The 15 Most Expensive Travel Destinations in 2026

A cheap restaurant meal cannot tell you what a destination will cost. Squaremouth’s 2026 expense index combines reported daily trip cost with airfare, car rental, dining and weeknight hotel prices. Greenland scores 9.84 out of 10, ahead of the British Virgin Islands and French Polynesia.

The figures reflect the study’s travel and booking assumptions, including flights from New York and Los Angeles. They are benchmarks for comparison, not quotes for a trip departing from another country.

Ranking Snapshot

Greenland takes first place at 9.84. The British Virgin Islands follow at 9.72, and French Polynesia is third at 9.43. Three destinations tie for ninth—Botswana, Anguilla and Saint Lucia—while Namibia and Iceland share twelfth place at 8.08.

Top 15 Highlights

1  Greenland

Greenland’s travel costs are shaped by the way an itinerary is assembled. International flights feed into a limited network of domestic air and boat connections, and towns are not joined by roads. A standard daily car-rental figure therefore says little about moving between stops; accommodation and meals must be considered alongside those extra transfers.

2  British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands work best as a collection of islands rather than one fixed resort base. Flights may involve a Caribbean connection, then ferries or boats link the places travelers want to stay. Villas and waterfront hotels set a different tone from a simple room, while a rental car helps mainly on the island where it is collected.

3  French Polynesia

French Polynesia often begins with a flight into Tahiti and another journey to the chosen island. On Bora Bora, an overwater bungalow and resort dining create a very different stay from a guesthouse and local meals. Boats connect offshore resorts to the main island, so a car is useful only for certain itineraries rather than every day.

4  Antarctica

An Antarctic journey is usually purchased as an expedition voyage, with a ship cabin, meals and guided activities bundled together. Flights, a hotel night and local transport around the departure gateway are separate decisions. That distinction matters here: the table’s car, meal and hotel benchmarks describe the gateway, not a daily routine on the continent.

5  Maldives

In the Maldives, the flight is only the first leg: reaching a resort island may require a speedboat or seaplane transfer. Accommodation ranges from guesthouses on inhabited islands to private-island villas, and meal plans can change the dining experience substantially. On many resort islands, a conventional rental car has little practical role.

6  Switzerland

Switzerland gives travelers a genuine choice between a rental car and an extensive rail network. Trains can link city hotels, lakeside towns and mountain resorts without daily driving, while a car may suit a more flexible rural route. Restaurant meals and the location of each overnight stay still shape the overall trip even when the flight is settled.

7  Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe itineraries often use Victoria Falls as an arrival and hotel base before adding a longer safari stay. Airport transfers and guided drives may be more relevant than keeping a rental car throughout. Hotels, lodges and meals can also be packaged differently, so the cost of a complete trip depends on how those parts are booked together.

8  Turks and Caicos Islands

On Providenciales, the main island of the Turks and Caicos, resorts, restaurants and beaches are spread beyond one walkable strip. A rental car can add flexibility, while taxis may suit a shorter hotel-centered stay. The accommodation choice, from a resort room to a villa, and the amount of restaurant dining matter as much as the flight deal.

9  Botswana

Botswana’s safari trips often combine small camps, guided game drives, meals and transfers into one booking. Reaching a remote Delta camp may involve a light aircraft or boat, making a conventional rental-car price a poor stand-in for the full journey. A town hotel rate likewise describes only one part of a much broader itinerary.

10  Anguilla

Anguilla can be reached by air or through a ferry connection from nearby Saint Martin, so the arrival route deserves attention. Once on the island, a rental car makes it easier to move between beaches, hotels and restaurants. The stay can feel very different in a large beachfront resort, a smaller property or a villa with self-catering.

11  Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia’s winding roads make travel time between the airport and a chosen hotel more important than a map distance suggests. A rental car offers independence, but transfers or drivers can suit a resort stay. Dining also differs between an inclusive hotel plan and visits to local restaurants, changing how the trip feels day to day.

12  Namibia

Namibia suits a route-based trip, where long drives connect a series of lodges rather than one hotel base. A rental car can be central to that plan, while remote stays may require meals to be arranged ahead. Flights set the arrival point, but the number of road days and overnight stops determines the shape of the journey.

13  Iceland

Iceland’s Ring Road makes a rental car attractive for travelers who want flexible stops, while a shorter city-based visit can use tours instead. Hotel availability changes along the route, and restaurant meals may be less flexible in smaller settlements. Planning the driving days and overnight locations together is more useful than treating each cost category alone.

14  Norway

Norway can be explored by train, ferry and bus as well as by rental car, especially where fjords interrupt a simple road route. Choosing between those options changes the daily pace and the places to stay. Restaurant dining and hotel nights in different towns then become part of the route decision, rather than fixed expenses everywhere.

15  Zambia

Zambia travelers may combine a Livingstone stay with a separate safari lodge, adding domestic flights or road transfers between them. Guided drives and lodge vehicles can reduce the need for a conventional rental car. Some safari stays include meals, whereas a town hotel leaves dining separate, so the booking structure matters to the full trip.

The Bottom Line

The expensive part of a trip changes with the destination. Greenland’s costs run across several categories; Caribbean and Pacific islands stand out for rooms; African wildlife itineraries and polar journeys bring substantial prepaid trip and flight costs. Before booking, compare the components you will actually use—and the departure airport you will actually fly from.