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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think £10k is enough for 10 days in Boston?

217 replies

1ladybird · 26/04/2026 00:29

Family of 5. 2adults 3 kids. Is £10k enough for flights and meals out for 10 days in US summer 2027?

Staying with friends who like to eat out- Boston. Possibly need car hire.

I thought this would be plenty as flights available £3k and we can stay with our friends.

However, we visited NYC (just me and DH). SO SO expensive!!!

US vs Uk economy reminds me of how rich British ppl felt visiting Eastern Europe 20+ years ago..! Now we’re on the receiving end!! Our economy is so poo and London seemed so cheap after visiting NYC Nov ‘25 😬.

After advice from families who travel to US regularly/ recently. TIA xxx

OP posts:
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pinck · 12/09/2026 15:09

ThatCleverAnt · 12/09/2026 12:08

I live in the US (but not Boston). $10k would not be enough for my lifestyle where I live in Florida and Boston is even more expensive. Can it be done? Yes. Would it be enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons? Likely not. I would hate for my experience of a foreign country to be limited to having to cut back on everything and not being able to enjoy things I had been looking forward to. Who wants to eat Kraft box meals every day, for example?

What exactly is this mysterious ‘lifestyle in Florida’ that apparently requires more than $13.5k for ten days? 😭 Are you chartering yachts between brunch reservations? You can spend an unlimited amount on any vacation if that’s your lifestyle, but your personal spending habits are not a universal minimum budget.

Original poster
1ladybird · 12/09/2026 14:53

likelysuspect · 26/04/2026 12:19

What flights are you finding?

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Virgin from Heathrow. Just booked them and was £2800 all in with baggage and checked seats next to each other.

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 12/09/2026 14:27

mondaytosunday · 26/04/2026 00:36

No. Flights will be at least half that amount.

Just bought flights for £2800 for all 5 of us with Virgin. Includes the extra paid for booked seats and checked luggage. (Would have been £2040 if not).

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 12/09/2026 14:22

ThatCleverAnt · 12/09/2026 12:08

I live in the US (but not Boston). $10k would not be enough for my lifestyle where I live in Florida and Boston is even more expensive. Can it be done? Yes. Would it be enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons? Likely not. I would hate for my experience of a foreign country to be limited to having to cut back on everything and not being able to enjoy things I had been looking forward to. Who wants to eat Kraft box meals every day, for example?

Thanks it’s interesting to hear all opinions. I’ll repost next year after we’ve been!

Just to point out £10,000 is $13,5000

We have zero accommodation costs for Boston 10 nights which was my initial question/ post.

The only accommodation we need is NYC and that’s an add on to my post so not expecting that to come out of the £10,000 for Boston.

Won’t be eating out all the time and can pack up picnics/ buy groceries (so won’t be eating any Kraft box meals 😆).

Certainly not going to scrimp when we’re there but also don’t want to come back double the size so will defo do mix of meals.

Nice to have a budget, not end of the world for us if it does go over.

Watch this space!

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 12/09/2026 14:07

Autumnontheway · 12/09/2026 13:29

we had a three week trip this summer to DC, NY, Cape Cod and Boston. Stayed in nice Airbnbs and had a car for the cape cod bit. £12k total for our family of five. Ate out most days, cooked in some nights. Very very doable . Booked flights last September they cost £2500.

Irecommend staying in Hoboken for your NY bit of the trip. Loads of really nice airbnbs as opposed to Brooklyn or Manhattan. Great views of Manhattan from there and ten mins in on the ferry.

Sounds like an amazing hol and similar to our plans! We are lucky that we don’t need accommodation for Boston and also our friends have a family holiday property at Cape Cod that we are also all going to go to for couple of nights.

So only need NYC hotels. This was an add on to our initial plans so will obs boost the overall cost. Sounds like you managed fine around that budget though. Thanks will look those suggestions up. Was going to go with Rui plaza as they have family rooms and breakfast. We stayed as a couple nearby and liked the area for convenience of all the places we wanted to visit. Will defo check out your suggestions .

Any tips on best companies for car hire?

OP posts:
Autumnontheway · 12/09/2026 13:29

we had a three week trip this summer to DC, NY, Cape Cod and Boston. Stayed in nice Airbnbs and had a car for the cape cod bit. £12k total for our family of five. Ate out most days, cooked in some nights. Very very doable . Booked flights last September they cost £2500.

Irecommend staying in Hoboken for your NY bit of the trip. Loads of really nice airbnbs as opposed to Brooklyn or Manhattan. Great views of Manhattan from there and ten mins in on the ferry.

thestraycathouse · 12/09/2026 13:23

1ladybird · 12/09/2026 10:34

Flight cost update .

Just booked as they became available today for the dates we wanted.

£2800 for all 5 of us including luggage and pre booked seats all food drink etc with Virgin.

Would have been £2560 without pre booked seats and £2040 with just 10kg hand luggage each.

Decided to fly into Boston and out of NYC and have 4 days there at the end of our trip so we’re going for 2 weeks now 🥳.

Book Amtrak in advance - it goes up significantly nearer the time.

DorotheaShottery · 12/09/2026 12:44

Yes. Would it be enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons? Likely not.

I bet OP and her family have a great time. Please update next year!

ThatCleverAnt · 12/09/2026 12:08

I live in the US (but not Boston). $10k would not be enough for my lifestyle where I live in Florida and Boston is even more expensive. Can it be done? Yes. Would it be enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons? Likely not. I would hate for my experience of a foreign country to be limited to having to cut back on everything and not being able to enjoy things I had been looking forward to. Who wants to eat Kraft box meals every day, for example?

Original poster
1ladybird · 12/09/2026 10:34

Flight cost update .

Just booked as they became available today for the dates we wanted.

£2800 for all 5 of us including luggage and pre booked seats all food drink etc with Virgin.

Would have been £2560 without pre booked seats and £2040 with just 10kg hand luggage each.

Decided to fly into Boston and out of NYC and have 4 days there at the end of our trip so we’re going for 2 weeks now 🥳.

OP posts:
Thechaseison71 · 30/04/2026 20:18

Happyhappyday · 30/04/2026 05:16

Flights will be £800+, more if July or near uni graduations or starting. There are thousands of uni students in Boston which drives up costs at specific times of year. So at least £4k just on that. Flights have actually been pretty stable long term- I lived in Boston and went back and forth to the UK and £800 was pretty consistent if you shop around.

i live in a similarly expensive city and we can’t go out for a family of 3 for dinner for less than $100 if we’re not doing a shitty chain restaurant. I’d figure $300+ a night for an Airbnb, probably closer to £4k for 10 days. The T is good in Boston but if you’re hiring a car, figure $60-$100 a day. You’d maybe have £200 a day for food and everything else if you don’t hire a car. Might be enough but probably not.

But the OP doesnt need accomodation

Happyhappyday · 30/04/2026 05:16

Flights will be £800+, more if July or near uni graduations or starting. There are thousands of uni students in Boston which drives up costs at specific times of year. So at least £4k just on that. Flights have actually been pretty stable long term- I lived in Boston and went back and forth to the UK and £800 was pretty consistent if you shop around.

i live in a similarly expensive city and we can’t go out for a family of 3 for dinner for less than $100 if we’re not doing a shitty chain restaurant. I’d figure $300+ a night for an Airbnb, probably closer to £4k for 10 days. The T is good in Boston but if you’re hiring a car, figure $60-$100 a day. You’d maybe have £200 a day for food and everything else if you don’t hire a car. Might be enough but probably not.

DorotheaShottery · 30/04/2026 04:39

Your staying with family so have already said will be covering some of their meals out as thanks for hosting you all for 10 days.

I know OP has checked out of her thread but if I were staying with family/friends, I'd pay for one meal out as a "thank you" and split the others 50/50.

Bookloveruk · 28/04/2026 20:24

YourBlueShark · 28/04/2026 20:12

Those cities are significantly less expensive than Boston/Cape, though. I'm from the Boston area (lived in town for over a decade) and we joke that when we go to those cities, it's like everything is on sale. Dining, activities, etc are just much less costly in other parts of the country.

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Wow. I’ve been to Boston 4 times though a few years ago. I found Nashville a lot more expensive last year than Boston for drinks and food. Accommodation much cheaper. Costs everywhere are getting so expensive

Boohoo76 · 28/04/2026 20:16

Five (2 adults, 3 kids) Economy flights return with BA in August is coming in at £3230. You will have plenty with £10k OP, presuming that you are happy to fly Economy.

hahabahbag · 28/04/2026 20:14

Depends on how many meals out and attractions. £6k after flights and car hire seems enough as long as you are not eating 3 meals a day in high end restaurants plus very expensive activities to me. New York was averaging $30 per head for breakfast and $60 for dinner in standard level places (including taxes and tip), nothing special and not boozy though we found better deals in the neighbourhood we were staying in compared to the main drag, 3 years ago. If you are eating in/takeaways/or just grabbing bagels etc for some meals then I can’t see an issue.

YourBlueShark · 28/04/2026 20:12

Bookloveruk · 26/04/2026 16:32

I haven’t been to Boston for a few years but did Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans last year. If you eat in pubs and diners it’s much more affordable. Drinks now are really expensive. I found cape cod was very expensive but you could wander around with no cost. Boston freedom trail was broadly free. Salem was expensive too as it’s a tourist place but again cafe and diners were reasonable. Have a fabulous time and keep
an eye out foR local events

Those cities are significantly less expensive than Boston/Cape, though. I'm from the Boston area (lived in town for over a decade) and we joke that when we go to those cities, it's like everything is on sale. Dining, activities, etc are just much less costly in other parts of the country.

YourBlueShark · 28/04/2026 20:08

nixon1976 · 26/04/2026 14:45

Obviously up to you but I really think you have to tip minimum 20%. It's just how it works here. When in Rome...

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Agreed. 20% is the minimum standard here.

YourBlueShark · 28/04/2026 19:56

canklesmctacotits · 26/04/2026 00:43

Flights for all 5 of you for 3k? Really? Are they infant triplets travelling on your laps? I think flights would be the best part of $5k depending on the jet fuel situation. Then $500/day would be loads given you don’t have to pay for accommodation. Realistically I think flights will end up somewhere closer to $6k but even then you’ll have enough left over.

I lived in Boston for over a decade and still go into my office there several times per month; $500 per day for the family will not go far. It's doable but they'll need to be mindful about their spending.

WhereHasMyPlanetGone · 28/04/2026 19:45

Nas1G0r3ng · 28/04/2026 17:50

No way would I be spending £10k for 10 days for friends somewhere not that amazing or where I wasn’t that fussed about going , I wouldn’t spend that on family. That’s a lot of money!

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Everyone is different! We’ve just spent a fortune going to see friends abroad. It’s not a place I would have visited if they didn’t live there, but going to spend time with them was the point of it and we had a brilliant time.

Tiptopflipflop · 28/04/2026 18:15

I'd recommend checking out some menus. I've found that restaurant prices in the US vary hugely between different cities, so unless people have been to Boston lately, general comments aren't that helpful. I would also look into really well reviewed cheaper options that you could suggest to your hosts. E.g. legendary local Mexican restaurants can be fairly cheap.

Original poster
1ladybird · 28/04/2026 18:13

Right thanks folks! Lots of useful answers and examples from people who live there or have been recently as a family.

Post has served its purpose so I’m off now!

Will see if I can find it again after our trip to let you know how much I spent in the end! Going August 2027 so we’ve a bit of a wait!

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Original poster
1ladybird · 28/04/2026 18:01

DrummondStick · 28/04/2026 17:52

I don’t drink so that makes a difference!

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Yer huge difference! We all met in our late teens/ early twenties - a life time ago. We used to drink a fair bit back then! So a few drinks defo on the cards some evenings but nothing too heavy!

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Original poster
1ladybird · 28/04/2026 17:58

Nas1G0r3ng · 28/04/2026 17:50

No way would I be spending £10k for 10 days for friends somewhere not that amazing or where I wasn’t that fussed about going , I wouldn’t spend that on family. That’s a lot of money!

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That’s your choice/ circumstances.

We loved travelling pre kids and have 2 big hols we want to do to see friends with the kids before eldest reaches 18/ uni/ flies the nest.

One is to see our very good friends in America who the kids have grown up seeing every couple of years in UK/ Europe .

Another is to visit another good friend in Australia!

We are solvent enough to afford it without going without healthy food/ hobbies/ roof over our head rest of the year.

Appreciate your finances and priorities are not the same as ours but this is my thread 😆👍

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DrummondStick · 28/04/2026 17:52

1ladybird · 28/04/2026 17:44

I found alcohol a lot in NYC defo more than London. Also found restaurants to be a lot more. Fast food dirt cheap in NYC.

Maybe that’s because I’m more likely to plan in London though and know the chains. Whereas more likely to make random choice on hol!

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I don’t drink so that makes a difference!

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