United States trip: full budget by city

The choice of city decides everything, and the gap is the comparator's widest. New York sits at 213% of London, San Francisco and Miami around 125-127%, Los Angeles at 103%. A week in New York therefore costs roughly what two weeks in Los Angeles would.

New York lodging is in a category of its own: €151 at the budget end, €313 for a three-star. For comparison, the budget end in Los Angeles is €16. It is the only place in the comparator where sleeping simply costs the price of a comfortable hotel elsewhere.

The flight varies by gateway more than by season, between €249 for New York and €365 for San Francisco. On a week in New York it is a modest share of the total; on two weeks in Los Angeles it becomes significant again.

Two country-specific lines add to the bill. Local taxes are not included in posted prices, neither in shops nor on hotel nights, and tipping is a real component of staff income: 18 to 20% at restaurants. A budget calculated on posted prices is systematically 25 to 30% too low.

The climate varies as much as the prices, and there is no good season valid for the whole country.

New York has sharply marked seasons. Winter drops below zero in January, summer climbs to 24°C with high humidity, and rainfall is high and constant year-round, between 77 and 107mm a month. Spring and autumn, around 13 to 20°C, are clearly the most pleasant.

California has the country's most predictable climate. Los Angeles gets virtually no rain from May to September, between 1 and 9mm a month, at 19 to 25°C. That is a rare consistency, which makes planning very simple.

Florida imposes the opposite trade-off. Miami is permanently warm, between 21 and 28°C, but summer is very wet, at 158mm in June and September, and coincides with hurricane season, running June to November. The European winter, December to April, is the best window there, both for climate and for escaping the cold.

Flights vary by gateway, between €249 and €365 by coast, more than by season.

Eating. The posted price is never the price paid, and that is what most surprises European visitors. The bill adds local tax, not included, then the tip, 18 to 20% at table-service restaurants. A dish listed at $20 therefore comes to around $26. Food trucks, delis and counter chains partly escape this logic and allow a decent lunch for $10 to $15.

Getting around. New York is the only one of the four cities where a car is useless: the subway runs day and night and costs little. Conversely, Los Angeles is built for cars and public transport is impractical there: renting becomes near-compulsory, with fuel and parking to factor in. San Francisco sits in between, compact and served.

Sightseeing. New York museums are expensive, often $25 to $30, but several operate pay-what-you-wish or free windows for residents and sometimes for everyone: worth checking before visiting. In California, most of the appeal is outdoors, beaches, parks and neighborhoods, therefore free, and the big expenses are theme parks, which book ahead and cost heavily.

Currency. The US dollar. Cards work absolutely everywhere, often contactless, and cash is little used outside tipping.

Tax and tipping. This is the most important budget particularity. Prices posted in shops and restaurants exclude local tax, which varies by state and sometimes by city. On top comes the tip, 18 to 20% at table-service restaurants: not an optional extra but a real part of staff income.

Entry. An electronic travel authorization is required before boarding for nationals of eligible countries. It is applied for online, in advance, and is not issued on arrival. Check the requirements in force well before departure.

Distances. The country is larger than it looks on a map. Los Angeles and San Francisco are 600 kilometres apart, New York and Miami more than 2,000. Stacking cities on a short trip mostly means stacking journeys.