Check out this post — Expense Report: Pre-Trip Costs — for a better understanding of other costs associated with a RTW trip, as well as a definition of my travel style and how it impacts my budget.

I remember watching The Biggest Loser a few years back and financial guru Suze Orman dropped in to chat with contestants. She talked about how tracking calories and tracking spending are very similar — if you pay close attention to either, it helps you make better decisions about food or money. She’s right on both accounts. From the day I left Los Angeles, I have recorded every cent that’s left my pocket. I added up the numbers for my 51 days in New Zealand and here’s how it breaks down in US dollars:

• Accommodation = $1127.25 … average = $22.10 per day
• Food = $986.43 … $19.34 per day
• Coffee = $183.65 … $3.60 per day
• Groceries = $191.74 … $3.75 per day
• Cell & Wifi = $139.33 … $2.73 per day
• Activities = $816.90 … $16.01 per day
• Transportation = $878.57 … $17.22 per day
• Miscellaneous = $193.09 … $3.78 per day

And the grand total for 51 days in New Zealand is… drum roll please…:

$4,516.96 USD, which works out to $88.56 per day.

That’s a lot of money, right? I’m finding that Australia is similarly priced. Asia is much cheaper and my wallet is counting down the days until I get there.

And here’s how those numbers compare with the the Cook Islands, my first stop on this RTW trip:

• My daily average spent in Cook Islands: $157.05
• My daily average spent in New Zealand: $88.56

My visit to each country was so different that it’s weird to see those numbers side-by-side. As I visit more places these comparisons will mean more.

A handful of things to note:

• I used xe.com in mid-May to calculate the exchange rate between the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and the U.S. Dollar (USD). At that point in time, 1 NZD = .81 USD.
• Here’s my distinction between “food” and “groceries” — food means I spent the money eating out; groceries means I spend the money dining in, or picking up snacks for the road. Groceries also includes items like full-size shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, etc.
• Regarding transportation, this includes my share of the rental car and gas from my trip with Allison. It also includes my discounted Stray bus pass and a handful of other bus tickets.
• I bought a local SIM card so I could join a New Zealand cellular network (Telecom) instead of paying for international cell service from a company back in the U.S. (I have to log on to Verizon and suspend my U.S. cell service every 90 days; they will tack that amount of time on to the end of my cell contract — but in the meantime it’s not costing me anything.) It’s much cheaper to travel this way; I paid $5 for a SIM card in the Auckland airport and then around $40 USD for 2GB of data each month. I added $10 of texting / calling so that I had that option if needed. To keep in touch with family and friends back home, I use the Viber app for free calling and texting to other Viber users anywhere in the world. (This app is my favorite piece of travel advice. In addition to free calls and texts, you can send photos, videos, and your exact GPS location.) I also had to pay for internet along the way; there’s a service called Global Gossip in most hostels which provides unlimited internet access for $12 / week per each device. This is how I uploaded blog posts from my laptop and kept in touch.
• I did not incur ANY withdrawal fees from ATMs because of my Charles Schwab debit card. It’s one of the only US banking institutions to offer zero fees from local or international ATM transactions and it has saved me quite a few bucks. (This article explains why the Charles Schwab checking account is a good option.)
• I have not purchased a single souvenir from my travels. And I haven’t even been tempted! Instead I place keepsake value on my photographs, as they will mean more to me than any trinket or piece of jewelry in the long run. I spend what would otherwise be souvenir money on experiences like a ticket to a show at the Sydney Opera House.

And perhaps you are wondering — how much did I save by reaching out to travel companies and exchanging tour experiences for coverage on my blog? I received discounts at Hobbiton, the dolphin swim in Kaikoura, and my Stray bus pass. I received free trips / tours in the Bay of Islands, Hell’s Gate mud baths, Abel Tasman kayaking, and Blue Duck Lodge horseback riding & kayaking. I paid full price for everything else (including the Franz Josef hell-hike tour, which cost $222 USD). The total amount I saved because of my travel blog is $1,017.85 USD.

Not bad!!