Here is exactly which prices the calculator uses and which assumptions turn them into a range, so you can judge how far to trust the result.
Which prices are used
We use 2,273 price samples (108 cities) collected from the official pages of the places that actually charge them — restaurants, transport operators and attractions. Every sample carries its source and check date, which you can open under “Sources, evidence and warnings” on the result.
We do not use delivery-app prices, averages from other sites or estimated prices. When prices from another city in the same country are used, the result says so.
How the calculation works
Days: nights + 1. On the arrival and departure days, food and snacks are counted at 80%.
Meals: 3 meals a day × price per meal × travellers. The price per meal is read from the city’s restaurant menu prices, sorted low to high, at the band for your travel style (budget 20~40%, standard 50~72%, comfort 75~90%), then multiplied for sides and drinks (budget ×1.15, standard ×1.5, comfort ×2).
Snacks and drinks: budget 1, standard 2, comfort 3 a day. Alcohol is added only if you choose “include drinks”: 1–3 per adult a day.
Local transport: budget 2, standard 3, comfort 4 single rides a day. Choosing a pass or rides per day under “More settings” switches to that.
Attractions: only the places you pick, once each, at official adult and child prices. If you pick none, it is zero.
Airport transfers, car rental, flights, hotels and shopping: added only when you choose or enter them.
In cities where menu prices exclude tax and tip (such as the US), tax and a tip range are added to reach the amount you actually pay.
Finally a 10% reserve is added and the result is shown as a minimum–maximum range.
Worked example: Osaka, 4 days / 3 nights, 2 adults, standard style
Calculated by the same engine as the calculator, from the real samples as of 2026-10-04. Amounts are in local currency and rounded.
Meals: ¥1,770~¥2,490 per meal × 3 a day (80% on first and last day) × 2 = ¥38,232~¥53,784
Snacks and drinks: ¥341~¥490 each × 2 a day (80% on first and last day) × 2 = ¥4,910~¥7,056
Local transport: ¥210 per ride × 3 a day × 4 days × 2 = ¥5,040
Subtotal ¥48,182~¥65,880 + 10% reserve ¥4,818~¥6,588 = total ¥53,001~¥72,468
Results are reference ranges built from published price samples. Real prices vary by season, day and seller.
Flights and hotels are not searched live; enter amounts you already know and they are added.
Converted amounts use our researched fixed rate table (date shown). Real exchange and card payments add fees and spreads.
Meal and transport counts assume an average traveller. Change them under “More settings” if your plans differ.
When there is no result or it looks wrong
“Not enough price data” means the city’s meal or transport samples did not meet the threshold (a minimum per item and a 75% fill rate), so we did not estimate rather than invent values.
If your chosen currency cannot be converted, it is not in the rate table; local-currency and USD amounts are still shown.
If a total looks too high or low, open the day-by-day breakdown to check unit prices and counts, and adjust meals or transport to match your plans.