Is it cheaper to vacation in Europe than in the US?
Often, but not always. Flying from Los Angeles, the European trip is cheaper in 6 of our 10 US-vs-Europe matchups, all-in for 2 adults with flights; the US trip wins 3 and 1 are roughly even. Where Europe wins, it's cheaper hotels and daily costs, not airfare.
. Flight fares and all totals are estimates, not live pricing.
US vs Europe: 10 trips priced side by side
Each row is one of our head-to-head matchups: the same kind of trip at home and in Europe. The last column counts how many of our 8 departure cities favor the European side.
| Matchup | US trip | Europe trip | Result from LAX | Europe cheaper from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maui vs. Lisbon | ≈ $6,670$4,918–$8,426 | ≈ $4,090$2,929–$5,246 | Lisbon ~$2,600 cheaper | 8 of 8 cities |
| New York City vs. London | ≈ $5,250$3,834–$6,662 | ≈ $5,970$4,313–$7,617 | New York City ~$700 cheaper | 0 of 8 cities |
| Alaska vs. Iceland | ≈ $5,930$4,134–$7,724 | ≈ $6,770$5,000–$8,546 | Anchorage ~$850 cheaper | 0 of 8 cities |
| New Orleans vs. Barcelona | ≈ $4,040$2,849–$5,238 | ≈ $4,870$3,595–$6,140 | New Orleans ~$800 cheaper | 0 of 8 cities |
| San Francisco vs. Lisbon | ≈ $4,070$2,895–$5,240 | ≈ $4,090$2,929–$5,246 | Roughly even | 3 of 8 cities |
| Boston vs. Budapest | ≈ $5,210$3,940–$6,470 | ≈ $4,270$3,246–$5,289 | Budapest ~$950 cheaper | 8 of 8 cities |
| Washington, D.C. vs. Kraków | ≈ $4,340$3,148–$5,528 | ≈ $3,280$2,404–$4,165 | Kraków ~$1,050 cheaper | 8 of 8 cities |
| New York City vs. Istanbul | ≈ $5,250$3,834–$6,662 | ≈ $4,730$3,744–$5,721 | Istanbul ~$500 cheaper | 1 of 8 cities |
| Aspen vs. St. Anton | ≈ $10,210$7,540–$12,880 | ≈ $7,270$5,435–$9,100 | St. Anton ~$2,950 cheaper | 8 of 8 cities |
| Park City vs. Bansko | ≈ $9,080$6,000–$12,150 | ≈ $4,260$3,210–$5,310 | Bansko ~$4,800 cheaper | 8 of 8 cities |
What makes Europe cheaper (when it is)
Across these 10 pairs, the European side's average lodging estimate is about $190 a night against $340 for the US side. Over 7 nights that's about $1,000 for the week. Airfare pulls the other way: from Los Angeles, the low end of typical fares to the European destinations averages about $720 per person against $290 for the US ones, roughly $850 more for two. Which effect is bigger depends on the pair, as the table shows.
The gap is widest in Park City vs. Bansko and Aspen vs. St. Anton, and smallest in Alaska vs. Iceland and New Orleans vs. Barcelona.
Where the US wins
New York City vs. London: the US side is cheaper from 8 of 8 cities. Alaska vs. Iceland: the US side is cheaper from 5 of 8 cities. New Orleans vs. Barcelona: the US side is cheaper from 7 of 8 cities. New York City vs. Istanbul: the US side is cheaper from 1 of 8 cities. The US also wins on things a price can't show: no passport, shorter flights and less jet lag. See US alternatives to a Europe trip.
Photos: New York City: Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0 · London: Ilya Grigorik, CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons · Photo credits
International vs domestic: all 21 matchups, by city
Counting every matchup on the site (beach, city, culture, nature and ski, not only Europe), here's how often the international trip comes out cheaper from each departure city.
| Flying from | Abroad cheaper | US cheaper | Even | Europe cheaper (of 10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LAX) | 13 of 21 | 3 | 5 | 6 of 10 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 12 of 21 | 4 | 5 | 5 of 10 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | 15 of 21 | 4 | 2 | 6 of 10 |
| Denver (DEN) | 12 of 21 | 4 | 5 | 5 of 10 |
| Dallas (DFW) | 13 of 21 | 5 | 3 | 6 of 10 |
| Seattle (SEA) | 14 of 21 | 3 | 4 | 5 of 10 |
| Chicago (CHI) | 13 of 21 | 3 | 5 | 5 of 10 |
| New York (NYC) | 13 of 21 | 2 | 6 | 6 of 10 |
Book this trip: Kraków or Lisbon (from Los Angeles)
Flight searches start in Los Angeles (LAX) for a 7-night trip for 2 adults. Partner prices are live and may differ from our estimates.
Poland (Kraków)
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Related comparisons and guides
- Maui vs. Lisbon · Is Hawaii really cheaper than Europe? Once you add up the hotel bill, maybe not.
- New York City vs. London · Big-city week vs. big-city week: what does crossing the Atlantic actually add?
- Alaska vs. Iceland · Glaciers, big landscapes and long summer days, at home or across the Atlantic.
- New Orleans vs. Barcelona · Music, food and late nights: the Big Easy or Catalonia's capital?
- San Francisco vs. Lisbon · Hills, trams, a big red bridge and fog: the two cities even look alike. Which week costs less?
- Boston vs. Budapest · History, river views and old-world architecture: New England or Central Europe?
- Washington, D.C. vs. Kraków · Monuments and museums vs. a medieval old town: which history week is the better deal?
- New York City vs. Istanbul · Two crossroads cities that never sleep: Manhattan or the Bosphorus?
- Aspen vs. St. Anton · Iconic Colorado skiing or the Austrian Alps: is Europe really the expensive option?
- Park City vs. Bansko · America's largest ski resort or Bulgaria's budget Alps: the biggest ski saving on the site.
- Europe vs Florida vacation cost
- Ski trip cost: US vs Europe
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to vacation in Europe than in the US?
In our data, often, but not always. Of the 10 US-vs-Europe matchups we price, the European trip is cheaper in 6 and the US trip in 3 when flying from Los Angeles (1 are within 8%). Where Europe wins, cheaper hotels and daily costs outweigh the higher transatlantic fares. Sample estimates for 2 adults, 7 nights, flights included.
Which European city is cheapest to visit from the US?
Of the European destinations we price, Poland (Kraków) has the lowest all-in week from Los Angeles: about $3,280 for 2 adults with flights. From Las Vegas: Poland (Kraków); From Phoenix: Poland (Kraków); From Denver: Poland (Kraków); From Dallas: Portugal (Lisbon); From Seattle: Poland (Kraków); From Chicago: Poland (Kraków); From New York: Poland (Kraków).
Are international vacations cheaper than domestic ones?
Often. Across all 21 matchups on the site, the international trip is cheaper in 13 from Los Angeles, the US trip in 3, and 5 are roughly even. Depending on the departure city, the international trip wins between 12 and 15 of them. From Los Angeles, Los Angeles vs. Bangkok is priced as a staycation (no flight) on the US side.
Which US trips are cheaper than their European alternative?
New York City (vs London) from 8 of 8 cities; Anchorage (vs Reykjavík) from 5 of 8 cities; New Orleans (vs Barcelona) from 7 of 8 cities; New York City (vs Istanbul) from 1 of 8 cities. Everything else on the list is cheaper in Europe or roughly even.
How much more are flights to Europe than domestic flights?
From Los Angeles, the low end of typical round-trip fares to the European destinations we price averages about $720 per person, against about $290 for their US counterparts. For two travelers that's roughly $850 more, before lodging and daily costs are counted.
How we priced this
Every total is 7 nights for 2 adults: round-trip economy flights for both travelers, one mid-range room, and daily food, local transport and activities for two (plus lift tickets and rentals on ski trips). Flight ranges per route come from published typical fares or, where marked "Aviasales cached", from cached fare data refreshed automatically; lodging and daily costs are the same figures used on each comparison page, where every source is listed. These are sample estimates, not live prices. Read the full methodology.