15+ Destinations Where You Will Get the Most Value for US Dollar

The U.S. dollar has generally had a rough year when looking at the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY). This is generally used as a way to measure the strength of the U.S. dollar compared to a basket of currencies (weighting of the currency in parentheses) - Euro (57.6%), Japanese yen (13.6%), British pound (11.9%), Canadian dollar (9.1%), Swedish krona (4.2%) and Swiss franc (3.6%). Even looking back on the past three years, the dollar has seen better days. The U.S. dollar most recently peaked at the height of the 2020 pandemic-driven recession. The only listed declines from our list this year are the Hungarian forint (HUF), Japanese yen (JPY), Polish zloty (PLN), Thai baht (THB), and Turkish lira (TRY).

Does that mean it's harder to travel to other countries and get more for your dollar? Not so fast as regular international travelers know. Each country's cost of goods makes a dollar to foreign currency comparison more interesting.

An evaluation of how far your dollar will go in a foreign country is more complete when looking at comparative price level indices. The comparative price level indices are the ratios of purchasing power parities to market exchange rates. At the level of GDP, comparative price levels provide a measure of the differences in the general price levels of a basket of consumer goods and services in countries. This indicator is measured as an index and produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Wondering what this means in your day-to-day travel purchases around the globe? Check out our How Much Currency You Need blog series or infographic.

Top 15 countries where the US dollar has gained the most value since this time last year

It is a good time to look into traveling to some of the world’s best destinations. According to Sarah Schlichter, a senior editor at SmarterTravel, told Travel + Leisure, "Japan and Norway are not cheap; however, if you want to visit them now is a good time." Or if visiting the country is not in the cards at the moment, we suggest planning for a trip. Buying foreign currency now could provide some significant savings if global currencies regain some strength as their economies get back on track. 

For a better insight on airfares, Expedia has provided a 2019 Air Travel Outlook report and findings still apply today. From the report, here are some money-saving tips for travel:

1. Book flights at least three weeks ahead of travel
2. Book flights on a weekend
3. Book hotels on a Friday night
4. Start the journey on a Thursday or Friday
5. Extend short, weekday-only trips to include a Saturday night

1. Brazil - Brazilian Real (BRL)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 0.92%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $715
• Cheapest month to book a flight: March
   

2. China - Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 7.92%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $2,200
• Cheapest month to book a flight: April
   

3. Hungary - Hungarian Forint (HUF)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August  2021): -2.21%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $904
• Cheapest month to book a flight: November
   

4. India - Indian Rupee (INR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 0.89%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $849
• Cheapest month to book a flight: February
   

5. Indonesia - Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 1.94%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,112
• Cheapest month to book a flight: October
   

6. Japan - Japanese Yen (JPY)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): -3.02%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $800
• Cheapest month to book a flight: April
   

7. Malaysia - Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 0.43%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $689
• Cheapest month to book a flight: February
   

8. Mexico - Mexican Peso (MXN)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 12.33%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $223
• Cheapest month to book a flight: May
   

9. Morocco - Moroccan Dirham (MAD)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 4.64%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $992
• Cheapest month to book a flight: April
   

10. New Zealand - New Zealand Dollar (NZD)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 5.53%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $873
• Cheapest month to book a flight: June
   

11. Norway - Norwegian Krone (NOK)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 3.65%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,256
• Cheapest month to book a flight: October
   

12. Poland - Polish Zloty (PLN)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): -2.00%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $634
• Cheapest month to book a flight: February
   

13. Russia - Russian Ruble (RUB)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 1.91%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $911
• Cheapest month to book a flight: October
   

14. Seychelles - Seychellois Rupee (SCR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 19.34%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,047
• Cheapest month to book a flight: March
   

15. South Africa - South African Rand (ZAR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 18.59%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,042
• Cheapest month to book a flight: February
  
   

16. South Korea - South Korean Won (KRW)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 4.00%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $937
• Cheapest month to book a flight: April
  
   

17. Spain - European Euro (EUR)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 0.85%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $749
• Cheapest month to book a flight: January
   

18. Thailand - Thai Baht (THB)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): -5.33%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $773
• Cheapest month to book a flight: April
   

19. The United Arab Emirates - Emirati Dirham (AED)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): 0%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,156
• Cheapest month to book a flight: January
   

20. Turkey - Turkish Lira (TRY)

• Currency exchange rate change (August 2020 - August 2021): -16.2%
• Average cost for round-trip flights: $1,218
• Cheapest month to book a flight: March

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