What budget for a road trip in the United States?
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It’s the first question we’re asked, and the hardest: it all depends on the season, the region and the way you travel.
Rather than giving a magic number, we show you how to estimate each item for your own trip.
To give you a benchmark all the same: it’s hard for us to go below 500 euros a day for two, flights included, roughly 200 euros of hotel, 200 euros of flights and car, and 100 euros on the spot.
Three budget levels
Excluding flights, for two people sharing the room and the car, here are orders of magnitude per day. These are estimates, not rates.
| Item (per day, for two) | Tight | Comfortable | Generous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Night | $70 to $110 (simple motel, campground) | $130 to $200 | $250 and up |
| Car or van | $45 to $70 | $70 to $110 | $120 and up |
| Fuel | $15 to $30 | $20 to $40 | $30 to $50 |
| Meals | $40 to $60 (groceries, one fast-food meal) | $80 to $120 | $150 and up |
| Activities and entrance fees | $10 to $20 | $30 to $50 | $80 and up |
| Total per day | $180 to $290 | $330 to $520 | $630 and up |
Item by item
Flights. Between 500 and 1,100 euros return per person from Belgium, depending on the season and the destination. The West Coast costs more than the East Coast, July-August and Christmas more than the rest of the year. Our advice is in the article on flights.
The vehicle. The price displayed is never the final price: insurance, airport taxes, additional driver, one-way fees if you return the car somewhere else. It’s all set out in our guide to car rental.
Fuel. It’s still cheaper than in Belgium, but the distances are long. In early October 2026, a gallon of Regular cost 4.40 dollars on average across the country (about 1.15 dollars a litre) and 6.40 dollars in California. The method for working it out is in the article on fuel.
Nights. This is the biggest item, and the one that varies most. A decent motel on the road costs 90 to 130 dollars, a room near a national park in season 200 to 350 dollars, a night in New York or Miami over the holidays far more. See motels, hotels and lodges.
Meals. Breakfast in a diner: 15 to 20 dollars per person. A burger and fries with a drink at a fast-food place: 12 to 16 dollars. A restaurant with table service: 30 to 50 dollars per person, tax and tip included.
Activities. The national parks pass now costs 250 dollars for non-residents (see our parks guide). Add guided tours (Antelope Canyon, Alcatraz), city observation decks and state parks.
What you always underestimate
- Taxes. Prices are displayed before tax, in shops and hotels alike. Allow 6 to 10% more in shops, 10 to 17% on a room.
- Tips. 18 to 20% at restaurants, plus guides, shuttles, housekeeping. The usual amounts are here.
- Resort fees and hotel parking. In Las Vegas, Miami or New York, they can add 40 to 80 dollars a night.
- Bank fees. On 7,000 euros of spending, 2% in exchange fees comes to 140 euros. The solutions are in our article on money.
- Travel insurance. Essential in the United States, and rarely counted in the initial budget.
Where to save without spoiling the trip
- Shift your dates. May, June, September and October cost markedly less than July-August, for flights and nights alike.
- Sleep 30 or 40 minutes from the parks. The gateway towns (Kanab, Panguitch, Oakhurst, Williams) are far cheaper than the lodges inside.
- Go grocery shopping. A cooler, bread, sandwich fillings: a picnic lunch saves 30 to 40 dollars a day for two, and you eat it facing the scenery.
- Book with free cancellation, then keep an eye on prices.
- Make the itinerary a loop to avoid one-way fees on the car, or compare several rental companies: some one-way trips are a good deal, because rental companies want to move cars from one region to another.