Most Expensive City or Country Visited and Trip Budget

Most Expensive City or Country Visited and Trip Budget

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Most Expensive City or Country Visited and Trip Budget

Last updated: April 2026 · 13 min read

People keep asking me which trip drained my wallet the fastest, and the honest answer is that "expensive" depends entirely on what you're buying. A loaf of decent rye bread in Zurich costs less than the same loaf at a corner deli in central London. But a beer at a normal pub in Zurich runs you about CHF 9 - roughly twice what you'd pay in Soho. So when I rank cities by cost, I've to break it down into categories: lodging, sit-down meals, alcohol, ground transport, and "experiential" spending like a fjord cruise or a Michelin tasting menu. The number that lands on your credit card statement at the end of the trip is some weighted blend of all of those.

I've been chipping away at the Mercer and EIU "most expensive cities" list for about a decade now, partly out of curiosity and partly because the work travel kept dropping me in them. So this isn't a desk-research piece. These are real receipts from real trips, mostly between 2018 and 2025, with prices updated to 2026 where I had a recent visit or could verify with current menus and hotel websites. Plus i'll tell you what shocked me, what was actually fine, and what a reasonable couple's budget looks like for a one-week visit to each . At the mid-range tier, not backpacker and not luxury.

TL;DR: The top tier , meaning anywhere you'll spend more than $300 per person per day at a mid-range standard - is Zurich, Reykjavik, Oslo, Geneva, Singapore, Tokyo (it varies more than people think), Hong Kong, New York, Tel Aviv, and Copenhagen. Switzerland and Iceland are the worst offenders for everyday costs. NYC and Singapore hit hardest on lodging and alcohol. Tokyo is the surprise bargain on lunch but ruthless on hotels.

How to compare expensive cities . Flights vs ground costs vs experiences

Before I rank anything, here's the framework I use, because comparing cities purely on "cost of living" or Mercer's index doesn't translate to a tourist's wallet. As a visitor, you don't pay rent. And you pay hotel rates, which are shaped more by demand and seasonality than by the local economy. You don't shop at supermarkets much. You eat out three times a day, and sit-down restaurant prices in tourist districts can be 2-4x what locals pay in their neighbourhoods.

So my method is to look at four buckets per city: a typical mid-range hotel for two (roughly the equivalent of a 4-star chain like a Marriott Courtyard or a clean local boutique with breakfast), a sit-down dinner for two without wine, a reasonable activity or experience cost (museum, day cruise, guided tour), and ground transport (metro day pass plus one airport transfer). But i add a 10% padding for "stuff" . Bottled water, a snack, a coffee, the random thing you didn't budget for. Flights are excluded because they vary so wildly by where you're flying from. I'm based partly out of London and partly out of Mumbai, so my flight costs aren't yours.

One more note: prices in this article are all 2026 numbers as best I can verify, in local currency with a USD conversion in parentheses. Exchange rates are taken at roughly the early-2026 spot rate (CHF 1 ≈ USD 1.10, ISK 100 ≈ USD 0.72, NOK 10 ≈ USD 0.94, SGD 1 ≈ USD 0.74, JPY 100 ≈ USD 0.65, HKD 10 ≈ USD 1.28, DKK 10 ≈ USD 1.42, ILS 10 ≈ USD 2.70). Numbers will drift; the relative ranking won't.

#1 Zurich, Switzerland , CHF 6 coffee, CHF 300 hotel, real one-week budget CHF 2,800-4,500/person

Zurich is the city where I've watched friends do a double-take at the bill more times than anywhere else. A flat white at a normal cafe is CHF 5.50-6.50 (USD 6-7). A bratwurst from the famous Sternen Grill, which is supposed to be the cheap option, was CHF 9.50 last time I was there. A sit-down dinner for two at a mid-tier restaurant , somewhere like Zeughauskeller or a Kronenhalle-adjacent spot , runs CHF 140-200 (USD 154-220) without wine. Add a half-bottle and you're at CHF 220+.

Hotels are where it really stings. A clean 4-star like the Hotel Schweizerhof or a Marriott near the Hauptbahnhof runs CHF 280-380 a night in the off-season and pushes CHF 450+ in summer or during big trade events. The 25hours Hotel by Langstrasse is one of the better value-for-money spots and still runs about CHF 240 most weekends. Airbnb saves you maybe 15-20%, not the 40% you might be used to in other cities.

What's actually reasonable: the trams. A 24-hour Zurich pass is CHF 9.20. So lake swimming at Tiefenbrunnen is free. The walk up the Lindenhof costs nothing and gives you the best view in the city. Migros supermarket food is honestly cheap , I'd eat lunch from their hot bar for about CHF 12.

One-week budget for one person, mid-range: CHF 2,800-4,500 (USD 3,080-4,950). For a couple, roughly CHF 4,800-7,500. The wide range reflects whether you eat out twice a day or do half your meals from Migros.

#2 Reykjavik / Iceland (whole country) - ISK 2,500 beer, ISK 6,000 sit-down meal, Ring Road 10 days couple USD 5,800-9,000

Iceland is the only place on this list where the entire country, not just one city, is uniformly punishing. There's no cheaper region. A pint of local Einstök at a Reykjavik bar is ISK 1,800-2,500 (USD 13-18). A burger and fries at a normal pub is ISK 4,500-6,000 (USD 32-43). A sit-down dinner for two at somewhere like Matur og Drykkur or Fish Company hits ISK 28,000-38,000 (USD 200-275) with shared starters and one round of drinks.

Lodging in Reykjavik in summer is genuinely shocking . A 3-star like the Centerhotel Plaza or 22 Hill Hotel is ISK 38,000-55,000 (USD 275-395) per night between June and August. Off-season (November to March, excluding the New Year week) drops that to ISK 22,000-32,000. Outside Reykjavik, guesthouses along the Ring Road run ISK 25,000-40,000 a night and most include breakfast, which helps.

Car rental is the other big line item. A small 4WD for the Ring Road in summer was ISK 18,000-25,000 a day plus the gravel insurance you really do want. Petrol is about ISK 320 a litre. A 10-day Ring Road loop with two people, mid-range guesthouses, one or two splurge meals, the Blue Lagoon (skip it, do Sky Lagoon for ISK 12,990 or one of the public pools for ISK 1,400), and reasonable activities will land you at USD 5,800-9,000 for the couple. I've broken this down in painful detail in our 15-day Iceland trip cost guide if you want the full spreadsheet.

#3 Oslo / Norway - NOK 65 espresso, NOK 220 burger, fjord cruise NOK 1,500, 7 days couple NOK 32,000-58,000

Oslo is the other Nordic capital that feels like Reykjavik's slightly less unhinged cousin. And a double espresso at Tim Wendelboe (which is actually one of the best coffee shops on earth and worth the visit) was NOK 65 (USD 6.10). A standard pub burger with fries is NOK 220-280 (USD 21-26). A sit-down dinner for two at somewhere like Hitchhiker or Mares without wine runs NOK 1,200-1,800 (USD 113-169).

Hotel rates have become genuinely ugly post-pandemic. A 3-star like the Comfort Hotel Grand Central or Thon Hotel Opera is NOK 1,800-2,800 (USD 169-263) midweek and NOK 2,400-3,400 on weekends. The hipper boutique places like Sommerro have crossed NOK 4,000.

Where Oslo claws back some value: the Oslo Pass at NOK 595 for 24 hours covers public transport plus most museums (Munch, Vigeland, Fram, Kon-Tiki, the Holmenkollen ski jump). Use it on a museum-heavy day and it pays for itself. A fjord cruise from the Aker Brygge waterfront is around NOK 1,500 for a 2-hour route. Tap water is excellent and free everywhere.

One-week budget for a couple: NOK 32,000-58,000 (USD 3,000-5,450). For a similar Nordic itinerary that's slightly easier on the wallet, look at Stockholm or even our best European destination for a month-long vacation shortlist.

#4 Geneva / Switzerland , even Zurich-er than Zurich for hotels, CERN visit free

I almost didn't include Geneva separately, but it earns its spot because hotels there are reliably 10-15% more expensive than Zurich for the equivalent class. The reason is simple: the UN, WTO, WHO, and dozens of NGOs keep business demand flat year-round, so there's no real shoulder season. I paid CHF 410 for a perfectly fine Hilton room one Tuesday in November. The same chain in Zurich would've been CHF 290.

Restaurant prices roughly match Zurich, with a slight edge to Geneva on French-style bistros (Cafe du Soleil for the famous fondue is CHF 32-38 per person, which feels almost reasonable). The Lake Geneva ferry from the Jet d'Eau is CHF 8 and gives you the cheapest waterfront experience in the city.

The best free thing to do in Geneva , and possibly the best free thing in Switzerland , is the CERN visitor centre. The Globe of Science and Innovation is free, and you can sometimes book free guided tours of parts of the LHC complex months in advance. I've never paid less for a more memorable activity. Add a walk through the Old Town and a coffee at Boulangerie Pouly, and you can do a Geneva afternoon for under CHF 20.

Five-day couple budget: CHF 3,800-5,800 (USD 4,180-6,380). I'd genuinely recommend Lausanne as a base instead , it's 40 minutes by SBB train and hotels are CHF 100-150 cheaper a night.

#5 Singapore , hawker centres save you (Tian Tian Hainanese SGD 8 chicken rice), but rooms $300+, MBS pool $700+/night, 5 days couple SGD 3,500-6,500

Singapore is the most lopsided city on this list. The hawker centres are the single biggest reason it's still possible to visit on a budget that doesn't end in tears. Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell is still SGD 6-8. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, which has a Michelin star, is SGD 10-15. Lau Pa Sat satay after dark is SGD 0.80-1.20 per stick. And i've eaten three full meals at hawker centres for under SGD 30.

But the moment you step off the hawker tier, things spiral. So a cocktail at a decent bar like Atlas or Manhattan is SGD 28-32 (USD 21-24). A bottle of mid-range wine at a restaurant is SGD 80-110. The infamous Singapore Sling at Long Bar is SGD 39 and not great , get one anyway, then leave.

Hotels are where Singapore really earns its top-tier slot. A 4-star in Marina Bay or Orchard area is SGD 320-450 (USD 237-333). The Marina Bay Sands rooms with the infinity pool access start at SGD 700+ and easily push SGD 1,200 in peak season. Even a no-frills business hotel in Bugis is SGD 220+. Airbnb is heavily restricted by law (under 90-day stays are technically illegal) so the workaround is essentially nonexistent.

The MRT is the saving grace , SGD 0.92-2.50 per ride, and a tourist day pass is SGD 17 for three days. Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest and Flower Dome combo is SGD 53. And universal Studios is SGD 83. Five-day couple budget: SGD 3,500-6,500 (USD 2,590-4,810).

#6 Tokyo - surprisingly affordable on the lunch tier (¥1,200 set lunch), but ryokan ¥40,000+, 7 days couple ¥350,000-700,000

Tokyo lives in a strange place on this list. Plus if you eat where Japanese office workers eat, it's one of the best-value major cities in the world. A teishoku set lunch at a chain like Yayoiken or Ootoya runs ¥980-1,400 (USD 6.40-9.10) and includes rice, soup, main, and sides. Ramen at most non-touristy shops is ¥900-1,300. A standing sushi counter like Uogashi can give you 8 pieces for ¥2,000 (USD 13).

The pain points are very specific. So hotels are what break the budget. A standard Tokyo business hotel like an APA or Sotetsu Fresa Inn is ¥18,000-28,000 (USD 117-182) a night, and that's a small room. Mid-range Western chains in Shinjuku or Ginza are ¥38,000-60,000. A traditional ryokan with kaiseki dinner and onsen , which is genuinely worth doing once - runs ¥40,000-90,000 (USD 260-585) per person per night.

Trains add up too. A single Tokyo Metro ride is ¥180-330. Shinkansen Tokyo to Kyoto round-trip is ¥27,000+ unless you've pre-purchased a JR Pass (which got significantly more expensive in 2023, so do the math - it's not automatically worth it for shorter trips). Taxis are eye-watering: a 15-minute ride is easily ¥2,800-3,500.

Drinks in Tokyo are oddly reasonable for the level of bar craftsmanship , a cocktail at a serious bar like Ben Fiddich or Bar High Five is ¥1,800-2,400 (USD 12-16), which is genuinely cheaper than New York for substantially better drinks.

Seven-day couple budget: ¥350,000-700,000 (USD 2,275-4,550). The huge spread depends on whether you do one ryokan night and one upscale dinner or stay at business hotels and eat teishoku the whole time.

#7 Hong Kong - central hotels HKD 2,800+, dim sum HKD 350+ premium / HKD 100 local, 5 days couple HKD 24,000-48,000

Hong Kong is a mid-pack contender on this list now - it was much higher five years ago, but the post-pandemic hotel softness has helped. A 4-star in Central or Tsim Sha Tsui (think the Eaton, Hotel ICON, or Madera) runs HKD 1,800-2,800 (USD 230-359) most of the year. Central Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula territory starts at HKD 5,500+.

Dim sum is the single best value on the food side. A local cha chaan teng or non-touristy dim sum spot like Lin Heung Tea House does a full meal for HKD 80-130 per person. Then you've the upscale tier - Tim Ho Wan (still the cheapest Michelin meal on earth) is HKD 130-180 a person. Lung King Heen, Maxim's Palace, or Sun Tung Lok push HKD 400-650 per person.

Drinks in Hong Kong's bar scene have gotten genuinely ridiculous. And a craft cocktail at the Old Man, Coa, or Quinary is HKD 150-180 (USD 19-23). A pint of imported beer at any decent bar in Lan Kwai Fong is HKD 90-120. Local lager at a dai pai dong is HKD 35-45.

The MTR is the cheap escape . HKD 5-25 a ride, and the Airport Express is HKD 115. The Star Ferry is still HKD 5 and one of the most beautiful 8-minute rides in the world.

Five-day couple budget: HKD 24,000-48,000 (USD 3,070-6,140). I'd budget toward the upper end if you want to do Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram (HKD 116 round-trip) plus one upscale dim sum and a couple of bar nights.

#8 New York , $30 cocktails, $25 lunches, $400 hotels, $25 cabs, 5 days couple USD 3,500-7,000

NYC is the city where the small numbers add up faster than anywhere else. There's no single brutal line item . It's that everything is 25-50% more than you expected. A bagel with cream cheese in midtown is now USD 7-9. A "cheap" diner breakfast is USD 22-28 with coffee and tip. A non-fancy lunch at any sit-down place south of 60th Street is USD 25-35 by the time tax and tip land. Cocktails at a bar that isn't trying particularly hard cross USD 22, and any place with a name in The Infatuation pushes USD 28-34.

Hotels are where the math gets ugly. And a Holiday Inn Express in midtown is USD 320-450 a night midweek. A 4-star like the Pod 51, Arlo NoMad, or Hyatt Centric Times Square is USD 380-580. Anything with "Soho" or "Tribeca" in the name starts at USD 500. The destination fee scam ($35-45 a night for nothing) is unique to NYC and impossible to avoid.

Tipping gets you on every transaction - 18-22% on meals, $2-4 a drink at bars, the iPad screen presenting you a 25% default at the coffee counter. Add 8.875% sales tax on everything except groceries.

The MTA is the steal: USD 2.90 a ride, USD 34 for a 7-day unlimited pass. Walking is the secret. Cabs are USD 18-32 for a midtown-to-downtown ride after surcharges. Five-day couple budget: USD 3,500-7,000.

#9 Tel Aviv , beach hotels USD 350+, restaurants pricey, 5 days couple USD 2,800-5,500

Tel Aviv surprised me by how expensive it had become by 2022 (the trip I'm pricing this from). A flat white at a normal cafe on Dizengoff or Rothschild is ILS 16-22 (USD 4.30-5.95). A standard hummus and salad lunch is ILS 55-75 at decent spots like Abu Hassan or Shlomo & Doron. A dinner for two at any of the Eyal Shani spots (Miznon, Port Said, North Abraxas) lands at ILS 350-500 (USD 95-135) without wine. Add the local Israeli wine and you're at ILS 600+.

Hotels along the beach strip , Hilton, Dan, Sheraton, Carlton . Are USD 320-480 a night for sea-view rooms. The boutique tier in Florentin or near Neve Tzedek (Hotel Montefiore, the Norman, the Vera) starts at USD 380. But even non-beach 3-stars in less central areas run USD 180-260.

Cabs are the unexpected hit. There's no Uber-equivalent that's cheap (Gett is the dominant app and rides are USD 12-18 for short distances). Public buses are reasonable at ILS 8.50, and the new light rail is ILS 6 a ride.

Five-day couple budget: USD 2,800-5,500. The volatility of the shekel and the security situation since late 2023 means I'd verify all current numbers carefully before booking.

#10 Copenhagen / Denmark - Noma the outlier but everyday meals DKK 250+, 5 days couple DKK 18,000-32,000

Copenhagen rounds out my top 10. Noma is the famous outlier . DKK 3,800-4,500 (USD 540-640) per person before wine pairing, which adds another DKK 2,800. But you don't have to do Noma. The everyday Copenhagen problem is that a normal sit-down dinner is DKK 250-350 (USD 35-50) per person at a nice-but-not-special place, and a bottle of wine starts at DKK 380.

Hotels are firmly in Nordic territory. A 3-star like the Wakeup Copenhagen or Generator's private rooms is DKK 1,200-1,800 (USD 170-256) a night. But the 4-star Skt. Petri or Nimb Hotel area starts at DKK 2,400 (USD 341). Airbnb saves more in Copenhagen than in most Nordic cities , Vesterbro and Norrebro flats are DKK 800-1,400 a night.

The redemption: street food at Reffen and the Torvehallerne market hall. A solid lunch is DKK 80-120 (USD 11-17). Smorrebrod from a place like Aamanns is DKK 90-140 a piece. Bicycle rental is DKK 100-130 a day and is honestly the right way to see the city.

Five-day couple budget: DKK 18,000-32,000 (USD 2,560-4,550), excluding any tasting-menu nights.

What's actually expensive in each - categorise by the worst offender

If you want a quick mental map of where each city will hit you the hardest, this is the breakdown I've internalised after enough trips that I can pre-budget within 10% accuracy now:

  • Tokyo: lodging. Everything else is reasonable for a major Asian capital. Stay at a business hotel and eat where salarymen eat, and you're fine.
  • Reykjavik / Iceland: literally everything. Groceries, drinks, fuel, food, hotels, activities. There's no cheap category.
  • Singapore: alcohol and lodging. Hawker food is the great equaliser. Drink less and stay in Bugis or Geylang.
  • New York: death by a thousand cuts. No single category, just constant pressure across all of them.
  • Zurich / Geneva: restaurants and bars. Hotels are bad too but groceries are surprisingly normal.
  • Oslo: alcohol, restaurants, and hotels equally. Tap water and Vinmonopolet are your friends.
  • Hong Kong: central-area hotels and bar prices. Food has more range than any other city on this list.
  • Tel Aviv: beach hotels and restaurants. Local supermarket food is reasonable.
  • Copenhagen: restaurants and alcohol. Bicycle culture saves you on transport.

The minimum decent budget for each - sub-tier where you don't compromise on safety/sleep

There's a category below "mid-range" that I think of as "minimum decent" , clean and safe lodging in a sensible neighbourhood, decent food without going hungry, reasonable activities, but skipping the experiential luxury (no fjord cruise, no infinity pool, no Michelin meal). Here's that floor for each:

City / country Mid-range USD/day couple Signature splurge Minimum decent USD/day couple Cheapest decent meal Most surprising cost
Zurich 480-720 Kronenhalle dinner CHF 350 290-380 Migros hot bar CHF 12 A coffee CHF 6
Reykjavik 580-900 Northern Lights tour ISK 18,000 380-480 Hot dog Baejarins Beztu ISK 750 Pint of beer USD 18
Oslo 430-780 Fjord cruise NOK 1,500 280-360 Kebab pizza NOK 130 Espresso USD 6
Geneva 480-760 Lake cruise + fondue CHF 90 320-420 Boulangerie sandwich CHF 8 Hotel rates year-round
Singapore 300-560 Atlas Bar cocktails SGD 100 180-260 Hawker chicken rice SGD 8 Cocktail SGD 32
Tokyo 290-580 Ryokan night USD 600 170-240 Yayoiken set lunch ¥1,200 Taxi ¥3,000 short ride
Hong Kong 380-770 Lung King Heen dim sum HKD 1,300 220-310 Tim Ho Wan HKD 150 Craft cocktail HKD 180
New York 480-960 West Village tasting menu USD 250 320-420 Bagel with lox USD 14 Hotel destination fee USD 45
Tel Aviv 320-680 Carmel Market food tour USD 80 220-300 Hummus lunch ILS 55 No-Uber cab USD 18
Copenhagen 340-620 Tasting menu DKK 1,800 220-320 Reffen food market DKK 90 Bottle of wine DKK 380

The minimum decent column is what I'd budget for a young couple doing a 4-5 day visit on a real-but-not-luxury trip. You're not at a hostel; you're at a clean 3-star or a well-reviewed Airbnb. And you're not eating 7-Eleven sandwiches; you're eating at the local-favourite tier. And you're doing one or two paid activities, not zero. Budget travellers can go below this floor by 30-40% with hostels and supermarkets, but you'll feel it. If you're trying to bring any of these costs down further, this collection of money-saving travel hacks is where I'd start.

For a comparison of European cities that are genuinely cheaper, look at Rome on a one-week budget (where the same couple budget gets you about 1.6x the experience), or the most affordable train travel from London to Scotland if you want to do the UK without the London hotel premium. And if you're trying to settle the bigger "where should I go for a month" question, I lay out the calculus in the best European destination for a month-long vacation. For a rough sense of which countries are worth the trip even when they're expensive, our most beautiful country in the world picks overlaps a lot with this expensive-cities list, which isn't a coincidence. But last, if you want to know whether to pay the OTA upfront vs after the holiday (it matters more than you think for refundability when prices are this high), check pay upfront vs after holiday booking on online travel agencies.

External references I trust for cost-of-living comparisons before any trip: the Wikipedia overview of cost-of-living indexes for the underlying methodology, Wikivoyage's travel budget article for sensible category-by-category planning, Numbeo's cost-of-living database for crowdsourced current prices (always sanity-check, but the relative rankings are solid), Mercer's annual cost-of-living survey for the expat-perspective benchmark, and Wise for the actual mid-market exchange rate when you're converting.

FAQ

Q: Are credit cards accepted everywhere in these cities?
A: Yes, in nearly all cases. Switzerland, the Nordics, Singapore, Hong Kong, NYC, Tel Aviv, and Copenhagen are all functionally cashless . Apple Pay or a Visa/Mastercard with no foreign transaction fee will cover 95% of transactions. Tokyo is the genuine exception. Older izakayas, small shops, some shrines, and most taxis still prefer cash. Carry ¥10,000-20,000 in cash daily in Japan. American Express is hit-or-miss in Europe and Japan; Visa and Mastercard are universal.

Q: How much cash should I bring?
A: For Tokyo, I'd bring or withdraw ¥30,000-50,000 (USD 195-325) on day one. For everywhere else on this list, USD 100-200 equivalent in local currency on arrival is plenty , ATM withdrawals at airport bank ATMs (not the kiosk currency exchanges) give you the best rate.

Q: What's the tipping situation?
A: NYC: 18-22% on restaurants, $1-2 per drink at bars, $1-2 per bag for porters. Tel Aviv: 12-15% expected. Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik: tip is included; rounding up is appreciated but not required. Zurich, Geneva: same , service is included; round to the nearest 5-10 CHF if happy. Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo: don't tip. In Tokyo it can be considered rude.

Q: Are exchange rates better at the airport or in the city?
A: Almost always in the city, and almost always at an ATM rather than a currency exchange counter. The worst rates I've ever seen are at airport currency kiosks , they routinely take 8-12% off the mid-market rate. Use a Wise card, Revolut, or any debit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, and pull cash from a major bank ATM in town.

Q: Should I buy a transit pass or pay per ride?
A: For 3+ days in any of these cities, buy the transit pass. The Oslo Pass and the Zurich ZVV day pass also cover museums or include city-card discounts that pay for themselves. NYC's 7-day OMNY cap at $34 is one of the best deals on this list. Tokyo is the exception . Only buy a JR Pass if you're doing multiple Shinkansen trips after the 2023 price increase.

Q: What about food allergies and dietary restrictions in these cities?
A: Tokyo is the hardest for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free travellers; even "vegetable" dishes often contain dashi (fish broth). Copenhagen, Tel Aviv, and NYC are the easiest , restaurant culture is highly accommodating. Carry a written translation card in Japan; it genuinely helps.

Q: Are these prices wildly different in peak vs off-peak season?
A: Yes for hotels, no for food. Reykjavik in summer (June-August) is 60-80% more expensive on lodging than November or April. Tokyo's cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and golden week (early May) push hotels up 40%+. NYC is about 25-35% more expensive in October-December than in January-February. Restaurant and transport prices barely move.

Q: Which of these cities gives you the best value if you really plan it?
A: For pure dollar-stretched experience, Tokyo wins by a long way. You can have an utterly memorable trip . Best food in the world, transport that's a marvel of engineering, neighbourhoods worth walking for hours , for the same daily spend that buys you a single mediocre dinner in Reykjavik. Hong Kong is second. Singapore, if you commit to hawker centres, is third. The Nordics and Switzerland are where money goes to disappear with the least to show for it relative to spend, in my honest opinion.

The actual most expensive trip I've ever taken, by total burn, was 10 days in Iceland with my wife in summer 2023 - about USD 8,200 all in for the two of us, excluding flights. The trip I felt the most ripped off on was 4 days in Geneva for a conference where the hotel alone cleared CHF 1,800. But and the trip that delivered the most for the money in this entire price tier was a week in Tokyo in April 2024, which came in at USD 3,400 for two and remains one of the best holidays I've ever taken. Make of that ranking what you'll.

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