Cheap Places To Stay When Travelling Young

​By Mel Rose

If you’re like me, when I left school, all I wanted to do was travel the world, see the sights and different cultures. However, it can be hard to find the best budget-friendly destinations. After my experience, I can tell you,  I've got you covered!

Firstly, let’s start with a list of cheap destinations to travel to when you’re on a low budget: 

• Northern Thailand: Chiang Mai and Pai offer cheap guesthouses, scooter rentals, and endless temples.
• Indonesia (Bali & Lombok): Budget hostels, local warungs (restaurants), and lush beaches or rice terraces.
• Romania: Romania’s average wages and living costs are much lower than in Western Europe. That means accommodation, food, and transport are priced for the local economy, not for international visitors.
• Poland (Kraków, Gdańsk): Inexpensive food, accommodations, and a fascinating history.
• Nicaragua: Budget version of Costa Rica, with its developing tourism industry, and the prevalence of budget-friendly options like chicken buses for transportation and local restaurants serving inexpensive meals.
• Turkey: Offers a mix of incredible history, culture, and beautiful scenery at an affordable price. 

However, the problem is being able to get there. Therefore, here are  a few tips on how to travel for a low cost, too:

• Travel when it’s peak season or off-season, for example, when the kids are in school, also spring and autumn are often the cheapest.
• Use flight comparison tools (like Skyscanner or Google Flights) with “anywhere” searches to snag deals. Being open to different airports or travel days can save hundreds.
• Look for hostels, guesthouses, couchsurfing, or even university dorms that rent out rooms in the summer. Many offer free breakfast, which cuts food costs too.
• Street food, markets, and small family-run restaurants are cheaper (and often tastier) than tourist spots. You can also cook in hostel kitchens.

One of my favourite places to go for street food is Camden Market in London, it’s full of unique, tasty dishes from around the world! London can be cheap too if you look in the right places, so don’t worry, here are those places to look: 

• Trivago
• Cheap hotels in London: Budget stay in London | lastminute.com
• Cheap hotels in London with rooms from £11 | Hotels & BB's
• THE BEST cheap London hotels from £39/night in 2025 | Skyscanner    

Travelling on a budget when you’re young isn’t just about saving money — it’s about opening doors to experiences that shape your outlook on life.