14 Cheapest Countries to Visit: A Budget Travel Guide

Use this extensive list of budget travel countries in Asia and Europe to plan smart routes, real daily costs, and easy wins.

This guide covers the cheapest countries to visit with sample prices, quick itineraries, and planning tips so you can land affordable travel without Stress.

How To Compare Costs Quickly

1. Think of daily budget bands per traveller

Shoestring 30 to 55 USD

Comfort budget 55 to 95 USD

Mid-range 95 to 150 USD

2. Track four drivers of total spend: flights, beds, food, and intercity moves

3. Keep one expensive day for a tour, balance with two light days

Cheapest Countries To Travel In Asia

Vietnam

Street-food heaven, gorgeous trains and buses, and cities made for walking and snacking. Pho, coffee, night markets, repeat.

Daily band: $35–$70

Best window: Nov–Apr (drier, cooler in much of the north/central)

Money tip: Build around trains/buses (intercity $10–$18) and market meals (pho/banh mi $2–$4; coffee $1–$2). Hostels commonly $6–$12.

Laos

Slow travel at its finest: river towns, waterfalls, and bamboo bridges. Take your time, and your budget will stretch.

Daily band: $30–$60

Best window: Nov–Mar (dry season)

Money tip: Try noodle soup ($2–$3), fruit shakes ($1), and hop by minivan ($6–$12). Dorms run ~$6–$10.

Cambodia

Angkor mornings, street-food evenings, and cheap cross-country buses.

Daily band: $30–$60

Best window: Nov–Mar (dry, not oven-hot)

Money tip: Buses are simple (Phnom Penh ↔ Siem Reap $10–$14); dorms $6–$10; plates $2–$3; beer ~$1.

Indonesia, Bali, Java, Nusa islands

Surf, temples, rice fields, and warungs. Easy scooter loops and villa shares slash costs.

Daily band: $35–$80

Best window: May–Oct (drier in Bali/Java)

Money tip: Homestays $12–$25; nasi goreng $2–$4; fresh juice ~$2; scooter $6–$9/day. Split villas to drop per-person rates.

India

Rail-connected cities, thali meals, and a vast variety without massive spending.

Daily band: $30–$70

Best window: Oct–Mar (cooler in most regions)

Money tip: Sleeper train segments $6–$15; veg thali $2–$3; chai $0.30–$0.60; guesthouses $10–$20.

Most Affordable Countries In Europe

Albania

Adriatic beaches, Ottoman towns, and mountain buses that cost lunch money — it’s Europe on easy mode.

Daily band: $40–$85

Best window: May–October (coast prime Jun–Sep)

Money tip: Live on byrek (€1–€2) and espresso (~€1), ride Tirana→Berat buses for €4–€6, and book family guesthouses (€15–€30) a few blocks off the waterfront.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bridge towns, river walks, and hearty plates without tourist markup. Cores are walkable, so you save on transit by default.

Daily band: $45–$90

Best window: May–October

Money tip: Sarajevo→Mostar bus for €8–€12, load up on ćevapi (€3–€5) and coffee (€1–€2), and target rooms in the €20–€35 range near the old towns.

Romania

Castles, Carpathian hikes, and colourful Old Towns stitched together by cheap trains and coaches.

Daily band: $50–$95

Best window: May–October

Money tip: Intercity trains run ~€8–€15; do bakery lunches (€2–€4) and prix-fixe soup+mains for €6–€10; private rooms often cost €22–€40.

Bulgaria

Black Sea in summer, mountains in shoulder season — and prices that still feel pre-Eurozone.

Daily band: $45–$90

Best window: May–September (coast), September–October (cities/hikes)

Money tip: Sofia→Plovdiv bus €7–€9; snack on banitsa (€1–€2) and beers (€1.50–€2); rooms in the €20–€35 band if you book just off the centre.

Americas And North Africa Picks

Mexico

Street tacos, cenotes, and ADO buses that make long hops painless.

Daily band: $45–$90

Best window: November–April (drier in many regions)

Money tip: Tacos $0.70–$1.50, agua fresca $1–$2, rooms $20–$40; long buses typically $10–$25 — base a block or two off the plaza for lower nightly rates.

Guatemala

Volcano views, lake boats, and hostels with kitchens — backpacker fundamentals, dialled.

Daily band: $35–$75

Best window: November–April (dry season)

Money tip: Set lunches (almuerzo) $3–$5, coffee $1–$2, dorms $8–$14; shared shuttle from Antigua to Lake Atitlán $10–$15 beats private transfers.

Colombia

Travel from the Caribbean coast to Andean cities on cheap domestic flights, and menus del día will feed you for pocket change.

Daily band: $45–$95

Best window: December–March (widely dry), July–August (many regions)

Money tip: Bogotá↔Medellín flights $25–$45 if booked early; lunch sets $3–$6, arepas ~€1; dorms $8–$15 in central areas.

Morocco

Medinas, mountains, and coast — plus trains and buses that are simple and affordable.

Daily band: $45–$95

Best window: March–May, September–November

Money tip: Tagine €4–€7, mint tea ~€1, riads €20–€40; trains like Casablanca→Rabat run ~€4–€6 — book ONCF/CTM to avoid haggling.

Egypt

World-class sights with low daily costs if you plan smart and keep it local.

Daily band: $40–$90

Best window: October–April

Money tip: Koshari $1–$2, falafel $0.30–$0.60, private rooms $18–$35; Cairo→Alexandria train ~€4–€7 — pair one guided day with two DIY museum/market days.

Cheapest Countries For Backpackers

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, India, and Indonesia for Asia routes with cheap buses and hostels
Albania, Bosnia, Romania, and Bulgaria for Europe, with low intercity costs
Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia for the Americas, with affordable eats and frequent transit

Planning Moves That Keep Totals Low

Fly midweek, route to hubs, then use trains or buses
Sleep one or two blocks off the main square and walk
Eat where set menus or market counters are common
Withdraw cash in larger amounts to cut ATM fees
Prebook one must-do tour, leave free time around it

Key Takeaway

Pick one region, set a realistic pace, and track daily bands rather than every receipt. With wise choices, your list of budget-friendly destinations will stretch further and feel richer.