• About
  • Blog
  • Destinations
  • Wild Junket

  • Course
  • Work with Me

Wild Junket

10 of the Cheapest Countries to Travel

10 of the Cheapest Countries to Travel

May 25, 2016

Last Updated on March 6, 2024

Don’t let a small budget keep you from seeing the world. Some of the most interesting places in the world are also amongst the cheapest countries to travel to. In fact, spending time in one of these countries as a tourist could be even cheaper than staying at home – especially if you try to live like a local!

According to the Cost of Living Index, the following are 10 of the cheapest countries to travel, ranked according to prices of food, accommodation and transportation prices. So if you’re a shoestring traveler, be sure to hit up one of these countries!

cheapest countries to travel map

Table of Contents

  • Cheapest Countries to Travel
    • 1. India
    • 2. Moldova
    • 3. Pakistan
    • 4. Kazakhstan
    • 5. Nepal
    • 6. Ukraine
    • 7. Georgia
    • 8. Algeria
    • 9. Azerbaijan
    • 10. Colombia

Cheapest Countries to Travel

1. India

Of the 100+ countries we’ve been, India definitely ranks top in our list of cheapest countries to travel. You can easily find all-you-can-eat thalis for 100 to 300INR (1.50-4.50USD), and a bed in a dorm at just 100INR (1.50USD), though private rooms will set you back a bit more, starting at 300INR (4.50USD) in a budget hotel. Prices for bus and train tickets start from just 300INR (4.50USD).

India is a huge and varied country, with something for every kind of traveler. Some of the areas worth visiting include Rajasthan in western India which is famous for the rich culture, and Kerala in southern India for a very different experience. There are also plenty of things to do in Goa as well as Varanasi and Rishikesh. Check out our recommended India itinerary for first-time visitors!

READ NOW
India Itinerary: How to Spend 2 Weeks in India

India Itinerary for First-Time Visitors: How to Spend 2 Weeks in India

2. Moldova

Moldova is one of the newest countries on the list, literally. The little landlocked nation declared independence only in 1991. It is known for a mild and sunny climate, with the majority of the hilly country located between the Dniestert and Prut rivers. The region is actually wonderful for growing excellent wine grapes, and a multitude of vineyards are scattered throughout the country.

Travel Insurance for Frequent Travelers

I’ve been using Safety Wing for years now, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made as a frequent traveler. Their Nomad Insurance plan is affordable and provides solid coverage for medical emergencies regardless of where I’m traveling. It’s been super reliable for me, and I think you’ll find it just as helpful on your adventures!

Tickets for local transport start at just 2MDL (0.10USD), and a meal in an inexpensive restaurant will set you back at around 80MDL (4USD). If you want to rent an apartment in city center for a whole month, you’re looking at just over 3950MDL (200USD). Tourists seeking beautiful landscapes, historical sites, and wine won’t be disappointed. The cuisine is hearty and perfect for a filling meal before setting off on explorations. It is similar to Romanian food, with beef, pork, potatoes, and cabbage playing major roles.

moldova - cheapest travel destinations

3. Pakistan

With about 1 million tourists a year, Pakistan’s cultural and natural attractions draw more visitors than you might think. Most travelers come to see ruins, mountainous landscapes, and 5000 year old cities. The most popular attractions include Taxila, Lahore, Karakoram Highway, Karimabad, and Lake Saiful Mukluk.

Pakistan’s restaurants are some of the cheapest to be found, with full meals in an average restaurant at just 210PKR (2USD)! Local transportation is also quite cheap, with tickets beginning at 20PKR (.20USD). For independent travelers who don’t intend to book a tour, Pakistan is definitely one of the cheapest countries to travel.

pakistan - cheapest countries to travel

4. Kazakhstan

The tourism sector in Kazakhstan is tiny but slowly growing. The traditionally nomadic culture is known for horse raising and riding, and that history definitely encourages horse lovers to visit. The country is so horse-focused that even the national beverage comes from a horse: fermented mare’s milk! There are also lots of great hiking in Kazakhstan, especially in the Aksu Zhabagly Nature Reserve, that are relatively easy to access by public transport.

You can save a lot of money by self catering (grocery store costs are very low, less than 300KZT (1USD) per kilo for most common vegetables), but restaurant meals start at just 1976KZT (6USD).

Kazakhstan - cheapest countries to travel

5. Nepal

The adventure-packed, mountainous country of Nepal was devastated by not one but two major earthquakes and rebuilding efforts still continue. The country is as cheap as always for visiting travelers, but now is perhaps more important than ever before to visit and share your tourist dollars.

In the capital city Kathmandu, a private budget hotel room will be around 1071NPR (10USD). Most travelers in Nepal are after adventure, and you can easily find it here at a much lower price than almost anywhere else in the world. Organized treks start at 6430NPR (60USD) a day, while a more DIY approach with your own trekking guide will start at 1607NPR (15USD) per day.

cheapest countries to travel - Nepal

6. Ukraine

Ukraine is actually one of the top ten most popular countries in Europe for visitors, welcoming over 20 million tourists each year. The country is an excellent place to visit for outdoorsy types, with a varied geography including a Black Sea coastline, and mountain ranges for skiing. Cultural travelers love the beautiful Orthodox churches, stunning castle ruins, and the lively city of Kiev; while curious travelers are drawn to the mysterious Chernobyl tours.

It’s extremely affordable to get around Ukraine’s many hotspots. You can travel 100km on a bus for about 30UAH (just over 1USD), or chow down on a cafeteria-type meal for the same price. A bed in a dorm will range from about 70-150UAH (2.70-6USD).

cheapest countries to travel - ukraine

7. Georgia

Georgia hosts a small trickle of tourists, about a million each year. Georgia is a definite delight for culture vultures with over 10,000 historical and cultural spots, including four UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites. Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital city, is blessed with ornate churches, beautiful open squares, and a feeling of history. The Eastern European nation also claims to be the birth place of wine.

Georgia offers a feeling of rich culture, at a tiny fraction of the usual price of the rest of Europe. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs about 15GEL (7USD), but if you cook for yourself you’ll find that groceries are incredibly cheap (under 2GEL or 1USD per kilo), and a bottle of mid-range wine is just 10GEL (5USD). Getting around is incredibly cheap, with local transportation tickets starting at only 0.50GEL (.25USD). If you fall in love with Tbilisi and decide to base yourself there, an apartment in city center starts around 760GEL per month (350USD).

READ NOW
20 Photos of Georgia that Will Surprise You

8. Algeria

Algeria is the only African country represented on this list, and has been slowly increasing its tourism development. There are many reasons to visit Algeria, the most attractive being the numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the M’Zab Valley, a limestone formation with a huge oasis, and the Casbah of Algiers, a historically important citadel. Algeria is also home to stunningly beautiful nature, including the UNESCO-recognized mountain range the Tassili n’Ajjer.

A cheap hotel room isn’t so cheap, as it starts at 4954DZD (45USD), a better budget bet would be to try a homestay. Transportation makes up for the steep price of accommodation, as an Algiers metro ticket starts around 70DZD (.6USD). Food is similarly inexpensive, with a kebab coming in around 550DZD (5USD) and a traditional tea to wash it down just 110 (1USD) in a restaurant.

cheapest countries to travel - algeria

9. Azerbaijan

While tourism is steadily increasing, overall the tourism scene is still quite slow in Azerbaijan. Interestingly, the country was once a popular hotspot in the 1980s before the fall of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijan offers amazing skiing opportunities doing winter, and stunning biodiversity (nine out of the eleven climate zones are found within the nation). Among the many climate zones, the majority of the nation is subtropical but also includes the Big Caucasus highlands offering mountain tundra, and the Absheron seaside with beautiful beaches.

A meal at a cheap restaurant starts at 7AZN (5USD), and a local transport ticket is just 0.2AZN (0.13USD). If you fall in love with the uniquely modern architecture in Baku, you can score an apartment in city center starting around 550AZN (350USD).

cheapest countries to travel - azerbaijan

10. Colombia

The only country from the Americas on the list, Colombia is famed for its verdant rainforest and cultural cities. The country’s landscape is also punctuated by mountains, and home to rich coffee plantations. Aside from the capital Bogota, Colombia has many other fascinating cities, including the up-and-coming digital nomad hub Medellin.

The Caribbean coast is home to popular Cartagena, known for its beaches and history (including an immaculately preserved historical center). Barranquilla is home to one of the largest Carnivals in South America. While Colombia had previously been plagued by reports of violence and crime, the country is ever improving its safety, especially for tourists. A dorm bed will range from 18000–27000COP (6-9USD), while a set meal will run 5000–12000COP (1.50-4USD).

READ NOW
Colombia Itinerary: A Detailed Guide for 10 Days in Colombia

cheapest countries to travel - colombia

Have you ever visited any of these cheapest countries in the world? Did we miss out any of your favorite travel destinations? Leave a comment below to let us know.

8 Comments
Share
Stephanie Kempker

Steph Kempker is a serial expat and the founder of Quarter Life Epiphany, a blog for twentysomethings seeking to live, learn, and travel with an open heart and open mind. She is a regular contributor at Wild Junket, in addition to writing for Matador Network, GoSeeWrite, and TravelVersed.

Leave a Comment Cancel Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Comments

  • Megan
    May 26, 2016

    Great list of cheap places to visit! I’ve visited a few of these, but I will have to make sure to check off the rest of this list.

    Reply
    • Nellie Huang
      Megan
      June 2, 2016

      Thanks Megan! Which ones have you visited?

      Reply
  • Stephen Lioy
    May 27, 2016

    I generally find Kazakhstan to be the most expensive of the -Stans, excepting maybe the cost of transport through the Pamirs in Tajikistan.

    Re: Nepal I just left a week ago and it’s definitely ready for tourists to start coming back in droves. Some of the worst-hit trekking regions will take a while to rebuild, but for much of the common tourist trail it’s business as normal just like before the quakes.

    Reply
    • Nellie Huang
      Stephen Lioy
      June 2, 2016

      hey Stephen, good to see you here as always! I didn’t think Kazakhstan was more expensive than Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan but then I was there for just a few days, so you probably know better. Great to hear that Nepal is ready for tourists again – I love love love that country and wanna bring my husband and baby back there!

      Reply
  • Annika
    June 7, 2016

    I would love to visit Kazakstan and Ukraine soon! I didn’t know that these countries are affordable to visit until I read this post of yours Nellie. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  • Ronnie Shackleford
    June 21, 2018

    Definitely a great list and having been to Ukraine I definitely agree with that! Also, outside of the big tourist spots (i.e. Moscow and Saint Petersburg) Russia is also extremely cheap. I know as I live here now :))). Although, unfortunately, one of the places I want to visit most, Kamchatka, is extremely expensive to fly to. But it’s so far away I guess that’s to be expected.

    Reply
  • Sameer
    November 22, 2019

    Hey Nellie,

    great site. India offers absolutely myriad opportunities to travelers. You covered Kerala & Rajasthan, but left out Himachal pradesh, Uttarakhand, jammu n kashmir. All popular for scenic beauty, skiiing opportunities etc. They are located in North India. Down south check out Hampi, mahabalipuram, poducherry, mysore, ooty, kodaikannal, coorg. All superb places. Then the very popular destination for tourist, Goa in western India, Delhi, Agra. To the east is Sikkim, Arunachal pradesh. One region known as Konkan in western India is not known to western tourists though very popular with local tourist. Great sea shores, amazing food and scenic beauty with rugged mountains.The list goes on I promise. You would njoy every place, and they have different things to offer.

    Reply
  • DIANNE
    June 21, 2021

    Don’t forget Southeast Asia: Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand.

    Reply

You May Also Like

October 20, 2020

10 Countries that Contribute the Most to the World 2025

March 8, 2017

Top 10 Cities in the World

August 28, 2020

15 Fun Things to Do in Sri Lanka

Hi, I’m Nellie

A published book author, professional travel writer and adventurous mum on a quest to visit every country in the world!

Current Location

Current Location

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Shop My Favorites

Eagle Creek

Osprey Backpacks

Columbia

KEEN Shoes

Teva Sandals

My Books

product_title_1

Lonely Planet Mexico

product_title_2

Lonely Planet Singapore

product_title_3

Explorers

product_title_4

Amsterdam Like a Local

product_title_5

The Adventure Traveler's Handbook

My Latest Video

My Latest Video My Latest Video
Follow Me for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Singapore with Kids: How to Plan a Singapore Family Trip 2022

    Singapore with Kids: How to Plan a Singapore Family Trip 2025

    April 8, 2025
  • Best Croatian Islands to Visit

    8 Best Croatian Islands to Visit in 2025

    March 26, 2025
  • Pakistan with Kids: Our Tips & Guide

    Pakistan with Kids: Our Tips & Guide

    March 25, 2025
  • Spain with Kids: Tips from an Expat

    Spain with Kids: Tips from an Expat

    March 24, 2025
  • Portugal with Kids: My Portugal Family Travel Guide

    Portugal with Kids: My Portugal Family Travel Guide

    March 23, 2025

COPYRIGHT © 2024 WILD JUNKET. PRIVACY POLICY Site Powered by Pix & Hue.