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    Volunteer Trip Budget Worksheet — Print-Friendly Total-Cost Template

    Companion to our cost calculator tool — same coverage, but designed to be printed and filled in by hand. Useful for parents sitting with a teen, or volunteers offline. Editorial estimates only; verify each line with the specific provider, insurer and embassy.

    Last updated:

    For: volunteer / parent / student planning a specific trip · Use when: before booking flights or paying program deposit

    Trip basics (set these first)

    • Destination country
    • Duration (weeks)
    • Departure month
    • Travelling solo / with partner / with group
    • Currency you'll budget in (USD / GBP / EUR / etc.)

    Program fees (the headline cost)

    • Program fee — base
      Typical: USD 600 – 4,000+ for 4 weeks
    • Mandatory add-ons (airport transfer, orientation week, end-of-program excursion)
    • Optional add-ons you'll take
      Be honest — "optional" excursions usually get taken
    • Program fee subtotal

    Travel + transport

    • Return flights
      Typical: USD 600 – 2,500
    • Domestic flights between project sites
    • Airport transfer (if not included in fee)
    • Weekend / end-of-trip leisure travel
      Typical: USD 200 – 2,000+
      Most-underestimated line
    • Visa-extension travel (if applicable)
    • Transport subtotal

    Insurance (specialist, not generic)

    • Travel insurance (volunteer-specific)
      Typical: USD 80 – 400 for 4 weeks
      Not standard travel insurance — confirm volunteer-activity cover
    • Medical evacuation upgrade if separate
    • Personal liability cover if separate
    • Insurance subtotal

    Visa + entry

    • Visa fee
      Typical: USD 25 – 200
    • Visa support letter / processing fee
    • Passport-renewal cost if needed
    • Visa subtotal

    Health + vaccinations

    • Travel-clinic consultation
    • Vaccinations (yellow fever, Hep A/B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, etc.)
      Typical: USD 100 – 800
    • Antimalarials
    • Prescription medication for trip duration
    • Health subtotal

    Gear

    • Trip-specific items (mosquito net, water purification, head torch)
      Typical: USD 100 – 500
    • Role-specific (scrubs, dive gear, work boots, etc.)
    • Backpack / luggage if needed
    • Gear subtotal

    In-country spending

    • Daily food not included in fee (weekly estimate)
    • Weekly rest-day transport
      Typical: USD 100 – 400 per week
    • Phone / data plan (per week)
    • Gifts / contributions
    • Multiplied by number of weeks
      Sum the four weekly lines × duration
    • In-country subtotal

    Emergency buffer (don't skip)

    • Emergency cash buffer
      Typical: USD 300 – 1,000
      Medical / motorbike / passport replacement / domestic flight home
    • Contingency for unbudgeted in-country costs (~10%)
    • Emergency subtotal

    Totals + funding

    • TOTAL ESTIMATED TRIP COST
    • Personal savings I'm contributing
    • Fundraising goal
      See our honest fundraising guide
    • Scholarships / grants I've applied for
    • Family / sponsor contribution
    • Shortfall to close before booking

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