Planning your first independent trip?
You need to watch out for the hidden costs of solo travel and how to avoid them before they drain your bank account.
In this guide, I’m revealing why being a lone wolf is often more expensive than traveling in a pair and the 12 secrets I use to keep my budget in check.
Here are 12 Hidden Costs.
- The “Single Supplement” Fee
- Solo Taxi Spikes
- Dining “Portion Waste”
- Emergency “Safety” Splurges
- Lack of Group Discount
- Laundry Costs
- Excessive Bottled Water
- Flights
- Medical
- ATM & Foreign Transaction Fees
- Wifi
- Overpacking Fees
Keep reading, and I’ll go over these hidden costs in more detail and how to avoid them.
Solo Travel Budget Blueprint 💰
Calculate the hidden “Solo Tax” of your next trip.
4 Life-Changing Benefits of Traveling Solo for the First Time
I’ve traveled solo a lot, and I’ve traveled with others!
The issue with traveling with others is that you end up in a bubble. Traveling solo forces you to meet other people, and this is one of the best parts of traveling.
Plus, when you travel solo, you have more freedom.
I found that when I travel with someone, I have to make deals and compromise.
Of course, solo traveling can give you a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem that’s hard to put into words.
I solo-traveled Europe, India, and Southeast Asia, and boy, did I get lost MANY times.
Getting lost is part of what traveling is all about!
How to Avoid the Single Supplement Fee on Tours and Cruises
Some travel pricing is based on “double occupancy.” Meaning for 2 people!
If you travel solo, the company could lose that second person’s revenue.
This has to do with Hotels or cruise lines.
In order to make up for this loss, they charge an extra 25% to 100% more.
You can avoid this fee by booking with “solo first” tour companies. A few examples could be…
- G Adventures and Intrepid Travel
- Exodus Travels
Hostels are also amazing, and I recommend them. I’ve stayed at Hostels all over Europe, Fiji, even in New Orleans, and had a blast.
Some Modern hostels (often called “Flashpacker” hostels) offer high-end private single rooms that are inexpensive.
There are apps that can help you find someone to split the cost, such as Workaway or Worldpackers!
There is a Solo Traveler Blog that can list companies waiving this fee.
Cruise lines are the worst offenders! However, some offer Studio” cabins designed and priced specifically for one person.
It’s just something to be on the lookout for.
How to Stop Getting Overcharged for Taxis When Traveling Alone
Without an extra person to split the fare, airport transfers and taxis are double the cost.
Instead, you can use airport shuttle buses or apps like BlaBlaCar to share rides.
Another crazy idea that can work is to walk. I solo-traveled Europe, and I honestly don’t remember ever taking a taxi.
I just walked and figured out buses!
Europe is great because they have lots of trains too.
Tips for Eating Solo Without Wasting Food or Money
In some countries, dining portions are huge and meant for sharing.
I’ve always been a fan of eating at street food stalls, and they are more inexpensive. Another idea is to go to a grocery store and pick up items.
This can save you a lot of money.
Even better, when you travel solo, it forces you to ask someone at your hostel, tour or someone you met if they would like to eat with you.
Then you meet someone new.
Building a Solo Travel Emergency Fund for Safety Splurges
If you feel unsafe in a location, you’ll pay anything to move.
I noticed this when I stayed in the worst Hostel in a horrible area of Berlin, Germany. Everywhere I went, people were offering me drugs.
You can also avoid this with some research.
Use Google Street View to view the area before booking to avoid emergency rebooking fees.
Also, some people don’t want to solo travel due to safety, especially girls!
A wonderful discreet way to stay safe is with a tactical pen.
Not only is it good for self-defense, but it also has lots of uses, such as breaking glass if you’re trapped.
It has a whistle for emergencies, a flashlight, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, plus it writes too.
They can also be a great present too. They are durable and very inexpensive.
During the Pacific Coast Trail hike, I carried bear mace, and boy, did I feel like a dork. A tactical pen you can also take anywhere, and it’s more hidden and looks normal.
You can hide it in your pocket, and it’s peace of mind. Plus, it’s easier than a knife or mace.
How Solo Travelers Can Find Discounts Without a Large Group
Many tours require a 2-person minimum. If you travel with someone, then it might be easier to sign up for certain tours.
I found hostels are great because you can sign up and a group automatically gets formed.
In Europe, Rick Steves has free walking tours you can download on a phone, and I did SO many of them. This enabled me to save all kinds of money!
There are other apps, such as GPSmyCity
In museums, sometimes they have audio tours that you have to pay for, and I found these helped a ton. They sort of dummy-proof the experience.
Just like with dining, if you’re solo traveling, it forces you to interact with people to get a group formed to make the tour happen.
Reminds me of World of Warcraft, a long time ago, where to go to a dungeon, there needed to be a group, and sometimes I had to message people to ask if they wanted to do it.
I played the original, then left the game after that.
Best Ways to Do Laundry on the Road to Save on Hotel Fees
Hostels often charge per load, not per item.
This is one area where traveling with someone can save money.
You can save money by washing clothes in your sink or even in your water bladder (clean everything at once).
I use this small liquid soap, which is amazing. It’s also good for the environment.
How to Get Safe Drinking Water Without Buying Plastic Bottles
Buying small water bottles daily can really add up.
It’s also not good for the environment.
What I use and recommend is a small Steripen to filter my own water.
A single Steripen is rated at around 8,000 treatments.
Say 1 Steripen filters 1 bottle of water (which it can do more), and 1 water bottle is $4, then you would save $32,000.
Not including helping the environment. A Steripen is lightweight and kills 99% of viruses and only takes 90 seconds to filter water anywhere.
If you use it a few times, it more than pays for itself.
The largest benefit is that it’s so easy to use. Before the Steripen, I used a water filter where I had to squeeze hard, and it just sucked.
The Steripen is that you push a button, twirl it around some water, and in 90 seconds, you have clean water anywhere.
Plus, they are very inexpensive, and you can see if Amazon has any deals.
I even wrote a post on 12 MORE benefits of a Steripen for solo travelers, and some are surprising.
Why Solo Flights Can Be More Expensive (and How to Find Deals)
One of the most expensive parts of traveling is flights.
Everywhere you look, prices are different.
What is crazy is that airlines and booking sites change prices based on your search history.
What if there were a way to save hundreds of dollars on a flight? Someone created a guide that shares insider secrets on booking them.
This is why you know exactly what to do to get the cheapest flights available every time.
Even if you save just a tiny amount of money on flights, it all adds up and is worth it.
Why Solo Travelers Need Specialized International Travel Insurance
It’s not a bad idea to look at travel insurance
I get it, I hate insurance as much as anyone. But, they have 24/7 assistance that acts like a travel partner.
They can help you find the nearest English-speaking doctor, make deals with hospitals, and even help with family if needed.
Lucky for you I found the most budget-friendly travel insurance!
It can cover Medical Emergencies like doctor visits and hospital stays that can cost tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket
Insurance covers emergency evacuation.
Insurance often covers lost or stolen gear. I used to live in a Southeast Asian country, and I had TONS of stuff stolen from me.
Insurance can also reimburse you for hotels, flights, and tours that are booked. With travel things just change, right?
The insurance I recommend has no age limit, it’s valid in any country in the world, and get insurance in under 60 seconds.
Plus covers COVID-19 treatment and quarantine costs.
You can view this insurance and see if they still have a discount.
How to Avoid Hidden ATM Fees and Foreign Transaction Charges
Many banks charge fees
The gold standard and the one I use is Charles Schwab. There are no fees on ATMs globally.
If you use my link, you can get up to $1,000 when you deposit money into a new account. You get $100 if you deposit $25,000.
Try to steer clear of ATMs in airports, hotel lobbies, or 7-Elevens; they have the worst exchange rates.
Also, if asked to pay the fee in local currency, that is the best choice, since the exchange rates are going to be horrible.
The Hidden Risks of Using Free Public Wi-Fi While Traveling
If you use hotels, hostels, or cafe wifi, you should have a VPN
The reason is that someone can view everything you’re doing.
This is fine if you’re just researching travel locations, but if you’re doing banking, business, or anything sensitive, it’s just not worth the risk.
I use this VPN because it’s dirt cheap and still works.
If you want something better, then this is the gold standard. It’s way faster, you can stream Netflix stuff in other countries, and it has much more security against malware.
It also has 6,400+ servers in 111 countries compared to the budget one of servers in 47 countries.
How to Pack Light for Solo Travel to Avoid Baggage Fees
Solo Travelers often overprepare with more gear.
This reminds me of when I hiked the Pacific Coast Trail.
To save money, only use the carry-on ONLY rule.
This is why I own and recommend this backpack because it’s just large enough for the carry-on on flights. Anything larger and you have to pay more money.
By sticking to this backpack you save!
Compression tubes can also help with organizing what is in your packpack. Backpacks are also easier to carry than rolling carry-ons.
Closing: Hidden costs of solo travel and how to avoid them (11 Ways)
I hope this post might have been helpful.
I fund my travel with affiliate marketing. What is so great about it is that you can do it anywhere in the world, anytime around a schedule, in nearly any niche, plus have tons of fun.
Oh, and you can earn extra cash. I’m giving away small free cheat sheets on the system I use.
If you want immediate cash, there are TONS of work-from-home jobs that can fund your adventures. I wrote a post that shares 9 reasons to consider a work-from-home job.
Bye for now.