The cheapest countries to travel in 2026

What the data shows

Methodology

The headline figure in this ranking is the budget in euros: minimum on-the-ground daily budget (entry-level hotel + meals + public transit) of the country's cheapest city, and the average cost of a 7-night mid-range stay, excluding flights. The index is a secondary reference, relative to Paris set at 100: it's the reference city of our cost-of-living dataset, and a relatable comparison point for part of our readership. An index of 50 means a cost twice as low as Paris. Indices are aggregated from public sources and audited annually. Full method on the methodology page.

Frequently asked questions

What's the cheapest country to travel to in 2026?

According to the InstantTripCost index, Thailand is the cheapest country in the ranking, with a cost index of 30 out of 100 (Paris baseline). A daily budget there starts around €23/day on the ground, excluding flights.

What are the cheapest countries to visit?

The ten cheapest countries in our 2026 ranking are, in order: Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Czech Republic, Egypt, Peru, Portugal, Turkey, Argentina. All sit well below the tourist cost of living in Paris.

Which world region is the cheapest to travel?

Averaged across the documented countries, the cheapest region is Africa (average index 53). It also concentrates several of the most affordable destinations in the ranking.

How is the cost of travel index calculated?

The index measures each country's tourist cost of living against Paris, set at 100. It aggregates lodging, food, and local transport across the documented cities, from public sources audited each year. An index of 50 means a cost twice as low as Paris.