A little bit goes a long way (international edition)
From Central Ohio, the cheapest international destinations are going to be ones in Central America, the Caribbean, or Mexico. Â You can take an inexpensive cruise to any of these destinations, but you know me… I gotta bump it up one step.
Let’s say we don’t want to go on a cruise, but would like to spend a week exploring another country.  I’ve decided to do this trip as a couple, so let’s see how far $2,400 can get.  I have chosen $2,400 because I know that the median household income in Ohio is $46,093, and I’m sure that’s based on the fact that many families in Ohio have two incomes.  So let’s say that you have $46,093 per year.  After taking out 25 percent for taxes, that’s $34,569 a year.  That equates to $2,880 a month.  Experts say that you should be spending about 1/3 of your income on housing so that would be $865.  I would estimate about $300 for utilities.  Let’s say you have two $200 car payments, you spend $150 a week on groceries and fuel, you have a $120 a month cell bill.  That still leaves $595 for whatever other bills you have to pay.  I am guessing there’s at least $200 in there you could save towards travel. Â
I know I talk a lot about money, but I am a practical person. Â What good is planning a trip if you can’t ever go on one? Â I should also mention that maybe you can’t afford to save $200 a month. Â But if you can afford to save $100 a month, and you can use your tax return for the other half, this is also a good option for you.
So we’re going to go on a little trip. Â I’ve started again with our Kayak explore options. Â I found that I can get a flight to Cozumel for $393 a person in May for two people. Â That’s a pretty good deal!
After airfare, we’re left with $1,614 for a week.  I found a place on airbnb, it’s in a great location and looks clean and comfortable.  For a week, it costs $521.  It’s a 20 minute walk to the beach or downtown, it’s close to two grocery stores (one right around the corner) and a 5-10 minute walk from the airport. Although we don’t necessarily need a car, if we want to visit any of the Mayan ruins, it would be a lot easier and give us more flexibility for sightseeing.
I found a car rental for $152 for a week, and I would estimate about $40 for fuel, so that’s $192.
After flights, a place to stay and a rental car, we have $901 left for sightseeing and food. Â I’ve taken a look at some of the prices in one of their grocery stores, and prices seem very reasonable (even on the inexpensive side.) Â Restaurants don’t look over the top either, so I think we can budget $30 for food per day, per person. Â That is $420. Â After food, flights, a rental car, and a place to stay, we still have $481.
Cozumel to Playa del Carmen ferry costs about $23 a person.  Playa del Carmen has lots of activities that seem very reasonably priced.  From here, you can book a tour of the Chichen Itza.  I found one tour for $95 a person. Other options include Ek Balam Mayan Ruins, Yal ku Lagoon, and Cenote Canaak Tun.
You can use your $481 however you want, you can book a few snorkeling tours, visit some ruins, have a nice fancy dinner, or even stop by a market and get some loot to take home with you.  You probably wouldn’t even need to spend all that.  After looking at fees and tour costs, I would estimate that $300 should be sufficient for two people to enjoy some good activities.  (For example, snorkeling in Yal ku Lagoon is only $10 a person for snorkel gear, and entrance to Ek Balam is only $10 a person.)
It seems that Mexico is a great get-away for a good price.
Car rental and fuel: $192
Sightseeing: $300
Total $2,219
How about a non-beach destination for you mountain junkies? Â Let’s see how far we can get in Canada for $2,400. Â Tickets to Vancouver are $423, for June 2-9. Â (7 days!) Â Canada is going to be more expensive than Mexico, for sure, but I think we can still pull something off.
Plane tickets are $846, leaving us $1,554 for everything else.Â
Since we have an entire week, I think two nights in the city would be good to start, and then we’ll see if we can venture off to somewhere with more nature.
I found a place on airbnb with a private balcony off the bedroom, which I think is wonderful. Â (It’s only $58 a night, and is a close walk to public transportation.)
There are a lot of free things to do in Vancouver, check out this National Geographic Guide for a list of ideas.  Includes lots of outdoor places like Granville Island, Canada Place and Stanley park, as well as a cathedral and an observatory.
Vancouver Island nearby boasts great seascapes and parks and through word-of-mouth I’ve heard Tofino is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Â I think this might be a good place to spend a few days relaxing.
We can pick up a rental car for this excursion and have it from Thursday through Monday. Â The rental car is $100, and I’m estimating $100 for fuel. Â (Since Tofino is 350 miles roundtrip.)
I found a gorgeous home on Airbnb that is perched on a hill with water views for $97 a night. Â We’ll stay here four nights which equates to $387.
There is so much to do near Tofino, and with a rental car we have the ability to travel around and see it. Â There’s kayaking, wind-surfing, many parks including Pacific Rim National Park.
Food looks a little on the pricey side in Canada, so for two people, I would estimate $40/day per person. Â
I would also give yourself about $150 for sightseeing adventures, maybe a Kayak rental and park fees, if they apply.
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Four nights in Tofino: $387
Car rental and fuel: $200
Sightseeing and park entrances: $150
Transportation within the city, and miscellaneous: $75