Originally Posted by
Brand_new_traveler
From a budget traveler perspective I am constantly shocked how much cheaper it is to travel within America than outside our country. I have talked to people who say that it costs twice as much to eat, sleep, drink and make general purchases in most countries than in America.
Is there anywhere in the world that a equal quality meal or hotel or consumer goods purchase will actually cost less than a similar town in America?
I don't know where you're coming from with regard to hotels, as there is an irritating lack of hostels or other budget accommodation in most of the US (as others have noted). Even in the most expensive European cities, one can generally find a bed for €20 a night, which is very difficult in many parts of America. In Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok it was easy to find an air-conditioned hostel for $9 a night, and in Phnom Penh I could get a private air-conditioned room for $9, which is completely out of the question in any city in America.
I would agree that the prices of fast food in America are hard to beat, lower than almost anything in Europe and competitive with most (palatable-by-non-locals) food in urban areas of Latin America and Asia. For decent-quality retaurant food, though, Southeast Asia and Latin America tend to be significantly cheaper than comparable food in the US. Even European restaurants can be competitive with US prices, particularly after you consider that everything in the US costs 15% to 25% more than it says on the menu.
Consumer electronics are nearly always cheapest in America, but this isn't really relevant when you are traveling anyway, and America remains notably behind the rest of the world in things like mobile phones. Things like generic clothes and toys are unsurprisingly often cheapest in China.
Originally Posted by
Alsacienne
I think it also depends on whether you are prepared to sacrifice your home 'standards' and 'prejudices' for the lifestyle of the countries you are visiting ....
This is true to a point, but the reverse can often be true as well. In Scandinavia this summer I was forced to go to McDonalds several times because it was the only prepared food I could afford. A local-run B&B, while an interesting experience, will tend to cost rather more than a backpacker hostel that looks and feels the same as every other backpacker hostel. Economies of scale mean that the bland, mass-produced option often works out a lot cheaper than local colour.