How we chose these destinations

TL;DR:

• Pick places where food, beds, and transit are cheap.
  
• Southeast Asia, the Balkans, and the Caucasus shine for value.
  
• Aim for shoulder season and use student flight discounts.
  
• Plan $20–$45 per day in many picks if you keep it simple.
  
• Night buses, hostels, and street food cut costs fast.

This is helpful content for students who want maximum value. We looked for places with low daily costs, cheap or free things to do, and easy transport. We cross-checked cost ranges with BudgetYourTrip’s traveler data and cost-of-living benchmarks from Numbeo, and added booking tactics from Skyscanner’s student guide. 

Money-saving rule of thumb: pick destinations where locals’ daily costs are low, then travel in shoulder season and lock flights with student discounts. 

Southeast Asia: big value, easy travel

Vietnam

Daily budget: from about $24 for backpackers if you use hostels, street food, and buses, based on aggregated traveler spend. Cities like Hanoi, Hoi An, and Da Nang are student favorites.
Why it’s great: low intercity bus and train fares, cheap bowls of phở, and free city sights.
Do it cheap: book night buses on long routes, join free walking tours, and eat at local cơm tấm shops.

Thailand, especially Chiang Mai

Daily budget: $22–$35 on a backpacker plan is common in Chiang Mai. Markets, temples, and scooter day trips keep costs low.
Do it cheap: weekly or monthly hostel rates, night markets for meals, and city songthaews over taxis.

Indonesia, Yogyakarta + Java loop

Daily budget: around $25 on a backpacker plan in Yogyakarta. Borobudur and Prambanan are the big draws, and trains across Java are low cost.
Do it cheap: ride the Prameks or intercity trains, eat warung meals, and bundle temple tickets early.

The Philippines (add-on idea)

Island hops add costs, but student groups keep it low by staying longer on one island, using jeepneys, and cooking some meals.

The Balkans: Europe on a student budget

Albania

Daily budget: backpackers report about $40–$45 per day overall, with cheaper days if you stick to public buses and dorms. Beaches on the Riviera and towns like Berat are highlights.
Do it cheap: furgon minibuses between towns, burek bakeries for lunch, and hostel kitchens.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus Montenegro

Balkan buses are inexpensive, and old towns, hikes, and rivers are free or low cost. Combine Sarajevo, Mostar, and the Bay of Kotor over 10 days.

The Caucasus: culture, mountains, and low prices

Georgia

Daily budget: country average around $38 a day, with Tbilisi near $35 if you use hostels and local food.
Do it cheap: metro card in Tbilisi, marshrutka vans to Kazbegi, and khachapuri budget meals.

North Africa: color, culture, and solid value

Morocco

Daily budget: frugal travelers get by from about $35 per day if they pick hostels, local cafés, and trains or buses. Marrakesh, Fes, and Chefchaouen are on most routes.
Do it cheap: ONCF trains, set-price menus, and haggling at markets. eSIMs are cheap too, so skip physical SIM shops

Latin America: history, food, and cheap dorms

Mexico, focus on Oaxaca

Daily budget: $20–$50+ depending on dorms vs. private rooms and how many tours you add. Street food and intercity buses keep costs reasonable.
Do it cheap: mercados for meals, ADO buses, and free museums on discount days.

Guatemala

Daily budget: A typical traveler spends nearly $59 per day, but backpackers often hit the $40–$70 range with dorms and “chicken buses.”
Do it cheap: base in Antigua or Lake Atitlán, take shared shuttles for longer hops, and pack a reusable bottle.

South Asia: mountains to beaches on pocket change

Nepal

Daily budget: from about $15 for basic travel, more if you add guided treks or flights. Kathmandu, Pokhara, and short treks fit tight budgets.
Do it cheap: local buses, dal bhat set meals, and off-peak trek dates.

India (add-on idea)

Trains and regional buses are low cost. Pick one state, like Rajasthan or Kerala, to cut transit spend.

Quick table: sample daily budgets

These ranges assume dorms or basic private rooms, local food, and buses or trains.

Sources for ranges: BudgetYourTrip country pages and city pages, plus recent traveler guides cited above. Always check current prices for your exact dates. 

When to go

• Shoulder season saves money and crowds. Think April to May or September to November for many of these spots. Flight and hotel prices tend to dip outside peak.
  
• Check local holidays, festivals, and monsoons before you book.
  

How to fly for less

• Use student flight discounts and verify with your ID. Stack them with sale fares.
  
• Set flexible-date alerts and be open to “everywhere” searches to spot cheap hubs.
  
• Fly midweek when possible and include secondary airports.
  

Cost savers that work anywhere

• Sleep smart. Weekly hostel rates beat nightly prices. Cook one meal a day.
  
• Move at a slow pace. Fewer transit days means fewer tickets.
  
• Use public transit. Trains and buses in these regions are cheap and frequent.
  
• Pick free days. Many museums have student or free entry days.
  
• Pay like a local. Use ATMs, decline bad exchange conversions, and avoid airport money changers.
  

Safety and respect on a budget

• Share your plan with someone at home.
  
• Learn hello, please, and thank you in the local language.
  
• Dress for the culture and ask before photos in markets or religious sites.
  
• Keep copies of your ID and student card on your phone.
  

Why it matters

Picking the right cheap destination beats squeezing an expensive one. You trade stress for more days on the road, more meals, and more local experiences. The places above let you do that without sacrificing fun.

Sources:

• BudgetYourTrip, Country and city daily travel costs for Vietnam, Thailand/Chiang Mai, Indonesia/Yogyakarta, Albania, Georgia, Morocco, Mexico/Oaxaca, Guatemala, and Nepal, https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/ (plus specific country pages), accessed 2025-09-24
  
• Numbeo, Cost of Living Index by Country 2025 (Mid-Year), https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp, accessed 2025-09-24
  

Skyscanner, Student airfare discounts and booking tactics, https://www.skyscanner.com/tips-and-inspiration/student-discount-flight-deals, published 2025-05-27, accessed 2025-09-24