There are the 5 cheapest countries to visit for those of you who are a budget traveler, a backpacker, or simply looking for a way to save more money while traveling the world.
1. Thailand
Of course, I have to include Thailand, my home country. I used to really hate living in Thailand since it was the only place I knew of and I wanted to experience the “developed” world as most people from developing countries do but after traveling the world for the last 8 years and experiencing living in other countries for months on end, I finally realize the true value of Thailand and why the country is so popular among travelers.
I mean, how many countries out there can you go out and find a variety of delicious and fresh food straight from the street for less than 1.5 USD? How many countries can you find amazing accommodation for less than 15 USD per night? From my experience, not a whole lot.
Thailand is one of the cheapest countries to travel to but that doesn’t mean much if it isn’t backed up with an abundance of beautiful tourist attractions travelers can visit from the high mountains of Northern Thailand to the beaches and islands of Southern Thailand.
If you are looking for a cheap country to visit that has it all from great and cheap food and accommodation to the tropical climate and stunning sceneries, you can never go wrong with Thailand.
2. Indonesia
Indonesia, the largest archipelagic state in the world consisting of over 17,000 islands, is one of the most diverse countries in Southeast Asia. With so many islands, full of remote forests and volcanoes, each with different cultures and languages, Indonesia is one of the best countries to visit in the world.
It is also dirt cheap here, even in touristy places like Bali if you are willing to look for it. I went to Indonesia more than 5 times now and every time, the country always has something up its sleeve that I didn’t experience the last time.
From hiking Mount Rinjani to swimming with manta rays around the Komodo Islands, there are countless things you can do here. Java, the main island of Indonesia is home to some stunning temples like Borobudur and Prambanan, and it is still considerably cheap to visit.
Bali, even though it is becoming more and more expensive every day due to the number of tourists flocking the place each year, there are still many pockets of places on the Hindu island where you can still find cheap places to eat and do things.
3. Vietnam
Vietnam is another great and cheap travel destination in Southeast Asia that offers a unique experience and an abundance of things to do without breaking the bank. Like most countries in Southeast Asia, Vietnam is nothing like its neighbors and it is worthy of a place to visit in and of itself.
The diversity of sceneries and cultures embolden by its rich history and dark past are some of the main draws for travelers to visit Vietnam. From the dreamy landscape of Halong Bay to the mighty Mekong Delta, there is no shortage of things to do here.
The food in Vietnam is also one of the best in the region and they are dirt cheap. For famous menus like Pho, Cao Lao, and Bahn Mi, it should cost you around 36,000 VND or 1.5 USD per dish.
Colombia
Colombia is the first place I visited when I first went backpacking through South America in 2016. I spent more than 2 weeks in both Bogota and Medellin, the 2 main tourist cities in Colombia, embedding myself into the city life and living like a local for a good amount of time, thanks to all my local friends there that allowed me to see just how cheap and amazing these 2 cities really are.
From the outside, Colombia might not seem like as cheap of a country to visit but if you look deeper and spend some more time here, you will find that the food, accommodations, and things to do in Colombia are actually very affordable and sometimes, cheaper than most places.
The food in places like Medellin and Bogota usually cost around 2.5 USD per meal which is pretty cheap already but if you go for the “Menu del Dia” or “Menu of the Day” which you can often find in most restaurants, you can get it for as low as 6,000 COP or 1.5 USD, almost the same price as food in Southeast Asia.
5. Peru
If I have to pick my favorite country in South America, it has got to be Peru. With all the amazing things you can do in Peru from visiting the famous wonder of the world, Machu Picchu to hiking around the Andes Mountains in Huaraz and Cusco, you can easily see why I chose Peru as my favorite country.
When it comes to tourist attractions, Peru is definitely one of the best countries in the world. It has a rich Mayan history, the stunning Andes mountain range that offers an infinite number of adventures one can do, and hands down the best cuisine in South America.
With the food costing around 2.5 USD per meal and accommodation costing as low as 7 USD per night, you can travel around Peru for as little as 15 USD per day. Combine that with the low cost of living and you have yourself one of the cheapest and best countries for you to visit.
