For all my Irish friends & travelers to Ireland. Ireland is not as affordable as it used to be, but in terms of what you get for your money Ireland is still a good value especially when you take in flight prices to ireland. (Though Dublin is way over priced and we usually spend only a minnimum amount of time in Dublin because of that)
Absolutely agree on this! Just took my wife and mother for a 2 week visit from California and cost of flights are good, best part of Ireland is the countryside.
@@magnificus8581 Was thinking just about that. Maybe it's best to stay in smaller cities or in rural areas close to where you actually want to go, then take public transport, especially if you want to visit Dublin.
Ireland is expensive these days - always stay in bed and breakfast accommodation in the republic comes with friendly advice.Bulgaria, Greece are cheap.
Spent several months living in Genève and found this out quickly. Grocery stores are significantly cheaper than what visitors would expect. You can buy a week’s worth of groceries for the cost of 1.5 meals at a mid-tier cafe. Plus, all of the meat and produce is sourced from the area, so you’re getting high quality ingredients.
Prague is one great destination to go where there is so many things to see and do but is not too expensive. I was able to stay in a nice but inexpensive hotel within a 5-10 minute walk from the old town square. The food you can get is also crazy good there too, and doing day trips from Prague weren't too expensive like the train I took to Kutna Hora. I'd love to go back to Prague again someday!
I went to Prague over 20 years ago, and it was very cheap and very cool. You could get an entire meal at a local restaurant for $5, while a single soda cost $5 in Rome at the time (this was when a soda was $2 in the US). My friend was there a few years prior to that visit, and he said it was even nicer and cheaper then, less touristy. I am glad to hear the place hasn’t been completely ruined!
As a Czech: outside of Prague is even more affordable, and often no less exciting things to see - especially if you're into the off the beaten path kind of tourism. Plus the public transport is good around cities, so you could also stay in a cheaper place outside of Prague and commute for your sightseeing. (Though, word of warning for anyone reading right as I write this, the train troute west of Prague towards Plzeň, where Karlštejn is, is currently under construction and traffic is limited and not fun. Speaking of Karlštejn: it's a very touristy place, and if all you want to see is a castle, without necessarily having to see this one imperial one, we have other ones that aren't quite so crowded / overrun with kitchy souvenirs, and may be cheaper, too.) I had a friend from New Zealand staying with me last summer, and we travelled mainly around Moravia, and if she hadn't left a small fortune in the indigo resist workshop in Olešnice, she might have actually had money left over from her allocated budget. 😅 The one problem is if you're vegetarian, which she (with exceptions) is: traditional Czech food as offered in restaurants really isn't geared towards that, so we ended up eating Mediterranean or Asian all the time...
@samroy5967 Don Giovanni Hotel Prague - great location, adjacent train and light rail stations, supermarket down the street, and modern mall one stop away. Upon check in they gave me a bottle of wine.
Just recently travelled to Japan from Australia and we found it to be cheaper than expected. Accommodation was the most expensive thing but day to day things like meals kept on surprising us. Highly recommended!
@@laserspewpew_7175to be honest I thought the prices for food were decent even 20 years ago. This idea of Japan being expensive is 30 years out of date.
100% true. Poland beats the Czech Republic in every area! It’s cleaner, more interesting and with nicer people. We live in Germany and can’t afford Switzerland 😞. We stayed in Austria & did day trips to Liechtenstein and Switzerland from Vorarlberg.
Slovenia is also a great affordable destination, especially as an alternative to Austria or Switzerland, and you also have access to the mediterranean sea or you can go to croatia afterwards for a beach vacation
Agree! I was amazed at how cheap the food was and it's some of the best food I've ever had. I'm a hiker so a lot of what I did was free. If you take out parking fees (I was in Ljubljana so parking was expensive), I was probably only spending about $25 - $30 a day.
Malta is a fantastic bang for your buck! One of the cheapest European destinations, Mediterranean weather just south of Sicilly, AMAZING history and architecture, on a small easy to travel island. We had a 5 star experience for 3 star prices, complete with 3 private tours. Highly recommend
To be honest, you can name almost any city or country outside of the U.S. and find better public transportation. But your point is spot on and well taken.
So surprisingly, NYC can be cheap depending on what you want to do. There have been many times I've spent the day and spent less than $30 - not including my train ticket.
Hey Mark, I live in Ireland and holidays here aren’t cheap - maybe they used to be a while ago, but that’s not the case anymore. Many of us go to Spain as it works out a bit better than holiday here and oh, we love a bit of extra warmth. ;) That bring said, Western Ireland is looovely in the summer. Co Kerry has pleny of amazing views and going there is money well spent. :)
It is not the cheap holiday it used to be, that is true. But it still is a good bang for the buck if you visit outside of summer or just not go near dublin. For the US Ireland still us a good value.
Favorite Cheap Destination: Guanajuato, Mexico. It is a beautiful destination with great food and people Too dang expensive: Hotels and Accommodations proximal to US National Parks can be very expensive for what you get. I would encourage camping out if the weather is decent.
Japan can be cheap if you know how to eat. There are tons of small eateries where you can get a massive bowl of ramen for like $10. Also, although it might sound low-quality, but grabbing food at a 7-11 is a great cheap option and you don't have to have a bad meal. Furthermore, many train stations and shopping centers sell good and cheap bento boxes.
I want to debunk the myth that Japan is mega expensive. It can of course be pricey if you want it to be but having recently returned from a three week tour of Japan I have to say the prices are very reasonable eg I stayed in a hotel for a whole week in central Tokyo for just under 500GBP which is not bad considering a similar hotel in London would be significantly more.
Hi Shaun, can you please tell me the name of the hotel in Tokyo? My mate who visits his girlfriend in Tokyo a couple of times a year recently visited Kyoto and found it to be much cheaper and more relaxing than Tokyo. Cheers.
Exactly just do your research and you can find decently priced places in the middle of Tokyo. If you also walk into a restaurant and are the only foreigner, guaranteed cheaper prices
Budapest is one of the best values you're going to find in Europe. Switzerland is crazy expensive but I made it work by staying in cheaper accommodations and eating fast food and from grocery store delis instead of restaurants.
I live in London, many large supermarkets have cafes where you can get a wholesome meal priced very reasonably, also pubs often, especially outside of central London, have reasonably priced meals. If you don't stay in central London, you can find hotels priced on par with what you would find in the USA. I found Budapest very reasonable and loved the city.
I've spent quite a bit of time on business trips in Switzerland. Even locals usually buy they lunch from a supermarket - it's a lot more affordable than restaurants and the quality is great. For trains it might be worth to get a Half Fare Card or look for another deals. Accommodation outside of city centers can be a bit more affordable. I totally agree with Budapest, great value for the money.
That sounds awesome. I have Hungarian ancestry so I grew up eating alot of Hungarian food and know for a fact that it's delicious. I always thought Budapest looked a little Boujie from how it's portrayed on movies and TV shows.
On the cheap side I'd say Poland. I went to Gdansk last year, and while I didn't notice a huge difference in price for food, in terms of transport, activities and accommodation it was super cheap. I Ubered everywhere because it was quicker and cheaper than figuring out multiple trains and buses. A 40 min Uber was like a fiver which is madness! Expensive, you mentioned it but I'll mention it again - Norway. Norway was the first place I travelled to abroad in 2017, and I've been back another two times since. It's 100% worth it, and it's totally easy to not spend the earth. The transport (in Oslo) is exceptional, there are loads of free museums, parks and attractions, and as long as you're not going into a restaurant in the middle of town, you can get by not spending a huge amount. I just grabbed a few bits from the shop, took a pack up out every day and had a meal at home in the airbnb each night.
Ukraine was cheap! Exchange rate was about 27 to 1. People were super friendly. Metro subway in Kiev was cheap to travel too. Loved it. Can’t wait for the war to be over so I can take my family. Would love to help boost their economy and help the wonderful people there.
I found the prices in Lisbon to be about half of what you would pay in any major US city. You can eat one of the best seafood dinners you will ever have for about 18 euros or stay in a 5 star hotel for about 200 euros per night
As a female traveler I found that places that people considered dangerous could end up being safer for me because I could afford to stay in the city center, which is always safer than staying on the borough’s of major cities like Paris. Safer countries you can stay anywhere, but you might have to pay to travel or rent a car to stay at cheaper places, which isn’t always cost effective.
According to a recent poll, Japan is officially the safest country in the world for solo travelers, and after spending 3 weeks there recently I have to say it is probably true. I don't recall seeing one incident of concern.
When I went to the UK I went to Leeds and Manchester and loved both places. People were super friendly, there were lots of lesser known things to see that I enjoyed, and all in all it was a great trip. The UK is so much more than London!
For visiting the Caribbean, it's most likely cheaper to fly to Puerto Rico and island hop from there. Going to BVI was about $300 less than a direct flight when I did my own booking to San Juan and from there to BVI. There were just as many stops as well.
We traveled to Italy last year. The rate for our airbnb was ridiculously inexpensive in Verona. We selected to do the "slow travel" - Picking sites that were drivable such as Lake Garda, Padua, Sienna, Florence, Torino. Also being able to drive a standard car was more inexpensive that an automatic. Planning for next year.
This was such a jewel of a stream! I would like to hear more of this - learning the value & expense of traveling and what is really worth it. The older I get, the time, money and physical drain of travel needs to be taken into account. Few trips and more bang!
In my limited experience, I've found that there aren't any "cheap" places to go anymore. If people want to visit your part of the world, people there have long recognized that fact and priced everything associated with traveling there accordingly. Some places might be seasonal. But, even the shoulder seasons are becoming expensive as more people travel at those times. If you want to visit a certain place you just have to realize that it's going to cost a bundle of cash and try not to think about it while you are there..
I would definitely question Ireland as affordable, as a solo traveler I didn’t find that to be the case. Poland, you have to check out, in terms of value for your money - history, nature, amazing food.. got to add Poland🇵🇱
A lot of people say Japan is expensive. I believe Tokyo may be expensive. The quality of food goes from very good to excellent. Ramen noodles may cost $5 to $7 in Japan and here in the states would be $15 to $18.
The most expensive place for me is Disneyland. Even as a lifelong resident of LA, I just can't understand why people pay such high prices to visit a fake world!! Second, Las Vegas .... Again, fake, expensive world.
I did Benelux in February. I found Belgium was more expensive than expected, NL was cheaper than expected & Lux was pretty much what I knew it would be like
Well spotted. As a Dutchman I can say that indeed food- and drinking prices are quite high in Belgium, also tourism and entertainment are in the high tax tariff. In the Netherlands entertainment is in the low tariff class (as one of the few in Europe) as is food. That saves a whopping 14% extra tax. Only e-books and videogames are excluded. Also tourism tax in NL isn't that high. Luxemburg... It is what it is, but personally not my favorite.
Cape Town is an absolute no brainer. Beautiful, loads to do, incredible food and dirt cheap if you are coming with pound, euro or dollar. I was amazed when in Positano that 99% of tourists were American. I was like why in earth aren't you coming to Cape Town. It's so much better overall.
Iceland is crazy expensive, but it was an incredible experience and worth the money. A surprising place I found to be affordable and gorgeous is Vancouver Island outside of Victoria. The small towns had tons of waterside bars with gorgeous views and cheap drinks (HIGHLY recommend Sooke Oceanside Brewery), affordable and clean motels, tons of hiking, mountains, forests, ocean, I saw lots of marine mammals. I would definitely visit again, just a few hours away from Seattle which is far more expensive.
Albania a hidden gem! The north of Albania is montainous and beautiful, the central area completely blighted by poor politics which allows random construction (even on archaelogical sites) , the south is becoming overdeveloped - and where are the sewage treatment plants to deal with sewage waste from all those hotels - or is it just 'dump it in the sea'. Which brings us onto waste disposal, the Albanian government voted not to import hazardous waste from the EU, yet the prime minister had already signed a lucrative deal to import haz waste to Albania. Where does this go? Just do not ask.
Thanks for this vid. Money and not bein able to get away from work keeps me from travelin at the moment. Watchin you and your family is great for somebody who wants to see the world but cant actually go. Preciate what u do man!
You really need to do some upto date research on holidaying in Ireland currently. Accommodation prices are through the roof as are food and drink prices. It is definitely on the expensive list!
I found Japan to be affordable. You have a lot of options for cheap food at the convenience stores. There is also the favorable exchange between the Yen and USD. Also there are lots of free shrines you can visit Also important to note. DON'T pay with 2000 Yen notes. The Japanese don't like the 2000 yen bank note. I tried to pay for some Soba with 2000 yen and the vendor won't accept that but they would accept a larger 5000 yen note
Hope to be there in November. I was pleasantly surprised when researching the cost of hotel rooms. Not too expensive. Along with a good deal on air travel that's a clincher for me.
Agreed. I found Japan (even Tokyo) not to be that expensive - lots of great and actually cheap food, my hotels were well priced (I booked a few months in advance). What was expensive was the flight to get there.
I lived in Japan for several years. Transportation gets expensive; the local trains and subways are probably the most expensive that I’ve seen in the world, and bullet train tickets are pretty close to domestic flight prices. Food however is roughly the same as the US or Europe. Lodging gets expensive in the biggest cities, but the smaller-sized hotels get more reasonable. Right now the exchange rate is super-favorable to the dollar, so Japan is cheaper than normal ATM. But your biggest cost will be plane tickets.
bullet trains might be as expensive as flights, but given the fact that you can get to your destination in about the same time (if you add in the time you have to be in the airport before your flight leaves and having to go to the airport, which is often outside of the city center) and in more comfort as with a plane and on schedule, I'd say it's probably worth it (I've never taken a bullet train in Japan, only things like the Thalys and Eurostar in Europe)
I don't know about the US but food certainly isn't cheaper in Europe than Japan unless you are going to Eastern Europe and even then it would have to be somewhere with few tourists. Japan was expensive with good salaries 30 years ago but that is not the case anymore
For me: Romania has been cheap and super fun (granted: plane tickets are expensive, coming from Canada). I suggest you get friends there so you can travel with a local for safety and not getting ripped off.
Great video! India and Malaysia were very affordable and amazing coming from the US in 2006. And the street food in Singapore was surprisingly cheap. In India, an all-you-can-eat lunch was about 50 cents USD. Snacks like idli and vada were about 5 to 10 cents. A baby banana was 1 cent. CDs were cheap, around $3 to $5, but books were a little more, about $10 - $15. The budget YMCA hotel was $7 per night and a super fancy hotel suite was $20. In Malaysia, the exchange rate was about 4 to 1 and the food was amazing and low priced.
Did I hear him mention Ireland? One of the most expensive countries in Europe? In general you can't go wrong with eastern european countries and balkan countries!😊
I would say now is as good a time as ever to visit Japan. I was there in November and it wasn’t that bad. The Yen is pretty weak compared to USD, Euros, and Pounds these days so it makes the trip a lot more affordable than it usually is.
This summer I was in Brussels and afterwards in Madrid. Brussels was one of the most expensive cities I ever went to and though it was interesting and I don't regret the travel there I felt it wasn't worth the costs, after Brussels I went directly to Madrid and it seemed extremely cheap to me compared with Brussels although it was much more beautiful than Brussels in my opinion and you got a lot more for the price you paid, not only in quantity also in quality.
Bangkok was fantastic and the 711 in Pattaya was the best 711 ever. Also loved Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Most expensive for me was Switzerland. Europe in general is pretty expensive.
Slovenia is a great surprise. Went to Ljubljana, lake Bled, Piran and surroundings ….. beautiful country, great value for money. You get culture, nature, and excellent food
Just returned from 1.5 weeks in Switzerland, and holy moly was it expensive this time around compared to when I went back in 2018. It was also super busy with long lines due to group tours this time. Of course, still gorgeous and enjoyable overall, but my wallet definitely took a hit!
A trip to Balkans; Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro is pretty cheap, at least in terms of acomodation, food is tasty and affordable too, and there you'll find interesting cities to visit and planty of nature destinations to visit. Croatia is the one beimg more expensive, but still worth at least to check the availability and prices if you want to discover something new. Also, from my own experience, I got to say it's pretty safe there :)
Fuel and accomodation in Western Australia can be pricey, especially if you plan to visit remote places like the Kimberley region. It's best to ask locals, ask fellow travellers and use internet resources as guides. A lot of resorts have options that cater for different types of travellers. The same resort might have campervan sites for $50 a night and cabins for $500 a night, but people use the same facilities. A farmstay campervan site on the beach might be $50 a night but 5kms down the road an ecocamp resort are charging $500 for glamping, yet the view and facilities at the farmstay and the ecocamp are on par with each other. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better facilities in Western Australia, so do your research. The cheapest way for a family to explore the northern part of Western Australia is to self drive in a 4WD camper. Head north from Perth, and visit places like the Pinnacles, Ningaloo Reef, Eighty mile Beach, the Pilbara and the Kimberley region. There are a lot of free camping spots and plenty of free natural wonders to see along the way to help offset the cost of the fuel. The larger coastal towns all have supermarkets and takeaway food as an alternative to resort meals. May - September is the best weather to explore north of Perth. South of Perth also has pristine beaches and national parks but it's entirely different scenery. Esperance, Margaret River and the Peel region are completely different tourist experiences to the Pilbara or the Kimberley. October to April is the best time to explore south of Perth. Be warned though - Western Australia is a BIG place. If you plan to self drive both the north and the south of Western Australia, allow yourself 8 weeks. Each region is very different and has different natural wonders. If you only have a few weeks to explore, it's probably cheaper to fly to a main region like Broome, Esperance or Kalgoorlie and then hire a 4wd camper to explore the immediate area. Check out Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree ads when you first arrive. Sometimes tourists buy a camper, use it for 3 months to explore the country, then sell it again at the end of their travels for almost what they paid for it in the first place. Also keep an eye out for camper relocation deals. Sometimes companies want their campers relocated from one state to another and they offer free fuel and low rates to relocate them. I once met a woman was travelling around Australia simply by relocating campers from place to place!
We just returned from Cayman Islands…very expensive! We booked flights and accommodations with points, so all we needed to spend money on was car rental, food, and excursions/admissions. We still ended up spending over $2,500 for a family of 5, which includes buying groceries and cooking in our own condo kitchen.
You made a very good point about safety and costs. I travel alone so I want to make sure that the hotel itself and the neighborhood is nice so that I feel safer when I travel. :)
Norway is expensive. I’ve been twice (Oslo and Bergen). But I found Las Vegas to be even more expensive. Especially if you’re staying at one of the fancy resorts
Im Irish and i can tell you Ireland is crazy expensive. Everyone who is Irish goes abroad really if you want to get bang for your buck. Its a shame but i would not pay €400 for 3 nights in a medium rating hotel here when i can go to Spain, Portugal or Greece and get a weeks accommodation for the same price. Planned well in advace of course.
Japan is expensive to fly to (pro tip, fly out of LAX for cheapest rate in the USA). Hotels can be expensive but Airbnb’s are significantly cheaper! The food prices are extremely cheap as well. A budget for $20 a day is VERY doable plus you’ll eat very well too!
Japan is not that expensive. Comparable to Toronto, Vancouver etc. It can be expensive but I got a reasonable room in Shinjuku for $100 and food can be cheap as well. The jr rail pass is a great deal too except I hear they recently upped the price
Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia are great countries for outdoorers or city travellers alike. Especially Slovenia is awesome, it's actually the safest country in Europe right now, as well as the country with the highest enhancement of standard of living. You can travel easily to italy, austria, hungary or croatia, you have mountains and access to the adriatic sea, great food, nice people and it's very cheap. The baltics are on my list still, I heard great things about estonia in particular.
Spain is still very affordable for regular tourists with the exception of course the bigger cities like Madrid or Barcelona. They are still affordable cities but compared to other places in Spain they cost more of course. I am going to Amsterdam in 2 weeks and the pricing of hotels is crazy right now. Nothing really less than 150 a night that's not a hostel as far as hotels go. Spending 1200 for 6 nights of hotels is a little expensive but Amsterdam is always fun and a good time. The cost of getting to Europe alone has risen drastically in the last few months and this might be my last trip for a while unless I end up going in winter again. 1200 on a flight from Florida is crazy and that's with Ryan air included in the transfers. There are plenty of budget options for getting around and making travel cheaper once you're there though, such as avoiding taxis at all costs lol
I spend half a year in Malta, it’s very affordable off-season, between October and April.. it’s a perfect destination for people who can work online.. you can easily find a 3 star hotel for as little as 15 euros per night, or a long stay offer for 300-350 per whole month.. the public transport is free in Malta (you need to apply for a personalised card in advance), it’s sunny everyday, it’s warm even in the coldest months, you can swim in the sea throughout the year.. in winter days are longer, the sun never sets before 5 pm, while in Poland (I’m Polish) in December we hardly see any sun at all and it sets after 3 pm.. in fact there’s no winter nor autumn in Malta.. they have just two seasons: hot summer between June and September.. and the rest of the year is a pleasant spring.. additionally, English is the official language in Malta.
From where I live (Texas, USA), flights to Mexico and most of South America are relatively cheap, even last minute. And once you get there, you money/spending power is often doubled or tripled or quadrupled because of exchange rates. Japan I found pretty reasonalble although the plane tix to get there were pricey; Europe is always pricey to me. And the UK? Forgetaboutit LOL. When I'm there I don't do anything that cost money; I stay with my relatives there and we just hang out in the back garden drinking tea and eating home cooked meals LOL
Lisbon/Madrid and Valencia were excellent bang for the buck, not necessarily cheap, but well worth it in my opinion. In Madrid I stayed in a 4 star hotel, in an amazing suite with not one, but two terraces for the price of a mediocre regular Hilton.
Norway usually is on the more expensive side, but if you want to visit Norway now would be the time since the Norwegian kroner is unusually weaker against almost all other currencies
Just because you go to a “cheap country” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheap everywhere though. In Greece, Santorini and other resort towns like that are very expensive, same thing with Italy like in Positano. It’s been mentioned a lot in other comments but Dublin is crazy expensive, but the rest of Ireland is reasonable. You probably won’t be finding a random cheap location in an expensive country though, and if it is somehow much cheaper than usual, there’s probably a reason for it.
Just got back from a 10 day vacation in Washington DC and oh my goodness it is pretty expensive there. The flight to Reagan, the stay at Hotel Washington, and the flight back was about $5,900 but I’m sure we spent an extra $2,000 on eating, Ubering, souvenirs, and doing what we wanted to do. Pretty much a $8,000 vacation but it was a vacation of the lifetime!
Just returned from my first trip to Japan and it's really, *really* cheap compared to here in the UK. The hotels are less than half the price, the Tokyo metro ticket 1/5th the price of London Tube zones 1-6 etc. It's just the flight that's expensive!
Next month I'm off to Zurich (then a train to Verona). My hotel room in Zurich is cheaper than the one I had in Dublin in March! The reverse of your Ireland cheap, Switzerland expensive. The key thing for me is the cost of a respectable and pleasant hotel room in a good location. Everything else can be worked around, particularly in summertime when you can walk around, eat your lunch in the parks etc.
I'm in Tallinn right now as a Swede. 10-15 years ago Estonia was very affordable for us. Not anymore. Some things here right now seems to be more expensive than Sweden (Thanks to the weak Swedish Crown right now). Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Hungary, Spain and Portugal are kinda the cheaper options nowadays. At least for us in Sweden.
Hey Mark have you tried giving the Philippines a shot..i too am an expat who used to be based there pre pandemic it was awesome also very affordable, although now currently in Chiang Mai
I believe cheap is relative, it depends on your local currency or where you are traveling from. Accommodation and airfare take up the majority of the expenses. Cheers
Prague was not expensive and probably the most beautiful city in Europe. Budapest was cheap and the most interesting City that I have been to. North 1/2 of Croatia was very affordable, south part not so much..
@woltersworld Former ILL student of yours. I'm loving the videos and hope you keep up the good work! Have you ever been to or considered going to Taiwan? I think it's one of the best places in the world in terms of its bang for your buck. Taiwan is not as cheap as Southeast Asia, but it's also not Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, or Hong Kong. The food is extremely delicious and is relatively inexpensive. Public transportation is everywhere and can take you anywhere for cheap. There's tons of budget friendly activities to do including: hiking, shopping, learning about history/culture, nature-related journeys, and museums. Accommodation prices can very depending on what you are looking for. But a lot of chain hotels have pretty decent rates if you are using points. I'd recommend Taiwan if you haven't been! Also lots of people speak pretty good English too =)
Mexico is my favourite place to visit. In Cabo San Lucas a couple of months ago I did a whale-watching tour for 400 Pesos, which lasted nearly two hours. That's less than £20, amazing value for Cabo. In Sept. I'd like to visit Helsinki and Tallinn for a couple of weeks, maybe throwing Riga into the mix as well.
Hi, Mark! What are your thoughts about The Philippines? It's a bucket list item for me. One of my aunts is a Filipina. She married a maternal uncle. I got along a hell of a lot better with her than I did with him. He and I had a rocky relationship at best. I mourn what could've been. Not him. I owe her a phone call. She's in Indiana. She's originally from Iloilo.
I have to disagree with Japan being expensive. Sure, it's not a cheap destination, but any country where you can get perfectly decent hotels for about €60-80 or a meal for €10 is not expensive in my book. Sure, some things are more expensive, like long distance travel (hence the popularity of the Japan Rail Pass), but overall I'd say it's a LOT cheaper than western Europe or the US. My tip for a budget destination in Asia would go to Taiwan though. Maybe not as cheap as SE Asia, but the standard of living and as a result the comfort you'll be experiencing as a tourist is so much higher.
I did not find Japan to be that expensive when we went in 2018. The flight to get there was expensive; the hotels there were much, much cheaper than in Canada: got a business hotel in Tokyo for around 100 CAD a night and an apartment in Kyoto (not AirBNB) for 60 CAD a night all in. The food was also not very expensive and Japan is full of options for cheap food, and it’s of good quality as well. I understand that Japan is more expensive than other Asian countries, but I found it cheaper than going for example to Portugal (where everything is in Euros).
I found Berlin a relative bargain compared to London and Paris all the while offering the same level of hospitality and food. I also found Madrid to be less expensive too and so much good food. As to Japan, yes, you can pay a fortune for good hotels but there are a host of hotels, such as the business hotels, that offer reasonably good value. Also, with food, there are a range of prices. On the lower end, you can get quite good, inexpensive, and nutritious food from family restaurants and the convenience stores such as Lawson, 7-11, Family Mart, and so on. You have not lived until you have had an egg salad sandwich from 7-11. End of day clearance sales of prepared meals (Bentos) from the department stores offer a great source of really good food that is cheap to buy. And of course there is always ramen, wonderful ramen, that is available just about anywhere.
I have found New Zealand to be very reasonable, as well as Australia. I would say, London is the most expensive place I have gone. I'm off to the UK next month and I found the flight cheap, and the accommodation expensive
If you visited Norway, Go by car do a roadtrip, bring ur own tent and stay on campings. There are plenty all over the country and very cheap. Also cook urself some food on the campings. Some products are expensive some are cheaper like fish. It's all about the experience.
LOL. I agree. Europe in general is incredibly expensive. I think taking a cruise is probably cheaper and choose your port to do the excursion carefully. You can save on the expensive food and hotel. By the way, I advise against travelling Northorn Europe like Sweden, Norway, etc. I found them boring compared to Spain, Italy and France. Northern Europeans aren't that friendly either ... especially if you aren't white.
Ireland as cheap? Have you been to Ireland? I was just there 2 weeks ago and it's expensive! 100 dollar a night hotels/B&Bs. And that's outside the city/tourist site limits. Much more expensive inside city limits. Spain, Portugal and Greece are far cheaper.
Was just there and i feel for the bang for the buck (outside of dublin which is insanely pricey) ireland is still worth it. Especially when lookkng at price of getting there
@@woltersworld Just commented on Dublin. This is is the only place I know (or have returned to ) in southern Ireland. When I first went in the 90s it was nice and reasonable - if not cheap. Went a few year ago and for two drinks got one or two coins change from 20 euro note handed into bar. I had to take some time to process this and do some computations in my head to ensure hadnt been ripped off. Boy - it would make a Zurich banker blush! So, unfortunately won't be going back anytime soon. No wonder we now get plane loads of Dubliners in Liverpool now looking for cheap weekend partying.
Hey Wolter, I love your videos and your recommendations for travelling are really helpful. I would like to suggest to our fellow travellers, Sri Lanka (An island right below India) to add to their list. It might be a bit far from the US but worth the trouble. It's super affordable and has tons of beautiful places to visit.
I was there 40 years ago and it was super cheap. Guest house was $6 for two, meals about the same. Four of us split a private car and driver that cost $ 40 a day. It's probably still cheap, but I doubt that it is that cheap now.
For all my Irish friends & travelers to Ireland. Ireland is not as affordable as it used to be, but in terms of what you get for your money Ireland is still a good value especially when you take in flight prices to ireland. (Though Dublin is way over priced and we usually spend only a minnimum amount of time in Dublin because of that)
Absolutely agree on this! Just took my wife and mother for a 2 week visit from California and cost of flights are good, best part of Ireland is the countryside.
@@magnificus8581 Was thinking just about that. Maybe it's best to stay in smaller cities or in rural areas close to where you actually want to go, then take public transport, especially if you want to visit Dublin.
I was in Dublin 8 years ago and at that time, it wasn't bad.
Hey Mark, I just came back from Ireland with my family and I have to say that Northern Ireland is much more affordable than the Republic of Ireland.
Ireland is expensive these days - always stay in bed and breakfast accommodation in the republic comes with friendly advice.Bulgaria, Greece are cheap.
Switzerland is expensive but totally worth it. If you buy food from the grocery stores it does save quite a bit.
Yes it does, you are right. Its one of the coubtries where grocery shopping is a necessity when you visit
Spent several months living in Genève and found this out quickly. Grocery stores are significantly cheaper than what visitors would expect. You can buy a week’s worth of groceries for the cost of 1.5 meals at a mid-tier cafe. Plus, all of the meat and produce is sourced from the area, so you’re getting high quality ingredients.
and especially at a certain superbmarket starting with M.
still expensive though.
Prague is one great destination to go where there is so many things to see and do but is not too expensive. I was able to stay in a nice but inexpensive hotel within a 5-10 minute walk from the old town square. The food you can get is also crazy good there too, and doing day trips from Prague weren't too expensive like the train I took to Kutna Hora. I'd love to go back to Prague again someday!
What’s an inexpensive hotel price range in Prague? 🤔
I went to Prague over 20 years ago, and it was very cheap and very cool. You could get an entire meal at a local restaurant for $5, while a single soda cost $5 in Rome at the time (this was when a soda was $2 in the US). My friend was there a few years prior to that visit, and he said it was even nicer and cheaper then, less touristy. I am glad to hear the place hasn’t been completely ruined!
As a Czech: outside of Prague is even more affordable, and often no less exciting things to see - especially if you're into the off the beaten path kind of tourism. Plus the public transport is good around cities, so you could also stay in a cheaper place outside of Prague and commute for your sightseeing. (Though, word of warning for anyone reading right as I write this, the train troute west of Prague towards Plzeň, where Karlštejn is, is currently under construction and traffic is limited and not fun. Speaking of Karlštejn: it's a very touristy place, and if all you want to see is a castle, without necessarily having to see this one imperial one, we have other ones that aren't quite so crowded / overrun with kitchy souvenirs, and may be cheaper, too.)
I had a friend from New Zealand staying with me last summer, and we travelled mainly around Moravia, and if she hadn't left a small fortune in the indigo resist workshop in Olešnice, she might have actually had money left over from her allocated budget. 😅 The one problem is if you're vegetarian, which she (with exceptions) is: traditional Czech food as offered in restaurants really isn't geared towards that, so we ended up eating Mediterranean or Asian all the time...
@samroy5967 Don Giovanni Hotel Prague - great location, adjacent train and light rail stations, supermarket down the street, and modern mall one stop away. Upon check in they gave me a bottle of wine.
Just recently travelled to Japan from Australia and we found it to be cheaper than expected. Accommodation was the most expensive thing but day to day things like meals kept on surprising us. Highly recommended!
Same here I was expecting it to be a lot more expensive than it was. Food was really great and pretty cheap.
@@laserspewpew_7175to be honest I thought the prices for food were decent even 20 years ago. This idea of Japan being expensive is 30 years out of date.
I agree with this. I thought the price of food and taxis were very reasonable. Hotels were expensive in some places but not as bad in others.
Poland 🇵🇱 was a great and affordable place to travel to as a family. Switzerland, as mentioned, was the most expensive place we went with the kids.
100% true. Poland beats the Czech Republic in every area! It’s cleaner, more interesting and with nicer people. We live in Germany and can’t afford Switzerland 😞. We stayed in Austria & did day trips to Liechtenstein and Switzerland from Vorarlberg.
too bad poland is a bunch of warmongers
Were off to see some of Switzerland in August. Travelling on a budget so staying 5km over the border in Germany and taking day trips into Switzerland.
You should try Liechtenstein. It is more expensive than Switzerland.
@@BlckJack123 One day, I will. I think that Sweden is pretty pricey, too...
Slovenia is also a great affordable destination, especially as an alternative to Austria or Switzerland, and you also have access to the mediterranean sea or you can go to croatia afterwards for a beach vacation
Agree! I was amazed at how cheap the food was and it's some of the best food I've ever had. I'm a hiker so a lot of what I did was free. If you take out parking fees (I was in Ljubljana so parking was expensive), I was probably only spending about $25 - $30 a day.
Malta is a fantastic bang for your buck! One of the cheapest European destinations, Mediterranean weather just south of Sicilly, AMAZING history and architecture, on a small easy to travel island. We had a 5 star experience for 3 star prices, complete with 3 private tours. Highly recommend
I was just in Mexico city a few months ago and it was so awesome! Not only is public transportation better than the U.S. the food was also fantastic
To be honest, you can name almost any city or country outside of the U.S. and find better public transportation. But your point is spot on and well taken.
@@ajs11201 I'm naming it because of it's close proximity to the US and really affordable (:
@@gumerzambrano I absolutely agree with you. As I said above--your point is spot on and well taken.
You rent a car in the US or take Uber. There is no public transportation.
Was it dangerous in Mx city?
So surprisingly, NYC can be cheap depending on what you want to do. There have been many times I've spent the day and spent less than $30 - not including my train ticket.
Hey Mark, I live in Ireland and holidays here aren’t cheap - maybe they used to be a while ago, but that’s not the case anymore.
Many of us go to Spain as it works out a bit better than holiday here and oh, we love a bit of extra warmth. ;)
That bring said, Western Ireland is looovely in the summer. Co Kerry has pleny of amazing views and going there is money well spent. :)
It is not the cheap holiday it used to be, that is true. But it still is a good bang for the buck if you visit outside of summer or just not go near dublin. For the US Ireland still us a good value.
And flights from US are about the cheapest on Europe
It's because flights to Ireland are generally pretty cheap.
@@woltersworld that cant be true, really cant
Very true, we find it cheaper to fly to spain/Portugal for a week than spend a weekend in Ireland
Favorite Cheap Destination: Guanajuato, Mexico. It is a beautiful destination with great food and people
Too dang expensive: Hotels and Accommodations proximal to US National Parks can be very expensive for what you get. I would encourage camping out if the weather is decent.
Great to know about the Caribbean being so expensive! I had NO idea!!!
Same. Everyone talks about the Caribbean like its some cheap alternative to going to a beach in the US.
In the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic can be very budget friendly so long as you know how to manage yourself and don't buy into scam tours.
Japan can be cheap if you know how to eat. There are tons of small eateries where you can get a massive bowl of ramen for like $10. Also, although it might sound low-quality, but grabbing food at a 7-11 is a great cheap option and you don't have to have a bad meal. Furthermore, many train stations and shopping centers sell good and cheap bento boxes.
Japan is definitely affordable. Good lunch 7-10 and dinner under 15.
The prepared meals sold at 7/11, Lawson and Family Mart are very good value.
I want to debunk the myth that Japan is mega expensive. It can of course be pricey if you want it to be but having recently returned from a three week tour of Japan I have to say the prices are very reasonable eg I stayed in a hotel for a whole week in central Tokyo for just under 500GBP which is not bad considering a similar hotel in London would be significantly more.
the YEN is very weak at the moment edited: I also forgot to say that Japan has only 10% VAT rate, used to be 5% in 2006, I believe.
Hi Shaun, can you please tell me the name of the hotel in Tokyo? My mate who visits his girlfriend in Tokyo a couple of times a year recently visited Kyoto and found it to be much cheaper and more relaxing than Tokyo. Cheers.
Exactly just do your research and you can find decently priced places in the middle of Tokyo. If you also walk into a restaurant and are the only foreigner, guaranteed cheaper prices
Of course london would be significantly more, its arguably the best city in the world.
The only super expensive part is the flight. For a Florida man, a flight is 1.5k like holy DAMN
Budapest is one of the best values you're going to find in Europe. Switzerland is crazy expensive but I made it work by staying in cheaper accommodations and eating fast food and from grocery store delis instead of restaurants.
Thats a great idea anywhere really that tends to run more pricey..I did that on some of my days I stayed in Paris
I live in London, many large supermarkets have cafes where you can get a wholesome meal priced very reasonably, also pubs often, especially outside of central London, have reasonably priced meals. If you don't stay in central London, you can find hotels priced on par with what you would find in the USA. I found Budapest very reasonable and loved the city.
I've spent quite a bit of time on business trips in Switzerland. Even locals usually buy they lunch from a supermarket - it's a lot more affordable than restaurants and the quality is great. For trains it might be worth to get a Half Fare Card or look for another deals. Accommodation outside of city centers can be a bit more affordable.
I totally agree with Budapest, great value for the money.
That sounds awesome. I have Hungarian ancestry so I grew up eating alot of Hungarian food and know for a fact that it's delicious. I always thought Budapest looked a little Boujie from how it's portrayed on movies and TV shows.
The time of year you go, is a big factor too
Amen!
On the cheap side I'd say Poland. I went to Gdansk last year, and while I didn't notice a huge difference in price for food, in terms of transport, activities and accommodation it was super cheap. I Ubered everywhere because it was quicker and cheaper than figuring out multiple trains and buses. A 40 min Uber was like a fiver which is madness!
Expensive, you mentioned it but I'll mention it again - Norway. Norway was the first place I travelled to abroad in 2017, and I've been back another two times since. It's 100% worth it, and it's totally easy to not spend the earth. The transport (in Oslo) is exceptional, there are loads of free museums, parks and attractions, and as long as you're not going into a restaurant in the middle of town, you can get by not spending a huge amount. I just grabbed a few bits from the shop, took a pack up out every day and had a meal at home in the airbnb each night.
And if you stay off the alcohol in Norway (and Sweden) you can save quite a lot too, as alcohol is super expensive over there.
@@koenven7012 perfect for a non drinker like me!
Ireland????I am stunned by this,Ireland is very ,very expensive.
Ukraine was cheap! Exchange rate was about 27 to 1. People were super friendly. Metro subway in Kiev was cheap to travel too. Loved it. Can’t wait for the war to be over so I can
take my family. Would love to help
boost their economy and help the
wonderful people there.
I found the prices in Lisbon to be about half of what you would pay in any major US city. You can eat one of the best seafood dinners you will ever have for about 18 euros or stay in a 5 star hotel for about 200 euros per night
As a female traveler I found that places that people considered dangerous could end up being safer for me because I could afford to stay in the city center, which is always safer than staying on the borough’s of major cities like Paris. Safer countries you can stay anywhere, but you might have to pay to travel or rent a car to stay at cheaper places, which isn’t always cost effective.
According to a recent poll, Japan is officially the safest country in the world for solo travelers, and after spending 3 weeks there recently I have to say it is probably true. I don't recall seeing one incident of concern.
When I went to the UK I went to Leeds and Manchester and loved both places. People were super friendly, there were lots of lesser known things to see that I enjoyed, and all in all it was a great trip. The UK is so much more than London!
For visiting the Caribbean, it's most likely cheaper to fly to Puerto Rico and island hop from there. Going to BVI was about $300 less than a direct flight when I did my own booking to San Juan and from there to BVI. There were just as many stops as well.
Where is BVI?
@@lee6198 British Virgin Islands. Just to the east of Puerto Rico
We traveled to Italy last year. The rate for our airbnb was ridiculously inexpensive in Verona. We selected to do the "slow travel" - Picking sites that were drivable such as Lake Garda, Padua, Sienna, Florence, Torino. Also being able to drive a standard car was more inexpensive that an automatic. Planning for next year.
This was such a jewel of a stream! I would like to hear more of this - learning the value & expense of traveling and what is really worth it. The older I get, the time, money and physical drain of travel needs to be taken into account. Few trips and more bang!
In my limited experience, I've found that there aren't any "cheap" places to go anymore. If people want to visit your part of the world, people there have long recognized that fact and priced everything associated with traveling there accordingly. Some places might be seasonal. But, even the shoulder seasons are becoming expensive as more people travel at those times. If you want to visit a certain place you just have to realize that it's going to cost a bundle of cash and try not to think about it while you are there..
Yea I totally feel social media played a huge factor in driving up costs.
Agree 💯!
I would definitely question Ireland as affordable, as a solo traveler I didn’t find that to be the case. Poland, you have to check out, in terms of value for your money - history, nature, amazing food.. got to add Poland🇵🇱
A lot of people say Japan is expensive. I believe Tokyo may be expensive. The quality of food goes from very good to excellent. Ramen noodles may cost $5 to $7 in Japan and here in the states would be $15 to $18.
The most expensive place for me is Disneyland. Even as a lifelong resident of LA, I just can't understand why people pay such high prices to visit a fake world!! Second, Las Vegas .... Again, fake, expensive world.
I did Benelux in February. I found Belgium was more expensive than expected, NL was cheaper than expected & Lux was pretty much what I knew it would be like
Well spotted. As a Dutchman I can say that indeed food- and drinking prices are quite high in Belgium, also tourism and entertainment are in the high tax tariff. In the Netherlands entertainment is in the low tariff class (as one of the few in Europe) as is food. That saves a whopping 14% extra tax. Only e-books and videogames are excluded. Also tourism tax in NL isn't that high. Luxemburg... It is what it is, but personally not my favorite.
Cape Town is an absolute no brainer. Beautiful, loads to do, incredible food and dirt cheap if you are coming with pound, euro or dollar. I was amazed when in Positano that 99% of tourists were American. I was like why in earth aren't you coming to Cape Town. It's so much better overall.
Iceland is crazy expensive, but it was an incredible experience and worth the money. A surprising place I found to be affordable and gorgeous is Vancouver Island outside of Victoria. The small towns had tons of waterside bars with gorgeous views and cheap drinks (HIGHLY recommend Sooke Oceanside Brewery), affordable and clean motels, tons of hiking, mountains, forests, ocean, I saw lots of marine mammals. I would definitely visit again, just a few hours away from Seattle which is far more expensive.
Hey Alex thanks for the suggestion. Might have to explore that island since I'll be visiting Vancouver in the next week and a half!
Agree, Iceland is crazy expensive, even to me, living in Switzerland.
Even Norwegians thinks that Iceland can be expensive!
Yes Iceland is soo expensive but I ❤ it.
Yes Iceland is the most expensive place I have been, but for three days, it was worth it.
I found Albania to be very affordable and extremely beautiful. Truly a hidden gem in Europe 🇦🇱
Albania a hidden gem! The north of Albania is montainous and beautiful, the central area completely blighted by poor politics which allows random construction (even on archaelogical sites) , the south is becoming overdeveloped - and where are the sewage treatment plants to deal with sewage waste from all those hotels - or is it just 'dump it in the sea'. Which brings us onto waste disposal, the Albanian government voted not to import hazardous waste from the EU, yet the prime minister had already signed a lucrative deal to import haz waste to Albania. Where does this go? Just do not ask.
Thanks for this vid. Money and not bein able to get away from work keeps me from travelin at the moment. Watchin you and your family is great for somebody who wants to see the world but cant actually go. Preciate what u do man!
Thanks Butch. Glad i can show you a bit of the world my friend.
I found Poland to be very reasonable and Budapest, too. I'll agree about the affordability of the Southeast Asia countries as well.
You really need to do some upto date research on holidaying in Ireland currently. Accommodation prices are through the roof as are food and drink prices. It is definitely on the expensive list!
I found Japan to be affordable. You have a lot of options for cheap food at the convenience stores. There is also the favorable exchange between the Yen and USD.
Also there are lots of free shrines you can visit
Also important to note. DON'T pay with 2000 Yen notes. The Japanese don't like the 2000 yen bank note. I tried to pay for some Soba with 2000 yen and the vendor won't accept that but they would accept a larger 5000 yen note
He probably is thinking Tokyo and since there are so many shops to buy from and way to spend money.
Hope to be there in November. I was pleasantly surprised when researching the cost of hotel rooms. Not too expensive. Along with a good deal on air travel that's a clincher for me.
Agreed. I found Japan (even Tokyo) not to be that expensive - lots of great and actually cheap food, my hotels were well priced (I booked a few months in advance). What was expensive was the flight to get there.
The 2000 Yen banknotes are uncommon within Japan - tourists usually come with them because foreign banks/exchanges have a ton of them.
I lived in Japan for several years. Transportation gets expensive; the local trains and subways are probably the most expensive that I’ve seen in the world, and bullet train tickets are pretty close to domestic flight prices. Food however is roughly the same as the US or Europe. Lodging gets expensive in the biggest cities, but the smaller-sized hotels get more reasonable. Right now the exchange rate is super-favorable to the dollar, so Japan is cheaper than normal ATM. But your biggest cost will be plane tickets.
bullet trains might be as expensive as flights, but given the fact that you can get to your destination in about the same time (if you add in the time you have to be in the airport before your flight leaves and having to go to the airport, which is often outside of the city center) and in more comfort as with a plane and on schedule, I'd say it's probably worth it (I've never taken a bullet train in Japan, only things like the Thalys and Eurostar in Europe)
I don't know about the US but food certainly isn't cheaper in Europe than Japan unless you are going to Eastern Europe and even then it would have to be somewhere with few tourists. Japan was expensive with good salaries 30 years ago but that is not the case anymore
For me: Romania has been cheap and super fun (granted: plane tickets are expensive, coming from Canada). I suggest you get friends there so you can travel with a local for safety and not getting ripped off.
I went on a river tour of the Danube Delta with a local company. Really interested. And the flight on Wizz Air and the buses were cheap.
Great video! India and Malaysia were very affordable and amazing coming from the US in 2006. And the street food in Singapore was surprisingly cheap. In India, an all-you-can-eat lunch was about 50 cents USD. Snacks like idli and vada were about 5 to 10 cents. A baby banana was 1 cent. CDs were cheap, around $3 to $5, but books were a little more, about $10 - $15. The budget YMCA hotel was $7 per night and a super fancy hotel suite was $20. In Malaysia, the exchange rate was about 4 to 1 and the food was amazing and low priced.
Did I hear him mention Ireland? One of the most expensive countries in Europe? In general you can't go wrong with eastern european countries and balkan countries!😊
I was in Ireland one week before this video was posted. and yes it was very expensive.
He looses a lot of credibility with that statement.
I would say now is as good a time as ever to visit Japan. I was there in November and it wasn’t that bad. The Yen is pretty weak compared to USD, Euros, and Pounds these days so it makes the trip a lot more affordable than it usually is.
This is really informative!
Thanks Shebs!
This summer I was in Brussels and afterwards in Madrid. Brussels was one of the most expensive cities I ever went to and though it was interesting and I don't regret the travel there I felt it wasn't worth the costs, after Brussels I went directly to Madrid and it seemed extremely cheap to me compared with Brussels although it was much more beautiful than Brussels in my opinion and you got a lot more for the price you paid, not only in quantity also in quality.
Malaysia is very affordable, safe, not overtouristy, super tasty cheap food, mix of cultures, great nature.
Bangkok was fantastic and the 711 in Pattaya was the best 711 ever. Also loved Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Most expensive for me was Switzerland. Europe in general is pretty expensive.
Regarding Norway and Sweden. You’re absolutely right. I thought the exact same thing then i realised that Sweden is pretty expensive as well.
cheap South Africa ( Cape Town is great ) $2 coffee $2 beer $2 glass of wine , expensive Usa $6 for coffee $10 for a beer $15 glass of wine
Slovenia is a great surprise. Went to Ljubljana, lake Bled, Piran and surroundings ….. beautiful country, great value for money. You get culture, nature, and excellent food
Just returned from 1.5 weeks in Switzerland, and holy moly was it expensive this time around compared to when I went back in 2018. It was also super busy with long lines due to group tours this time. Of course, still gorgeous and enjoyable overall, but my wallet definitely took a hit!
Yes just spent 5 days there holy moly was it expensive!!!
A trip to Balkans; Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro is pretty cheap, at least in terms of acomodation, food is tasty and affordable too, and there you'll find interesting cities to visit and planty of nature destinations to visit. Croatia is the one beimg more expensive, but still worth at least to check the availability and prices if you want to discover something new. Also, from my own experience, I got to say it's pretty safe there :)
Japan (in terms of food) is actually dirt cheap for the quality of stuff you get, the fact that tip is not a thing there is cherry on top.
Fuel and accomodation in Western Australia can be pricey, especially if you plan to visit remote places like the Kimberley region. It's best to ask locals, ask fellow travellers and use internet resources as guides. A lot of resorts have options that cater for different types of travellers. The same resort might have campervan sites for $50 a night and cabins for $500 a night, but people use the same facilities. A farmstay campervan site on the beach might be $50 a night but 5kms down the road an ecocamp resort are charging $500 for glamping, yet the view and facilities at the farmstay and the ecocamp are on par with each other. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean better facilities in Western Australia, so do your research. The cheapest way for a family to explore the northern part of Western Australia is to self drive in a 4WD camper. Head north from Perth, and visit places like the Pinnacles, Ningaloo Reef, Eighty mile Beach, the Pilbara and the Kimberley region. There are a lot of free camping spots and plenty of free natural wonders to see along the way to help offset the cost of the fuel. The larger coastal towns all have supermarkets and takeaway food as an alternative to resort meals. May - September is the best weather to explore north of Perth. South of Perth also has pristine beaches and national parks but it's entirely different scenery. Esperance, Margaret River and the Peel region are completely different tourist experiences to the Pilbara or the Kimberley. October to April is the best time to explore south of Perth. Be warned though - Western Australia is a BIG place. If you plan to self drive both the north and the south of Western Australia, allow yourself 8 weeks. Each region is very different and has different natural wonders. If you only have a few weeks to explore, it's probably cheaper to fly to a main region like Broome, Esperance or Kalgoorlie and then hire a 4wd camper to explore the immediate area. Check out Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree ads when you first arrive. Sometimes tourists buy a camper, use it for 3 months to explore the country, then sell it again at the end of their travels for almost what they paid for it in the first place. Also keep an eye out for camper relocation deals. Sometimes companies want their campers relocated from one state to another and they offer free fuel and low rates to relocate them. I once met a woman was travelling around Australia simply by relocating campers from place to place!
We just returned from Cayman Islands…very expensive! We booked flights and accommodations with points, so all we needed to spend money on was car rental, food, and excursions/admissions. We still ended up spending over $2,500 for a family of 5, which includes buying groceries and cooking in our own condo kitchen.
Poland is a excellent place to travel and affordable and the food and beers are great 😂!
You made a very good point about safety and costs. I travel alone so I want to make sure that the hotel itself and the neighborhood is nice so that I feel safer when I travel. :)
Norway is expensive. I’ve been twice (Oslo and Bergen). But I found Las Vegas to be even more expensive. Especially if you’re staying at one of the fancy resorts
Im Irish and i can tell you Ireland is crazy expensive. Everyone who is Irish goes abroad really if you want to get bang for your buck. Its a shame but i would not pay €400 for 3 nights in a medium rating hotel here when i can go to Spain, Portugal or Greece and get a weeks accommodation for the same price. Planned well in advace of course.
Japan is expensive to fly to (pro tip, fly out of LAX for cheapest rate in the USA). Hotels can be expensive but Airbnb’s are significantly cheaper! The food prices are extremely cheap as well. A budget for $20 a day is VERY doable plus you’ll eat very well too!
Japan is not that expensive. Comparable to Toronto, Vancouver etc. It can be expensive but I got a reasonable room in Shinjuku for $100 and food can be cheap as well. The jr rail pass is a great deal too except I hear they recently upped the price
they doubled the price for Shinjuku so better now to pay per trip if you do not change destinations daily.
Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia are great countries for outdoorers or city travellers alike. Especially Slovenia is awesome, it's actually the safest country in Europe right now, as well as the country with the highest enhancement of standard of living. You can travel easily to italy, austria, hungary or croatia, you have mountains and access to the adriatic sea, great food, nice people and it's very cheap.
The baltics are on my list still, I heard great things about estonia in particular.
Spain is still very affordable for regular tourists with the exception of course the bigger cities like Madrid or Barcelona. They are still affordable cities but compared to other places in Spain they cost more of course. I am going to Amsterdam in 2 weeks and the pricing of hotels is crazy right now. Nothing really less than 150 a night that's not a hostel as far as hotels go. Spending 1200 for 6 nights of hotels is a little expensive but Amsterdam is always fun and a good time. The cost of getting to Europe alone has risen drastically in the last few months and this might be my last trip for a while unless I end up going in winter again. 1200 on a flight from Florida is crazy and that's with Ryan air included in the transfers. There are plenty of budget options for getting around and making travel cheaper once you're there though, such as avoiding taxis at all costs lol
Spain is cheap overall but hotels can be pricey there depending on the time of year you go
I spend half a year in Malta, it’s very affordable off-season, between October and April.. it’s a perfect destination for people who can work online.. you can easily find a 3 star hotel for as little as 15 euros per night, or a long stay offer for 300-350 per whole month.. the public transport is free in Malta (you need to apply for a personalised card in advance), it’s sunny everyday, it’s warm even in the coldest months, you can swim in the sea throughout the year.. in winter days are longer, the sun never sets before 5 pm, while in Poland (I’m Polish) in December we hardly see any sun at all and it sets after 3 pm.. in fact there’s no winter nor autumn in Malta.. they have just two seasons: hot summer between June and September.. and the rest of the year is a pleasant spring.. additionally, English is the official language in Malta.
From where I live (Texas, USA), flights to Mexico and most of South America are relatively cheap, even last minute. And once you get there, you money/spending power is often doubled or tripled or quadrupled because of exchange rates. Japan I found pretty reasonalble although the plane tix to get there were pricey; Europe is always pricey to me. And the UK? Forgetaboutit LOL. When I'm there I don't do anything that cost money; I stay with my relatives there and we just hang out in the back garden drinking tea and eating home cooked meals LOL
Lisbon/Madrid and Valencia were excellent bang for the buck, not necessarily cheap, but well worth it in my opinion.
In Madrid I stayed in a 4 star hotel, in an amazing suite with not one, but two terraces for the price of a mediocre regular Hilton.
I stayed in Toledo and took the bus into Madrid, it was a lot cheaper that way and Toledo is a wonderful town.
Would you mind to share the name of the hotel?
@@LarArauz Hotel Sardinero
I agree on your opinion about Japan. Once you are there, it's quite affordable.
You have helped me to come to terms with this situation. Thank you.
Norway usually is on the more expensive side, but if you want to visit Norway now would be the time since the Norwegian kroner is unusually weaker against almost all other currencies
Just because you go to a “cheap country” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheap everywhere though. In Greece, Santorini and other resort towns like that are very expensive, same thing with Italy like in Positano. It’s been mentioned a lot in other comments but Dublin is crazy expensive, but the rest of Ireland is reasonable. You probably won’t be finding a random cheap location in an expensive country though, and if it is somehow much cheaper than usual, there’s probably a reason for it.
Overpriced destinations: Switzerland, Singapore, Canada, U.S.A., Australia.
Value destinations: Tochigi, Valchiavenna,, Koh Mook, Napoli, Macugnaga, Taitung,
Just got back from a 10 day vacation in Washington DC and oh my goodness it is pretty expensive there. The flight to Reagan, the stay at Hotel Washington, and the flight back was about $5,900 but I’m sure we spent an extra $2,000 on eating, Ubering, souvenirs, and doing what we wanted to do. Pretty much a $8,000 vacation but it was a vacation of the lifetime!
Just returned from my first trip to Japan and it's really, *really* cheap compared to here in the UK. The hotels are less than half the price, the Tokyo metro ticket 1/5th the price of London Tube zones 1-6 etc. It's just the flight that's expensive!
I was thinking the same about japan. Dirt cheap compared to western capitals and much safer too
Next month I'm off to Zurich (then a train to Verona). My hotel room in Zurich is cheaper than the one I had in Dublin in March! The reverse of your Ireland cheap, Switzerland expensive.
The key thing for me is the cost of a respectable and pleasant hotel room in a good location. Everything else can be worked around, particularly in summertime when you can walk around, eat your lunch in the parks etc.
Cumbernauld is a very affordable destination to visit, just about one of the most affordable anywhere in the UK.
0:38: That doesn't look like Ireland.
I'm in Tallinn right now as a Swede. 10-15 years ago Estonia was very affordable for us. Not anymore. Some things here right now seems to be more expensive than Sweden (Thanks to the weak Swedish Crown right now). Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Hungary, Spain and Portugal are kinda the cheaper options nowadays. At least for us in Sweden.
Same for me. I used to work in Estonia and went back a couple years ago. And wow. Not cheap. Not affordable. Down right expensive!!
Same in Latvia too now 😢
I’ve been to many countries in Europe and Ireland (Dublin) was the most expensive place I’ve ever been
Hey Mark have you tried giving the Philippines a shot..i too am an expat who used to be based there pre pandemic it was awesome also very affordable, although now currently in Chiang Mai
Jocelyn and i were talking about this last night
I believe cheap is relative, it depends on your local currency or where you are traveling from. Accommodation and airfare take up the majority of the expenses.
Cheers
Cool video. I’m in Geneva atm and I’ll film how far 100usd goes soon, not far! 🤣
Thay sounds like a youtube "shorts" video :😀
Iceland was beautiful but extremely expensive. We spent more money on food then accommodations. The money conversion was complicated also.
Prague was not expensive and probably the most beautiful city in Europe. Budapest was cheap and the most interesting City that I have been to. North 1/2 of Croatia was very affordable, south part not so much..
@woltersworld Former ILL student of yours. I'm loving the videos and hope you keep up the good work! Have you ever been to or considered going to Taiwan? I think it's one of the best places in the world in terms of its bang for your buck. Taiwan is not as cheap as Southeast Asia, but it's also not Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, or Hong Kong.
The food is extremely delicious and is relatively inexpensive. Public transportation is everywhere and can take you anywhere for cheap. There's tons of budget friendly activities to do including: hiking, shopping, learning about history/culture, nature-related journeys, and museums. Accommodation prices can very depending on what you are looking for. But a lot of chain hotels have pretty decent rates if you are using points.
I'd recommend Taiwan if you haven't been! Also lots of people speak pretty good English too =)
I loved it there.
Netherlands can be incredibly expensive
Go to Puerto Rico if you want a lot of things to do in the Caribbean and for it to be affordable.
I found Tokyo to be very resonable :)
Malaysia is a destination for the price conscious. Beautiful country with amazing people, cool culture and delicious food.
Very true
Absolutely! Malaysia is one of my favourites countries and an excellent value! I’m surprised more people don’t go there.
I’ve been curious about Malaysia! I always hear good things about it.
Mexico is my favourite place to visit. In Cabo San Lucas a couple of months ago I did a whale-watching tour for 400 Pesos, which lasted nearly two hours. That's less than £20, amazing value for Cabo.
In Sept. I'd like to visit Helsinki and Tallinn for a couple of weeks, maybe throwing Riga into the mix as well.
Hi, Mark! What are your thoughts about The Philippines? It's a bucket list item for me. One of my aunts is a Filipina. She married a maternal uncle. I got along a hell of a lot better with her than I did with him. He and I had a rocky relationship at best. I mourn what could've been. Not him. I owe her a phone call. She's in Indiana. She's originally from Iloilo.
I have to disagree with Japan being expensive. Sure, it's not a cheap destination, but any country where you can get perfectly decent hotels for about €60-80 or a meal for €10 is not expensive in my book. Sure, some things are more expensive, like long distance travel (hence the popularity of the Japan Rail Pass), but overall I'd say it's a LOT cheaper than western Europe or the US.
My tip for a budget destination in Asia would go to Taiwan though. Maybe not as cheap as SE Asia, but the standard of living and as a result the comfort you'll be experiencing as a tourist is so much higher.
I did not find Japan to be that expensive when we went in 2018. The flight to get there was expensive; the hotels there were much, much cheaper than in Canada: got a business hotel in Tokyo for around 100 CAD a night and an apartment in Kyoto (not AirBNB) for 60 CAD a night all in. The food was also not very expensive and Japan is full of options for cheap food, and it’s of good quality as well. I understand that Japan is more expensive than other Asian countries, but I found it cheaper than going for example to Portugal (where everything is in Euros).
Thanks a lot!!
Youre welcome
I found Berlin a relative bargain compared to London and Paris all the while offering the same level of hospitality and food. I also found Madrid to be less expensive too and so much good food.
As to Japan, yes, you can pay a fortune for good hotels but there are a host of hotels, such as the business hotels, that offer reasonably good value. Also, with food, there are a range of prices. On the lower end, you can get quite good, inexpensive, and nutritious food from family restaurants and the convenience stores such as Lawson, 7-11, Family Mart, and so on. You have not lived until you have had an egg salad sandwich from 7-11. End of day clearance sales of prepared meals (Bentos) from the department stores offer a great source of really good food that is cheap to buy. And of course there is always ramen, wonderful ramen, that is available just about anywhere.
I have found New Zealand to be very reasonable, as well as Australia. I would say, London is the most expensive place I have gone. I'm off to the UK next month and I found the flight cheap, and the accommodation expensive
If you visited Norway, Go by car do a roadtrip, bring ur own tent and stay on campings. There are plenty all over the country and very cheap. Also cook urself some food on the campings. Some products are expensive some are cheaper like fish. It's all about the experience.
How could you forget the Czech Republic for Europe. Was an amazing trip and lived like kings.
Highly recommend Poland
LOL. I agree. Europe in general is incredibly expensive. I think taking a cruise is probably cheaper and choose your port to do the excursion carefully. You can save on the expensive food and hotel. By the way, I advise against travelling Northorn Europe like Sweden, Norway, etc. I found them boring compared to Spain, Italy and France. Northern Europeans aren't that friendly either ... especially if you aren't white.
Ireland as cheap? Have you been to Ireland? I was just there 2 weeks ago and it's expensive! 100 dollar a night hotels/B&Bs. And that's outside the city/tourist site limits. Much more expensive inside city limits. Spain, Portugal and Greece are far cheaper.
Was just there and i feel for the bang for the buck (outside of dublin which is insanely pricey) ireland is still worth it. Especially when lookkng at price of getting there
@@woltersworld Just commented on Dublin. This is is the only place I know (or have returned to ) in southern Ireland. When I first went in the 90s it was nice and reasonable - if not cheap. Went a few year ago and for two drinks got one or two coins change from 20 euro note handed into bar.
I had to take some time to process this and do some computations in my head to ensure hadnt been ripped off. Boy - it would make a Zurich banker blush! So, unfortunately won't be going back anytime soon.
No wonder we now get plane loads of Dubliners in Liverpool now looking for cheap weekend partying.
Hey Wolter, I love your videos and your recommendations for travelling are really helpful.
I would like to suggest to our fellow travellers, Sri Lanka (An island right below India) to add to their list. It might be a bit far from the US but worth the trouble. It's super affordable and has tons of beautiful places to visit.
I was there 40 years ago and it was super cheap. Guest house was $6 for two, meals about the same. Four of us split a private car and driver that cost $ 40 a day. It's probably still cheap, but I doubt that it is that cheap now.
@@GuillermoLG552 Yup the prices aren't the same but a calm island to visit with many activities to do
I just came back from Aruba from the US I found it to be fairly affordable and a great time.