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How Much Would it Cost to Travel to Every Star Wars Filming Location?

Written by

Alex Huntsberger

Alex Huntsberger is a personal finance writer who covered online lending, credit scores, and employment for TheLending. His work has been cited by ESPN.com, Business Insider, and The Motley Fool.

Read time: 11 min

Updated on July 31, 2023

young couple in white t-shirts wondering how much would it cost to travel to every Star Wars filming location

From the snowy hills of Hoth to the woods of Endor and the deserts of Jakku and Tatooine, the saga of the Skywalkers wouldn’t be the same without the stunning vistas and alien landscapes on which their story plays out.

Updated: May 8, 2018

And one of the great things about the Star Wars movies is that most of those alien planets are actually real places on planet Earth! If you wanted to really celebrate your Star Wars fandom, you could take a trip around the world to visit all of them.

Sounds awesome, right? But also expensive. And while the cost might be less than you think. It’s still a lot. The cost of traveling to the filming locations (excluding studio lots) for all nine existing Star Wars movies would be just a hair over $12,500. Woof. And that doesn’t even take into account the cost of food and lodging!

So, unless you’re as rich as a Hutt, taking this trip is going to mean saving money. A lot of money.

By the way, when we tell you that this trip would take you around the world. We mean it you would literally be traveling around the world and back. But don’t take our word for it! Check out this handy-dandy infographic that shows where you’d travel to and how much it would cost.

(For a more in-depth cost breakdown, just keep scrolling—crawling?—once you’re done.)

Enjoy! And May the Force be With You! (sorry.)

First things first. We had to pick a place to start our trip from, so we decided on Chicago. Why? Because it’s the best dang city on earth!

...also it’s where we’re based.

From your starting point in the City of Big Shoulders, you’ll depart on a trip that’ll take you to 17 different countries and five different continents across the globe. Here’s how the cost of plane travel, car rentals, and gas (using a standard gas mileage of 23.9 mpg) will add up country by country.

Leg #1: The United States

For the first leg of your journey, you’ll fly from Chicago to San Diego, then rent a car and drive to three locations:

Yuma, Arizona, where they filmed the Sarlacc pit scene on Tatooine in Return of the Jedi.
Twenty Mule Team Canyon/Death Valley, where they filmed several scenes on Tatooine for A New Hope.
Redwood National Park, where they filmed the forest scenes on Endor for Return of the Jedi.

Then you’ll drive to Sacramento, where the international leg of your journey will begin.

Here are the costs for Leg #1:

Fly from Chicago to San Diego: $362
Rent Car: $116
Drive 1,587 miles: $165

The total cost of the trip so far? $643

Leg #2: Guatemala

Next, you’ll fly from Sacramento to Guatemala City, Guatemala, and rent a car or a landspeeder. You’ll then drive to Tikal, where they filmed the rebel base on Yavin IV in A New Hope. Once you’re finished there, you’ll drive back to Guatemala City.

Here are the costs for Leg #2:

Fly from Sacramento to Guatemala City: $690
Rent car: $30
Drive 666.11 miles from Guatemala City to Tikal and back: $84

The total cost of the trip so far? $1,447

Leg #3: Bolivia

You'll fly now from Guatemala to La Paz Bolivia, where you'll rent a bus (or a ... really large communal landspeeder?) and head to Unyuni. Once you're there, you'll take a tour of the Salar de Uyuni salt flats, aka the planet Crait in The Last Jedi. Then you'll take the bus back to La Paz and head out.

Here are the costs for Leg #3:

Fly from Guatemala City to La Paz, Bolivia: $867
Bus to Uyuni: $20
Tour of Salar de Uyuni: $168
Bus back to La Paz: $20

The total cost of the trip so far? $2,522

Leg #4: Iceland

Now fly from Guatemala City to Reykjavik, Iceland. (Be warned, this flight’s an expensive one!). Once you’re in Reykjavik, you’ll rent a car and drive to two locations:

Eyjafjallajökull, where they filmed the surface of the Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens.
Reynisfjara, where they filmed the scenes on Eadu for Rogue One.
Skaftafell, where they filmed the escape scene on Crait for The Last Jedi.

Then you’ll drive back to Reykjavik.

Here are the costs for Leg #4:

Fly from La Paz to Reykjavik: $1,225
Rent car: $46
Drive 409.48 miles: $123

The total cost of the trip so far? $3,916

Leg #5: Ireland

The next part of the journey will take you from Reykjavik to the city of Cork in Ireland. There, you’ll rent a car and drive to the Portmagee Marina where you’ll catch a ferry over to Skellig Michael, where they filmed Luke’s island hideout on Ahch-To for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Then you’ll catch the ferry back to Cork and drive over to Brow Head in County Cork, where they also filmed some Ahch-To scenes. Once you're done there, you'll head back to to the airport in Cork City.

Here are the costs for Leg #5:

Fly from Reykjavik to Cork: $492
Rent a car: $20
Ferry tour to Skellig Michael: $42
Drive 277.53 miles: $72

The total cost of the trip so far? $4,542

Leg #6: United Kingdom

For this leg, you’ll fly from Cork to London Stansted Airport, then you’ll rent a car and drive to a whopping eight locations:

Canary Wharf, London, where they filmed the Imperial complex on Scarif in Rogue One.
Whippendell Woods, Cassiobury Park, Watford, where they filmed scenes on Naboo for The Phantom Menace.
Bovingdon Airfield, Hertfordshire, where they filmed the battles scenes on Scarif for Rogue One.
RAF Greenham Common, Berkshire, where they filmed the scenes for the Resistance Base on D'Qar in The Force Awakens.
Fawley Power Station, where they filmed scenes for Solo.
Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean, where they filmed the forest scenes on Takodana in The Force Awakens.
RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire, where they filmed they filmed the Rebel Base hangar scenes on Yavin IV for A New Hope and Rogue One.
Thirlmere, Cumbria, where they filmed the scenes of the X-Wings flying low over Takodana in The Force Awakens.
Derwentwater, Cumbria, where they filmed the scenes outside Maz Kanada’s club on Takodana in The Force Awakens.

Then you’ll drive to the Glasgow airport.

Here are the costs for Leg #6:

Fly from Cork to London Stansted Airport: $187
Rent car: $67
Drive 898 miles: $230

The total cost of the trip so far? $5,027

Leg #7: Norway

Next, you’ll fly from Glasgow to Oslo, then rent a car and drive to Hardangerjøkulen Glacier, where they filmed the exterior scenes during the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. You'll take a tour of the glacier and then you’ll drive back to Oslo.

Here are the costs for Leg #7:

Fly from Glasgow to Oslo: $213
Rent car: $74
Hardangerjøkulen Glacier tour: $78
Drive 342.37 miles: $93

The total cost of the trip so far? $5,485

Leg #8: Spain

For this leg, you’ll fly from Oslo to Malaga, then rent a car and drive to Plaza de España in Seville, where they filmed the city of Theed on Naboo in Attack of the Clones. Then you’ll drive to the airport in Malaga.

Here are the costs for Leg #8:

Fly from Oslo to Malaga: $123
Rent car: $36
Drive 270.92 miles: $61

The total cost of the trip so far? $5,705

Leg #9: Switzerland

Next, you’ll fly from Malaga to Zurich, then rent a car and drive to Grindelwald (yes, Harry Potter fans, that’s a real place), where they filmed backdrops for Alderaan in Revenge of the Sith. Then you’ll drive back to Zurich.

Here are the costs for Leg #9:

Fly from Malaga to Zurich: $224
Rent car: $122
Drive 188.90 miles: $47

The total cost of the trip so far? $6,098

Leg #10: Italy

Now fly from Zurich to Milan, then you’ll rent a car and drive to three locations:

Villa del Balbianello, where they filmed Padme and Anakin’s wedding scene in Attack of the Clones.
Monte Piana, where they filmed scenes for Solo.
Tre Cime, where they filmed scenes for Solo.
Palace of Caserta, where they filmed scenes in the Naboo Royal Palace for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.
Mount Etna, where the filmed footage of a live volcanic eruption that they used for scenes on Mustafar in The Revenge of the Sith.

Then you’ll drive to the airport in Palermo.

Here are the costs for Leg #10:

Fly from Zurich to Milan: $264
Rent car: $67
Drive 1,416.73 miles: $399

The total cost of the trip so far? $6,828

Leg #11: Croatia

You'll fly into the city of Dubrovnik, which stood in for Canto Bight for The Last Jedi. You'll rent a car head on over to Large Onofrio's Fountain, where the Canto Bight exteriors were shot. Then you'll go back to the airport and fly to the Canary Islands—specifically, you'll fly to the island of Fuerteventura.

Here are the costs for Leg #11:

Fly from Milan to Dubrovnik: $413
Rent car: $28
Drive 26.4 miles to Large Onofrio's Fountain and back: $6

The total cost of the trip so far? $7,275

Leg #12: Fuerteventura

You'll fly into Fuerteventura Airport then rent a car and drive to two nearby spots where they filmed scenes for Solo: La Pared and Cofete. Once you've crossed those sights off your list, you'll head back to the airport and continue onto Tunisia. (Warning, you're going to be in Tunisia for a while, so maybe grab a snack or something before you head out.)

Here are the costs for Leg #12:

Fly from Dubrovnik toFuerteventura Airport: $366
Rent car: $43
Drive 132.35 miles: $30

The total cost of the trip so far? $7,714

Leg #13: Tunisia

Now fly from Fuerteventura (through an asteroid field) to Tunis, then rent a car and drive to eight (eight!) locations, where they filmed scenes for Tatooine for A New Hope, The Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones:

Onk Jemal, Tozeur, where they filmed scenes in Mos Espa and the lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace.
Sidi Bouhlel, near Tozeur, where they filmed scenes on the Lars Homestead for A New Hope.
Chott el Djerid, near Nefta, where they filmed C-3PO and R2-D2’s arrival on Tatooine in A New Hope.
Matmata, where they filmed scenes on the Lars homestead for A New Hope and Attack of the Clones.
Ksar Hadada, Ghoumrassen, where they filmed some of the Mos Espa slave quarters scenes in The Phantom Menace.
Ksar Ouled Soltane, where they filmed some of the other Mos Espa slave quarters scenes for The Phantom Menace.
Ajim, Island of Djerba, where they filmed scenes for Obi-Wan Kenobi’s house and Mos Eisley for A New Hope.
Sidi Jemour, Island of Djerba, where they filmed several scenes for The Phantom Menace and A New Hope.

Then you’ll drive to back to Tunis.

Here are the costs for Leg #12:

Fly from Fuerteventura to Tunis: $446
Rent car: $103
Drive 1,008 miles: $104

The total cost of the trip so far? $8,367

Leg #14: Jordan

Now find a scruffy smuggler to fly you from Tunis to Queen Alia International Airport, then rent a car and drive to Wadi Rum, where they filmed scenes set on Jedha for Rogue One. Then you’ll drive to back to Queen Alia International Airport.

Here are the costs for Leg #13:

Fly from Tunis to Queen Alia International Airport: $408
Rent car: $30
Drive 585 km: $58

The total cost of the trip so far? $8,863

Leg #15: United Arab Emirates

The next leg of your trip will take you from Jordan to Abu Dhabi, then rent a car and drive to Rub' al Khali where they filmed the desert scenes on Jakku for The Force Awakens. Then you’ll drive back to the Abu Dhabi airport.

Here are the costs for Leg #14:

Fly from Queen Alia International Airport to Abu Dhabi: $329
Rent car: $40
Drive 234.26 miles: $19

The total cost of the trip so far? $9,251

Leg #16: The Maldives

For this leg, you’ll fly from Abu Dhabi to Male International Airport in The Maldives. You’ll then take a domestic flight to The Laamu Atoll where they filmed scenes on Scarif for Rogue One. Then you’ll take a flight back Male International Airport.

Here are the costs for Leg #15:

Fly from Abu Dhabi to Male International Airport: $545
Round trip domestic flight to Laamu Atoll: $390

The total cost of the trip so far? $10,186

Leg #17: Thailand

Now jump on a speeder and fly from The Maldives to Phuket, then take a boat tour of, Phang Nga Bay where they filmed backdrops for Kashyyyk in The Revenge of the Sith. Then you’ll head back to the airport.

Here are the costs for Leg #16:

Fly from Male Internation Airport to Phuket: $374
Boat tour of Phang Nga Bay: $58

The total cost of the trip so far? $10,618

Leg #18: China

Next hit the hyperdrive and soar from Phuket to Gullin, then rent a car and driver and go to Elephant Trunk Hill, where they filmed where they filmed backdrops for Kashyyyk in The Revenge of the Sith. Then you and your driver will return to Guilin

Here are the costs for Leg #17:

Fly from Phuket to Guilin: $285
Rent car with driver: $138

The total cost of the trip so far? $11,041

Leg #19: Return to Chicago

That’s it! You’ve visited all the Star Wars filming locations! The only thing left to do is fly back to where you started:

Chicago, where they have filmed many movies, including Transformers 3: Dark of The Moon and Man of Steel, as well as a number of films that weren’t terrible. No Star Wars, though.

Here are the costs for Leg #18

Flight from Guilin, China, to Chicago: $1,479

Total Costs

Now that you're back home again, let's see how your costs have added up...

Here are the costs for Legs #1-19

Flights: $9,682
Cars and Gas: $2,452
Other: $386

The total cost of your trip? $12,520

Want to Read More?

Ever wondered how much the Death Star would cost. So did we. As it turns out, the answer is "a lot".

For fans of the original trilogy who actually saw them in theatres back when they were first released, you might enjoy our Stranger Things infographic where we look at how the cost of living has changed between 1983 and now!

If you want to save for this trip, you'll have to above and beyond. Check out our post on The ABCs of Saving to learn more tips and strategies for tucking extra money away.

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