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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:
PurpleThistle7 · 26/04/2026 13:18

I think you can build a budget yourself much more accurately as you’ll know what you like. Ask them for the names of some restaurants they like and build an order up - remember to add 20% minimum for a tip. Then look up prices for attractions x 5.

flights and cars (and food) likely to be maybe 10-20% more expensive by 18 months from now so add that on. Remember it will be crazy hot so not sure how you’d do with full outdoors days - you’ll likely want lunch inside to recover if you’re hiking etc in the morning.

groceries are maybe triple the cost (I’m American and our family is east coast). So whatever you spend on a normal shop maybe double it to account for eating out 1-2 times a day.

Lots will depend on what you usually do - starters, alcohol, car rental etc.

nixon1976 · 26/04/2026 13:18

Oh, and the summer here is gorgeous. I also live about 20 miles out of town and it's a gorgeous area to holiday in.

WheretheFishesareFrightening · 26/04/2026 13:18

I travel to the US every year, for between 7 and 15 days and I think it’s doable, especially given you’ve got no accommodation costs and will undoubtably do some meals at your friends’ house, and that you can take leftovers from any meals out and make them last two meals (hard to do in a hotel).

You might need to be mindful of spending while you’re there but definitely doable.

(I was last in Boston and New England in 2024, so not super out of date knowledge).

nixon1976 · 26/04/2026 13:18

I live here and yes it is insanely expensive. Flights aside, a meal out in a decent restaurant will cost $500 for a family of five including tip. A Starbucks coffee+pasty for five will cost the best part of $70. A diner lunch will be $150+. And factor in activities - they are expensive here.

But why do you need to spend like this every day? Go to the beach, hire bikes, go to the Cape - not every day has to cost a fortune. And do you need to eat out every night? (Although a take-out for five will also cost well north of $100). With a bit of discussion and planning yes, you can have 7 days for 7k + flights.

museumum · 26/04/2026 13:14

I would add 33-50% onto what you’d spend in the uk per day for a similar trip. I reckon maybe £100 per person per day would be a reasonable budget to stick to in the uk so that’s up to £7.5k for your family plus flights. Plus whatever you want to spend as a thank you to your hosts.
what I don’t know is what kids meals are like in the US or if two kids can share. There is certainly a LOT of waste eating out in the US.

If you’re going to have some days just hanging out at your friends home or the local park just chilling not doing tourist stuff it might be less.

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 13:03

Swiftie1878 · 26/04/2026 12:58

What are you planning to do for 10 days? Presumably you won’t just be sitting on your hands? What activities, travel etc?
And what age are your kids?

I’d say you’d be pushing it for 5 of you, especially with covering some of your hosts’ costs too.

Show quote history

How much do you think?

I’m after advice from people who have done similar breaks recently to share their budget with breakdowns. Then we can plan accordingly as we still have over a year.

Kids will be 6-12 yrs. Plan is out every day but some stuff local outdoors things. )They actually live in small town 10 miles from Boston) So Beach trips. Couple of tourist days centre of Boston. Trip to Salem. Day out at Cape Cod etc and open to suggestions!

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:59

NotAnotherScarf · 26/04/2026 09:39

Jesus. Im definitely on the wrong board...who spends £10k on a holiday. The middle classes who will be moaning about being squeezed.

Yes looking at prices in the US for eating out alone you're going to need more.

Lots of people still do who are high earners.

We personally don’t ever spend this much. Which is why I’m asking for well travelled folks advice!

As it would ruin it for me if we went expecting it to be £10k all in and ended up being £15k or even £20k according to some people.

It’s a big/ important one off trip for us.

Also anywhere abroad family of 5 is a lot. All inclusive beach breaks are easily £5k + in school summer holidays. Best deals not available when you’re a family of 5 instead of 4!

We have some great US friends we really want to visit. Friendship has stayed alive by them coming to UK/ Europe. We really want to visit but cost of living between UK and US is a world apart now vs 10-20 years ago 😬

Obviously there are many who will never spend this much on a hol. I’m just asking the advice of people who do to guide me to a realistic budget!

OP posts:
Swiftie1878 · 26/04/2026 12:58

1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:31

Well that’s why I’m asking! This is a big hol for us. We usually do UK one year and then every other a beach/ euro hol.

What was your recent experience of US prices?

I wasn’t concerned that this wouldn’t be enough until I saw prices in NYC few months back.

so I have a year to be prepared!

Show quote history

What are you planning to do for 10 days? Presumably you won’t just be sitting on your hands? What activities, travel etc?
And what age are your kids?

I’d say you’d be pushing it for 5 of you, especially with covering some of your hosts’ costs too.

likelysuspect · 26/04/2026 12:55

SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 26/04/2026 12:52

10k isn’t enough, you need at least 20k. The flights are about to go nuts in price with the jet fuel shortage.

OP is going next year though, not this year. Who knows what will have hapepned by then, these things tend to be over fairly quickly, or Trump might be dead by then!

People keep talking about this jet fuel shortage but nothing seems to have happend

SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 26/04/2026 12:52

10k isn’t enough, you need at least 20k. The flights are about to go nuts in price with the jet fuel shortage.

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:49

AltitudeCheck · 26/04/2026 07:37

Little kids or teenagers eating adult portions? Are you planning many excursions/ activities that will eat into the budget?
It's doable especially if you eat some meals at home. If you want to treat your hosts, eat at fancy places and have alcohol with your meals you could easily blow that budget though.

Google some restaurants to get an idea of prices and don't forget to add at least 20% for tips/ taxes.

Kids ages will range from 6 to 12 at time of trip.

staying with friends and day trips into centre of Boston, Salem, cape cod maybe. Outdoorsy places as we have lots of kids between us!

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:47

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 looked up virgin for this August and that’s what I’ve based my prices on.

tbh I don’t want to get too fixated with flights. If they’re £5k instead of £3k then I will obs have to spend that extra.

its the cost of tourist stuff/ eating out a meal a day/ travel within etc I'm hope to glean more advice on from people who have been recently.

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:47

mondaytosunday · 26/04/2026 00:36

No. Flights will be at least half that amount.

I looked up virgin for this August and that’s what I’ve based my prices on.

tbh I don’t want to get too fixated with flights. If they’re £5k instead of £3k then I will obs have to spend that extra.

its the cost of tourist stuff/ eating out a meal a day/ travel within etc I'm hope to glean more advice on from people who have been recently.

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:46

Justusethebloodyphone · 26/04/2026 10:19

We go to US every year as we have family over there and add a separate holiday onto visiting. We often share meals as portions are large. A couple of large pizzas is a great way to feed everyone. A good way to save money is to just drink water with meals and then have sodas or whatever from the supermarket in the car. Meals are filling and we often end up only eating twice a day and don’t need to snack. Not intentionally but it’s the way it works out.

Research cheaper eats before you go and have a plan in your head so you don’t end up eating in more expensive places because you’re suddenly starving and don’t know what the options are.

If you book flights make sure you book car hire with it as it’s much cheaper to book as a package. You won’t need a car in Boston but will outside.

We find the North East significantly more expensive than the West (have family in both) for eating out.

Accommodation is hugely expensive in Boston but luckily that’s covered.

Thanks for advice x

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:44

MidnightMeltdown · 26/04/2026 12:42

I went to Boston about 12 years ago and don’t remember it being any more expensive than the UK. However, having seen recent headlines that the UK is now poorer than the poorest state in America, things might have changed 😬

Yer I didn’t realise how much it had changed. About 20 years ago it was £1 to $2!! We’re worlds apart now!!

When I went to NYC in Nov with DH for big birthday it was a shock which has made me reconsider/ consider if family hol is worth it!! Really want to see our friends though.

OP posts:
MidnightMeltdown · 26/04/2026 12:42

I went to Boston about 12 years ago and don’t remember it being any more expensive than the UK. However, having seen recent headlines that the UK is now poorer than the poorest state in America, things might have changed 😬

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:40

Another76543 · 26/04/2026 11:02

Are you sure flights will be £3k? BA and Virgin for example haven’t released next summer’s flights yet. Car hire would be about £1000 for 10 days. That gives £6k left for 10 days. An average of £600 a day is easily doable if you don’t have accommodation costs. Bear in mind that excursions could be expensive though. For example whale watching might be around £250 for a family.

I looked up virgin for this August and that’s what I’ve based my prices on.

tbh I don’t want to get too fixated with flights. If they’re £5k instead of £3k then I will obs have to spend that extra.

its the cost of tourist stuff/ eating out a meal a day/ travel within etc I'm hope to glean more advice on.

Thanks that’s helpful about car and other info x

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:35

ffsisthisreal · 26/04/2026 09:26

Absolutely.

Though why you’d choose to take children to the USA I do not understand

To visit our friends. They’ve come to Europe lots over the years and it’s way over our turn to go to US!

They’re US couple who lived in UK for a while and we want to stay friends and are keen to see them in their home town.

OP posts:
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 26/04/2026 12:35

zxzx6576 · 26/04/2026 10:00

Lots of people…not many families are going to Florida for less than £10,000, and plenty of Brits are going to Florida still.

Show quote history

Yup I just priced a 10 day holiday to Florida - 2 adults two kids £14k - I'm not justifying that tbh. That's 4 months nett salary for me and I just think - did I work for 4 months to pay for 10 nights in Florida? No!

Anyway, this thread is interesting!

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:32

Momtotwokids · 26/04/2026 12:30

I would ask your hosts how much. I think $20,000 is over the top.

I hope/ think so too but I’m not an experienced traveler to US and never been with kids.

If it’s $20k it might have to go on hold for another year!

OP posts:
Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:31

mjf981 · 26/04/2026 12:26

You're asking if 700 pounds PER DAY with no accomodation costs is enough for a family in Boston?

It's like a different world on here sometimes. Of course it's enough. Honestly...

Well that’s why I’m asking! This is a big hol for us. We usually do UK one year and then every other a beach/ euro hol.

What was your recent experience of US prices?

I wasn’t concerned that this wouldn’t be enough until I saw prices in NYC few months back.

so I have a year to be prepared!

OP posts:
Momtotwokids · 26/04/2026 12:30

I would ask your hosts how much. I think $20,000 is over the top.

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:28

PixelDreamer · 26/04/2026 06:46

Who knows what will happen in 2027 but direct flights with Virgin in England School Holidays this summer are less than 600 so £3k for flights sounds about right. With no accommodation costs 7k for everything else sounds like enough to me, but I don't know what your holidays normally look like.

Thanks that’s helpful. We’re low maintenance and don’t normally do long haul. Special trip with the kids to see uni friends who visited us in UK the other year.

It’s just they are but more flash than us so I have to accept we won’t be picking all the meals/ dining options. They know we’re not as well off as them though and they are our friends. So will sound them out before that we’re not up for high end meals out every day so mix in some cheaper options!

As it’s not their holiday they will hopefully be quite chill. If we meet up and are both on hol they go to town on things more- which is fair enough! Just want to go with a realistic budget so we can relax and enjoy!

OP posts:
mjf981 · 26/04/2026 12:26

You're asking if 700 pounds PER DAY with no accomodation costs is enough for a family in Boston?

It's like a different world on here sometimes. Of course it's enough. Honestly...

Original poster
1ladybird · 26/04/2026 12:23

Bjorkdidit · 26/04/2026 07:28

Can't you say to your friends 'can we eat in/get a takeaway a few times because otherwise this holiday is going to cost such a huge amount of money'. I mean, £10k and it might not be enough? Will you be paying for their meals out as a thank you for the free accommodation? Might be more relaxing too, rather than having to be constantly 'going out' all the time too?

But I'd also make sure I'm making the most of huge US portions - share dishes, take leftovers to eat the following day etc. Basically, don't spend money on buying more food than you actually want to eat.

Yes absolutely and I’m sure we’ll eat in sometimes but then this would be counter balanced by offering to pay for them sometimes as they’re hosting. So just trying to go for a worse case scenario cost so I can still enjoy the hol and not worry about it when we’re there.

Thanks

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