Thailand, Bali, Greece, Central America and Budapest remain five of the best-value trips for travellers on a tight budget. When Nomadic Matt first named them as places to travel on about $30 a day, prices were lower. The good news is that all five can still be done cheaply if you travel the backpacker way: dorm beds or guesthouses, street food and public transport.

Thailand, first of five budget travel destinations

1. Thailand: street food and night trains

Thailand is still the classic backpacker country. In its 2026 Thailand guide, Nomadic Matt suggests about 1,750 baht a day for a backpacker budget and 3,100 baht for mid-range travel. Typical prices:

  • Hostel dorm bed: 275–550 baht a night
  • Budget hotel or guesthouse: 420–1,200 baht
  • Street food: 30–100 baht a dish
  • Night train Bangkok–Chiang Mai, second class with air conditioning: 690–930 baht for an 11–13 hour trip

Overnight trains save the cost of a room as well as a day of travel. Pair the beaches of the south, such as the Phi Phi Islands, with the temples of the north, such as Chiang Rai's White Temple.

2. Bali: cheap warung meals and the tourist levy

Green cultivated terraces and mountains in Bali
Green terraces and mountains in Bali.

Bali's Nomadic Matt guide puts a backpacker day at around 425,000 rupiah and mid-range at about 1,100,000. Dorm beds cost 55,000–200,000 rupiah, local food from about 10,000–15,000 rupiah, and scooters can be rented from around 90,000 rupiah a day. The bus from Kuta to Ubud costs about 100,000 rupiah, and entry to the Ubud Monkey Forest about 80,000.

Budget for one extra charge. The provincial Love Bali system collects a tourist levy of 150,000 rupiah per foreign visitor, once per trip. It must be paid cashless, ideally online before arrival, or at counters at the airport and ports. Holders of KITAS, KITAP, student and some other visas are exempt. For a more comfortable base, see our guide to The Ubud Village Resort & Spa.

3. Greece: islands, ferries and gyros

Greece (Hellas), budget travel destination in Europe

Hellas offers more for the money than most of Europe, especially outside July and August. Nomadic Matt's Greece guide suggests €40–60 a day for backpackers and €100–130 for mid-range travel. Dorm beds run about €15–20 a night, rising to €20–40 in summer, and street food such as gyros costs €3–6.

Ferries are the big variable. An average crossing costs about €35, short hops between neighbouring islands can be as little as €10, and Athens to the Cyclades usually starts around €40. Choose one or two islands and stay longer. A large island such as Naxos or a city like Chania in Crete gives you beaches, villages and tavernas without constant ferry fares. On the mainland, the monasteries of Meteora are reachable by train and bus.

4. Central America: chicken buses and $50 days

Central America, budget travel region

Central America's Nomadic Matt guide sets a backpacker budget at about $50 a day, with $100 for mid-range travel. Costa Rica, Belize and Panama are pricier, at around $70 a day. Typical costs include:

  • Hostel dorm: $10–25
  • Budget hotel: $25–35
  • Street-stall meal: $1–5
  • Local "chicken bus": often under a dollar
  • Long-distance or cross-border bus: $10–30

Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua sit nearer the $50 baseline. Our Nicaragua guide is a good place to start.

5. Budapest: thermal baths and a 24-hour travelcard

Budapest, budget city break in Hungary

Budapest is one of the most affordable capitals in central Europe, with grand architecture along the Danube, thermal baths and lively ruin bars. Public transport makes it easy to stay cheaply outside the centre. BKK's 24-hour Budapest travelcard gives unlimited trips on almost all BKK services in the city, plus HÉV suburban lines H5–H9 and second-class MÁV trains within Budapest. It does not cover the 100E Airport Express bus, so buy that ticket separately.

Tips for keeping the daily cost down

  • Travel slowly. Moving days cost the most: tickets, transfers and sometimes an extra night.
  • Go in shoulder season. May, June and September are cheaper than peak summer in Greece and Budapest.
  • Eat where locals eat. Street food, markets, warungs and tavernas cut costs everywhere on this list.
  • Use overnight transport. A sleeper train or night bus replaces a night's accommodation.
  • Count every charge. Include flights, insurance, visas and levies such as Bali's before comparing destinations.

For long trips, our five steps to travel the world for years covers saving and budgeting in more detail.

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