10 Budget friendly travel destinations for 2024
With hard economic times hitting basically the entire globe these past few years, many have found it difficult to justify spending their hard-earned money on luxuries such as travel.
I want to be able to help with that because we all deserve a bit of luxury in this life!
For everyone who likes the sound of that, I have compiled a list of what I believe are 10 countries to travel in 2024 that won’t break the bank. These countries are in no particular order. Also, some countries are obviously more expensive than others, but I wanted to provide examples from various regions of the world.
As you read through the list, please keep in mind that prices may fluctuate and are not set in stone. However, I am confident that these will be top choices not only for 2024 but for years to come. (As they have also been popular in years past!)
Note: All of the following information has been gathered from my own experiences, as well as data tracked from previous travelers using www.budgetyourtrip.com . Prices are based on AVERAGES regarding BUDGET travel. Keep in mind that every person’s trip is going to be different - You could of course spend more depending on the location and your itinerary.
Now, without any further ado - Let’s get started!
Vietnam
Starting off this list of 10, we have Vietnam! A bustling country rich with culture, amazing people, and an abundance of delicious food, Vietnam seems to be on everyone’s budget destinations for a reason. Get lost in Ha Long Bay, take a motorbike around the Ha Giang Loop or park yourself on a little plastic stool in the streets of Hanoi and help yourself to one of the world’s cheapest beers!
Accommodation: Having your choice of budget accommodation from hostels, homestays and hotel deals you can expect to pay anywhere from about $5 up to $20 per night with the avg. being slightly less than $10 per night. With that, for one week, the cost would be approximately $70 if we use the average.
Transportation: Local buses and trains are cheap within Vietnam depending on the distance of your travel. I could give you a broad range from about $1 - $15 for local transit but the information I have, the average is right around $4.50 per day. Per week, using the avg, it would cost $31.50 for your transportation needs using the local transit.
Activities: Vietnam is packed with free activities to keep you busy, including hikes, visiting temples, or exploring the local markets. For a budget friendly trip, travelers tend to pay approximately $5 per day or $35 a week for activities and entertainment. However, Vietnam also has an abundance of activities that are worth considering if you are willing to up your budget. If you are looking for more than touring the markets or temples, than I would allocate up to $200 for the week depending on your activities of choice.
Food & Drink: Vietnam is well known for its delicious and affordable food options. Take advantage of the street stalls and small restaurants serving local specialties to keep your budget down to approximately $6 per day, or $40 per week. Don’t forget to try the Banh Mi…Oh the Banh mi has my heart!
Totals: I knew I had to start this list off with Vietnam because it will continue to be one of the top destinations for budget travelers for the foreseeable future. Simply for $25.50 a day or $178.50 a week, you could experience this country for yourself and see exactly what everyone is talking about!
Thailand
Thailand has been a top destination for budget travelers and backpackers for years, and that isn’t changing any time soon. With many seeing it as the gateway into Southeast Asia, it can be a great place to start a bigger trip in the region but also just an amazing country to tour around.
Now, because Thailand is one of the most touristy countries in Southeast Asia, it is arguably more expensive than its neighbors like Laos and Cambodia but compared to western countries Thailand is still incredibly affordable and exactly why I’ve popped it onto the list.
Accommodation: For one person’s accommodation in Thailand the avg. price ended up being $13 per night, or $91 for the week. These prices are based on a mix of single occupancy hotel and hostel rooms.
Transportation: The avg. daily costs for local transportation are $5 per day or around $35 per week. This price includes Taxis, local buses, subways, etc. It should be noted for many of these countries you may encounter increased transportation costs when going to and from the airport, or if you plan to take longer duration buses to different locations. This will completely depend on how far you plan on going!
Two sites I would recommend for a better understanding of longer duration bus trips within South East Asia (Thailand and Vietnam) would be www.busbud.com or www.redbus.com . I have personally used both and they seemed to be the most popular while I was there in 2019/20.
Food & Drink: Like much of Southeast Asia, some of the best food available is sold by street vendors. If you are looking to save money than this will be your best option and the avg. traveler would spend around $2.7 per meal, or about $7 per day, and $47 per week.
Note: The price of food in sit-down restaurants will often be higher than fast food or street food.
Activities: Typically, travelers spend around $7 per day, or $49 per week for activities and entertainment including day tours, admission fees and other sightseeing expenses.
Totals: With these four categories tallied up you’re looking at a travel budget of approximately $32 for one day, and between $224 for an entire week! Not too shabby if I do say so myself!
Turkey
The first European (or Middle Eastern) country on the list is Turkey. A country that needed to be included, as I have heard nothing but great things from other travelers over the past several years. A few reasons off the top of my head as to why you should consider travelling to Turkey are the history, culture, nature, and cats! Yes, I said cats..
Accommodation: For a one-night stay within Turkey you will be looking to spend on average about $26 per night or $182 for the week. The best options for accommodation seem to be hostels, guesthouses, or cheap hotels.
Transportation: Transportation within Turkey is going to run you approximately $19 per day and $133 per week. These prices reflect local transit options like taxis, buses, and subways, although in some parts of Turkey there are other options such as Uber. However, Uber is limited to certain cities throughout the country.
Food & Drink: For as little as $15 you could enjoy the Turkish cuisine for the whole day. This means on average, budget travelers are spending about $105 for an entire week of eating. Just saying, you could enjoy several amazing kebabs at these prices!
Activities: Whether you’re looking to be a beach bum, outdoor enthusiast or you’re on the hunt for that perfect Instagram photo packed with hot air balloons, Turkey will have something for you. On average, travelers spending their time in Turkey are likely to spend approximately $21 a day on entertainment and activities. Weekly, this works out to the amount of $147 on various activities.
Totals: As you may have guessed after reading through the four categories, Turkey is the most expensive country on this list. And of course if you are genuinely travelling on a shoe string budget than it may not be the perfect destination for you but if you are looking to experience something beyond the normal backpacker route of Southeast Asia, or the Gringo Trail of Latin America then I truly believe Turkey is a great choice for $81 a day or $567 for the week!
Mexico
A list of affordable travel destinations would not be complete without mentioning Mexico. Especially as a Canadian, Mexico is easily one of the most travelled to destinations for my brethren from The Great White North. Home to some of the best types of food from anywhere in the world, make sure to try the fresh tortillas, tacos, tortas or streetside churros and you will surely not be disappointed!
Accommodation: If you’re travelling solo in Mexico, you’ll have the great opportunity to meet many likeminded travelers in the hostels or hotels throughout the country. These rooms/beds will typically cost you around $18 for the night and $126 for the week.
Transportation: Mexico has some amazing local transportation, whether it be the subways in Mexico City or the longer duration buses that can take you anywhere, you will be able to find what you need for an affordable cost. On average, travelers typically spend around $7 a day, and $49 a week for their transportation needs.
Food & Drink: The data shows that travelers generally spend $11 per day, and $77 per week on their food and drink. Keep in mind, the food and drinks in Mexico are amazing and you could potentially increase this budget if you are planning to sit around the beaches taking advantage of those afternoon margaritas with authentic Mexican tequila - depending on the type of trip you’re planning to have of course!
Activities: Mexico is filled with activities throughout the entire country, but they don’t have to break the bank for you. On average, budget travelers are only spending $9 a day, or $63 a week on Entertainment and Activities.
Totals: Mexico will forever be one of my favorite countries to visit as it has everything you may want and most certainly will not eat up your entire budget. $45 a day or $315 a week will give you one of the best travel experiences you could ever hope for. My advice for the budget traveler, however, stay away from the resorts along either coasts that are filled with the rest of the North American tourists. Mexico has so much more to offer than a resort chair on a private beach. The authentic food and rich culture should be more than enough to persuade you to branch out.
Colombia
I can already tell what some of you are thinking – “COLOMBIA?! Is this guy serious?!”
The answer is yes, I could not be any more serious! Colombia is one of the best countries to visit for budget and luxury travelers alike. For those of you stuck in the past, Colombia is no longer in the Pablo Escobar Era when violence and the cocaine trade ruled the streets.
Colombia’s government and its people have made an incredible effort to make this beautiful country a dream destination to us foreigners and have built their nation back up from their dark past. If you want to hear more about their past, I suggest checking out Communa 13 while in Medellin. The tours and stories will surely open your eyes to what the locals had to endure through the 80’s and early 90’s. I urge you to give Colombia a chance because I am sure glad I did!
Accommodation: Hostels and Hotels in Colombia were generally quite affordable while I was travelling Colombia. For one bed, or single room, you are looking to pay on average $8 per night and only $56 for the whole week. I do want to acknowledge the fact here however, that prices were rising in Colombian hostels even as I was staying there. I had prices change from one night to the next simply due to the country’s inflation at that time in 2022. Despite this, I still believe Colombia’s accommodation is reasonably priced and affordable for travelers.
Transportation: Local transportation in Colombia is also among the cheapest that I have experienced over the years with the avg. daily cost of about $3, or $21 for a week of transportation.
Food & Drink: Colombia has some great food that is incredibly budget friendly as well. If you are looking to save some extra money, make sure to check out the Menu Del Dia’s served all over town for lunch. They tend to come with a starter soup, a main course including meat, lentils/beans, salad and a drink all for the low cost of $1 to $2. If you are sticking to the budget friendly theme throughout your stay in Colombia it is possible to get by with only a $5 food budget for the day, or $35 for the whole week.
Activities: Yet another country packed with different activities to do varying from region to region. You could go from doing Salsa lessons in Cali, Scuba Diving in Taganga or exploring the rainforest down in Leticia. For the average budget traveler, the expenses per day hover around $5.50 and work out to around $38.5 for the week.
Totals: From personal experience Colombia is the complete package. Food, History, Culture, Beaches, you name it, Colombia has it. It was also the cheapest country that I travelled in South America back in 2022. I hope you give it a chance, as you could see Colombia for as little as $21.50 a day or $150.50 for a week.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the third country on this list from Southeast Asia, and rightfully so. A country made up of beautiful island landscapes, the sea, and an amazing people; Indonesia should be a country on everyone’s list. However, I am under the impression that every time someone brings up Indonesia, people automatically think of Bali. And please let me tell you - this country has so much more to offer if you’ll only give it the opportunity!
Accommodation: One person’s cost per night in Indonesia will run you approximately $11, or up to $77 for the entire week! Similar to the other countries, your best bets will most likely be hostels, guesthouses or hotels but you also have the opportunity to share a villa with friends in Bali if you so choose.
Transportation: Being in Asia of course the local transportation tends to be on the less expensive side, and travelers on avg. are spending $2.50 per day, or $17.5 for the week to take advantage of the taxis, local buses, subways, etc.
Food & Drink: You’ll most likely be looking to spend around $6 total for your meals for the day or $42 for the week - That’s damn good! If I may suggest, try the beef rendang! It is a local dish similar to beef curry but without the broth. And because it takes a long time to prepare, the beef is incredibly tender. Worth a try in my opinion!
Activities: Indonesia is rife full of activities to keep your days full. From snorkeling to hiking volcanoes, or from surfing to taking cooking classes, there are no shortages of things to do and all at a budget friendly price! On average, travelers spend about $3.75 per day, and $26.25 for an entire week of entertainment.
Totals: Indonesia is another country, like Mexico, where I would urge you to branch out. Sure, Bali is nice, and you get those influencer vibes - that look great for Instagram. However, this country has so much more to offer and those “influencer vibes” are going to cost you $$. Bali will most likely be the most expensive part of your stay in Indonesia. But of course, It is still relatively cheap in comparison to Western countries. If the magic of Bali is what you’re after though, don’t let me dissuade you! I would just personally suggest that if you have the time, go explore and enjoy more of what Indonesia has to offer! And why not, for just $23.25 per day or $162.75 per week you could potentially adventure around this great nation for quite some time.
Croatia
I wanted to include at least on more European country within this list as my last example, Turkey, is arguably in both Asia and Europe. Croatia, however, is most certainly a European Nation and a heavily recommended travel destination to boot! Obviously, the prices are slightly higher compared to our options out of Asia or Latin America due it is geographical location but compared to the rest of Europe, Croatia is very much affordable. I have heard nothing but great things, so of course I had to add it on the list of Budget Friendly Travel Destinations for 2024!
Accommodation: Accommodation within Croatia seems like it will be your biggest expense during your stay. An average night in a hostel, single hotel room, guesthouse, etc. for a budget traveler comes in around $22. Meaning, you could pay only $154 for the entire week while exploring Croatia.
Transportation: If using the local transit within Croatia you should budget about $5 for the day and upwards of $35 for the week.
Food & Drink: Immerse yourself in the local Croatian cuisine for a modest $13 a day or only $91 for a weeks’ worth of eating. I know, I know, compared to some of the other countries on this list Croatia is on the higher end of the spectrum, but let’s be real, $91 for a full week of eating while on a trip is still very much incredible!
Activities: Where you may spend a little extra on your food, I think you’ll be sure to save on your activities. Your entertainment budget is going to be completely reasonable at only $5.50 per day, or $38.5 for one whole week of activities and fun.
Totals: With Croatia being a part of Europe I would assume most of you could guess that it would be among the most expensive countries on this list as well... and you’d be right. But in my opinion any country as beautiful and renowned as Croatia that you could travel for as little as $45.50 a day or $318.50 for a week, deserves to make it onto this list of Budget Friendly Destinations for 2024.
India
If you’re looking for a shock to the senses and the potential to turn your perception of the world upside down, then you should be running to the airport and hopping on the next flight over to India! With its incredibly rich culture, and cuisine, I don’t know any other country in the world that has changed the perception of life in the minds of travelers as much as India has. Also, as a little bonus, India is in the top 10% cheapest countries in the world making the bang for your buck even better!
Accommodation: A hotel room or hostel for one person on a budget in India is going to run you $6.50 per night on average. This means for the week you would only be spending approximately $45.50 on accommodation.
Transportation: Now, using public transportation in India can be difficult from what I have heard, but it is of course possible. On average, travelers have spent $2.50 a day on local transportation, and up to $17.50 for the week. If you tend to be claustrophobic, then it may be worth spending slightly more for a more comfortable experience.
Food & Drink: Indian food is known all around the world. I can’t think of a single city I have been to where I haven’t seen some sort of Indian restaurant while walking down the street. And guess what… It’s well known for a reason! Try their amazing cuisine while only spending about $4 a day, and $28 for the whole week!
I feel the need to say this - I have met many travelers who have gotten sick from the street vendors in India, so please do be careful and don’t just eat somewhere because it’s the first place you see. You don’t want to lay in bed for 3 days with “Delhi Belly” because you ate somewhere you shouldn’t have. A good rule of thumb is - if the locals are eating the food, then it is likely okay for you. But like in any case, if you don’t feel comfortable with it, move on!
Activities: Whether you’re headed over to India for the spirituality, trekking, the beaches, or its unique culture, you’ll surely be able to access it all at a low cost. Activities and Entertainment are going to be incredibly reasonable within India at a mere $4 a day and $28 a week.
Totals: What else can I say about India that I haven’t already? I think it’s reputation speaks for itself. And if you don’t quite think it will be as life changing as people say, why not try it out for yourself and travel through India for as little as $17 a day or $119 for an entire week. Please let me know what you think if you make your way there!
Bolivia
Oh Bolivia. This is one country that surprised me the most out during my most recent trip to South America. A land with such incredible biodiversity makes for an exciting trip to any corner of the nation. Whether you’re looking to go North to take a long wooden boat from Rurrenabaque into the Amazon, or if you’d rather head South towards Salar De Uyuni, I believe Bolivia has something for every type of traveler.
Accommodation: Accommodation in Bolivia is far more than reasonable with the average budget traveler spending only $7 for a good night’s sleep, or $49 for the whole week.
Transportation: You won’t go broke using the local transportation in Bolivia either. Whether you need a tuk-tuk ride, a cable car in La Paz or a quick ride on the metro, you’re looking to stay completely budget friendly spending about $5 a day, or $35 for the week for your transportation needs.
Food & Drink: Food and drink will be no exception to that budget friendly theme here in Bolivia. The average budget traveler is looking to spend approximately $7 a day, and $49 a week. If you’re feeling adventurous why not give cuy a try?! For those of you who don’t know what that is - Cuy is guinea pig, and it’s served as a local delicacy in several South American countries including Bolivia.
Activities: Like I mentioned earlier in the opening blurb for Bolivia, it has several amazing attractions for any traveler and as luck would have it, you may only need to spend around $7 a day to experience some of them. That works out to a mere $49 for an entire week of activities and entertainment.
Totals: Bolivia is a country that won my heart just a couple of years ago. I very much enjoyed my time here and I believe most other travelers would as well. I will admit I met some individuals on the road that felt like Bolivia was potentially a bit of a culture shock as well. Similar to India, I guess, but I would argue Bolivia’s shock to the senses would not be nearly as extreme. But why not see for yourself, I know I loved it! Do you think you could enjoy a trip to Bolivia for $26 a day or $182 for a week?
Morocco
Finally, we have the only African Nation that I had room for on this current list - Morocco! Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco itself is not a country to be overlooked. Growing in popularity for a variety of reasons, Morocco is home to diverse landscapes, delicious food, and a possible insight into the religion of Islam if you should so choose.
Accommodation: The prices for accommodation within Morocco are moderate compared to others on this list but obviously still budget friendly. For a one-night stay in a hostel or cheap hotel, a budget traveler should be looking to spend on average about $14 per night or around $98 for a weeks’ worth of Accommodation. It may also benefit you to look for guesthouses in Morocco as they tend to be even an even cheaper option.
Transportation: Local transportation, however, is even cheaper than some of the other countries at a simple daily average of $3, and $21 for the week.
Food & Drink: Moroccan food uses similar ingredients to other countries near to the Mediterranean such as Greece, Italy, and Spain but of course they have their own traditional dishes that should be experienced during your travels. Food and drink tend to cost about $7 a day for the budget traveler. Meaning for one week, you could eat for as little as $49.
Activities: With a variety of things to do ranging from walking through the colorful city streets, all the way up to riding camels through the Sahara, you are sure to find something you enjoy in Morocco. Activities are also incredibly affordable within the country coming in at a mere $4 a day on average, and only costing you about $28 for the whole week worth of activities.
Totals: I felt like I needed an African Nation to be on the list and Morocco rounds it out perfectly. I don’t know about you, but Morocco has been on my travel bucket list for the past several years and hopefully it will be crossed off soon. For all of the adventure and culture you could experience in Morocco for only $28 per day or $196 for one whole week – I think you might be crazy not to consider it for a future trip!
I believe most countries in the world can be budget friendly if you are disciplined and put in the proper research. However the above list should give you a great starting point for getting out into the world in 2024 and exploring new, and exciting countries on a budget!
If you would like to check out the costs of flights to any or all of these destinations, be sure to check out my affiliate partner SkyScanner where you can found thousands of flight options all over the world!