Ten of The Cheapest Countries To Travel

Are you short on the holiday budget this year? If you are why not visit one of these ten places because these are the cheapest countries to travel in and when we say cheap, we mean you can tour them for weeks on end without breaking the bank, but they are also all worth the visit in the first place…

Mexico

The slide of the Mexican peso and favourable exchange with the sterling has made Mexico a good option for the traveller. Flights to Cancun are cheaper than they’ve been for some time. Visitors can explore the Yucatan Peninsula and enjoy the exotic beaches, world-class snorkelling and scuba diving or opt to explore the remarkable Mayan ruins left behind by the last Mexican natives. Things are relatively cheap, even in tourist areas, but if you stay in an area that is not one of the tourist hot spots, it will cost you much less and give you a proper taste of local life.

Brazil

Places like Rio de Janeiro draws tourists in, yet there are many more things to see here that you may have not thought of. Head to Porto Alegre and see Aparados da Serra National Park. Regional buses can take you from city to city to help getting around easier. Also taking a Portuguese phrasebook with you will make transactions and bartering less stressful. Make sure you also plan some time to backpack through the Amazon jungle. It’s quite the sight.

Vietnam

Vietnam is becoming more and more of a popular tourist destination each year. It’s not very developed and compared to other countries in the region, it’s cheap. Moreover, people are interested in learning more about a place America spent so much time fighting in. When I was there, I spent about 8 dollars a day. That included cheap guest houses, local food, transportation, and a bit of drinking. Realistically though, if you budgeted 20-30 dollars day, you would want for nothing.

Turkey

The relative stability in currency markets between the pound and the Turkish lira has meant that Turkey remains a good cheap option, so much so that people are even using the likes of Istanbul for a weekend city break. Unlike shopping meccas like New York, you can still haggle yourself a shopping bargain in the Grand Bazaar or the antique district of Cukurcuma. While the cost of living has shot up in Turkey, being outside the eurozone means that prices are still low compared to the majority of Europe. And with experts predicting that hotel rates are going to rise in coming years because of continued popularity, there really isn’t a better time to take advantage.

Portugal

Portugal has the Mediterranean flavour without the high costs like Spain and Italy. Here your dollar can stretch far with things like food and hostels. Travel is fairly cheap as well. The well-connected train lines connect most of the major cities. Taxis are much cheaper in cities like Lisbon than in places like Paris and London. Head to Algarve for incredible beaches. This will be the most costly of the places you can go here, but it is still much cheaper than beaches in the South of France and Spanish beach cities.

Argentina

Another country whose currency has lost ground to the dollar. Argentina is an amazing place filled with history, football, and nature. The food here is excellent and the country is famous for its wine and steak. Buenos Aires is considered one of the liveliest cities in the world and most people here speak English. It’s very cosmopolitan and you can get around for less than $40 USD per day

Thailand

British travellers to Thailand had been in for something of a shock in recent times as the pound lost almost a third of its value, meaning that the holiday hot spot was no longer the cheap option it has always been. The good news is the pound has recovered some of its strength against the Thai baht, and is likely to improve further so that a visit will hopefully become cheaper and cheaper. Political unrest in the country has indirectly helped reduce demand for flights and holiday packages, and as a result, prices have fallen. For many, Bangkok is a must, and with plenty of flights to choose from, airfares are generally low.

India

While India has always been a cheap country, the Indian Rupee used to ride high at 39 Rupees to the dollar. Now, you get 82 Rupees to the dollar. That’s over 100% more money. In an already cheap country like India, that money will go along way. Even if you go for luxury, you’ll be hard-pressed to spend a lot of money here per day. Moreover, there are no many direct flights from the US to here for less than 1,000 USD! Not bad for lying half way around the world!

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is one of the cheapest destinations in Europe, but that could all be set to change. In preparation for the currency the ‘lev’ being ditched for the euro, general prices have started to rise, but not enough to prevent you from securing a bargain break. A good cost-effective option is a private villa or apartment. And don’t forget that Bulgaria has plenty of budget options for those intended to hit the ski slopes, with Bansko being a great cheap ski destination – and that’s before you’ve sampled the budget-priced après ski. Simply put, visit Bulgaria now before it enters the eurozone.

Hungary

Hungary is a beautiful country with a rich history. The capital, Budapest, is a marvellous example of old Europe and must-see destination. During the booming economic times of the earlier decade, Hungary was flying high with a growing economy and a strong currency. Now, one dollar gets you 200 Hungarian Forint, up from 150 in 2008. You can get huge meals in markets for $5 USD, trains for $1 USD, and hotels for $20 USD. It’s a great bargain destination.