Budget Travel 2026: 20 Cheapest Countries to Visit This Year (Under €30/Day)

🇳🇵 1. Nepal — Trekker’s paradise at €15–25/day

Nepal is one of the most accessible destinations in the world. In 2026, the cost of living is 52% lower than in France — meals 67% cheaper, leisure activities 74% cheaper. In mountain villages, teahouses offer beds for €5–10 and a full dal bhat meal for €2–4. The Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp for under €20/day remains a unique experience anywhere in the world.

• Dormitory or teahouse from €5–10/night
• Dal bhat (full meal): €2–4
• City-to-city transport: €2–8
• Note: TIMS permit + national park fees are one-time extra costs

🇮🇳 2. India — Where the euro has the greatest purchasing power (€15–25/day)

If you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone, India is the country where your money goes furthest. The cost of living is 62% lower than in France — restaurants 70% cheaper, transport 53% cheaper. Eating at a dhaba (roadside eatery) costs €1–2 per meal. Night trains combine transport and accommodation savings.

• Dhaba meal: €1–2
• Night train (basic A/C): €10–20
• Simple guesthouse: €8–15
• Southern India is slightly more expensive than the north

🇱🇰 3. Sri Lanka — The spice island at €20–30/day

Sri Lanka packs Buddhist temples, tea hills, safaris and golden beaches onto an island you can cross by train for €1.50. The winning trio: guesthouse room €10–20, local curry €2–4, the famous Ella–Kandy train €1.50 in 2nd class. Two hours of travel separates tropical beaches from high-altitude tea plantations.

🇻🇳 4. Vietnam — The absolute budget benchmark at €20–28/day

Vietnam is consistently cited as the country offering the best value for money in the world. In 2026, you’ll spend an average of €24/day all-inclusive. A bowl of phở costs €1.50–3, a scooter rental €8, a comfortable private room €12–20. Secondary cities like Hội An, Ninh Bình or Đà Lạt are even cheaper than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

• Phở: €1.50–3
• Coffee: €1
• Scooter: €8/day
• Private room: €12–20/night

🇰🇭 5. Cambodia — Angkor Wat for under €28/day

In Southeast Asia, Cambodia is a budget paradise. The 3-day Angkor Wat pass costs around $60 — but once purchased, daily spending remains very low. Rent a bicycle in Siem Reap for €2–3/day and visit the temples at dawn before the tourist buses arrive. The white-sand beaches of Koh Rong offer beachfront bungalows at a fraction of Thai prices.

🇱🇦 6. Laos — The forgotten kingdom at €15–22/day

Laos records one of the lowest daily costs in the world — around €14.80. In Vang Vieng, guesthouses at $7, meals at $1.50. Luang Prabang (UNESCO) offers the monk procession at dawn for free, Kuang Si waterfalls, and Mekong boat trips for next to nothing. Laos remains one of the few Southeast Asian countries untouched by mass tourism.

🇮🇩 7. Indonesia (excluding Bali) — 17,000 islands at €20–28/day

Bali has become expensive and over-touristed, but it’s a tiny fraction of a 17,000-island archipelago. Java, Lombok, Flores and Sulawesi remain at near-Nepal price levels. Java’s volcanoes (Bromo, Merapi, Ijen with its unique blue lava), Sumatra’s orangutan forests — unparalleled biodiversity at €20–28/day. Pro tip: the Bali–Lombok slow ferry costs €1.50, 5–10 times cheaper than domestic flights.

🇬🇪 8. Georgia — Wine and khachapuri for €1.50 (€25–35/day)

Nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, Georgia is a little-known gem. Georgia offers a cost of living 44% lower than France. On the ground: a restaurant lunch costs €8, a fresh khachapuri (traditional cheese bread) from the bakery comes to €1.50. Tbilisi metro and bus: €0.30. Marshrutkas (minibuses) between cities: €4–8. On a tight budget, €25/day is very achievable.

• Fresh khachapuri: €1.50
• Tbilisi metro: €0.30
• Marshrutka between cities: €4–8
• ⚠️ Since Jan 2026: mandatory health insurance (min. 30,000 GEL ≈ €9,500)

🇰🇬 9. Kyrgyzstan — Nomadic yurts and Lake Son-Köl at €20–28/day

Kyrgyzstan offers spectacular mountain scenery and hospitality often more affordable than most European countries. A night in a traditional yurt with dinner and breakfast included costs €15–25 per person. Horse trekking in the Tian Shan mountains, Lake Son-Köl at 3,016m altitude, and the Silk Road are accessible without a guide for minimal cost. The CBT community offers homestays — €20–25 for night + meals + activity.

🇲🇰 10. North Macedonia — Lake Ohrid and secret Balkans (€15–25/day)

On average, the cost of living in North Macedonia is 46% lower than in France, restaurants 55% cheaper, hotels 57% cheaper. Traditional dishes cost €4–7, local wine €2–4. Ohrid, nicknamed the « Jerusalem of the Balkans, » has 365 churches within a UNESCO World Heritage site. Matka Gorge (kayak + cave + monastery): a full day for under €15.

🇧🇬 11. Bulgaria — The EU’s budget champion (€20–28/day)

Among all European destinations, Bulgaria wins for budget travel without sacrificing comfort. It is often cited as the cheapest country to visit in Europe. Hostel dorm in Sofia from $8–12, full meal for €5. Cost of living is 35% lower than in France. The Rila Monastery (UNESCO) can be visited as a day trip from Sofia for a few euros.

🇦🇱 12. Albania — The secret Mediterranean coast (€20–35/day)

Still largely untouched by mass tourism, Albania is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. A full meal at a traditional restaurant costs around €10, a byrek (savoury pastry) €1–3, local minibuses €0.40 in the city. ⚠️ The Riviera in July–August can exceed €35/day as prices double. Choose May–June and September for warm sea with low prices.

🇷🇴 13. Romania — Transylvania at fairy-tale prices (€25–40/day)

Transylvania offers castles, medieval towns, forests and mountains at very affordable prices. The cost of living is 33% lower than in France. In Brașov: hike up Mount Tampa for free and enjoy a magnificent panoramic view. The Transfăgărășan — one of Europe’s most spectacular roads — is free to access from June to October.

🇧🇦 14. Bosnia-Herzegovina — Sarajevo, the forgotten gem (€20–28/day)

Sarajevo, Ottoman-flavoured streets, rooms at $31, burek at $3, flights from Europe from $50. Mostar’s Stari Most is one of Europe’s most photogenic spots — nearly free to visit. Sutjeska National Park (Perucica primeval forest) and Kravica waterfalls remain niche destinations virtually unknown to English-speaking tourists. Overnight bus Sarajevo–Split: €15–20 (hotel night saved included).

🇧🇴 15. Bolivia — Uyuni Salt Flat under €25/day

Bolivia consistently ranks among the world’s cheapest countries. Under €5/day for a hearty meal, no more than €25/day in total. The Salar de Uyuni (world’s largest salt flat at 3,656m altitude) in dry season becomes a giant mirror reflecting the sky. La Paz — the world’s highest capital — the Oruro Carnival (UNESCO) and the coloured lagoons of the South Lipez complete a unique picture. Reach Bolivia from Peru via Lake Titicaca: cheaper and breathtaking.

🇳🇮 16. Nicaragua — Central America’s cheapest country (€15–22/day)

Nicaragua is the cheapest country in Central America — averaging €18/day. Lava-surfing volcanoes (Cerro Negro), Ometepe Island between two volcanoes, deserted Pacific beaches: extraordinary diversity for a tiny budget. A true backpacker’s paradise with affordable flights and virtually zero mass tourism. Week-long Spanish course in Granada (accommodation + classes included): under €200.

🇬🇹 17. Guatemala — Volcanoes, Mayas and colourful markets (€22–30/day)

Guatemala rewards visitors with volcanic scenery, colourful markets and Mayan ruins at remarkably low prices. Most travellers spend about $30/day. Lake Atitlán — surrounded by three volcanoes — is one of the Americas’ most beautiful natural scenes. Indigenous villages still live according to Mayan traditions. Local tacos: €1–5, ultra-cheap colectivos, Mayan sites from just a few euros entry fee.

🇲🇽 18. Mexico (secondary regions) — Beyond Cancún (€25–35/day)

Mexico combines diversity with extraordinary accessibility. At Bacalar (Yucatán): stunning lagoon, dorms at $10, street tacos at $1. Oaxaca — world capital of indigenous gastronomy — lets you eat superbly for €3–5/meal. Take second-class buses between cities and eat at local taquerías. The Yucatán cenotes and Mayan ruins are accessible for €8–15.

🇲🇦 19. Morocco — Mediterranean exoticism by low-cost (€25–35/day)

Morocco remains one of the most affordable destinations in the world in 2026, with experiences that would cost five times more in Europe. The cost of living is 42% lower than in France, restaurants 60% cheaper. A cheap meal: €3.86, 74% less than in France. Return flights from European cities: €50–300 with Ryanair, easyJet or Transavia. Essaouira, Chefchaouen and Fes let you stay well under €30/day — unlike Marrakech in high season.

• Cheap meal: €3.86 (74% less than in France)
• Simple hotel or budget riad: €20–35/night
• Bus between cities (CTM): €5–15
• Avoid Marrakech in July–August to stay under €30

🇹🇳 20. Tunisia — Star Wars sets and medinas under €28/day

Tunisia stands out as the cheapest country to visit from Paris for a 10-day trip (flights included, total budget around €900). The louages (shared minibuses between cities) are the real insider’s trick for ultra-cheap local travel. The Star Wars filming locations in the southern desert, Tunis medina (UNESCO), Roman mosaics at Bulla Regia, Carthage — all for just a few euros entry. Go in October for Tozeur and the salt lakes: Martian-like landscapes at €15/day.