York City | $42.63 | $127.70 | $25.97 | $109.09 | $331.00 | $1,909.17 |
| 4 | London, UK | $48.18 | $109.15 | $34.92 | $121.71 | $311.99 | $1,877.85 |
| 5 | Punta Cana, DR |
$28.41 | $85.23 | $1.86 | $159.27 | $326.92 | $1,805.07 |
| 6 | Paris, France | $52.49 | $99.82 | $16.86 | $99.04 | $270.38 | $1,615.77 |
| 7 | Tokyo, Japan | $44.04 | $87.35 | $27.76 | $127.14 | $244.11 | $1,591.20 |
| 8 | Toronto, Canada | $30.79 | $94.70 | $23.99 | $82.32 | $283.17 | $1,544.91 |
| 9 | Dubai, UAE | $53.36 | $166.87 | $10.19 | $143.28 | $134.24 | $1,523.82 |
| 10 | Singapore | $61.60 | $147.95 | $8.71 | $78.34 | $206.00 | $1,507.80 |
