A tropical resort might spring to mind when you picture an expensive vacation, but Greenland takes first place in Squaremouth’s 2026 travel expense index.

The ranking combines daily trip costs, airfare, hotels, car rentals, and food prices. Greenland’s reported daily trip cost averages $1,171, with flights averaging $1,357 and car rentals reaching $110 per day. Leading the overall index, however, doesn’t mean it has the highest price in every category.

Accommodation tells a different story. Average weeknight hotel rates reach $1,413 in Turks and Caicos, compared with $227 in Greenland. These figures illustrate why a destination’s position depends on more than its hotel bill.

The complete ranking covers 15 destinations, including ties:

1 Greenland

2 British Virgin Islands

3 French Polynesia

4 Antarctica*

5 Maldives

6 Switzerland

7 Zimbabwe

8 Turks and Caicos Islands

9 Botswana

9 Anguilla

9 Saint Lucia

12 Namibia

12 Iceland

14 Norway

15 Zambia

Antarctica’s flight, hotel, food, and transport figures reflect pre-expedition expenses in Ushuaia, Argentina, rather than spending on the expedition itself.