Traveling sure is fun since it’s packed with all kinds of new experiences—but sometimes tourists end up paying way more than they should. In many popular spots around the world, visitors are overcharged in a number of surprising ways. Here are 12 places where tourists are overcharged shamelessly. Hopefully, knowing about these tourist traps will help you enjoy your trip without blowing your budget!
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Gondola Rides in Venice, Italy
Gliding through Venice’s canals on a gondola is a dream come true yet it’s quite expensive. The official daytime rate is about €80 for a 40-minute ride—after 7 p.m., prices officially jump to €100. It gets worse because gondoliers might charge extra for singing or longer routes! Unless you confirm the details beforehand, you could end up paying over €120 for a glorified boat ride.
Times Square Vendors in New York City, USA
Street vendors in Times Square know tourists are eager to buy things and that’s why a simple hot dog that costs $2 elsewhere might cost $5 or $6 here. Souvenirs like “I LOVE NY” T-shirts are around $20 each—the same shirts are only $10 in other neighborhoods. Even bottled water can be double the usual price & visitors caught up in the excitement buy souvenirs without even realizing the inflated cost.
Tuk-Tuk Rides in Bangkok, Thailand
Riding a tuk-tuk in Bangkok might be fun but you should be careful, especially when drivers give you a fare of 20 baht. They’ll then take you to gem stores or tailor shops where they earn commissions so instead of a quick trip, you could spend hours visiting places you didn’t plan to see. As such, it turns even a simple adventure into a major hassle.
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Souvenir Sellers Near the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Street vendors right under the Eiffel Tower sell souvenirs at marked-up prices, with a small set of small Eiffel Tower keychains costing you €5 here—you could get the same set for €1 in Montmartre. Snack carts sell crêpes & drinks at higher prices as well because they know tourists are excited to be at this iconic landmark. As such, they’ll often buy without shopping around and spend more than necessary on mementos.
Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, USA
It’s hard to resist the smell of fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf. Over here, clam chowder in a sourdough bread might cost around $15 while in other parts of the city it’s $8—a crab cocktail could be $20 or more. Souvenir shops also hike up prices on items like hoodies & magnets because tourists enjoying the seaside atmosphere don’t notice they’re paying extra.
Taxis in Cancun, Mexico
In Cancun, taxis operate without meters so it’s easy for drivers to overcharge tourists. While a ride from the hotel zone to downtown should be around 50 pesos, drivers might ask for 200 pesos or more—some may even quote prices in U.S. dollars! Tourists who don’t agree on a fare before getting in often must pay significantly more than the standard rate & even a short trip becomes an expensive journey.
Temple Entrances in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Anyone going to Cambodia definitely should visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap—but be aware that the entrance fee for foreigners is $37 for a one-day pass, $62 for three days & $72 for a week. Yet locals either pay a small fee or get in entirely free, which is quite a big difference! As such, you’ll need to budget for these costs, as well as those for guides & transportation.
Souvenir Shops at Niagara Falls, Canada
Many souvenir shops near Niagara Falls have steeper prices than those further away & especially those on Clifton Hill. A T-shirt with a Niagara Falls print might be $25 here—much higher than the $15 in nearby towns. Unfortunately, most tourists are so eager to take home a keepsake that they’ll make a purchase on the spot without realizing they’ll find the same items for less if they go beyond the main tourist strip.
Old Town Square Dining in Prague, Czech Republic
It’s certainly nice eating in Prague’s Old Town Square but you should expect much higher bills. A simple meal of goulash is around 300 Czech korunas here—it’s 150 korunas elsewhere. But that’s not all as drinks are pricier too & some restaurants add service charges without telling customers. You might not realize how expensive it is until you get the bill!
Souks in Marrakech, Morocco
As incredible as the souks of Marrakech are, prices start high for the amount of goods they have. A carpet vendor might quote 3,000 dirhams for a rug that’s worth 800 dirhams because vendors expect you to haggle—they’ll be offended if you don’t. Even after bargaining, tourists usually pay more than locals because they don’t have a sense of local pricing or negotiating skills.
Silk Street Market in Beijing, China
The vendors at the Silk Street Market in Beijing are skilled negotiators—an imitation designer handbag could have a price of 1000 yuan but with haggling, you’ll get it for 100 yuan. Sellers may use calculators to show prices to make them seem official. However, tourists who accept the first price usually overpay by a large margin so don’t be shy to haggle hard.
Dining in Reykjavik, Iceland
Even simple meals in Reykjavik are expensive as a basic lunch of soup & bread costs around $20, while dinner entrées often start at $30. Due to taxes, alcohol is particularly expensive—a pint of beer might be $10 or more! Instead, you’re better off shopping at grocery stores & looking for happy hour deals to save money without missing out on the local cuisine.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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