Where Does the Dollar Do Best? Global Price Index for August 2009

What will it cost you to travel now? Here's what you'll pay for a movie in Montserrat, a beer in Baltimore, a bed in Nice, and more travel essentials around the world.

By Carrie Havranek

The specific rates described in this article have now passed, but it remains online so that the resources named will be of future use to travelers.

Getting from point A to point B is only part of the equation now. To demonstrate where you can get the most bang for your buck, this monthly index compares the cost of common consumer goods around the globe. Conversions are calculated using www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi.

Baltimore, Maryland

(Source: Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association; www.baltimore.org)

Movie ticket: $9
Bus/subway fare: $1.60
Cup of regular coffee: $1.50-$2.75
Bottle of local beer in a bar: National Bohemian, $2-$3.25
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $99-$149
Moderate, three-course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $29

Lilongwe, Malawi (Source: Malawi Travel Marketing Consortium; www.malawitourism.com)

Movie ticket: N/A
Bus/subway fare: N/A
Cup of regular coffee: 50¢
Bottle of local beer in a bar: Carlsberg, $1
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $50
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $10-$15
$1= 141.00 Malawi Kwachas

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (Source: Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture & Heritage; www.novascotia.com)

Movie ticket: $10.12
Bus/subway fare: N/A
Cup of regular coffee: $1.24-$1.61
Bottle of local beer in a bar: Alexander Keith's, $4.37
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $91-$100
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $24.88-$39.63
$1=$1.08 Canada dollars

Nice, France (Source: French Government Tourist Office; www.franceguide.com)

Movie ticket: $12.65
Bus/subway fare: $1.40
Cup of regular coffee: $2.81
Pint of local beer in a bar: Heineken, $7
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $98.42-$182.80
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $46.40
$1=€ .71

Pozan, Poland (Source: Polish Tourist Organization; www.poland.travel)

Movie ticket: $4.37-$5.05
Bus/tram fare: 70¢-$1.20
Cup of regular coffee: $2.69
Pint of local beer in a bar: Lech Pils, $2.69
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $74.21
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $19.23
$1= 2.96 Poland Zlotych

Salem, Oregon (Source: Travel Oregon; www.traveloregon.com)

Movie ticket: $9
Bus fare: $2
Cup of regular coffee: $2.50
Pint of local beer in a bar: Big Horn Beer, $4.75
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $90-$180
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $26

Sweeney's, Montserrat (Source: Montserrat Tourist Board; www.visitmontserrat.com)

Movie ticket: $3.72
Bus/subway fare: $1.17-$1.87
Cup of regular coffee: $2.50-$3
Bottle of local beer in a bar: Carib, $2.50-$3
Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: N/A; villas are found throughout the island, priced $700-$2,000 per week
Moderate, three course meal for one, without alcohol or tip: $15.75-$37.45
$1=2.68 East Caribbean Dollars

Taipei, Taiwan (Source: Taiwan Visitors Association; www.go2taiwan.net)