While I have written update posts at monthly intervals of this trip, as I began my second week in Kiev, Ukraine, I realized that I hit two other milestones almost simultaneously: I spent almost exactly $10,000 while traveling almost exactly 15,000 miles.
$10,002.28 and 15,167 miles to be exact.
To some of you, that may sound like a lot.
To others, it may sound like a drop in the bucket.
Either way, for anyone who may be considering long-term travel or thinking about visiting any of these destinations, I thought I would provide a detailed overview of my travel budget so far.
I have broken things out into three sections: international transportation, per country expenses and extras.
International Transportation
|
Leg |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Flight, Chicago to Helsinki (used frequent flier miles) | $89.31 |
| Ferry, Helsinki to Tallinn | $46.23 |
| Bus, Tallinn to St. Petersburg | $41.84 |
| Overnight train, Moscow to Riga | $177.07 |
| Bus, Riga to Vilnius | $21.62 |
| Overnight bus, Vilnius to Warsaw | $18.99 |
| Overnight bus, Warsaw to Minsk | $35.24 |
| Overnight train, Minsk to Kiev | $81.00 |
|
Total |
$511.90 |
Per Country Expenses
|
Country |
Days |
Total |
Average/Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | 3 | $240.68 | $80.23 |
| Estonia | 9 | $562.02 | $62.45 |
| Russia | 85 | $5259.54 | $61.88 |
| Latvia | 6 | $348.17 | $58.03 |
| Lithuania | 11 | $347.21 | $31.56 |
| Poland | 11 | $504.53 | $45.87 |
| Belarus | 11 | $959.48 | $87.23 |
| Ukraine | 8 | $416.68 | $52.08 |
|
Total |
150 |
$8,638.31 |
$57.59 |
Extras
- Christmas presents & souvenirs shipped home: $264.12
- Clothing (winter coat, boots, hat, gloves, scarf, hiking pants, long johns, jeans, sweaters): $519.27
- Other: $68.68
- Total: $852.07
$511.90 + $8,638.31 + $852.07 = $10,002.28
Of course, these numbers don’t tell the whole story, so here’s a further breakdown by country:
Finland
- Accommodation: $85.71 (3 nights hostel dorm)
- Food: $29.21/day
- Transportation: $17.43
- Activities/entertainment: $49.89
Estonia
- Accommodation: $207.14 (4 nights hostel dorm, 3 nights guesthouse, 2 nights hotel)
- Food: $23.80/day
- Transportation: $46
- Activities/entertainment: $71.90
- Miscellaneous: $22.76
Russia
- Visa expenses: $447.27 (expedited invitation fee, visa fee, processing fees)
- Geovisions volunteer program: $1,135.00 (included homestay & some meals for 43 days)
- Other accommodation: $627.65 (17 nights hostel dorm; 2 nights hotel, 2 nights homestay, 9 nights in shared flat)
- Food: $10.27 /day
- Transportation (local): $240.09
- Overnight trains: $516.22 (discount provided by Real Russia)
- Overnight flight: $247.90
- Activities/entertainment: $893.10 (includes 2 weeks of Russian language lessons, guide in Ulan Ude, excursion on Olkhon Island and hiking trip in Krasnoyarsk)
- Phone: $21.16
- Miscellaneous: $276.10
Latvia
- Accommodation: $177.22 (3 nights hotel, 3 nights hostel dorm)
- Food: $11.02/day
- Transportation: $17.95
- Activities/entertainment: $71.43
- Miscellaneous: $15.44
Lithuania
- Accommodation: $77.52 (2 nights hotel provided by Vilnius Tourist Information Centre, 8 nights hostel dorm)
- Food: $7.57 /day
- Transportation: $91.86 (multiple day trips outside of Vilnius)
- Activities/entertainment: $58.72
- Miscellaneous: $35.80
Poland
- Accommodation: $359.91 (6 nights hotel, 4 nights hostel dorm)
- Food: $9.84 per day
- Transportation: $2.26
- Activities/entertainment: $24.03
- Miscellaneous: $10.09
Belarus
- Visa expense: $157.46 (visa fee, mandatory insurance, agency processing fee)
- Accommodation: $634 (10 nights hotel)
- Food: $6.81/day
- Transportation: $28.97
- Activities/entertainment: $37.64
- Internet: $4.26
Ukraine (through 8 days – I’m still here!)
- Accommodation: $135.44 (8 nights homestay)
- Food: $11.75/day
- Transportation: $11.08
- Activities/entertainment: $152.07 (1 week Russian language classes)
- Internet/Phone: $11.89
- Miscellaneous: $12.18
So there you have it – $10,000 and 15,000 miles, which includes 9 countries, 19 cities and 150 days!
What do you think? Did anything surprise you?
Photo: ciron810
