On-the-Ground Budget by Country

Budget

Budget is obviously an important factor in choosing and ensuring a smooth trip.

A minimum to plan for...

Don’t forget that a budget that’s too tight will ruin a trip 9 times out of 10 and bring daily frustrations. So, in that case, save more or reconsider the length and/or route of your planned journey.

Also, beware of appearances. Just because you’re visiting a poor country where most people live on very little doesn’t mean your stay will cost almost nothing. Not only is this situation endured by the local population, but it’s unlikely you’ll live the same way—especially since the structures and services aimed at tourists (which don’t target the poorest locals) won’t match those low costs. In fact, some African countries are quite the opposite.

As for those hoping to travel for nothing or just 1 €–2/day, this is mostly naive, or even a rather pitiful tendency to live off the people you meet, including the most vulnerable.

Breakdown of expenses

Expense categories

Roughly speaking, a backpacker’s budget covers all daily expenses in a country (only the transport to get there from home is excluded). This includes:

Accommodation

In local hotels—basically, those you’ll find in guidebooks under the "budget" category. But depending on the place, this could also mean camping, staying with locals, etc. In short, the types of accommodation most backpackers use in each location.

Meals

Based on three per day, following the same category and principle as accommodation—so including local, affordable restaurants.

Local transport

Ground transport, but occasionally air travel too. This is based on what travellers generally use in a country, including the class (train) or type of vehicle.

Miscellaneous expenses

Basically, everything else.

Managing your budget

To track your spending while travelling, first define your total or daily budget. Then, each day, note the planned budget and actual expenses. Comparing the two gives a positive or negative difference, which you’ll carry over to the next day, and so on.

For a rough budget estimate

You can get a first idea of a daily budget in a place using the 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 rule: accommodation costs = meal costs = miscellaneous costs.

This assumes consistent categories (no luxury hotels with local restaurants, or vice versa) and excludes intercity transport (travel between stops), which falls under "local transport." While not always accurate, this rule often gives a quick sense of costs.

Budget by country

The average daily cost per person for an independent (non-organised) backpacker-style trip with a "traditional" visit to the country. The figures are presented as a daily per-person rate: under 40 €, 40 €–75, or above. Of course, in practice, whether you’re alone, with others, or travelling in peak season, things may vary.

Also note that the budgets here are ranges—occasionally, a country may appear in two categories. Additionally, many destinations have one or two places significantly more expensive than the national average, but this isn’t factored in. The assumption is that this is an overall daily budget covering visits to different parts of the country.

Under 40 €/day

Europe

Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia (low end), Estonia (low end), Latvia (low end), Lithuania (low end), Moldova, Poland (low end), Romania, Turkey (low end).

Americas

Bolivia, Colombia (low end), Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico (low end), Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay (low end), Peru (low end), Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Suriname, Venezuela (low end).

Africa

South Africa (low end), Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon (low end), Central African Republic, Comoros (low end), Ivory Coast (low end), Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya (low end), Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Western Sahara, São Tomé, Senegal (low end), Sierra Leone, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania (low end), Togo, Tunisia.

Asia

Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, China (low end), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines (low end), Russia (Asian part), Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam (low end).

Middle East/Central Asia

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman (low end), Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen.

40 €–75/day

Europe

Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Greece (and islands), Hungary, Channel Islands, Ireland (low end), Northern Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal (low end), Czech Republic, Western Russia (low end), Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine (low end).

Americas

"English-speaking" Caribbean (low end), Dutch Caribbean, Argentina, Belize, Brazil (low end), Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Guadeloupe (low end), Jamaica, Martinique (low end), Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico (low end), Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Pacific

Fiji, Hawaii (low end), "Small Pacific islands."

Africa

Azores, South Africa, Botswana (low end), Cameroon, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Madeira, Mauritius, Mayotte (low end), Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, Chad, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Asia

Brunei, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Maldives, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam.

Middle East/Central Asia

Israel, Lebanon, Oman.

Over 60 €/day

Europe

Germany, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Western Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine.

Americas

Alaska, "English-speaking" Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, United States, Falkland Islands, Galápagos, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Puerto Rico, Quebec.

Pacific

Australia, Hawaii, Easter Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia.

Africa

Botswana, Mayotte, Réunion, Seychelles.

Asia

Bhutan, Japan.

Middle East/Central Asia

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar.