6 SURPRISINGLY CHEAP Destinations for Budget Travel in 2025

Traveling the world teaches you one thing really quickly. Some destinations will have your money working wonders, lasting for a long time, while other destinations will leave you stressed out, putting your money in a pinch with every single purchase. Now in this video, we're going to talk about six budget-friendly travel destinations that will leave your bank account and your heart filled up. I think you'll be very surprised with destination number four. Be sure to stay tuned and let me know what you think. Friends, welcome back to the channel. If you're new here, my name is Geo and my wife Allie and I talk about all things travel. Before we dive in, money can mean different things to different people. So for the sake of this video, we're going to try to keep the budget between $100 and $150 per day. Now this does not include travel to get to the destination. This includes your accommodations, your entertainment, and your food while you're there. And if you keep it right around that $150 budget, as a family of four, that puts you spending around $1,000 a week. First up, Mexico. Now Mexico has a special sweet spot in our heart because back in 2022, we drove our van into Mexico and spent four months driving the interior of the country. We stayed well below $150 a day everywhere in Mexico. Granted, when you live in a van, camping accommodations can range from $6 to $12 a night, but there are plenty of affordable hotel and Airbnb options all throughout Mexico. Like this hotel in Oaxaca for only $67 a night. Now when you go to Oaxaca, you have to head to the market and go right to meet Allie. It was such an incredible experience. We also recommend checking out Jalacuaco and Xochimilco. Both in Oaxaca and very easily accessible. The feel you get in these small towns is absolutely unbelievable. You feel like a true local while you're walking and traversing the streets. We also fell in love with Guanajuato. What an incredible fairytale-like town where every home is painted vibrant colors from the sounds of the mariachi bands playing outside restaurants to local tours singing deep into the night on the streets. The enchiladas in Guanajuato are also a must-have. When you go, you have to try the spot called De Lupe. They only serve enchiladas. It only opens at 6 p.m. It is truly like you're in your grandmother's kitchen. We also loved exploring the state of Hidalgo and the natural hot springs there are amazing. We had a blast spending our time in these man-made pools built on the side of these cliffs or taking a float down the natural warm water. You are really able to immerse yourself in this amazing teal water, explore waterfalls, and then bathe in these natural hot springs. Another must-visit spot in Mexico is Merida, known as the safest town in Mexico, and we felt it. The community there really prides itself on this. The people here were incredibly friendly and filled with knowledge of their Mayan history. We found people were always eager to share and not in a way of trying to sell us something, genuinely sharing the Mayan history. It was such a warm and charming experience. Now for a lot of these locations you will find yourself flying into Mexico City and don't pass up the opportunity to stay there for a few days. It's hands down worth a visit. We've gone back two times since and one of our all-time favorite neighborhoods there is Coyoacan. A true test of it places when you go back does it have the same feel or does it hit the same way and Coyoacan delivered. It is a very special place. Overall Mexico City felt clean, safe, and you can have a traditional meal there for five dollars or less. The metro system I think was 25 cents a ride, connects many neighborhoods, and it's incredibly cheap and clean. If you're a beach lover we highly recommend Punta de Mita. It is the perfect spot to soak up the sun. We had an unforgettable experience here with a local fisherman who took us to these hidden caves, snorkeling spots, and even gave us a chance as a family of four with our kids to see a manta ray out in the wild. Most people will choose Cancun or Cabo for beaches in Mexico but if you go just a little bit off the beaten path the experience is so much better. Next up is a bit of a dual option, Croatia and Montenegro. Now Europe isn't known for its cheap destinations but if you want to find the charm of medieval towns, cobblestone streets, then the Balkans are where you find the most value for your budget. Countries like Slovenia, Bosnia, and Albania. Now while Croatia may seem unreasonably expensive there are areas to do it for a little bit cheaper. For starters skip the Dalmatian coast. Now we really wanted to experience some parts of this so we flew into Croatia to a town called Sovtot. It's about 40 minutes south of Dubrovnik. Most people fly to the airport and head immediately to their accommodations in Dubrovnik. Now we opted for an apartment in Sovtot for our first three days and it was the absolute highlight of our trip. The town is completely walkable filled with easily accessible beaches, hiking, restaurants, shopping, and you do have to kind of look for the deals in a place like this but they are there. Our favorite was discovering this water park or renting a paddle boat for about $10 for an hour for the kids to have fun out on the water. Depending on the time of year here you can find an apartment for as little as $70 a night and there are plenty of hikes and outdoor adventures and things that are just completely free in the area. Now from here we recommend renting a car and heading 60 minutes south to Montenegro. Simply moving outside of Croatia into the surrounding Balkan countries will stretch your budget so much further. Like Tivat, a small coastal town in Montenegro accommodated right along the Bay of Couture. It's authentic, cheap, and gorgeous. These towns offer low-cost accommodations as well as cultural experience that will create something to remember. Now one of Ali's top three spots of all time is Guatemala. In recent years it seemed to be a little bit more trendy to travel here and we understand why. It offers incredible value not only in budget but in rich cultural experiences. While it's a pretty compact area there are ample opportunities for all types of travelers. An absolute must in Guatemala is visiting Lake Atilan. Here you'll be immediately transformed by the beauty of the rising volcanoes from this lake. You'll have the opportunity to stay at incredibly unique and beautiful accommodations. One thing we recommend is taking a coffee tour. Purchase lots of bags to support the local economy and then you can enjoy amazing Guatemala coffee back at home all year long. You can stay at places like Casa del Mundo for as little as $60 a night. Accessible only by foot and perched on these secluded cliffs offering one of the most iconic views. After Lake Atilan make sure to check out the Tocal ruins. A much more intimate experience than that of the highly crowded Chichen Itza ruins in Mexico. They are truly impressive. And lastly explore the colonial city of Antigua where you'll wander through colorful streets witnessing indigenous families in authentic clothes selling textiles and handmade tortillas. And if you're up for some adventure don't skip the hike up to the active volcano of Pacaya. I lived in Guatemala for a while and there are two spots I think you should definitely go to. I love the turquoise pools and the hidden caves of They are absolutely stunning and wading through the waist-deep waters exploring waterfalls and taking in the natural scenery is awe-inspiring. The second spot is the market of Chichicastenango. This is one of the biggest markets in Central America and you'll find a great blend of Mayan influence and Guatemalan culture. The market is open on Tuesdays and Sundays and whether you're there to shop or just experience the culture this is a definite must-see. If you're enjoying this I would be forever grateful as a small creator if you hit the like and subscribe button. Thank you so much. Next we're going to head to Asia and while there are incredible destinations in Southeast Asia that are really really cheap we might surprise you with this one, Japan. We were pleasantly surprised on our trip there about how actually affordable it was. Our budget was really stretched there in a good way. Hotel accommodations were all very affordable. We stayed at the Dino Hotel which was controlled by these dino robots for only seven dollars a night. What a great experience. The exchange rate in Japan has also been in a very good spot so if you're from the U.S. this might be a great time to travel there. Food is everywhere in Japan. It is a true art. Whether it be from an affordable food tour, local markets, or a sushi making class we took advantage of eating some of the best and freshest food we've ever had in our lives. Osaka, Japan's kitchen is no exception to this food and while incredibly busy we did have an amazing time there. The iconic Dantanbori district is like nowhere else in the world. We highly recommend a visit there. The wait for ramen here could be up to one hour long but it was well worth it. When you visit Japan you will most likely fly into Tokyo. Do not pass up the opportunity to stay there for a few days. It does sound like a very expensive city but you can stretch your money there. It was by far one of our most favorite cities to walk through. From the famous Shibuya crossing to the small hidden alleyways that you can get lost in. Tokyo is an extremely walkable city. A great itinerary for Tokyo would be to wake up and just explore the streets on foot. Stop at a traditional Kisaten for a Japanese coffee then maybe go to a local park or a temple that does not cost any money to get into. All along while enjoying the street snacks or small little bites that you can pick up on your way in Tokyo. Just remember in Japan it is frowned upon to walk and eat at the same time. I think most travelers would agree that Tokyo would be on the short list of top cities to walk and explore. One of our favorite Japan cities was Fukuoka. It was slightly off the beaten path of the major touristy cities in Japan but we were pleasantly surprised with what it had to offer and we really wish we would have stayed longer there. It was a great way to get away from the crowds and feel like a local but still be in a major city. It is on the coast and close to some amazing Japanese islands. Another cheap and delicious option in Japan to eat are the convenience stores and being someone from the U.S. is not something I would usually frequent but 7-11 is there. The Lawsons offer some amazing food options for extremely cheap. If you're in Japan for at least a week we splurged on the Japan Rail Pass and while this kind of blew our budget out of proportion a little bit it was well worth it for us because we got to experience some of the best public transportation in the world like high-speed trains, commuter trains, buses, and everything in between which was an experience in and of itself. So that is something to consider if you will be there for a week or longer. One of the best things that we spent money on Japan were the tours. We found some great options for really good prices on Airbnb experiences. If you read the reviews you can find excellent tours. Next up, Colombia. This is a gorgeous and underrated country. Now we received a lot of hesitation from family and friends when we told them we were going to Medellin for the kids spring break and it's apparent that some areas there you should stay away from as a tourist but that's much like our hometown of Baltimore. There are areas here that we would say tourists should stay away from. Does not mean the country has some other beautiful things to offer. Now one of the highlights for me was the tour of the vibrant streets of Comuna 13. Yes it's touristy but it attracts a crowd for a reason and witnessing the transformation of a neighborhood that was once the murder capital of the world and now transformed into a hub of resilience, art, culture. My guide Johannes who grew up in Comuna 13 was absolutely amazing. What an experience to see it from his perspective. I spent weeks without playing with my friends because it was very dangerous to play outside. We stayed in the town of Poblado. This is a very wealthy area that is located up on the cliff. A lot of tourists would go here. A lot of the money there is there in Medellin. It's a fairly safe place. It's worth a visit and staying there was nice but if we could do it again we would go to Lorales which is a town a little bit lower in the valley. Park RV was also a highlight of our trip. 60 square miles of nature where you ride this beautiful gondola up to the top. The infrastructure to just get the gondola up in place is absolutely amazing. The food in Colombia is cheap and delicious. As a family of four we could eat a mid-range meal for around 20 US dollars. Go to lunch at Mondongos and be sure to take a salsa lesson. Two experiences that you will never forget. Now while Medellin is incredible for those of you like the beach, Colombia has some amazing opportunities. Cartagena and Santa Marta are what you will find in most travel guides and they are both beautiful amazing beach towns. If you want to go a little deeper and just a little more off the touristy path we suggest checking out Palomino. Next up South Korea. Now we spent five days exploring the streets of Seoul. There are high-end options and tons of low-end options. It wasn't nearly enough time to embrace the incredible South Korean culture but the bustling streets of Seoul are filled with the old and the new. A juxtaposition that we don't find that much in the US. Market food was incredibly affordable here and absolutely delicious. We enjoyed one of the best food tours of our lives here. Learning all the ins and outs of the Korean food scene it was completely worth the money. I tried live octopus, baby crab and pretty much everything fermented. For entertainment options in South Korea we booked a couple of incredible experiences but there are also a ton of free areas to walk in and even hikes to take. We were entranced with this one group tour through a historical shopping market called Maker City. That was once a lively place of commerce now left to be forgotten by the ever-growing economy and technologies embraced by the younger generations here. We did a night hike with a local and learned a ton about the South Korean history. Even tagged along for some local cuisine afterwards. A great way to make fast friends. We stayed in the town of Itaewon and we would highly recommend it. Although it was a little bit touristy we did not regret going to the Bukchon Hanok village. We also loved the sight sounds and tastes of the Myeongdok district. That is a must do. If you enjoyed this video I will link a few videos below where I highlight some of the areas that I just talked about. I also think you'll really like this video where I talk about things that experienced travelers never pack. Thank you so much for being a part of our travel community. If you hit the like and subscribe button it would mean so much.