The Best Affordable Destinations To Travel To In 2026

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Slurping on steaming noodles on a tiny plastic chair in Southeast Asia, rattling through the mountains on a rickety old bus in Central America, playfully haggling with vendors in a North African market — budget travel certainly brings its own adventures. If you're happy to go without the luxury room and settle for a comfortable guesthouse, forgo the Michelin-starred restaurant for some odd-looking barbecue, or miss out on that city center mall to browse in a local market, it's easy to experience the world on a shoestring.

For what you might spend on a single meal in New York City, you can fund an entire day (or maybe even two) in a low-cost location. After all, some of the most vivid memories a traveler can have come from frugal journeys where every dollar was stretched. But some places are so wallet-friendly that you don't even need to stretch those dollars. We've looked at a few of these places and put together a list of cost-effective countries that offer a diverse range of activities and cultures. We've tried to balance overall daily costs with flight prices, and here are 10 of the best budget-friendly spots we could find for you to travel to in 2026.

Egypt is a land bursting with ancient history. You can stand beneath the colossal pyramids of Giza, the only Wonder of the Ancient World still standing; drift by ancient temples and tombs on the legendary River Nile; or even climb the sacred Mount Sinai at dawn, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. It's not all about ancient history, though. Egypt is one of the cheapest destination-worthy places where you can get scuba certified, and you can even go sandboarding on towering dunes at the Great Sand Sea.

You should time your visit outside of the December through February high season to snag hotels at lower rates and avoid peak-season crowds. However, getting there from the U.S. can run between $800 and $1,200 for a round-trip ticket, and you'll need to connect through Europe or the Middle East. Once you touch down, those flight costs are offset by rock-bottom prices. Dorm beds in hostels start as low as $2, with budget hotels starting at around $25. A good street meal will only cost you a few bucks, and you can even dine in a restaurant for as little as $5. You can stretch your budget even further by traveling within the country by train or bus instead of flying. And if you're visiting multiple historic sites, the Cairo and Luxor Passes offer unlimited access to major attractions across five days for around $200. Time travel has never been so cheap.

India is a land of sights and smells — some of them famously good, others famously bad. It's an assault on the senses you'll never forget, and one that won't break the bank. Landscapes sweep from Himalayan peaks to tropical shores, and you'll find grand palaces, ancient temples, and battle-scarred forts in between. Nothing is quite as majestic as standing before the Taj Mahal, while Varanasi, where devotion hums along the Ganges, is a surreal religious wonder you won't believe exists.

Getting there is another story. From New York, direct flights take about 15 to 16 hours, with ticket prices hovering around the $800 mark. Fly from the West Coast, and you're looking at layovers in Europe or the Middle East. To save on flight costs, consider traveling outside the November to March peak season.

Budget travelers can survive on less than $20 per day in India. That'll cover accommodation, street meals, and local transport. Bump that up to $50, and you're staying in nice guesthouses, eating sit-down meals in restaurants, and taking overnight trains between cities. Prime attractions cost much more than what locals pay, but at $12 for a ticket to the Taj, including priceless memories, can we really complain? Another great way to spend frugally is learning how to bargain. Actually, it isn't optional — shopkeepers inflate prices for tourists. Keep things jolly with a smile on your face, offer 25% of the asking price, and then look to settle at 50%. It can be a pain, but downloading the Ola app for booking autorickshaws takes the haggle dance out of the equation (at least for local travel).

Despite recent price hikes, Mexico remains an affordable vacation destination. With powder-soft beaches, layered cities, ancient pyramids, and bags of culture, it also has a lot to offer, budget-friendly or otherwise. Luckily, you can comfortably travel in Mexico for comparatively little with some smart choices. Staying in hostels or affordable guesthouses certainly keeps costs down: Dorm beds in the shoulder season can be found for under $10, while a double room in a decent hotel can average out at $35 for two people. Eating street food and market meals is recommended, not just for cost, but also for the incredible flavor and cultural experience.

Weekly trips for two can average under $700 with food, hotels, and even a little partying thrown in. And, once you factor in the short flight time and costs from the U.S., the overall trip price starts to balance out. The July to August shoulder season is the best time to travel for cheaper flights and hotels. However, prices are low throughout the June to October wet season, while January offers a short post-holiday window of excellent deals before spring break ramps things up again.

Booking attractions and transport in advance can give you even more discounts. There are plenty of free attractions, too. In Mexico City, you can walk the Historic Center and Zócalo and visit museums like the Museo Soumaya, or take advantage of the Sunday-gratis options at the National Museum of Anthropology and Palacio de Bellas Artes. You can also explore local markets or relax in Chapultepec Park without getting your purse out.

From ancient quarters of spice vendors and artisans working beneath carved cedar ceilings to climbing up rippling Saharan sand dunes at sunset, Morocco simply mesmerizes. You can lose yourself in the thousands of alleys of markets and mosques in Fez, hike high in the Atlas Mountains, or just sip mint tea and watch the world go by. The country pulses with North African soul — and you don't have to sell your own soul to enjoy it. 

Direct flights from U.S. hubs like New York, Miami, and Washington, D.C., can be found for anywhere between $600 and $900 for a round-trip. You might even be lucky enough to find one for as low as $400, though you'll likely need to search the May to October low season to find one at that price. Once there, budget travelers can explore the country for as little as $35 per day, which will cover a dorm bed, delicious tagines and couscous, and local travel. Couples or travel buddies sharing a comfortable double or twin room can share costs of less than $500 a week.

For extra savings, skip expensive hotel tours and book online before you travel for discounts of around 50%, while you can get around the country cheaply on Morocco's efficient bus system. Free highlights for the visitor include exploring the historic walled medinas, from the orange-red alleyways of Marrakesh to the sky-hued urban wonderland of Chefchaouen. You can also enjoy the sunset and buzz in any city square, or embrace lazy beach days in empty coastal villages.

The incredible hiking trails in Nepal are the primary reason most tourists come to the country. Climbing through stacked landscapes, passing ancient monasteries and spinning prayer wheels, and admiring glacial lakes shimmering beneath Himalayan titans are experiences that are difficult to put into words. You'll walk along steep mountain trails winding past villages perched on impossible slopes and suspension bridges strung across roaring rivers, and it all costs so much less than you might think.

While flights from the States are priced anywhere between $800 and $1,500 and may even go as high as $2,000 in the peak season, once up in those mountains, budget travelers can get by on as little as $15 a day (including accommodation). Granted, there isn't much in the way of luxury on the trails, and you're expected to have meals in your chosen teahouse in exchange for a basic-but-cheap or even free bed. There isn't much else to spend money on when you're up there admiring the peaks, and a pricey guide isn't always mandatory, nor is a porter. You can leave your primary luggage at a hotel in the city and take only the bare necessities on your back, admiring the bewildering scenery from well-marked trails in blissful solitude at very affordable prices.

Avoid the monsoon season (June to September) and the bitter winter (January to March), and set aside a little extra for stays in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara. You'll also experience high crowds on popular trails during the busy trekking months of October to November. So, the spring shoulder season, from March to April, is an excellent alternative. While the skies won't always be a crisp, deep blue, it's still mostly dry and clear, and the crowds are much thinner — and flight prices are cheaper.

Colombia is slowly shaking its tumultuous reputation and stepping forward into the future. However, the U.S. Travel Advisory still recommends that tourists reconsider travel — and in certain areas, this advice is definitely justified. That said, major tourist centers are considered to be generally safe. The usual precautions should be applied, as petty crime can be an issue, and it's recommended that you don't display valuables or bring your phone out on the streets. You should also use official taxis or ride apps at all times.

If you are unperturbed, Colombia is a land of contrasts that few destinations can match. It has everything from powder-white Caribbean islands ringed by kaleidoscopic coral, black-sand Pacific beaches where humpback whales breach offshore, and Amazon tributaries where pink dolphins surface among lily pads. For culture vultures, Bogotá and Medellín buzz with nightlife and art, while coffee plantations cling to Andean slopes and produce some of the world's finest beans.

You can get all this variety at rock-bottom prices, too. Colombia is one of South America's most affordable countries for tourists, with budget travelers reporting they can enjoy the place on just $19 a day (when sharing a room). Three meals a day can average out at $8, and you can even throw a few beers into that daily total. Altogether, a single traveler can spend as little as $135 in a week, while a two-week vacation for a couple can cost just $540. You can keep costs down by flying with budget airlines between destinations, which are often cheaper than buses. Just note that foreigners do pay higher fares, but you can get around this by using the Spanish version of airline websites and booking at local rates.

Vietnam is one of the cheapest travel destinations in the world, and stretches from misty mountain peaks in the north all the way down to tropical shores in the south. Rival cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City buzz with chaotic traffic, streetside vendors, and two-stroke engines, while ancient towns like Hoi An glow with warm lanterns at night. You'll find vast cave systems, dense tropical forests, and limestone peaks dotting both the land and the ocean, while every corner seems to engage a different sense. Vietnam is a country of sights, smells, and sounds that will long leave an impression.

Travelers report daily costs as low as $25, covering everything from accommodation to activities. Vietnam is one of the best destinations in Asia for foodies, yet filling your tummy remains very cheap. A steaming bowl of pho can be found for about a dollar or two, while a three-course lunch won't exceed $5. But these prices are based on restaurants and street vendors favored by locals, so skip the tourist-trap Western joints and opt for authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

The November to April high season can drive prices up. It's still incredibly affordable at those times, but if you want to experience Vietnam as frugally as possible, you'll need to get a bit wet in the rainy season. The only downside is getting there; Vietnam Airlines runs the only direct flight from the U.S. It's a 15-hour slog from San Francisco, with economy tickets at an average of around $1,200. From other cities in the States, you'll need to take connecting flights through various hubs.

Bordering Mexico makes Guatemala another easily accessible country for North Americans, and it is even cheaper to travel than its more developed neighbor. It may not have the beaches or the fascinating capital city to match Mexico, but Guatemala oozes culture and wonder. It's a land of volcanic peaks with slopes of coffee and sugarcane plantations, deep crater lakes, awe-inspiring temples and pyramids in lush jungle, and colonial towns of cobblestone streets and indigenous traditions. It's an amazing country to explore, and you'll find it wonderfully light on the wallet, too.

Traveling on "chicken" buses, which are old American school buses hidden under psychedelic paint jobs, costs next to nothing — though you may want to avoid them after dark when theft increases. Eating hearty plates of tamales or Guatemalan-style enchiladas at local comedores or from street vendors can keep your daily meal rates under $10, while sharing a room means a decent deal at around $7 per person. Solo travelers can get by on $23 per day, while museum tickets and coffee tours will rarely cost more than $10.

Once you factor in the costs of getting there, Guatemala works out to be one of the cheapest and easiest places to visit. It's also a world away from Western development, so it really is adventure on your doorstep. Budget airlines like Spirit, JetBlue, and Volaris offer the best deals from major U.S. hubs like Miami and New York. For the lowest fares, travel between September and November, while May to October offers rainy-season discounts on the ground. Negotiate directly with hotels and hostels rather than reserving through booking platforms for the best deals.

Traveling to Ecuador offers so much more than the legendary Galápagos. These islands may be the destination of a lifetime for many, but tours there can quickly drain the frugal traveler's budget. However, there are also volcanic peaks, the Amazon rainforest, and pink river dolphins to experience, while Quito's UNESCO-listed colonial center offers culture lovers plenty of history and architecture. The pristine beaches at Montañita are a draw for surfers, and rafting, bungee jumping, and whale-watching are other activities you can pack into a fun-filled vacation to the country. 

However, flexible budget travelers can still discover Darwin's legendary wildlife in the Galápagos. Booking at the last minute can see you snag substantial savings, or you can fly directly to the islands and hunt for favorable tours on arrival. Otherwise, you can enjoy everything else Ecuador has to offer on as little as $29 per day. This budget will cover a shared room, daily meals at local eateries, and travel costs, while getting there is also affordable for North Americans. Travel times and total vacation budget remain low when you fly with JetBlue. This budget airline has competitively priced direct flights from New York, while other carriers like Avianca offer flights with layovers in Colombia or El Salvador. These two countries are also affordable destinations, so scheduling a stop before Ecuador is another option for the thrifty traveler.

With well over 7,000 islands waiting for you to hop around, the Philippines is a dream destination. There's El Nido's ultimate tropical paradise of crystalline lagoons and towering karst peaks, Tubbataha's world-class diving, Ifugao's 2,000-year-old UNESCO-approved neck-craning rice terraces, and Manila's Spanish colonial district across the river from the world's oldest Chinatown — to name just a few. There's a lot to pack in on a trip to the Philippines, but the good news is, you don't need to spend big. While you'll need to budget in a bit more if you do decide to explore multiple places, shoestring travelers can generally expect to enjoy the country on $29 a day.

You can keep costs down by taking ferries between islands rather than flying, although approach this method with a bit of caution. Ferries sometimes run even when sea conditions are bad or the ferry is overloaded, so check weather reports and apply common sense. Outside peak season, domestic flights can still be reasonably priced. It's getting there from the U.S. or Canada that is the problem, but more so the flying time rather than the costs.

Direct flights leave from several U.S. and Canadian hubs. From the East Coast, they can take longer than 17 hours to arrive, but if you choose a flight with a connecting stop, you can save several hundred dollars. West Coast flights from cities like Los Angeles or Vancouver take less time, but again, add in a stop, and you can find a return flight for under $700, even in the dry season from December to May.

To begin, we looked at the 100 cheapest countries in the world to live in on World Population Review's NUMBEO index. We then dropped those that are completely unsafe to visit, then considered flight costs from the U.S. and balanced it with data from BudgetYourTrip.com — a website that tracks expenses reported by independent travelers across accommodation, meals, transportation, and activities. We didn't consider countries like Tanzania, where daily costs might be low, but the primary reasons for traveling there (going on safari or hiking Kilimanjaro) are expensive. We also cut places with rising costs due to overtourism or those that had little to offer in the way of attractions.