Getting from point A to point B is only part of the equation now. In the face of the dollar's declining value worldwide against foreign currencies, there can be a bit of sticker shock while traveling. To demonstrate where you can get the most bang for your buck, this monthly index compares the costs of common consumer goods around the globe. Conversions are calculated using www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi.
Budapest, Hungary (Source: Hungary National Tourism Office; www.gotohungary.com)
- Movie ticket: $4.66
- Bus/subway fare: 86¢-97¢
- Cup of espresso (most common coffee available): 93¢
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Dreher, $1.86
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $83.95
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $6.29-$12.35
- $1=214.46 Hungarian Forints
Dallas, Texas (Source: Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau; www.visitdallas.com)
- Movie ticket: $8
- Bus/subway fare: $1.25
- Cup of regular coffee: $1.50
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Shiner Bock, $3.25
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $78.56
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $29
Philadelphia, PA (Source: Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation; www.gophila.com)
- Movie ticket: $8.50-$9.75
- Bus/subway fare: $1.30-$2
- Cup of regular coffee: $1.25
- Pint of local beer in a bar: Yard's Beer, $3
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $102-$141
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $45
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (Source: Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority; www.pngtourism.org.prg)
- Movie ticket: N/A (there are no movie theaters)
- Bus/subway fare: 20¢ for passenger motor vehicles (no bus or subway)
- Cup of regular coffee: $1.48
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: PNG Beer $1.48
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $66-$132
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $14.15
- $1= 3.03 Papua New Guinea Kina
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (Source: Trinidad and Tobago Tourism and Industrial Development Company; www.visittnt.com)
- Movie ticket: $5.25
- Bus/subway fare: 38¢-45¢
- Cup of regular coffee: 95¢
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Carib, 95¢-$1.91
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $85-$155
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $22.30-$67.70
- $1=$6.27 Trinidad and Tobago Dollars
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (Source: Tourism Institute of Tierra del Fuego; www.tierradelfuego.ar)
- Movie ticket: $1.65-$1.98
- Bus fare: 41¢
- Cup of regular coffee: 82¢
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Quilmes, $1.65
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $165.23
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $10.90-$12.22
- $1= 3.02 Argentina Pesos
Victoria, Seychelles (Source: Seychelles Tourism Board; www.seychelles.com)
- Movie ticket: $3.69-$7.38
- Bus fare: 55¢-92¢
- Cup of regular coffee: $2.21
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Seybrew, $1.94
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two in nearby town (there are no hotels in Victoria itself): $176-$235
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $36.91
- $1= 5.41 Seychelles Rupees
Whistler, British Columbia (Source: Tourism Whistler; www.tourismwhistler.com)
- Movie ticket: $10.28
- Bus fare: $1.28
- Cup of regular coffee: $1.50-$2.14
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: High Mountain Brewing Company's Frank's Nut Brown: $6
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $128.58-$257.17
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $17.14-$25.71
- $1=$1.16
Yerevan, Armenia (Source: Armenia Tourism Development Agency; www.armeniainfo.am)
- Movie ticket: $2.25
- Bus/subway fare: 11¢-22¢
- Cup of regular coffee: 56¢
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Kilikia, 56¢
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $45.09
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $6.31
- $1= 443.5 Armenia Drams
Zurich, Switzerland (Source: Switzerland Tourism; www.myswitzerland.com)
- Movie ticket: $11.38-$15.17
- Bus/subway fare: $1.66
- Cup of regular coffee: $3.41
- Bottle of local beer in a bar: Turbinbrau, $3.79
- Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $189
- Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol but with tip (common): $34.15
- $1=1.31 Swiss Francs
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