Estimated Cost of Living for Work & Travel Participants Visiting the United States
Congratulations on joining the InterExchange Work & Travel USA program!
The majority of our participants spend between $1500-$2000 during their entire visit to the United States. We suggest participants budget at least $900-$1200 to cover their initial costs and deposits, or to cover any unexpected emergency situation, when they arrive in the U.S.
To give you some guidance on allocating your money during your time in the U.S., please review the estimated standard expenses for a single-person during a typical program in the United States. These estimates will help you to plan your trip accordingly.
- Travel Expenses (Average one-time travel cost to your employer’s place of business): $80
- Housing: $80 per week. Be sure to bring one month’s deposit.
- Food: $300 per month
- Personal Care Products: $35 per month
- Miscellaneous: $80
In general, students can cover the above expenses with earnings from their primary employment. Our most recent survey showed that students are able to earn enough money to cover these expenses and many are able to save enough to travel in the U.S. and even keep some earnings for when they return to their home countries.
- All students earned at least minimum wage.
- 62% of students earned overtime pay and 25% of participants worked a second job.
- 47% of students earned more than $10.01 per overtime hour.
Please visit National Standard: Food, Clothing and Other Items on the Internal Revenue Service’s website to learn more about the average cost of living in the United States.
We encourage you to plan accordingly and make the most of your time during the Work & Travel USA program!
