Thread by @TheMattViera

You don't have to be a millionaire to take a "mini-retirement."

I'm not a millionaire and I've taken 5 mini-retirements since 2018.

Ever wonder how much an international mini-retirement costs?

Let's dive into the numbers: (a thread - click here & scroll) ↓

The cost of a mini-retirement will vary depending on:

• Food
• Airfare
• Location
• Accommodations
• Length of mini-retirement

How and where you choose to spend your mini-retirement may be different from how I choose to spend mine.

Length of mini-retirement

The length of a mini-retirement can vary between a month, to 6-months, to a year.

It depends on a variety of factors such as your:

• PTO
• Budget
• Work schedule

I found a month to be the ideal length of time for me based on my budget and PTO.

Location

Use your imagination:

Where do you want to go and what do you want to do?

I choose Europe for a variety of reasons:

• Affordability
• Ease of travel
• Walkable cities
• History & culture
• Laid-back way of life
• Variety of restaurants, cafes, and activities

For a month, I suggest you choose one to two cities max.

In 2018 and 2019, I spent about a week in a different city for a month.

I lost a day traveling between each city which added to the costs and felt more like a vacation rather than a mini-retirement.

In 2022, I spent a week in Seville and a month in Barcelona.

In 2023, I spent 2 weeks in Vienna and 2 weeks in Budapest.

In 2025, I spent a few days in Milan and Como, then a month in Bologna, and then Rome.

But I didn't enjoy going to Rome after spending a month in Bologna.

I prefer staying in a city for a longer period of time rather than city hop.

I encourage you to consider the same.

Now you may be thinking:

"If I’m going anywhere for a month, I want to see as much as possible."

That defeats the purpose of a mini-retirement.

That’s binge travel.

A mini-retirement is the alternative to binge travel.

The goal is to slow down and "get lost intentionally."

But...

Spending a few days in a few cities before spending a month in one city may be a good way to go.

Airfare

• Round trip airfare from NYC to Europe in 2018 & 2019: ~$600
• To Madrid in 2022: ~$900
• To Vienna in 2023: ~$1000
• To Italy in 2025: ~$1200

I paid $0 each time for airfare.

Pro Tip: Use credit card reward points to pay for airfare.

I haven't paid for airfare using cash since 2017.

Accommodations

Completely dependent on you, your needs, and your budget.

Your choices:

• Hotels
• Airbnb
• Hostels
• Apart-hotels

My accommodation of choice: an Airbnb (or an Apart-hotel).

Why Airbnb?

I prefer an Airbnb over a hotel.

Airbnbs are more comfortable than a hotel.

They have kitchens to reduce food costs (eat in vs. dine out).

And I always find an Airbnb with a balcony.

There's nothing better than enjoying your morning coffee or evening drinks on a balcony.

Costs for accommodations

In 2018 and 2019, I stayed for about a week in different cities in hotels.

In 2022, I stayed in an Airbnb in Barcelona for 1 month with a balcony overlooking the city. Total cost: ~$2500

In 2023, costs for Airbnbs in 2 different cities (with balconies): ~$2800.

In 2025, accommodations were a bit more because I stayed longer in 3 different hotels and 1 Airbnb:

Milan: ~$321 (free because of credits)
Como: ~$413
Rome: ~$465
Bologna: ~$3300

For 1 person: ~$2089

Food

I didn’t keep a daily budget during my first 3 mini-retirements.

That wasn't smart and it's an easy way to overspend.

In 2023 & 2025 I set a $50/day budget (~$1500 for 30 days).

I go out to dinner every night.

Let’s review the cost for a 1-month mini-retirement (for 1 person based on my 2023 mini-retirement):

• $~1400 accommodation
• $~1500 food/spending money
• $~1000 round trip airline ticket (FREE!)
• $~50 first-class train ticket from Vienna to Budapest

Total: ~$2950

Let’s review the cost for a 1-month+ mini-retirement (for 1 person based on my 2025 mini-retirement):

• $~2089 accommodations
• $~179 various train tickets
• $~1850 food/spending money
• $~1200 round trip airline ticket (FREE!)

Total: ~$4118

If you're considering a mini-retirement, plan ahead and start saving for it at least 9-12 months prior to your trip.

Save for your mini-retirement in a HYSA.

While I still have to pay for housing expenses back home...

Any leftover or earned money is saved or invested.

Sure there are many things you can do with $3000 - $4000.

But investing $3000 - $4000 in a life experience will not derail any of your financial goals (they haven't derailed mine).

And one of the best investments you can make is an investment in a life experience.

These are the numbers based on my experiences and how I choose to enjoy my mini-retirements.

They will probably differ for you based on how you choose to enjoy yours.

So go out and explore the world.

Get lost. Discover. Live.

Thanks for reading!

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