Cheapest Countries to Visit in 2026

Traveling on a budget does not mean choosing between your savings account and seeing the world. Some countries offer incredible experiences at a fraction of what you would spend in Western Europe, North America, or Australia. In these destinations, a comfortable daily budget might be 30 to 50 dollars, including accommodation, food, transport, and activities.

This guide covers the cheapest countries to visit in 2026, with realistic daily budget estimates, what makes each destination worthwhile beyond the low prices, and practical tips for keeping costs down once you arrive.

How We Evaluate Affordability

Raw cost of living is only part of the equation. A country where a meal costs 2 dollars but a tourist visa costs 150 dollars and flights from North America run 1200 dollars round trip is not necessarily a budget destination in practical terms.

For this list, we consider the total cost of actually visiting the country. That includes typical airfare from major hubs, visa costs, daily expenses for accommodation and food, internal transport, and common activity costs. We also weight for the overall tourist infrastructure, because an extremely cheap country that is difficult to navigate independently may end up costing you in other ways.

The daily budget estimates below are for a comfortable budget travel style. That means private rooms in guesthouses or budget hotels, eating at local restaurants rather than exclusively street food, using public transport with occasional taxis, and doing a reasonable number of paid activities. Backpackers sharing dorms and cooking their own meals can spend significantly less. Mid-range travelers who want air conditioning and sit-down restaurants at every meal should budget somewhat more.

Southeast Asia

Vietnam

Vietnam remains one of the best value destinations on the planet for travelers. A comfortable daily budget runs between 30 and 45 dollars, and that covers a lot of ground.

Accommodation is remarkably affordable. Clean, private rooms in guesthouses or small hotels typically cost 10 to 20 dollars per night in most cities. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are slightly more expensive but still very reasonable by global standards.

Food in Vietnam is phenomenal and cheap. A bowl of pho from a street vendor costs about a dollar. A full meal at a local restaurant runs 2 to 4 dollars. Even restaurants that cater to tourists rarely exceed 8 to 10 dollars for a main course. The food quality at every price level is genuinely excellent.

Internal transport is well-developed and inexpensive. Sleeper buses between major cities cost 10 to 20 dollars. Domestic flights on budget carriers like VietJet are often under 40 dollars. The train system, while slower, offers scenic routes at low prices.

Beyond the budget appeal, Vietnam has staggering natural beauty from Ha Long Bay to the Mekong Delta, vibrant cities, excellent coffee culture, and a depth of history and culture that rewards extended stays.

Laos

Laos is quieter and less touristy than its neighbors, which keeps prices low and the experience more authentic. Daily budgets of 25 to 40 dollars are realistic.

Luang Prabang is the main draw, a UNESCO World Heritage city where Buddhist temples sit alongside French colonial architecture on a peninsula surrounded by rivers. The night market offers excellent food for a dollar or two per dish. Guesthouses in town cost 8 to 15 dollars per night.

The natural landscape is the other major attraction. Kayaking, tubing, trekking, and visiting waterfalls are all available at low cost. The Gibbon Experience, a zip-line and treehouse adventure in the jungle, is one of the most unique activities in Southeast Asia and costs a fraction of what a similar experience would run elsewhere.

Cambodia

Cambodia offers a combination of world-class historical sites and very low daily costs. Budget 25 to 40 dollars per day for a comfortable experience.

Angkor Wat alone justifies a visit, and a multi-day temple pass lets you explore dozens of ancient structures at your own pace. Beyond the temples, Siem Reap has developed a lively food scene, and the countryside offers floating villages, silk farms, and community-based tourism initiatives.

Phnom Penh, the capital, is grittier but fascinating, with important historical sites related to the Khmer Rouge era alongside a rapidly modernizing city center. Street food in both cities is excellent and costs next to nothing.

South Asia

Nepal

Nepal is one of the most affordable countries in the world for what you get. Daily budgets of 20 to 35 dollars are realistic outside of organized trekking.

Kathmandu is cheap, chaotic, and deeply interesting. Budget hotels run 8 to 15 dollars, meals at local restaurants cost 2 to 4 dollars, and the city is packed with temples, markets, and cultural sites.

Trekking is what most visitors come for, and it remains excellent value. The Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp trek are world-famous, but there are dozens of shorter and less crowded routes. Tea house treks, where you stay in lodges along the trail and eat meals prepared by your hosts, cost 20 to 30 dollars per day including accommodation and food. You do need permits and may want a guide for certain routes, but even with those costs, multi-week treks in the Himalayas are remarkably affordable.

Pokhara, the lakeside city that serves as a base for many treks, is one of the most pleasant and affordable places to relax in all of Asia.

India

India is enormous and varied, so daily costs range widely. In general, budget 20 to 40 dollars per day depending on the region and your comfort level.

Rajasthan offers stunning architecture, desert landscapes, and vibrant culture at very low cost. Goa provides beaches and a relaxed vibe. Kerala in the south has backwaters, tea plantations, and Ayurvedic traditions. The Himalayas in the north offer trekking and mountain scenery.

Food in India is among the cheapest and most flavorful in the world. A thali meal at a local restaurant costs 1 to 3 dollars and gives you a full, balanced plate. Trains connect the entire country and sleeper berths on overnight journeys cost a fraction of what you would spend on hotels for that night.

India demands more patience and adaptability than most destinations. The sensory overload, crowds, and logistical unpredictability are part of the experience, and travelers who embrace the chaos are rewarded with one of the richest travel experiences available anywhere.

Central America

Guatemala

Guatemala offers remarkable diversity in a small country. Daily budgets of 30 to 45 dollars cover a comfortable travel experience.

Antigua is the main base for most visitors, a colonial city surrounded by volcanoes with a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Spanish language schools here are among the cheapest in the world, and many travelers combine study with travel for extended stays.

Lake Atitlan is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, surrounded by indigenous Maya villages where traditional culture is very much alive. Accommodation around the lake ranges from 5-dollar dorm beds to charming guesthouses for 15 to 25 dollars.

Tikal, the massive ancient Maya city in the jungle, is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the Americas. The entry fee is affordable and the experience of watching sunrise over the temple tops is unforgettable.

Bolivia

Bolivia is the cheapest country in South America by a significant margin. Daily budgets of 25 to 40 dollars are comfortable.

The Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, is the iconic attraction. Tours across the blinding white expanse, including visits to colored lagoons and geysers in the surrounding desert, cost a fraction of comparable landscape tours elsewhere.

La Paz is one of the most unique cities in the world, built into a canyon at over 3,600 meters elevation with sprawling markets, cable car transit, and Andean culture everywhere you look. Sucre, the constitutional capital, is a beautiful white colonial city with excellent food and a relaxed pace.

Africa

Egypt

Egypt has become remarkably affordable for international visitors. Daily budgets of 30 to 50 dollars are realistic with some planning.

The obvious draws are the Pyramids of Giza, the temples of Luxor and Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings. But Egypt also offers excellent diving in the Red Sea, Mediterranean beaches, the surreal White Desert, and one of the world’s great cities in Cairo.

Food is extremely cheap. Koshari, the national dish of rice, lentils, and pasta, costs less than a dollar from street vendors. Ful and falafel sandwiches are similarly affordable. Even sit-down restaurants are very inexpensive by Western standards.

Morocco

Morocco straddles the budget and mid-range categories depending on how you travel. A comfortable budget of 35 to 55 dollars per day is achievable.

The medinas of Marrakech and Fez are endlessly explorable. The Sahara Desert offers camel treks and overnight camps under the stars. The Atlas Mountains provide hiking through Berber villages. And the coastal towns like Essaouira offer a more relaxed pace.

Riads, the traditional courtyard houses converted to guesthouses, offer some of the most atmospheric budget accommodation in the world. A room in a basic riad in a non-touristy part of the medina might cost 15 to 25 dollars, and that often includes breakfast.

Eastern Europe

Georgia

Georgia has become a favorite among budget travelers and digital nomads. Daily budgets of 30 to 45 dollars provide a very comfortable experience.

Tbilisi is one of the most underrated capitals in Europe, with ancient churches, a dramatically situated old town, sulfur baths, and a food and wine scene that punches far above its price point. Georgian cuisine is hearty and delicious, with dishes like khachapuri and khinkali costing just a few dollars even in nice restaurants.

The wine regions of Kakheti, the mountain scenery of Svaneti and Kazbegi, and the Black Sea coast all offer distinct experiences at very low cost. Public transport is cheap, though renting a car opens up more of the countryside.

Tips for Maximizing Your Budget

Regardless of destination, a few strategies help stretch your money further.

Travel during shoulder season. The cheapest countries are even cheaper when visited outside peak tourist months. You will also deal with fewer crowds.

Learn a few phrases in the local language. In many budget destinations, speaking even basic greetings in the local language opens doors to local restaurants, transport options, and experiences that tourist-facing businesses charge premium prices for.

Stay longer in fewer places. Transport costs add up, and moving every day or two is expensive in both money and time. Spending a week in one place rather than a day each in seven places almost always costs less and produces a richer experience.

Eat where locals eat. In every country on this list, the best and cheapest food is found where local people actually eat. If a restaurant has menus in English and photos of the food, it is probably charging tourist prices. Walk a few blocks further and find the busy spot where the menu is only in the local language.

Use local transport. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are convenient but cost multiples of what buses, shared minivans, and trains charge. The local transport also gives you a much better feel for the place.

The countries on this list prove that remarkable travel experiences are available at every budget level. Low cost does not mean low quality. In many of these destinations, the affordable option is also the most authentic, the most interesting, and the most memorable.