I get asked often, “how do you travel so often on such a small budget?” Location, location, LOCATION! It’s all about where you go & how you do it!
We curated 9 unique & budget friendly destinations that I have first hand explored! We will cover the big 5 in travel expenses: flights, accommodations, transportation, food + beverages, & excursions!
For a trip to be “low cost,” I base it on whatever I am purchasing abroad in comparison to the cost of living at home(USA, suburbia/city prices). If whatever is being purchased is significantly less(50-75% less), then I would constitute that location or service to be “low cost”. Low cost does not always equate to high quality; therefore, I can vouch for all of these destinations as being low cost AND GOOD quality! 😉 Boujee-ish on a budget!
Expenses rated 1-5: 1 = super low, 3 = same price as USA average, 5 = super expensive!
✈️ (flights)
🚌 (transportation)
🏡(accommodations)
🍕(food+beverages)
⛵️(excursions)
Other Travel Inspo:
#9 Skopje, North Macedonia
✈️: 3 🚌:1 🏡:1 🍕: 1 ⛵️:1
🏅Unique Historical Experience
Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, is a city where layers of history meet in fascinating ways. Shaped by Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Yugoslav influences, it tells its story through a striking mix of architecture.
From the ancient Stone Bridge and the Ottoman-era Old Bazaar to the bold, modernist buildings of the socialist period. The 1963 earthquake devastated much of the city, leading to a complete redesign by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, whose vision still defines parts of Skopje’s layout today.
Wander its streets and you’ll encounter centuries-old mosques, Orthodox churches, bustling markets, and monumental statues, all reflecting a complex past that bridges East and West.
If you’re visiting Skopje, I can’t recommend booking a day trip with the best tour guide in Macedonia—Miha—highly enough! Traveling by van, Miha will take you to some of the most iconic spots around the city, including the breathtaking Vrelo Cave, the stunning Matka Canyon, the panoramic Millennium Cross, and the historic Church of St. Panteleimon.
Along the way, you’ll be treated to delicious local touches with lunch, coffee, and even Macedonian wine included. It’s the perfect way to experience the natural beauty, history, and warm hospitality of North Macedonia—all in one unforgettable day.
Accommodations
I’d recommend 2-4 days in Skopje. We are in Skopje for 6 weeks as our base, and it is a great budget friendly location to explore Macedonia & the Balkans. We are staying in a guest favorite Airbnb that is perfect for remote working: strong reliable Wi-fi and equipped for long stays! If you’re a hostel lover don’t sleep on the hostel scene here–incredibly rated stays with private rooms for as low as $10 a night!
$8-50/USD per night
Coffee, Bakeries & Markets
Check out the local Green Market, Old Bazaar, Bakeries, and Specialty Coffee Scene (Coffee Guide Coming Soon!) Your wallet will be as happy as your tastebuds are exploring this city! If visiting during the winter months, be aware that this city can have intense pollution due to the valley it resides in, we suggest visiting in the Summer or Fall!
$2-15/USD per day
Skopje is an affordable hidden gem in the Balkan region that you need to add to your road trip across Macedonia or the Balkans!
I am thankful that we have an extended stay here, we have learned and discovered so much by exploring and talking to locals. I hope our 6 week stay will help make the most of your few days! Don’t worry, a Skopje Itinerary & Specialty Coffee Guide will be released soon!🤞🏼
#8 Thessaloniki, Greece
✈️: 3 🚌:1.5 🏡:2 🍕: 1.5 ⛵️:2
🏅 Best City for Day Trips
Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, carries a rich and layered history that spans over 2,300 years. Founded in 315 BC and later flourishing under the Romans and Byzantines, it became a vibrant crossroads of trade, culture, and faith.
For Christians, Thessaloniki holds special significance as one of the cities visited by the Apostle Paul, who wrote two New Testament letters—1 and 2 Thessalonians—to the early believers here. Traces of its past are visible everywhere, from Roman forums and Byzantine churches to Ottoman architecture and modern boulevards. Today, Thessaloniki remains a living tapestry where ancient history and Biblical heritage meet a thriving, modern city life!
Transportation
$0-25
Being such a walkable city, there is no need for a rental car. There is accessible and inexpensive public transit across Thessaloniki and dipping into the surrounding regions! For day trips, utilize the trains, buses, and organized tours!
Food & Excursions
$15-40
per day
Famous for flaky/cream-filled bougatsa, hearty tavernas, fresh seafood, & hearty street food- this city boasts in its thriving food + specialty coffee scene!
With some of the best food in the world, Thessaloniki is home to one of the most rich gastronomy scenes! Unlike the rest of Greece, taste the difference in the northern Greek cuisine that has a twist on every dish you may have tried before!
I awarded Thessaloniki with one of the best cities for unforgettable day-trips! I highlyy recommend a journey to Halkidiki—this is the Cancun of Greece! Filled with crystal-clear beaches, quaint villages, and captivating history.
For nature and myth lovers, Mount Olympus & Dion tour delivers archaeological wonders, refreshing waterfalls, and a taste of Greek mythology’s legendary home of the gods. If you prefer relaxation, the Pozar hot springs & Edessa waterfalls day-trip offers soothing thermal pools and scenic falls—perfect for unwinding in nature’s spa.
#7 Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
✈️: 3 🚌:2 🏡:1 🍕: 1 ⛵️:1
🏅Unique Religious & Cultural Experience
Bosnia & Herzegovina, located in South-East Europe, is apart of the Balkan Peninsula, landlocked by Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Making this the perfect location to country hop! Mostar is historically the capital of Herzegovina and home to only 103,000 people today (a quite breathable city)!
Mostar is beautifully situated on a mountainous terrain along the Neretva River and lies on the Sarajevo-Ploče rail line. My brother and I visited by rental car, making a scenic roadtrip from Croatia! My favorite part of visiting Mostar apart from the ridiculously low priced food, housing, & markets was the cultural experience.
Mostar is evenly divided between Muslims, in the East & Catholics (Croatians) in the West. The river Neretva separates the two while the Old Bridge unites the town and people! This was my first experience hearing the call to prayer across the city.
Accommodations
I’d recommend 1-3 days in Mostar. We only stayed one full day in Mostar and it felt like just the right amount of time for us as we roadtripped across the Balkan Coast. Beautiful Airbnb’s can be found right on the river! Check out this AIRBNB on the river!
$25-50/per night
Food & Markets
Check out the local grocery stores, outdoor markets, or RESTAURANTS with beautiful outdoor seating that is typically tucked around every corner. Your wallet will be as happy as your stomach in this town! If visiting during the warm months be sure to pack a modest swimsuit to swim in the river.
$1-15/per day
Mostar in my opinion doesn’t have enough going on to travel across the ocean just for this location. BUT it is an affordable hidden gem in the Balkan region where you can simply add it to your road trip across South East Europe. I am thankful to have experienced Mostar and its unique history at an extremely low price tag! If you haven’t considered a 2 week road trip across the Balkan region I am here to HIGHLY recommend it!
#6 Poznań, Poland
✈️: 2 🚌:1 🏡:1 🍕: 1.5 ⛵️:1
🏅 Most Unique Architecture
Poznań is the 5th largest city in Poland with a population of half a million people! Though you would never be able to tell, given its small town homeyness feel (very hygge) & its exceptionally safe and clean streets! The architecture is colorful, bright, & full of surprises. With the main square being lined with thoughtfully preserved color popping buildings, you cannot help but be filled with joy every time you turn around!
Transportation
$0-20
Being such a walkable city, there is no need for a rental car or excessive public transportation. If you are wanting to take day trips, a low cost Flix bus can do the job! Or a taxi from the airport.
Accommodations
$25-75
per night
There are so many cute and well maintained Airbnb’s all across Poznan! We recommend choosing one that is near the Old Market Square.
Food & Excursions
$5-20
per day
You will find street vendors, pastry shops, cafés, and elegant dining! You will not go unsatisfied here! Try one of the Döner Kebab shops for a cheaper yet delicious lunch or dinner!
With delicious street food, elegant restaurants, and unique cafés, Poznan truly has everything you need to get a true taste of the cultural and modern dishes!
One of our favorite cafés was Weranda, just around the corner from the Old Market Square. We loved it so much we went twice a day! This is a more modern café and definitely ahead of its time!
#5 Barcelona, Spain
✈️: 2 🚌:1 🏡:2.5 🍕: 2 ⛵️:2
🏅 Best City to Wander
So much can be said about Barcelona, I don’t even know where to begin. This was the first warm culture country I experienced in Europe, and man did I FEEL it. Not temperature wise, but people and culture wise. The beauty and warmness is all around you. The historic charm kissed by artistic flare is truly being molded by the younger generation, and it is truly marking this city!
Barcelona was awarded by us the best city to wander because it is! I could go on and on about the neighborhoods you should visit, but at the end of the day, you should just get lost in the city and see what you discover! From charming cafés, sandy beaches, elegant stores, vintage & massive food markets–everything you would want in a city, is here! People, music, museums, food, coffee, nature, water, architecture, art (many artist to meet) and tons that we didn’t even discover!
The cuisine in Barcelona will be mouthwatering wherever you go, but I love being able to recommend Citizen café! I had the best coffee, mocha, brunch, & kombucha. Even my brother who isn’t a coffee guy loved hanging out in this café and diving into their food menu! If you go to Barcelona you have to stop here! You’re welcome in advance 🙂
The beauty of this city is that it is functional for whatever budget you’re on. You can stay affordably in a low cost airbnb in a great part of town, or live it up in luxury! and everywhere in between! We stayed in the Korean quarter and were met by delicious food, easy access to the train station, while also being able to walk almost anywhere we wanted to go!
#4 Tulum, México
✈️: 2 🚌:1-4* 🏡:1.5 🍕: 1-3 ⛵️:1.5
🏅Most Fun Outdoor Activities
If I could afford to vacation every weekend, it would be to Tulum. I LOVE TULUM. I love Mexico lol. And there something about traveling to another country but not having to change time zones! I love Europe, if you can tell by this blog post, but time zones of 7-9+ hours can be rough!
It makes me really happy to see this beach town grow into an incredible international community! The locals are warm, friendly, & helpful; plus the other travelers are too! This was one of the best locations to meet other travelers. We really liked everyone we met & we even willing hitch hiked with some people we met at a cenote…which I don’t recommend typically but we discerned it as a safe and helpful situation…😂
We stayed in Tulum for 7 days, but I’d say you could stay for 5 & it would be- chefs kiss, perfect! Even better, stay in Tulum for 5 days of adventure then do 2-3 days at an all inclusive resort in Cancun… but that isn’t within this budget friendly posts reach… so lets get back to how inexpensive & high quality Tulum is! 🤪😂
Flights/Transport
$150-350
round trip flights (from USA)
$150-600
rental car/ATV/bus tickets
Okay, so hear me out. This is single handedly the most expensive part of the trip, especially if you are under 25. To get to Tulum, it’s about a 1.5hr drive from the Cancun airport. You have two options, get a bus ticket or rent a car. We went the car route, which originally was only suppose to be $200 for the entire week… until they hit us with the young driver fee (David was under 25 at the time) SO we got up charged $600 womp womb…SO if you are under 25 or want to save a ton of money TAKE THE BUS! we wish we would have!
Food/Excursions
$15-50
per day
Food in Tulum is extremely reasonably priced, especially in the local or downtown area. You have to get street tacos and check out some of the more trendy spots (Botanica cafe)! The more expensive restaurants line the beach.
For excursions, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE CENOTES. This was the most memorable part of the trip & they run 7-25/per person! There are dozens to choose from, linked below is our favorite! For all cenotes, just plan to pay cash and get there as early as you can to beat the crowds!
Accommodations
$70
per night
Okay hear me out, THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST AIRBNBS I HAVE EVER BOOKED. Especially at this cost! Our entire 7 day stay was only $540! We had everything you’d want & more in a good location (3min drive from downtown or a 5 min walk to street cafes and food stands). We throughly enjoyed the indoor and outdoor kitchen, beautiful amenities throughout the entire airbnb, 24/7 onsite security, shared large pool + your own private pool on the patio, all the toiletries you’d need, clean drinking water, and great wifi!
Tulum is one of the best valued locations I have traveled to! The culture, adventure, people, ruins, food, towns, shops, and hidden gems are truly worth every penny. This is one of my all time favorite locations, and though transportation *can* be more expensive, the flight, food, excursions, and accommodations make up for the possibility of having to pay more for a rental car! And if you are over 25 you don’t even have to worry about that!
#3 Kotor, Montenegro 🥉
✈️: 3 🚌:2.5 🏡:2 🍕: 1.5 ⛵️:1.5
🏅Best Views
It is time to add Montenegro to your unique & budget friendly bucket list! Located right on the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro is saturated with endless mountain range & bays welcoming in the sea in gorgeous formations. Thankfully my brother put this country on my radar because I had never thought to travel here. & man, I wish we would have stayed longer! This is THE hidden gem of the century.
Accommodations
I’d recommend 1-3 days in Kotor. We only stayed one full day in Kotor and it felt like a good amount of time for us as we roadtripped across the Balkan Coast. But I wish we would have stayed in Montenegro as a whole longer! Beautiful Airbnb’s can be found all over the bay: Check out this AIRBNB
$50-100/per night
Food & Desserts
Check out the local grocery stores, outdoor vendors, or restaurants with beautiful outdoor seating that is typically tucked around every corner. We did notice that some of the gelato stands were more pricey than others, so be sure to take a good look around and find the best deals before settling on a singular location!
$20-40/per day
While we made pit stops at multiple town throughout Montenegro, Kotor was our final destination. The village is at the foot of the mountains, welcomed by cruises & roadtrip-ers. When you arrive in Kotor, you have the option to stroll around the village grabbing dessert and plenty of food options.
After window shopping you will want to make your way to our favorite hike where you take a stone path up to the Kotor Fortress ruins. It was well worth the $20 entrance fee. The views and hike up the cliff is the highlight of the village!
#2 Dubrovnik, Croatia 🥈
✈️: 3 🚌:2.5 🏡:2 🍕: 1.5 ⛵️:1.5
🏅Most Historically Rich City
Dubrovnik is a historic city paved with limestone in southern Croatia with influence from both the Renaissance era and Gothic influence. The entire Old City is encircled with a stone fortress wall overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The entire Old City and the surrounding streets are lined with shops, coffee shops, and restaurants.
A great optional early morning excursion is to get entrance tickets to walk along the Old City wall. Take in the scenic views over the sea and get a better Birds Eye view of the enclosed fortress.
Transport
$0
Extremely Walkable City
Food/Excursions
$10-20
per day
Accommodations
$50-100
per night
#1 Vrachati, Greece 🥇
✈️: 2.5 🚌:1 🏡:1.5 🍕: 1.5 ⛵️:1
🏅Best Village
We stayed in Vrachati for 2 months and after thoroughly experiencing all this Village off the Gulf of Corinth has to offer, we award it as the #1 budget friendly travel destination! Vrachati embodies a unique local Greek experience, completely accessible by foot, seaside, budget friendly, great for couples & families, and the perfect launch point to explore the mainland and Greek Islands!
For Christians, this location also provides a great opportunity to take a short trip to Ancient Corinth (10min drive from Vrachati) and see the book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles come to life!
Traveling to Vrachati, Greece felt ridiculously affordable food wise. Our monthly grocery bill, eating out, and getting coffee in Vrachati averaged to $50/person per week. In the USA we average more like $100/person per week (sometimes $150 if we eat out more/grab extra coffee). Vrachati was 50% more affordable food wise than what we are used to, so girl math, we broke even on our flights because what we saved in food, transportation, and free daily activities!
We stayed at the most incredible Airbnb. Not only were our accommodations beautiful, our hosts really went the extra mile (like every day!) to provide us with everything we would need for our extended stay. I have linked bellow a full blog on our accommodations! I would stay again in a heart beat!
Since we stayed in Vrachati for an extended period of time, check out our more in depth blog posts on all things Vrachati, Greece! 🇬🇷
Happy Traveling,
Cosette <3
