Budget trips: 20 of the cheapest places to travel

That ever-growing travel wish list might be putting some pressure on your pocket – but there are plenty of destinations where you’ll get more bang for your buck. From Greece to Guatemala, here are 20 of the cheapest places to travel. You might also want to discover how to explore the world’s most expensive city without breaking the bank — find how how to visit Tel Aviv on a budget.

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17. Shanghai, China

The biggest appeal for budget – if not all travellers – to Shanghai is undoubtedly the abundance of amazing street food on offer, from xiao long bao soup dumplings to scallion pancakes and sticky rice parcels (zongzi). It’s still possible to find an accommodation bargain at the lower end of the scale, and much of the city’s appeal lies in exploring its busy streets on foot and experiencing for yourself the juxtaposition between old and new China. You’ll find recommendations for where to find the city’s best street eats and budget sleeps in The Rough Guide to Shanghai.

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18. Istanbul, Turkey

With one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, Istanbul is undeniably alluring. Though seeing all the major sights – the Aya Sofya, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace to name but a few – can quickly eat into your lira, the city can still be great for tighter budgets. Arguably the best ways to really soak up the city are from a Bosphorus ferry, wandering the streets of the Grand Bazaar, or on a streetside terrace with a freshly-cooked kebab – read up our street food guide before you go.

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19. London, England

First things first – we know London is not cheap. There’s no denying that even staying in hostels, using public transport and eating in cafés is going to massively eat into your budget. But – and it’s a big but – there are few places in the world that can rival the capital city for its plethora of free sights, where you can see the Rosetta Stone and the Lindow Man, works by Monet and Dalí, not to mention dinosaur and blue whale skeletons, for absolutely nothing. Get off on the right foot by choosing the right area to stay and discover eight things you didn’t know you could do in the Big Smoke.

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Hampstead Heath during the summer months in London © Chris Seddon/Shutterstock

20. Egypt

Considering the abundance of mind-blowing ancient sights, you’d expect travel in Egypt to cost a lot more than it does. Sure, if you tick off all the major attractions – including the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel – then costs are going to creep up, but tempered with cheap (and excellent) food and decent budget accommodation, it’s not hard to feel like you’re almost able to live like a Pharaoh. Note, that due to safety concerns some governments currently advise against travel to certain parts of the country; check the latest advice before you go.

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