How Do You Split The Cost of Accomodation with Your Travel Group?

If you and a small group were to go travelling and stay at an AirBnb for example, how do you split the cost?

  1. Divide cost of accomodation by the number of people staying
  2. Split the cost of the accomodation into a per room cost and divide the spend across those that used each room.

Option 2 expanded: EG $1,000 accomodation for a 2 bedroom place where 3 people are staying, one couple and a single. The per room cost is $500 so the couple would pay $250 each and the single would pay $500 as they have a room to themselves.

I'm curious to know the OzBargain way!

Poll Options

  • 104
    1. Total cost of accomodation divided by number of people staying
  • 9
    2. Per room cost split amongst occupants of each room

Comments

  • +6

    🍿

    Option 3 bring a tinder date so you are all equal

      • +16

        That's up there as one of your most rambling posts, and the bar was already high….

        • +1

          you read it???

          • +2

            @Archi: I skimmed it and yep, was not disappointed when it finally devolved into tin foil hat wearing, nuclear alternative power conversation.

            I bet IVI is a hoot to talk to in person… I bet they even sound like they talk in “newsprint-width”.

        • It started off OK with meeting a nice Japanese family then after that it got really weird.

      • +7

        tl:dr someone made breakfast for him, banged a couple of dutch girls with American accents (probably just describing a porn scene, maybe FakeHostel), the world is (profanity) because of climate change and he spends way too much time on youtube

      • Wait a second…..did IVI make a self-aware post parodying his posting style….. cool. :P

  • +6

    I would say split evenly. Partially because it is the couples choice to stay together and it doesn't cost them any inconvenience.

    If it were 3 friends, 2 in one bedroom, 1 in the other. It would be a more uneven split. Even then, everyone uses the common areas.

    In the last 5-6 trips with multiple friends, we just split it evenly. None of us really care who stayed in what room. End of the day, the bill is for the accommodation so everyone has somewhere to sleep

    • Nicely put, I tend to agree with that. It was brought up recently (option 2 that is) which is what got me thinking how others approach this.

  • +6

    What about tracking toilet usage and divide the total by number of flushes

    • We pro-rata the toilet paper and ration it out at the beginning of the stay, it's so hard to track otherwise!

      • Not accurate at all, I always BYO my own paper to ensure its 4ply

        • Fair, nothing beats the glide of a 4ply

  • inb4 op doesn't like the results of the poll

    THREAD HAS BEEN LOCKED (Requested by stingy OP)

  • +2

    Christ, it's a few days not a rental lease. Just split it evenly unless you're sleeping in the balcony.

  • +5

    Depends. We’re all beds/rooms the same size?

    I recently was going to go away with three sets of couples and one other single, and it was just expected that me and the other single would sleep on the couches (not a sofa), but that we’d all split the cost evenly by 8. This would not have been fair. But if me and the other single also had proper beds, or even a sofa bed, I’d have been fine with that.

    So given you’re all in similar beds, then by person.

  • +3

    i will have my own room, or i ain't coming
    it seems fair i pay for it

  • -4

    How Do You Split The Cost of Accomodation with Your Travel Group?

    I use a calculator…

  • .3. Shotgun

  • 40:30:30. otherwise get a 3 bedroom and split evenly for less drama

  • A lot of Airbnb places charge per person, not by rooms. If this is the case then per person split is fair.

  • +1

    rent a 1 bedroom and all sleep together, problem solved.

  • +2

    Option 2 expanded: EG $1,000 accomodation for a 2 bedroom place where 3 people are staying, one couple and a single. The per room cost is $500 so the couple would pay $250 each and the single would pay $500 as they have a room to themselves.

    As long as you were fine with the single person taking the master bedroom while the couple takes the other bedroom, sure why not. The single person would probably appreciate having an en suite bathroom, big TV, and whatever else the master has. They might find a Tindr date to come help them enjoy the big bed.

  • Usually 1, but this isn’t always fair. If the standard of accommodation is relatively equal to all guests then even split is fine, but if not it might be better to divide it according to standard. Eg If one couple takes the master bed with ensuite and everyone else is crammed into bunk beds the couple should pay more per person.

    On one trip with a particular couple (who we no longer travel with) we drew straws for rooms and my partner and I got the best room - they kept trying to get us to change our mind and take a different room, lucky we didn’t as another couple got relegated to staying in a cold damp basement room under the house and had to pay the same to the original couple that organised it.

  • This is OzBargain. Sneak the single into the double.

  • +3

    Can there be some sort of round robin bed hopping so everyone gets an even time with each other individual in every room? Might be a disruptive night and end relationships but it would be financially fairest, and that is what we are here for!

  • +1

    Option 5. Stay home.

  • Had an argument with my friends over this exact question. Happy to see OzB sides with me.

  • If you're pedantic:

    1. Buy this: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/615447

    2. Measure the non-common space used by of each occupant (or group of occupants) as % of total

    3. 2 x total cost.

  • If they're hoping to split the cost by room, just crash on the couch. Easy!

  • +5

    the fairest is to present the cost to all parties and get them to agree before booking

    making the assumption on how to split is a relationship ending exercise

    • Best answer, don't assume…. but verify!

  • +2

    One shouldn’t be travelling and sharing things together if answer to these questions are required. Share it equally or do your own thing. We were a family of three, with other friends having four members. We have always split it per family. IMHO the time spent with friends is priceless.

    • One shouldn’t be travelling and sharing things together if answer to these questions are required. Share it equally or do your own thing.

      Exactly!

  • I book on airbnb, use my vouchers/bargain hacks and then split it RRP

    • why not just hike up extra 20% then split it so that they can pay a portion of your share?

    • +1

      IMHO, that sounds quite wrong. Generally, I'd say that ANY benefits, discounts, vouchers, etc should be shared and come off everyone's portions, not just one person's.

      What you're suggesting is like going to a restaurant with your mate and you pulling out a BOGOF voucher. When it comes time to pay, you jack up the total bill (as it would've been if you didn't have a voucher) and you ask your mate to pay "half" of that - which then means you pay nothing.

      • I think he was joking

        • I hope you're riiiight! :)

      • Depends i would do it for cashback sites, like cash rewards. Reason why I like buying all the stuff for the boss for the office.

    • wut, that's so wrong and not how friendships work.

      Reverse it. You find out that your friend has booked accomodation and saved themselves $200 but charged you the RRP. How would you feel?

      • -1

        Depends i mean the friend obviously put in work to find a better price, thus he should reap some rewards.

        When less bargain focused people would just do RRP.

        Opportunity cost

        • Depends i mean the friend obviously put in work to find a better price, thus he should reap some rewards.

          yeah, like the thanks from your friend for saving you both some $.

          You must rate your friendships so highly :/

  • +1

    Divide it all by the number of people attending.

    In my experience, the idea of faffing around with costs per room and room sizes/room amenities etc only comes up when the trip includes at least one pedantic killjoy that's going to track every cent they spend and kick up a fuss anytime they feel they might be behind. Yet will keep silent anytime it works out in their favor. You learn the lesson and either don't go on holiday with them again or organise your own accommodation.

  • Divide by total people.

    Unless it’s extremely unreasonable where someone would have a room that’s 5x the cost of the other rooms, I might raise why we would split that evenly but it hasn’t happened before.

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