How Much Does a Family Holiday Cost? Real Budgets from Our Trips
“How much did that cost?” It’s the question we get asked most, usually right after “Weren’t the kids bored on the plane?” (Answer: yes, briefly, and then the snacks came out.)
We’ve travelled to 82 countries, with more than half of them with our children, and we’ve learned that the honest answer to “how much does a family holiday cost” is always “it depends”. It depends on where you go, when you go, how you like to stay, and how many small people are asking for ice cream. So we built something more useful than a vague range.
Our free family trip budget calculator turns our own receipts and recent price checks into an estimate for your family. Pick a destination, the number of days, your travel style and who’s coming, and it shows a realistic total with a breakdown for places to stay, food, getting around and activities. You can have the full budget emailed to you as a PDF.
A family favourite, and for a good reason – Costa Rica
How much does a family trip to Costa Rica cost?
A two-week family trip to Costa Rica costs around €6,500 (about $7,500 or £5,600) for a family of four staying in 3-star hotels in high season. Self-catering in the green season brings that down to around €4,400.
We spent four weeks driving from Tortuguero to Corcovado, and the surprise wasn’t the hotels. It was the car. A 4×4 is close to essential on Costa Rica’s roads, and with full insurance it can cost as much as your accommodation. Our monthly rental came to €2,500 before insurance, which our credit card covered. The calculator gives a discount for long rentals, because that’s exactly what we found.
Food is where families can save. Eat at the local family-run restaurants called sodas for cheap, authentic meals, and stock up at Auto Mercado supermarkets in bigger towns. Costa Rica’s high season runs from mid-December to April; the green season from July to October is quieter and cheaper, and the rainforest earns its name.
Read more: Costa Rica Road Trip Itinerary: Our 4-Week Route
One of our latest favourites, the Canadian Rockies
How much does a family trip to Banff and Jasper cost?
A two-week family trip to the Canadian Rockies costs around €7,900 (about $9,100 or £6,800) for a family of four in 3-star hotels in July or August. Travel in June or September, or self-cater outside summer, and the same trip can cost less than half.
Accommodation is the big one. Summer hotel rooms in Banff are among the priciest of any national park we’ve visited, and taxes and fees add around 6% to the price you first see. Banff itself doesn’t allow short-term rentals, so self-catering families usually base themselves in Canmore, a 25-minute drive away (longer when the road is busy in high season).
Our tip: split your stay. Jasper is often kinder to the wallet than Banff, which sees roughly double the crowds. We stayed at the Banff Ptarmigan Inn as a convenient downtown base, and treated ourselves to a couple of nights at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Worth every cent, but not every night.
Iceland
How much does a family holiday in Iceland cost?
A two-week family holiday in Iceland costs around €10,000 (about $12,100 or £9,000) for a family of four in 3-star hotels in summer, making it the most expensive destination in our calculator. Self-catering outside the summer months brings it down to around €5,700.
Three things drive the price: hotels, a 4×4 with gravel and sand cover, and eating out. Summer hotel prices are the steepest, and a restaurant dinner for four can easily cost more than a night in a campsite. Stock up at the Bónus or Krónan discount supermarkets and you’ll feel the difference in days, not weeks.
The good news is that Iceland’s best moments are often free or close to it. Waterfalls, black-sand beaches and lava fields don’t charge admission, community swimming pools are cheap, and children under 14 usually get in completely free. Just check age limits before booking tours: glacier hikes, volcano tours and some boat trips set minimum ages of 8, 10 or even 14.
Read more: Iceland for nature lovers and Game of Thrones enthusiasts
How about Japan, it is on every bucket list
How much does a family trip to Japan cost with kids?
A two-week family trip to Japan costs around €4,900 (about $5,700 or £4,200) for a family of four in 3-star hotels in high season. That surprises most people: once you’ve landed, Japan is one of the better-value destinations in our calculator.
Hotels charge per room rather than per person, apartment hotels make family travel easy, and food doesn’t have to be expensive. Konbini breakfasts and family restaurants cost around $8 to $10 a meal, and they’re genuinely good. High-speed trains are the best way to move around. Children aged 6 to 11 travel at half price and younger ones often free, which the calculator builds in.
Timing matters. Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) and the autumn leaves (mid-October to November) are the busiest and most expensive times. If you’re dreaming of a ryokan with its own hot spring, book as soon as you know your dates, because prices vary widely and the best ones fill up fast. And a heads-up for theme-park fans: tickets for places like Tokyo Disney can take a big bite out of the activities budget.
Read more: Hello, Hello Kitty: 18 days in Japan with a toddler
Summer in the Algarve, Portugal
How much does a family holiday in the Algarve cost?
A two-week family holiday in the Algarve costs around €5,600 (about $6,500 or £4,800) for a family of four in 3-star hotels in July or August. Rent an apartment in the quieter months and it can be as little as €2,700, the best value of any destination in our calculator.
The Algarve’s secret weapon for families is how little the good stuff costs. Beach days are free, supermarkets and municipal markets make self-catering easy, and a simple lunch in a local restaurant won’t break the bank. Waterparks and boat trips are where the activity budget goes.
How you stay makes the biggest difference. Independent, budget-friendly guesthouses in historic towns like Tavira or Lagos keep costs down; the boutique Abacatus Farmhouse just outside Tavira is a lovely mid-range treat; and upscale resorts like Martinhal come with kids’ clubs and multiple pools. If you can, go in May, June, September or October: the sea is still warm, the crowds have thinned and accommodation can be around 30% cheaper than in summer.
Watch more: our Algarve videos on YouTube
How we calculate and FAQ
How we calculate our family trip budgets
Every estimate starts with what we actually paid on our own trips, checked against recent published prices for hotels, car hire, food and activities. We then apply the things that change a family budget in real life:
- Children cost less, but not nothing. Babies eat a fraction of an adult portion and get into most places free; children count at a reduced rate for food, activities and trains.
- Seasons matter. High, shoulder and low season each change what you pay for accommodation and transport.
- Longer trips get cheaper per day. Weekly and monthly rentals come with discounts, and nobody does a paid activity every single day of a month-long trip.
- Bigger families need more space. The calculator adds a second room or a 7-seat car when you need one.
Each estimate shows a likely range, from about 15% below to 25% above the typical figure, because no two families spend alike. Flights, travel insurance and visas aren’t included, since they depend so much on where you’re flying from.
What’s the cheapest family holiday destination in the calculator? The Algarve, especially if you self-cater outside July and August. Japan is the surprise runner-up once you’ve landed.
Are these prices per person or for the whole family? For the whole family. The calculator also shows the cost per person per night, handy for comparing destinations.
How often are the prices updated? We check each destination at least once a year, and after every trip where we see current prices. The date is shown with each estimate.
Can I get my budget as a PDF? Yes. Enter your email in the calculator and we’ll send you the full breakdown, with our notes for that destination.
Which destinations are coming next? We’ve travelled to 82 countries, so there’s a queue. Follow our adventures to hear when new ones are added.
Happy travels!
