I love traveling as much as the next person, but, unfortunately, my wallet doesn't always love it. And with the cost of flying nowadays, it's almost impossible not to exhaust your entire savings account on a trip.
Knowing that a lot of us are feeling pretty strapped right now but don't want to miss out on incredible experiences, I asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite affordable travel destinations, barring the flight cost. I even scoured r/travel on Reddit and found some other budget-friendly countries and cities people swear by. Here are a few that'll have you ready to pack your bags.
1. "I visited Edinburgh in 2018 and found it to be very affordable. Not sure how the prices are post-pandemic lockdowns, but I was able to get a beautiful guesthouse room with a private bathroom for around $70 USD a night, and I didn't find any of the food or other things to do to be very expensive."
2. "London's great, but it's expensive, and it's not the only city in England. The northeast (Newcastle, etc.) gets relatively few visitors from outside the UK, is cheaper, and you can also visit castles, see art, hit the pub, etc. Don't overlook Alnwick, a charming medieval market town with a castle, gardens, and a bookstore in an old train station."
3. "Italy! The flight may be expensive, but the food and housing are not. It’s a small country with incredible cities located closely apart. You can pretty much see the highlights of the whole country in a week, and it’s an unforgettable experience. I brought home lots of souvenirs which were gorgeous but dirt cheap. I think Italy gives you the most bang for your buck — so much to see, and you don’t have to travel far."
4. "I live here, so not a visitor, but the Cleveland/Akron area is probably the best arts/culture location in the country for budget travelers. We have the second largest theater district outside NYC (Playhouse Square) where I can get tickets to touring shows as low as $10. The Cleveland Orchestra is always ranked top 20 in the world, and summertime shows at Blossom Music Center can be attended for as little as $16 for adults. Only location for all three major pro sports (football, basketball, and baseball) within walking distance of each other."
5. "Taiwan! The night markets are amazing, super affordable, and the food is tasty with decent portions under $5. It's a really bright and modern country but with a traditional touch. Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Tainan are my favorite cities."
6. "Gijón, Spain — absolutely stunning. The flights were €12 from London, and it's affordable and tourist-free. It’s right on the coast with lots of history and culture to explore."
7. "Kusadasi, Türkiye. Obviously, it’s expensive for Americans to fly there, but it’s worth it in my opinion, especially compared to the more touristy cities Americans typically fly to. I recently went on a Mediterranean cruise, which included Kusadasi as a port. Fewer people got off the stop for this port than the Greek and Italian ports, but I honestly appreciated that. It’s also criminally underrated: The people are nice, the culture is amazing, everything tastes great, and the scenery is perfect. I only got to visit the city for a couple hours, but I’d definitely go back and stay for a longer period of time if I ever had the chance. A part of me even wants to gate-keep."
8. "I live in the northeastern US, and I love the mountains. Normally, I would vacation in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, or upstate New York. This time, I decided to go to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts. Every bit as beautiful and everything — hotels, meals, and activities — all way cheaper!"
9. "Prague 100%. It can be expensive to get there depending on where you're flying in from (we came from Hawai'i), but once there, everything is SOOOO cheap! We got four rounds of beer for two people, and it only cost us about $30 USD total! The food is amazing, and you can literally just walk around the entire city for the whole day admiring the architecture and pay $0."
10. "Slovenia, especially the region near the Italian and Croatian border! It’s extremely pretty and looks just like Italy and Croatia but with waaayyy less tourists and great prices. The streets are clean, the coast is stunning, and the people were really friendly and welcoming. I can definitely recommend Piran, a charming small town with a slightly Venetian vibe. There are plenty of beautiful, little shops (by lots of independent artists) and great restaurants. The country’s capital, Ljubljana, is also really amazing. It’s not overwhelmingly huge, very clean, and has a rich cultural history."
11. "Certain Korean cities outside of Seoul like Jeonju, Sokcho, and Kyongju are gorgeous! Lovely historic places with amazing scenery."
12. "Washington, DC. Once you get there, there are so many free museums and monuments to visit. You can even contact your congressman for a free tour of the White House and Capital Building. You could easily spend a week touring. Also, lots of food trucks and inexpensive food options and a great metro system."
13. "Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan in particular, is surprisingly cheap and enjoyable. The whole country is mountains with lots of great hikes or horseback riding if you’d like. It's well set up for tourists, friendly people, interesting mix of cultures, pretty good food, and very inexpensive. A big dinner with a bunch of grilled meat kebabs, rice, drinks, and dessert would be less than $5."
14. "Ischia on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It’s by Capri but is significantly more affordable, has easy water taxis to Capri for a day trip, is absolutely stunning, and has incredible nature views. Honestly, just overall breathtaking."
15. "Granada, Spain. They follow the free tapas tradition, and drinks are super cheap by American standards, so you can have a whole meal and multiple drinks for, like, €10."
16. "Vietnam. It's expensive to get there, but once you’re there, everything is so cheap. I spent over two weeks traveling through Vietnam (and stayed in some pretty nice places) and spent less than $1,000. I stayed in a villa with a pool, homemade breakfast, and fresh fruit every morning. It was literally $20/day. Everything was so cheap and so great."
17. "Key West, Florida. Go in June and you can spend less than $100/day per person for food and drinks easily. It's very safe and walkable, just make sure your hotel is near Duval, but not on Duval (or you won't sleep at night). Plenty of touristy things to do, or you can just chill on the beach. The location gives the island a near constant balmy breeze. Storms blow by fast, too."
18. "Poland. Everything was about four times cheaper than the Eurozone, so it was great buying food and amenities and knowing you wouldn't spend as much."
19. "I would definitely say Portugal. We stayed in Lisbon for a few days. It's just like any other major European city, but way more affordable, and the people were very friendly. A lot of English speakers, too, which helped us since none of us spoke Portuguese. Great food, cheap wine, cheap accommodations, stunning views — I can't wait to go back."
20. "While it's not 'cheap' per se, if you find yourself in southern California or wish to visit the area without busting your budget, Long Beach is an incredible base or trip in itself. It's known for having a lot of great thrift and vintage stores, bars, and an amazing diverse food scene. It's easily walkable and bikeable (a bizarre contrast to neighboring LA and Orange County), and everything is a fraction of the price of those areas."
Are there any other budget-friendly travel destinations you love going to? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.