The most affordable travel destinations in the world right now are Vietnam, Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria and Egypt, where a comfortable day of eating out, sightseeing and local transport costs £25–£40. Add flights under £300 for the European entries and paradise gets surprisingly cheap.
Affordable Travel Destinations in the WorldAffordable does not mean second-rate; every destination here would justify its place at twice the price. This is where your money works hardest in the current year.
1. Vietnam — the backpacker classic that grew up
Vietnam remains the value benchmark of Asia: steaming bowls of pho for £1.50, beach-town guesthouses for £15 and an overnight sleeper the length of the country for less than a UK taxi ride. The food alone justifies the flight.
Ha Long Bay cruises, Hoi An tailoring and the Hanoi street-food scene all cost a fraction of their fame. A comfortable week runs around £350 on the ground.
2. Albania — the Mediterranean’s last bargain
Albania‘s riviera serves the same turquoise Ionian as Corfu, visible across the strait, at half the price. Beach-town rooms in Ksamil and Himara cost £30–£50 in high summer, and a seafood dinner with wine rarely tops £15 a head.
Add Ottoman towns like Gjirokastër and Berat, both UNESCO-listed, and the last uncrowded corner of Mediterranean Europe is yours before the secret finishes leaking.
3. Turkey — five-star facilities, three-star bills
The pound goes remarkably far in Turkey, especially in the all-inclusive resorts of the Turquoise Coast where the rate covers everything from waterparks to midnight snacks. Outside the resorts, kebabs, ferries and bazaars cost pennies.
Istanbul remains one of the world’s great-value city breaks, and hot-air ballooning over Cappadocia costs half its New Zealand equivalent.
4. Bulgaria — Europe’s cheapest beach and ski double
Bulgaria wins both seasons: Sunny Beach summers and Bansko winters are the cheapest organised holidays in Europe, with beers at £2 and lift passes at a third of Alpine prices. The Black Sea coast north of the resorts hides quieter, prettier bays.
Sofia and Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest cities, add culture for a long weekend costing less than a night out at home.
5. Egypt — wonders of the world at package prices
Egypt bundles the planet’s most famous ancient sites with the Red Sea’s best-value diving. All-inclusive Hurghada weeks regularly undercut the Spanish costas, and a Nile cruise with Luxor and Karnak included costs less than many European city breaks.
On the ground, taxis, feluccas and street food cost next to nothing by UK standards.
6–10. The best of the rest
Portugal remains Western Europe’s value champion, and Greece off-season drops to bargain levels once the August crowds leave. Further afield, Sri Lanka, Georgia and Mexico beyond the resort zones all deliver £30-a-day travel with world-class rewards.
The pattern across all ten: local food, local transport and shoulder-season timing do more for your budget than any discount code ever will.
How to keep any destination affordable
Fly midweek with hand luggage, book the first two nights only and negotiate the rest locally in cheaper countries, and eat your main meal at lunchtime when set menus halve the evening price. Withdraw cash with a fee-free card rather than exchanging at airports.
Most of all, spend where it matters to you and economise where it does not. Affordable travel is not about spending nothing; it is about wasting nothing.
Daily budgets side by side
For two people sharing, excluding accommodation: Vietnam runs £25–£35 a day eating brilliantly, Albania and Bulgaria £35–£45, Turkey and Egypt £40–£55 outside the resorts. Portugal and off-season Greece land nearer £60–£80, still half of France or Italy.
Accommodation follows the same ladder: £15 guesthouses in Hoi An, £40 seafront rooms in Ksamil, £70 boutique stays in Porto. Pick your rung and the maths mostly takes care of itself.
Which way are prices moving?
Albania is the one to hurry: prices climb yearly as the coast gets discovered, though it remains a bargain by any Mediterranean measure. Vietnam and Egypt stay stable thanks to exchange rates, while Turkey fluctuates with the lira but rewards package bookers who lock prices in sterling.
The reliable rule: the earlier you visit a rising star, the better the story and the smaller the bill.
When cheap destinations cost more
Even bargain countries have expensive weeks: Vietnam’s Tet new year, Albania’s August, Egypt over Christmas. Local holiday calendars move prices more than seasons do, so a two-minute search of festival dates protects the whole budget.
Flights remain the great equaliser: a £450 fare to a £25-a-day country can lose to a £60 fare to a £50-a-day one on a short trip. Run the total, not the daily rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest country to visit right now?
Vietnam offers the world’s best value overall, with comfortable travel at £25–£35 a day. In Europe, Albania and Bulgaria lead, with daily costs under £40 even in summer.
Where is cheap to go on holiday from the UK?
Bulgaria, Turkey, Albania and Egypt offer the lowest total cost including flights, with all-inclusive Turkish and Egyptian packages frequently beating Spain like-for-like.
How much money do I need per day for cheap destinations?
Budget £25–£40 per day in Vietnam, Albania or Bulgaria covering food, transport and sights, roughly double that in Portugal or Greece, always excluding accommodation.
Is it safe to visit cheap destinations?
The destinations here all have well-established tourism and normal precautions apply. Cheap reflects local economics and exchange rates, not risk levels.
