This year’s Top 10 Low-Cost Travel Destinations

Discover new routes with BNE eSIM

This year is shaping up to be an incredible year for travelers. If you’re already preparing your excursions for next year, this list of inexpensive nations to explore is for everyone.

A few of these sites are currently cheaper than they have ever been due to global currency fluctuations or a recent decrease of tourists.

Indonesia

Indonesia is undoubtedly one of our favorite nations on earth, with white sand beaches, world-class surfing, some of the best scuba diving in the world, and some of the most stunning rainforest and rice paddy scenery. 

Indonesia is now one of the cheapest nations to visit that we are aware of.

Around 14,000 rupiah is equivalent to $1 USD, which is around 2,000 rupiah more than in 2018. You could only obtain 9,050 rupiahs for a dollar seven years ago.

Beautiful guest house rooms, frequently set in pool villas, can be had for as little as $20 per night.

For under $3, you can eat excellent seafood meals and millennial staples like “smashed avo on toast” and rent a motorbike for a few bucks per day (cars are roughly $15).

The only thing that isn’t worth much is alcohol. Foreign booze is heavily taxed in Indonesia. Thus a low-quality bottle of imported wine would set you back roughly $20, while a palatable local wine will set you back $13–15.

Bintang beer isn’t particularly good, but it’s inexpensive at roughly $1.50 – $3 at a beach bar or restaurant, whereas foreign beer costs around twice as much.

Indonesia is undoubtedly among the top three finest value for money of all the places we’ve visited and kept track of our budgets in, and with a stronger dollar / lower rupiah, this has never been truer than it is today.

You’ll also have the magnificent archipelago almost entirely to yourself.

Mexico

Mexico is a country we come to time and time again because of its diverse and incredible cuisine, friendly locals, world-class beaches, all the comforts you could want, and an intoxicating attitude.

It’s one of our favorite places to visit and one of the few places where we could envision ourselves settling down for the long haul. There are so many amazing sites to visit and activities in Mexico that you could spend years here and still not see everything.

Mexico is now more affordable than ever, thanks to a weakening peso and a low cost of living. The US dollar is currently trading at 20.5 pesos, which is fantastic.

Avoid visiting Mexico during peak season (November – March), when hotel prices can rise (particularly in December), and many of the loveliest destinations are fully booked.

Mexico will astound you with its incredible value, no matter when you visit.

Tacos for 30 cents apiece, a kilo of fresh prawns from the fish market for $3, Coronas with a slice of lime for $1.50, and strong margaritas for $1 each, all presented to you while your feet are buried in the sand.

Internal flights, as well as cheap long-distance bus excursions, are available through Viva Aerobus and Aeromexico.

Aside from the low pricing of food and alcohol in restaurants and bars, Mexico has several stores that North Americans enjoy, such as Sams Club, Costco in big cities, and Walmart.

Mexico has its own grocery store brands, such as La Comer, Mega, and Soriana. Buying your own shopping and cooking for yourself is a terrific method to save money (while still ensuring a healthy supper) because the food in the supermarkets here is relatively affordable.

Mexico is not just one of the cheapest nations to visit, but it’s also a popular destination for digital nomads and retirees wishing to stay in the country for an extended period of time.

India

India is one of the most thrilling places on the planet to visit.

Both frantic and calm. Clean yet filthy at the same time. Pleasant and enraged. It’s both liberating and annoying. India encapsulates all of the contradictory experiences that make travel so fascinating.

While India is undoubtedly the most interesting and perplexing destination, it is also the most affordable.

India is arguably the best destination to visit if you want to stretch your dollars, euros, or pounds, thanks to the Indian Rupee currently trading at over 75 rupees to the dollar (which is 5 rupees more per dollar than you would have earned in 2021).

While that dinner was extremely inexpensive, we usually ended up eating all-you-can-eat thali feasts for as little as $1.50 and drank fresh lime juice squeezed on the street for 15 cents each glass.

We stayed for free at ashrams (it doesn’t get much cheaper than that) and paid for acceptable but basic double rooms in hotels for around $5 per night.

Getting around India on a budget depends on the railway and bus class you select, with a train from Mumbai to Kolkata traversing 1,968 miles and taking over 30 hours, costing roughly $11!

India is one of the best nations to visit and one of the most affordable.

Colombia

Colombia is a traveler’s dream, with friendly people, beautiful and verdant jungles, stunning Spanish historical capitals, and exquisite beaches.

The Colombian peso has plummeted in recent years, which is bad for local economies and Colombians wishing to travel, but it does provide budget travelers another reason to visit this amazing nation.

You can enjoy excellent seafood meals on the beach for a few dollars, lovely Spanish-style guest rooms are just approximately $30 per night, and scuba diving in the Caribbean is only $24 each dive when purchasing a 10-day package.

Colombia’s tour and experience prices are likewise very reasonable.

Colombia offers plenty of exciting activities.

Cuba

If you’re searching for the perfect Caribbean vacation, go no further than Cuba!

You can book an all-inclusive vacation here, but traveling to Cuba independently will provide you with a significantly deeper experience at a lower cost. Cuba is one of the cheapest countries in the world.

Cuba is a fascinating country with stunning beaches, a distinct Caribbean and Spanish ambiance, delectable cuisine (contrary to popular opinion), friendly people, and breathtaking scenery.

The CUC or CUP is the Cuban currency.

Accommodation, eating at tourist restaurants, cocktails & beer, activities & excursions, car & scooter rentals, and the Viazul bus will all be paid for in CUC (which is pegged to the US Dollar).

CUP is used for smaller things like fruit and vegetables purchased from local sellers, the local bus, and several peso food stores.

1 CUC is equal to 1 USD.

1 USD is equal to 25 CUP.

However, Airbnb is becoming more popular in Cuba, and there are several fantastic accommodations online that are also owned by Cubans. Casas range from $20 to $30 a night for two people, with discounts for one person (and often include breakfast), whereas hotels range from $25 to $180 per night.

The food costs at Cuban restaurants varies greatly depending on where you are in the country and which restaurant you visit. In general, a hearty dinner should cost between $5 and $10.

We suggest spending at least one night at your casa since they prepare delicious traditional cuisine! In addition, cocktails cost between $2 and $3 at a bar. If you were to consume “peso food,” a small lunch would cost roughly $1.

In Cuba, activities such as relaxing on the beaches and meandering through the beautiful and lively cities are inexpensive.

The cost of museum visits, caving, horseback riding, and other tours ranges from $5 to $30. The cost of travel in Cuba is relatively low, making it a great place to visit.

Bulgaria

Returning to the year’s truly amazing value destinations, Bulgaria is perhaps the cheapest country we’ve visited in Europe.

Bulgaria is one of our favorite countries in the region because of its beautiful old towns, incredible wine, beautiful coastline, and incredibly nice and ailak (relaxed) people.

Although Bulgaria has long provided excellent value to visitors, a recent drop in the value of the Bulgarian Lev on the worldwide market means that it is now even better value than it was just a few years ago. 

Gorgeous hostel rooms in 200-year-old houses cost under $20 per night and bottles of wine in restaurants rarely exceed $8.

Bulgaria should be on your travel wish list this year if you want to explore Europe, experience history, meet very nice people, and sample some of the world’s best wine without breaking the budget.

This is undoubtedly one of the cheapest European countries to visit this year.

 South Africa

This list wouldn’t be perfect without our favorite country in Africa, one of the most adventure-packed and naturally gifted places on the planet (so far). South Africa has far too much to see for a vacation of less than six months.

You can’t match South Africa’s rocky and magnificent coastline, incredible wildlife, highly friendly people, wonderful Indi-afro fusion food, decent roads, and low costs.

We assume that this place on the continent’s southern tip is the ideal springboard for those who want to venture into the more turbulent and adventurous travel of the region’s other countries.

Traveling to South Africa is quite simple, notably if you rent a car.

The pricing of the rand is what makes South Africa so budget-friendly in 2022. 

Like many of the other countries on this list, South Africa is using COVID to lower the cost of accommodation and excursions to attract more visitors.

You’ll save a lot of money and have the entire nation to yourself while supporting the local economy and small firms.

Turkey

Turkey, maybe the most liberal of the region’s countries, lures travelers with Istanbul, one of the most interesting and gorgeous cities on the planet.

Furthermore, this country boasts a stunning Mediterranean coastline, incredibly friendly people (particularly in the east), and enthralling Islamic culture and architecture.

Turkey has always offered excellent value for money, but with the country’s present economic crisis, everything has become less expensive for visitors.

Whenever we travel to Turkey, we are astounded by the excellent value for money. Traditional Turkish cuisine is available for $5. The portions are frequently so large that two people may split a dinner for the same price.

Delicious kebabs may be had for a few dollars on the street, and nice guest house rooms can be had for under $20 per night (more in the major cities).

The expense of visiting mosques is one of the costs that can mount up quickly in Turkey. Many of the greatest ones, for example, in Istanbul, cost upwards of $10 to visit.

If you’re on a low budget, limit your visits to a few paying mosques and look for others that you may visit for free.

Turkey provides outstanding value for money, and based on current limits and procedures, entry into the nation in 2022 will be relatively simple.

Thailand

This list of affordable travel locations for 2022 must contain the Land of Smiles. While it may not be the most straightforward country to visit this year, it is doable; just keep an eye on the prerequisites.

Thailand has long been one of our favorite destinations in the world, and the affordable traveler in us still exults each time we visit.

There are many sites to visit in Thailand, whether you wish to visit National Parks, forests, towns, or islands.

The Thai Baht, despite certain dips and increases, does not make the nation any less expensive than it has been in recent years, but that is irrelevant. Thailand just provides some of the best value for money any place on the planet.

Thailand is a continuous challenger as one of the inexpensive countries to visit in the world, with lovely guest rooms and beach huts right on the sand for as little as $15 a night, spicy and mouth-watering Thai meals for around $2 a plate, and scuba diving for about $20 a dive.

When visiting Thailand, your biggest expense (depending on where you’re coming from) will most likely be your flight, but once there, you’ll be able to experience an amazingly inexpensive cost of living and the hospitality of the locals who have made this country notable.

Greece

Greece would undoubtedly be near the top of this list if it were ranked in order of most picturesque and best value for money. It’s incredible how such a lovely location can be so economical, nestled in the Mediterranean.

Athens Airport serves as a major hub, with several excellent flights to various destinations. Greece is one of the cheapest countries to visit from the United States, and it is also one of the cheapest countries to fly to from most other countries in the world.

While the Euro has depreciated in recent years, Greece has always been regarded as a low-cost destination in Europe, though perhaps not as much as it is nowadays. Greece is an excellent choice for 2022 because of its exceptional value.  

On Zakynthos Island, we leased a lovely, modern, 550 sq ft studio apartment with a sea view for under $20 per night for our trip.

We also found a two-story, one-bedroom apartment with a pool near Santorini’s south coast for about $20.

Greek food is excellent, and you can generally have a good fish meal for under $8 in a restaurant. Greek restaurant owners and cooks provide free wine, appetizers, and desserts to their customers.

You’ll be full and satisfied every time you leave a typical Greek restaurant – without breaking the bank.

Overall, Greece is one of the most affordable European nations to visit, with some of the finest value for money.

It also competes as one of the best value tourism locations globally, given its placement on the map and the degree of quality found here.

Tips

If you’re traveling internationally to one of these countries, you may be tempted to leave your phone behind instead of paying outrageous roaming fees. However, BNESIM can help you stay connected with affordable eSIM plans. You can choose pay-as-you-go, daily or monthly plans to match your budget while enjoying high-speed internet. If you want to save more of your hard-earned money while traveling abroad, check this page. Have a plan!

0 Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

en_USEnglish