5 of the Cheapest Countries You Can Travel To

Travelling to cheap countries is one of the ultimate goals for budget travellers, especially if you don’t have much cash and need to stretch it as far as you can. So I figured it would be good to give the uninitiated some helpful hints at some of the cheapest countries you can travel to.

These are great starter countries for the budget traveller. Although some of them can be quite hardcore for the beginner, such as India, which is sensory overload!

All these countries are around the same price to travel in. You can get by on an average of $15 a day for simple accommodation, cheap food, and local transport. And maybe a beer or 2. You could get by on even less if you wanted to. This is just an average number.

For the basics these countries are cheap, however just like everywhere else as soon as you start doing more activities the price will jump up. For example Ethiopia is dirt cheap, but if you want to do a tour into the Danakil Depression, which in my opinion is one of the best things to do there, then you will be spending over $100 a day for it.

Also if you stay in the more popular tourist areas in these countries you will most likely spend more as the temptation to go out more will be strong. Like I said the $15 a day is just an overall average. 1 moment you could be in the city spending $25 a day, and the next spending $10 a day living cheap in the countryside.

These make some of the cheapest places to travel in the world.

KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyzstan is an often overlooked country for budget travellers, yet is perfect. It’s small, so easy to get around, has stunning mountains and lakes, you can stay with nomadic people, and it won’t cost you much.

Riding up into the mountains with nomads and living in traditional yurts with them is one of the best travel experiences you could have.

MALAWI

I’ve travelled twice from Ethiopia to South Africa and starting in cheap Ethiopia, you then enter slightly more expensive Kenya, then more expensive Tanzania, then a lovely surprise awaits in Malawi as it’s the cheapest country I saw on the continent.

It’s also brilliant for chilling out in after what can be hard travel in Africa, as just chilling by Lake Malawi on a beach and eating fresh fish is the best tonic to relax.

The great thing when just taking it easy on beaches in quiet areas with not so many tourists is there’s not really much temptation to spend money on stuff, except maybe the occasional beer.

ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is not only one of the most fascinating countries in the world, but luckily enough also one of the cheapest. There’s so much to see and do, with it’s changing landscapes, history, tribal regions etc.

Travelling around can be hard, but the buses are cheap. The roads were being improved when I last left so should be better now.

BOLIVIA

I would be amiss if I didn’t have Bolivia on this list as it’s generally regarded as the cheapest country to travel in South America. It’s the only country I haven’t been to on the list, but comes highly recommended by fellow budget travellers and had to be included.

It also has everything from the Amazon jungle to the high altiplano plains, salt flats and mountains. I will definitely get there someday! Hopefully you will as well.

INDONESIA

This ones slightly trickier as it consists of 17,000 islands, each offering their own vibe. Transport costs can add up if you move around a lot as you will need to take boats or budget flights. But staying in just a few areas you can get beachside wooden bungalow for $7 a night and eat good seafood for $5.

What more do you need on a beach? If partying it up in Bali it will cost you more than chilling on a quiet beach somewhere. Elsewhere you can travel into tribal regions or go exploring the jungles and rivers. So much to experience.