The Hidden Cost of a European Holiday: How Much UK and US Tourists Really Spend Beyond Flights and Hotels

When planning a trip to Europe, most travellers focus on the big-ticket expenses: flights, hotels and changing spending money. But what about everything else?

From tourist taxes and mobile roaming charges to restaurant service fees and cleaning costs, these often-overlooked expenses can quietly add hundreds to the cost of a holiday before you've even bought your first souvenir.

To understand just how much these hidden costs add up to, global travel eSIM provider, Nomad, analysed 11 of Europe's most popular city break destinations, comparing the extra costs faced by both UK and US travellers. The research reveals not only which cities are the most expensive once these additional charges are factored in, but also how costs differ depending on where you're travelling from and why a family holiday can dramatically change the rankings.

Key Findings

• A solo traveller from the US faces an average of $239 in hidden travel costs during a one-week European holiday, rising to $671 for a family of four.
• A solo traveller from the UK spends an average of £167, while a family of four can expect hidden costs of £455
• Amsterdam is the most expensive city for solo travellers from both countries.
• For families, however, Rome becomes the most expensive destination for UK travellers, while Paris overtakes Amsterdam for visitors from the US.
• Dublin is the cheapest destination overall for US travellers, while Madrid offers the lowest hidden costs for UK holidaymakers
• Amsterdam is the most searched European city by UK travellers, whereas London receives the highest flight search volume from Americans
• Tourist tax structures, not hotel prices, are the biggest reason family travel costs vary so dramatically between destinations

Europe's Most Expensive Cities for Hidden Travel Costs

The analysis shows that hidden travel costs can vary by hundreds depending on where you choose to holiday.

For solo travellers, Amsterdam tops the rankings for both UK and US visitors. Between tourist taxes, dining costs and other unavoidable charges, travellers can expect to spend $418 (US) or £313 (UK) before accommodation and flights are even considered.

For American visitors, Paris, Venice, Rome and Barcelona complete the top five most expensive destinations, while UK travellers see a slightly different order, with Rome, Paris, Barcelona and Venice following Amsterdam.

However, travelling as a family completely changes the picture. Instead of Amsterdam remaining the most expensive destination, Rome becomes the costliest city for UK families, while Paris takes the top spot for families travelling from the United States. That shift isn't driven by hotels or restaurants. It comes down almost entirely to how each city charges tourist tax.

Where UK and US Travellers Want to Go

The research also reveals striking differences in where British and American travellers are planning their European holidays. For UK travellers, Amsterdam dominates search interest with around 42,000 monthly searches for flights, more than double the volume of Paris, its nearest competitor. Dublin, Barcelona and Paris also remain among Britain's most popular destinations.

Americans tell a very different story.

London attracts almost 39,000 monthly searches, making it comfortably the most searched European destination from the United States. Venice and Paris follow closely behind, while Amsterdam, Britain's favourite destination, only ranks fourth.

Interestingly, popularity doesn't always correlate with affordability. Amsterdam is both Britain's most searched destination and the country's most expensive city for hidden costs, suggesting many travellers may be underestimating how much extra they'll spend once they arrive.

Meanwhile, London is America's favourite European destination despite only ranking seventh for hidden costs. Although dining in London is among the most expensive in Europe, the absence of a city-wide tourist tax keeps overall costs lower than destinations like Amsterdam, Paris and Rome.

Where Does the Money Actually Go?

Although travellers often think of hidden costs as one unexpected expense, they're actually made up of several smaller charges that quickly accumulate over the course of a holiday.

The analysis considered five of the most common additional travel expenses travellers face:

• Mobile roaming or data costs
• Tourist taxes
• Restaurant service charges and tipping
• ETIAS visa fees
• Accommodation cleaning fees

While both UK and US travellers face these same categories, the costs differ considerably because of variations in roaming plans, average meal prices and visa assumptions.

For US travellers, hidden costs average:

• $35 for mobile data
• $49.42 in tourist taxes over a week
• $52.21 in restaurant service charges
• $22.64 ETIAS fee per adult
• $79.92 average cleaning fee

Together these total $239 for a solo traveller before flights and accommodation.

UK travellers spend less overall, but the extras still add up:

• £14 for mobile data
• £37 in tourist taxes
• £39 in restaurant service charges
• £17 ETIAS fee
• £60 average cleaning fee

That's £167 in additional costs for a solo traveller, or £455 for a family of four.

One category stands out above all others: roaming.

While roaming costs have fallen significantly thanks to travel eSIMs and international data plans, travellers who rely on standard carrier charges can still spend substantially more than those who prepare before departure. Unlike tourist taxes or service charges, roaming is one of the few hidden costs travellers have complete control over before they leave home.

Why Rome Overtakes Amsterdam for Families

One of the biggest surprises is that Amsterdam, Europe's most expensive city for solo travellers, is overtaken by Rome for families. The difference comes down to tourist tax. Amsterdam charges per room, so a solo traveller and a family of four staying in the same room pay the same amount. In contrast, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, Venice and Prague charge tourist tax per person, per night, meaning a family of four pays four times more before any other holiday costs are added.

That single pricing difference reshapes the rankings. For UK travellers, Rome’s tourist tax rises from £59.50 for a solo traveller to £238 for a family of four, making it more expensive than Amsterdam. The same pattern appears in the US rankings, where Paris overtakes Amsterdam because its tourist tax is charged per guest. For families, understanding how tourist tax is calculated can have a significant impact on the total cost of a trip.

The Cheapest Cities to Visit

At the opposite end of the rankings, several destinations benefit from having little or no tourist tax.

• For UK travellers, Madrid offers the lowest hidden travel costs, followed closely by Prague and Munich.
• For US visitors, Dublin is the most affordable destination overall, thanks largely to the absence of a tourist tax and relatively modest additional charges.
• London also performs better than many travellers might expect.

Although it has some of Europe's highest restaurant prices, the lack of a city-wide tourist tax keeps its overall hidden costs below destinations such as Amsterdam, Paris and Rome.

Prague consistently ranks among the cheapest cities across almost every category analysed. Low tourist taxes, affordable dining and lower service charges make it one of the best-value destinations in the study despite its growing popularity with international visitors.

Switching to an eSIM Can Be One of the Biggest Travel Savings

Unlike tourist taxes or local service charges, mobile data is one hidden travel cost that travellers can reduce before they even leave home.

Nomad's analysis found that travellers can make significant savings by switching from standard roaming to a travel eSIM:

US travellers

• 3-day trip: Save 69% ($36 roaming vs $11 eSIM).
• 7-day trip: Save 70% ($84 roaming vs $25 eSIM).

UK travellers (where European roaming charges still apply)

• Vodafone: Save 52% on a 3-day trip (£24 vs £11.34) and 57% on a 7-day trip (£56 vs £24.19).
• EE: Save 37% on a 3-day trip (£18 vs £11.34) and 42% on a 7-day trip (£42 vs £24.19).

As travellers increasingly rely on digital boarding passes, navigation apps, restaurant bookings and messaging services while abroad, planning how you'll stay connected has become an important part of managing travel costs. While expenses such as tourist taxes are unavoidable, choosing a travel eSIM before departure can help reduce unnecessary roaming charges.

Shern Ng, General Manager at Nomad, said: "Travellers often budget for the big-ticket expenses like flights and accommodation, but it's the smaller costs that can catch people by surprise once they're abroad. Understanding these additional expenses before you travel can help set more realistic expectations and make it easier to manage your overall holiday budget. Where there are opportunities to plan ahead, such as mobile connectivity, travellers may also be able to reduce some of these costs before they even leave home."

Methodology

Hidden travel costs were calculated using publicly available data covering mobile roaming, tourist taxes, restaurant service charges, ETIAS visa fees and accommodation cleaning fees across 11 major European cities. Separate datasets were compiled for UK and US travellers using market-specific assumptions, including average meal prices, roaming costs and applicable visa fees. Figures represent estimated hidden costs for both a solo traveller and a family of four over a one-week trip.

Flight search interest reflects average monthly searches for "flights to [city]" from the UK and the US. Restaurant service charge estimates were based on average meal prices across 237 European cities using Numbeo data. Tourist tax information, visa fees and accommodation costs were sourced from official tourism websites, government guidance, Airbnb, Rick Steves and other publicly available sources currently at the time of analysis.

This research compares additional travel costs beyond flights and accommodation and is intended to illustrate how destination-specific fees can influence the true cost of a European holiday.