When you’re a travel blogger (even if it’s just a hobby, like it is for me!) people often ask how you can afford to travel so much. For me, the #1 most important money-saving travel tip is to choose affordable destinations where my money will go further. This is especially important for solo travelers, as we don’t have the luxury of splitting accommodation costs or sharing a rental car. The cheapest countries to visit for us are those with excellent public transportation networks, lots of comfortable hostels, a wide variety of food options and excursions that can be done independently or with a reasonably-priced organized tour.
To make my list of the fifteen cheapest countries to visit, I looked back through two decades worth of receipts for things like hostels and bus tickets, checked updated menu prices at my favorite eateries abroad, and spent way too much time doing currency conversions on my iPhone calculator. In the end, I found fifteen countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas where prices are low but the simple joy of travel is high. Read on to find your next budget travel destination!
The Cheapest Countries to Visit in Europe
Armenia
Although Georgia is quickly becoming a budget travel hotspot (read more about Georgia below), Armenia remains an underrated budget travel option. It is one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe, with daily costs for budget travelers coming in around $40 USD per day. (For the record, I am Canadian, but it’s easier to convert local prices to US dollars!).
Most visitors to Armenia focus on Yerevan, the capital. Here, you can find a bed in a dorm room for less than $10 USD (I recommend Envoy Hostel, both here and in Tbilisi). Inexpensive food options include pastries from local bakeries, shawarma from street vendors or fresh fruits from the market; you can easily make a light meal for less than $2 USD. Personally, though, I preferred to eat in Yerevan’s cute cafes and wine bars, where a vegetarian meal (with a glass of wine, of course!) costs less than $10.
Outside of Yerevan there are fewer hostels, so you might have to splurge on a private room but can reduce costs in other areas. Most guesthouses (like the ones in beautiful, mountaintop Tatev) serve a lovely Armenia breakfast to their guests, and activities like hiking and visiting archeological sites can be free or inexpensive.
Georgia
When Georgia opened its doors to digital nomads, this previously under-the-radar country was suddenly thrust into the travel blogger spotlight. I visited Georgia before it became popular, spending just $20 USD per day for a dorm room in Tbilisi’s historic center (like in Armenia, I recommend Envoy Hostel!), delicious local cuisine and the occasional ride on a bus or subway.
Georgia has affordable inter-city transportation by bus and train, making it easy to explore beyond the capital. There are lots of places that can be visited as day trips, and the prevalence of locally-owned guesthouses and B&Bs allows you to extend your trip into an overnight visit or weekend away. For example, a bus from Tbilisi to Chiatura (home to a brand-new network of cable cars!) can be as little as $2. If you’d like to hike in the mountains, the nine-hour bus trip to Mestia is only $12.
A highlight of any visit to Georgia is the cuisine. Popular Georgian dishes include khachapuri (flatbread that comes stuffed or topped with ingredients like fried eggs, cheese and/or herbs), khinkali (dumplings stuffed with different ingredients; personally I like mushrooms!) and local red wine. You can easily enjoy a filling meal for under $5, especially if you’re sharing dishes family-style with other travelers you’ve met along the way!
Poland
Poland is one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe. On my first visit to Poland I traveled south to north, stopping in Krakow, Torun and Gdansk. The next time I visited Poland I focused on the capital, Warsaw. Both trips were easily possible on a backpacker budget of less than $40 USD per day.
You will never get bored visiting Poland, even if you’re on a tight budget. All of the cities I visited were so pretty that you could entertain yourself simply by walking around. Fortunately, though, many of Poland’s most interesting attractions can fit into a backpacker budget.
For example, in Warsaw, the fascinating and heartbreaking Museum of the History of Polish Jews normally costs $7 (and is worth every penny!) but also has free admission days. In Gdansk, the European Solidarity Center is free to enter and explore, and its world-class museum exhibits can be added to your visit for just $6. Malbork Castle, the largest castle in the world (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shown above) costs less than $15 USD to visit, including an English audioguide.
Poland also gets rave reviews for its cheap eats and drinks. Many cities and towns still have traditional “milk bars”, or cafeteria-style restaurants dishing up affordable, traditional Polish foods like perogies, sausages and hearty soups. As a vegetarian, I always looked for plates of pierogies filled with wild mushrooms, cottage cheese and/or potatoes (which taste even better with a big glass of cheap beer to wash them down!).
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Turkey
I first visited Turkey in 2010 and most recently returned in 2019. Even before its recent currency crisis, Turkey has long been one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe (and in Asia, since this country spans two continents!).
Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, has all the cosmopolitan offerings of Berlin, Barcelona, Rome or Paris, but at a fraction of the price. It’s always free to visit the city’s beautiful mosques, including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia (which was recently converted from museum back to mosque), and other attractions like Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern are very affordable.
Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast is one of the cheapest beach destinations in Europe. In Kas, a popular tourist town with easy access to many beautiful beaches, private double rooms with air conditioning and a full Turkish breakfast included can be as little as $30 USD for two people (so, $15 each). Further down the coast you can score a bed in a popular hostel in Antalya for less than $10 per night.
Ukraine
Note: At the time I first published this post, Ukraine was one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe. However, since publication, Russia has invaded and attacked Ukraine. I recommend waiting to visit Ukraine after the conflict is over, at which time your tourist dollars will help the country rebuild.
Ukraine is one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe. You can easily backpack around Ukraine on a budget of $30 USD per day, while a comfortable mid-range trip should only cost about $20 per day more.
Ukraine is a vibrant, modern Eastern European country (much like Poland!). The capital city, Kyiv, has beautiful architecture, evocative churches, pretty parks and a nightlife scene ranging from classy cocktail bars to wild techno clubs. Outside of the capital, Lviv is a popular tourist destination for its colorful, quaint center, and Odessa is a popular beach getaway. Intercity transportation by bus and train is very cheap, so you can explore the whole country (including smaller towns like Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia) without breaking the bank.
One fun way to reduce costs in Ukraine is to eat at a stolovaya, or typical Eastern European cafeteria. At well-known national chain Puzata Khata, a heaping plate of salad, grilled vegetables, fried potatoes and bread, plus a glass of beer, should cost less than $4 USD.
The Cheapest Countries to Visit in Asia
India
If you’re on a budget, India is the ideal travel destination. As one of the cheapest countries to visit in Asia, you can still travel around India on a budget of $30 USD per day, and if your budget is closer to $50 a day you can have a very comfortable trip.
I spent about two months in India in 2019. I started my trip in Rajasthan, where I explored the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur), Keoladeo National Park and Udaipur. Then, I flew south to Goa, spent a week at an Ayurvedic yoga retreat and lived the hippie life in Palolem and Anjuna before escaping to the natural beauty of Kerala.
The most expensive part of the trip was the yoga retreat, where I spent about $65 USD per day for a private double room with air conditioning, two daily yoga classes, three meals per day, five Ayurvedic wellness treatments and daily excursions around Goa. Other days, in destinations like Jaipur and Munnar, I was spending less than $20 a day on comfortable dorm rooms, walking tours, meals and the occasional auto-rickshaw ride around town.
Even a visit to the Taj Mahal, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, only costs $16 (including entrance to the mausoleum).
Generally, I found India to be very safe for solo female travelers. Although you’ll get some stares (and a lot of requests for selfies with locals!) I didn’t have problems with groping or harassment. I have an entire Q&A about solo female travel in India if you’re considering a visit!
Indonesia
Another cheap country to visit in Asia is, surprisingly, Indonesia. My own travels in Indonesia focused on the most expensive area (Bali and the surrounding islands) but it was still very affordable.
A backpacker budget in Indonesia allows you to book private rooms in guesthouses, eat filling meals in local warungs, join a few different excursions and still have money left over for a cocktail by the beach at sunset. If you’ve got a little bit of flexibility in your budget, Indonesia is an affordable place to indulge in some travel luxuries, like learning to scuba dive or spending a day at the spa. For example, I paid $15 USD for an Ubud spa package consisting of a full-body scrub, relaxation massage and soak in an outdoor flower bath with views of the rice terraces.
Communities with large expat populations (such as Canggu) have higher prices than communities that are still mostly locals (such as Gili Air). Outside of Bali and the vicinity, prices can be even lower. Places like Lombok and Yogyakarta are stunning and affordable.
Malaysia
Although Malaysia shares a border with Singapore, the two countries definitely don’t share a travel budget! While Singapore can easily break the bank, Malaysia is one of the cheapest places to visit in Asia. Its modern capital city, Kuala Lumpur, is impressively affordable, and as you travel further north towards the Cameron Highlands and Penang you’ll find prices dropping even more.
Typically, I splurge on luxury accommodation in Kuala Lumpur because luxury properties are available for the same price as some Singapore dorm rooms. My favorite is the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur because its included breakfast buffet (check your room rate!) is the size of four regular restaurants and includes countless Indian, Malay, Chinese and Western dishes. If your budget is tighter, there are plenty of highly-rated hostels with dorm beds for only $5.
Malaysia is the perfect destination for foodies on a budget. There is an established street food culture and there are lots of markets where you can check out local ingredients. Noodles or fried rice from a street food vendor or a local restaurant could cost less than $2. Craving nutrients? You can also get fresh fruit juice or smoothies for the same price.
Sri Lanka
Costs in Sri Lanka are similar to costs throughout much of India. You can visit this island nation on a backpacker budget of $30 USD a day, or you can spend a little bit more to increase the comfort and luxury factors.
I recommend using a site like Booking.com to reserve your accommodation a day or two before you arrive; while there will be touts at the train and bus stations offering accommodation, it’s always nice to know you have a highly-rated guesthouse (with a lovely breakfast included) waiting for you. In touristic areas, Sri Lankan-style meals can be quite expensive, but if you walk a few blocks away and look for restaurants full of locals, you can easily dine well for about $3.
The biggest expense for most tourists in Sri Lanka is activities. Although Sri Lanka is one of the cheapest countries to visit in Asia, organized tours and excursions can add to your costs. Safaris, scuba dives, cooking classes and whale watching trips can cost $20 to $40 per person, so get a good guidebook (I like the Lonely Planet Sri Lanka) and decide what you can do independently, what needs a guide, and what you can skip entirely.
Vietnam
Vietnam is famously one of the cheapest countries to visit in Southeast Asia. Cheaper than nearby Thailand and Malaysia, Vietnam can easily be explored for $25 USD a day (but be careful – Vietnamese bank notes can look surprisingly similar and handing over the wrong denomination can make your costs add up quickly!).
Most travelers start their trip in one of Vietnam’s larger cities, like Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi (known for its great restaurants). Cities offer colonial architecture, adventurous street food and the constant honking of horns from cars and motorbikes. These are also easy places to connect with other travelers and plan onward journeys; the top-rated hostels offer dorm beds for little more than $5 USD per night.
Vietnam’s natural beauty can also be explored on a backpacker budget. Halong Bay is known for its stunning rock formations, while Nha Trang rivals the resort-style nightlife of Thailand’s famous party towns (without the sleaze). If you’re staying longer, confident motorbike riders can rent a bike for about $50 USD a month, giving you full freedom to explore isolated beaches and off-the-beaten-track mountain towns.
The Cheapest Countries to Visit in the Americas
Argentina
Unfortunately, Argentina’s currency is in crisis. In mid-2019, $1 USD purchased 40 Argentinian pesos. As I’m updating this article in Spring 2024, $1 USD now gets you 841 pesos at the bank or 985 pesos on the “blue market”. You read that correctly: your money could go twenty-four times as far today as it did four years ago.
For travelers coming from the USA, Canada or Western Europe, this is a great time to visit Argentina. Just make sure you pack lots of cash, as ATMs charge exorbitant fees and there are limits on how much money you can (officially) exchange. Petty crime is a significant problem (I was robbed during my own visit!) so pack lots of cash but don’t carry too much at any time.
I spent all of my time in Argentina in Buenos Aires, where I stayed in both Recoleta and Palermo, two of the city’s trendiest districts. Here, I was surrounded by cool restaurants where I could eat amazing food for less than $10, and I could easily walk to museums and parks with admission that cost less than $5. When I wanted to go further afield, a single journey on a bus or metro cost about $0.30 using my Sube smart card.
Obviously you don’t have to stick to the capital – I was just really tired after backpacking for six months straight! Other popular destinations in Argentina include Iguazu Falls (on the border with Brazil), Salta (for colonial charm) and, of course, Patagonia (for stunning mountain vistas).
Colombia
While a backpacker can get by on about $35 USD per day in Colombia, it’s a particularly attractive destination for mid-range travelers, as a slightly-higher budget (of about $60 USD per day for a solo traveler for $100 USD per day for a couple) can make for a very comfortable trip.
My trip to Colombia started in Santa Marta, as I found a ridiculously cheap flight to this little town beside the Tayrona National Park. From here, you can do a four- or five-day guided trek through the jungle to the Lost City for about $350 USD, including all of your meals, simple accommodation (like hammocks or tents) and an expert guide. For comparison’s sake, this is about half the per-day cost of Peru’s Inca Trail.
If trekking isn’t your thing, you can easily fly around Colombia’s big cities on budget airlines. I flew from Cartagena to Medellin to San Andres to Bogota; domestic flights can be found for as little as $20 USD if you’re only bringing carry-on baggage. I opted for private rooms in popular hostels, where for about $20 USD per night I had my own comfortable room (with air conditioning!), a private bathroom and access to all of the hostels’ amenities. Of course, dorm rooms and bus travel would have been even cheaper, but I really enjoyed “comfortable” backpacking around Colombia.
Ecuador
Ecuador is one of the cheapest countries to visit in South America. It’s possible to backpack around Ecuador on as little as $40 USD per day as a solo traveler.
Dorm rooms typically cost less than $10 USD per night, and it’s possible to book some private rooms (with shared bathrooms) for about $15 USD per night. The rest of your backpacking budget should go towards meals from street food vendors, basic public transportation (including some inter-city trips) and admission to some of the mainland museums and attractions.
If you keep your costs low in Ecudador, you might be able to squeeze in a trip to the Galapagos Islands, which averages about $2,000.
Mexico
I live in Canada, and whenever my friends say, “Oh, I want to go to Europe, but I just can’t afford it”, I always respond by saying, “Have you considered Mexico City?” We often think of Mexico as being primarily a beach destination, but I believe it offers experiences that rival those of many European hotspots… at a fraction of the price (and a fraction of the airfare from North America).
Although most of what I’ve written about Mexico focuses on the Pacific beach towns (since destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Sayulita and San Pancho are easy to reach from my hometown), I’ve actually visited Mexico City about three or four times, always as a solo female backpacker. I love how I can wander the historic city center, which is full of pretty colonial architecture and even some historic ruins, and then travel a few kilometers to the trendy neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma for world-class cuisine and nightlife. Mexico City also has amazing museums and parks, and some of the best day trip opportunities in North America (hello, Teotihuacan!).
A budget of about $40 USD per day gets you the basic backpacker experience in most of non-coastal Mexico (including Mexico City, Guadalajara and Guanajuato). The only added costs would be any luxury experiences you’re looking to indulge in, or any organized excursions you’d want to take (for example, I’ve been to Teotihuacan on a tour and via local bus, and I think it’s worth splurging for the tour).
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is an underrated budget travel destination, and one of the cheapest countries to visit in Central America. For about $35 USD per day you can follow my Nicaragua travel itinerary, taking you from charming towns to spectacular beaches to volcanic lagoons in either seven or ten days.
Sticking to the west side of Nicaragua reduces your travel costs, as there is frequent public bus service between all of the popular backpacking destinations along this route. A highlight of the trip for me was the affordable, vegetarian-friendly food I found throughout the country, including typical Nica breakfasts (rice, beans, salsa and scrambled eggs), fresh fruits (including smoothies and juices) and, particularly in beach towns, local takes on international dishes, served up at expat-owned restaurants. The other thing I loved? Seeing so many monkeys!
Have you been to any of these cheap countries? What was your most memorable budget travel experience? Let me know in the comments!
(And if you’re looking for more money-saving travel tips so that you can travel longer, or more often, check out my guide to 45 money-saving travel hacks that I actually use on almost every trip!)
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