Top Cheapest Holiday Destinations for Budget Travellers (2026 Guide)

I keep seeing people say travel is “too expensive now.” And sure… if you’re flying last minute and staying in city-centre hotels. But if you’re flexible and a little curious, cheap travel in 2026 is still very much alive.

These are places I’d happily recommend to friends, the kind where you stop checking your bank app halfway through the trip because everything just feels affordable.

No luxury resorts. No five-figure itineraries. Just good food, comfy stays, and slow, easy travel.

🥇 1. Vietnam - Where Every Dollar Feels Like It’s Trying Hard

Vietnam is still that place where we can land and instantly feel calm because… everything is cheap.

I am talking SGD $1–$4 street food, amazing coffee everywhere, and budget hotels that don’t feel sketchy or sad.

I can walk around Hanoi all day, eat nonstop, grab a ride-hailing car, and still feel like I am barely spent anything.

I love Vietnam for budget travel because it just makes everything feel easy on my wallet without feeling like I am cutting corners. I can grab incredible street food for SGD $1–$4 and somehow it’s always fresh, filling, and memorable.

Budget hotels in the SGD $15–$30 range are often clean, comfortable, and way better than I’d expect for the price. And then there are the sleeper buses and trains, honestly one of my favourite hacks, because I can move between cities overnight, save on accommodation, and wake up somewhere new.

It’s the kind of place where my money quietly stretches further, and I will stop stressing about every little spend.

🏙 Best Affordable Cities to Visit

Vietnam has multiple cities offering budget-friendly activities:

Hanoi

• Old Quarter street food, cafés, night markets
• Great for culture, history, and cheap eats

Ho Chi Minh City

• Bustling markets, museums, rooftop bars
• Mekong Delta day trips at low cost

Da Nang

• Beautiful beaches
• Perfect base for day trips to Ba Na Hills or Marble Mountains

Hoi An

• Lantern-lit ancient town
• Boutique cafés, tailoring shops, scenic bike rides

🌟 Top Things to Do (Without Overspending)

• Ha Long Bay budget cruise
• Hoi An Ancient Town & lantern streets
• Ninh Binh boat tour through limestone mountains
• Cu Chi Tunnels or War Remnants Museum in HCMC
• Da Nang beaches — free!
• Local markets for cheap food and souvenirs

✈️Pro Tip: In my visit to Vietnam, I will consider booking my cheap flights to Vietnam and Vietnam hotels early to snag the best deals, perfect for every budget and style.

💸Note to other travellers: If you’re new to budget travel, Vietnam is one of the easiest places to start and still one of the cheapest holiday destinations in Asia for 2026.

🥈 2. Thailand - Cheap, Comfortable, and Zero Stress

Thailand is that friend who never lets me down.

It’s not the absolute cheapest anymore, but it’s still one of my best value holiday destinations for budget travellers, especially because I like a bit of comfort with cheap prices.

I can eat insanely well, hop between cities easily, and find decent accommodation without overthinking it.

What I’ll roughly spend in places like this feels pretty reasonable, especially if I am not trying to travel fancy. Street food usually sits around SGD $3–$6, and that’s for meals that are genuinely satisfying, not just quick snacks.

Budget hotels in the SGD $20–$40 range are easy to find and usually comfortable enough that I am happy to come back at the end of the day.

Getting around is also stress-free, with affordable domestic flights and buses that make moving between cities simple without eating into my travel budget. It’s the kind of spending that feels balanced, I can enjoy the trip without constantly doing mental math.

🏙 Best Budget-Friendly Cities to Visit

Bangkok

• Street markets, temples, night bazaars, boat rides
• Incredibly cheap food & excellent shopping

Chiang Mai

• Mountain views, night markets, elephant sanctuaries
• Calm, cultural, and very affordable

Phuket

• Beautiful beaches
• Great for families and short relaxing trips

Krabi / Ao Nang

• Limestone cliffs, island-hopping, beaches
• Cheaper and quieter than Phuket

Pattaya

• Beachside hotels at low prices
• Budget-friendly water activities

🌟 Top Things to Do (On a Small Budget)

• Visit Grand Palace, Wat Arun, and Wat Pho in Bangkok
• Island hopping in Krabi (4 Islands Tour, Railay Beach)
• Chiang Mai Night Bazaar & Sunday Walking Street
• Explore Chatuchak Market for cheap shopping
• Street food tours in Bangkok & Chiang Mai
• Free/low-cost activities like beaches, temples, night markets

✈️Pro Tip: I book my cheap flights to Thailand and Thailand hotels early to snag the best deals, perfect for every budget and style.

💖Tips to other travellers: Chiang Mai if you want slow mornings. Bangkok if you want chaos and food. Krabi if you want beaches without Phuket prices.

🥉 3. Cambodia - Quiet, Cheap, and Underrated

Cambodia is for travellers who like things a little slower.

It’s one of the cheapest countries to travel in Southeast Asia, and once I have move past the big tourist spots, prices drop even more.

I remember paying less for a guesthouse than for coffee back home.

Budget-wise, things stay comfortably low and easy to manage. Local meals usually cost around SGD $3–$6, and they’re often the kind of simple, home-style dishes I will end up craving again the next day.

Guesthouses in the SGD $12–$25 range are common and surprisingly cosy, especially if I am not too picky and just want a clean place to rest. Long-distance buses are cheap and straightforward, making it easy to hop between towns without feeling like every move is draining my budget. It’s the sort of travel where I can relax into the rhythm and stop worrying about overspending.

🏙 Best Budget-Friendly Cities to Visit

Siem Reap

• Home of Angkor Wat, one of the world's greatest archaeological sites
• Night markets, cafés, and affordable spas

Phnom Penh

• Royal Palace, riverside walks, markets
• Great food scene at low prices

Sihanoukville / Koh Rong

• Beaches, island hopping, relaxed atmosphere
• Affordable beach huts and kayak rentals

🌟 Top Things to Do (On a Budget)

• Visit Angkor Wat Sunrise (affordable ticket & tuk-tuk combo)
• Explore Pub Street in Siem Reap
• Discover Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
• Take a Mekong River sunset cruise
• Relax on Koh Rong beaches
• Wander local markets for cheap food, crafts, and clothes

✈️Pro Tip: When planning my visit, I will consider booking my cheap flights to Cambodia and Cambodia hotels early to snag the best deals, perfect for every budget and style.

🔥Important to other travellers: Siem Reap is more than just temples. Kampot is perfect if you want riverside cafés and zero pressure to “do things.”

4. Indonesia (Beyond Bali) – Cheap Travel Without the Crowds

Bali can be cheap… but Indonesia outside Bali is where my money really stretches.

Once I step off the tourist loop, food gets cheaper, accommodation gets better, and life slows down in the best way.

Indonesia works so well for budget travellers because once I look beyond Bali, everything suddenly feels more affordable and a lot more relaxed.

Local meals are often just SGD $3–$6, budget stays sit comfortably around SGD $15–$30, and scooter rentals cost less than a short taxi ride back home, which makes my journey getting around fun and cheap.

Places like Yogyakarta are perfect for culture, temples, and endless cheap food, while Lombok gives me beautiful beaches without Bali prices.

Bandung is great if I love cooler weather and café hopping, and Malang has that laid-back local vibe with waterfalls and mountains nearby. It’s the kind of country where slowing down actually saves my money, and makes the trip better.

🏙 Best Budget-Friendly Places to Visit

Bali

• Beaches, waterfalls, cafés, temples
• Huge range of budget villas and hotels
• Perfect for 3–5 day trips

Yogyakarta

• Borobudur & Prambanan temples
• Art markets and cultural villages
• Extremely affordable food and hotels

Batam & Bintan

• Closest to Singapore (45–60 min ferry)
• Cheap massages, seafood, and resorts
• Perfect for weekend trips

Bandung

• Cool weather, shopping outlets, cafés
• Tea plantations and volcano attractions

Jakarta

• Modern malls, museums, food scene
• Budget-friendly hotels and urban attractions

🌟 Top Things to Do (On a Budget)

• Visit waterfalls in Bali (Tegenungan, Sekumpul, Gitgit)
• Temple hopping: Tanah Lot, Uluwatu, Borobudur, Prambanan
• Beach days at Kuta, Nusa Dua, Seminyak
• Mount Bromo sunrise tour (very affordable group options)
• Ferry trip for Batam/Bintan weekend getaway
• Shopping in Bandung and Jakarta
• Street food tours everywhere — cheap and delicious

✈️Pro Tip: Before travel to Indonesia, I will book cheap flights to Indonesia and Indonesia hotels early to snag the best deals, perfect for every budget and style.

✅Note to other travellers: Yogyakarta is my favourite, culture, temples, cheap food, and a really relaxed pace. Lombok too, if I want beaches without Bali prices.

5. Malaysia - Easy, Affordable, and Surprisingly Relaxing

Malaysia doesn’t shout about itself, which is probably why it stays affordable.

If I want a cheap holiday that feels easy, this is a great choice. English is widely spoken, transport is simple, and food is a serious highlight.

On a typical day, my spending can stay nice and low without feeling like I’m missing out. Street food usually costs around SGD $3–$6, and it’s often the tastiest, most satisfying way to eat.

Comfortable hotels in the SGD $25–$45 range are easy to find and give me a good place to rest after a day of exploring.

Getting around is simple too, with cheap buses and trains that make moving between cities or towns hassle-free. It’s the kind of travel where my money stretches further, and I can actually relax instead of constantly worrying about my budget.

🏙 Best Budget-Friendly Cities to Visit

Kuala Lumpur

• Shopping malls, street food, Batu Caves
• Night markets and cultural sites at low cost

Penang

• Penang street food (one of the best in Asia)
• Street art, murals, beaches, historic old town

Melaka

• Jonker Street, cafés, river cruise
• Great for 2D1N or 3D2N trips

Johor Bahru (JB)

• Closest to Singapore; perfect for day trips
• Cheap massages, cafés, theme parks

Langkawi

• Duty-free island
• Quiet beaches and nature at affordable prices

Kota Kinabalu

• Island hopping, seafood, nature activities
• Great for families and adventure lovers

🌟 Top Things to Do (On a Budget)

• Visit Petronas Towers (free photo spots around KLCC park)
• Explore George Town, street art & hawker food
• Ride the Melaka River Cruise
• Enjoy Langkawi beaches (free!)
• Trek Penang Hill or Bukit Tinggi
• Island hopping in Kota Kinabalu
• Café hopping in JB for cheap and trendy eats

✈️Pro Tip: I will consider booking my cheap flights to Malaysia and Malaysia hotels early to snag the best deals, perfect for every budget and style.

🚗Tips to other travellers: Penang for food, Kuala Lumpur for city life, Langkawi for laid-back island days. No rush, no stress.

💰 Here Are My Tips for Keeping My Holiday Costs Low

✔ Travel during shoulder or off-peak seasons
✔ Stay in guesthouses or boutique hostels
✔ Use local transport (buses, trains, tuk-tuks)
✔ Eat where locals eat
✔ Book flights early or use fare alerts

📌Final Thoughts

To other travellers, whether you're planning a short getaway from Singapore, deciding where to go this weekend, or searching for budget-friendly travel destinations, Southeast Asia offers endless options. From spa retreats in Batam to cultural adventures in Yogyakarta or family trips to Penang, these are some of the cheapest holiday destinations that still offer rich experiences.

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FAQ: Top Cheapest Holiday Destinations

What makes a destination “cheap” for travelers in 2026?

A destination is considered cheap if daily costs for accommodation, food, transport, and activities are significantly lower than in typical tourist hotspots. Exchange rates, local purchasing power, and low-cost infrastructure also play a major role. Even in popular countries, traveling during off-season or outside major cities can make the trip very affordable.

How can I keep my travel costs low without sacrificing experience?

Budget travel is more about smart planning than cutting out fun. Choosing public transport, eating at local eateries, staying in guesthouses or hostels, and exploring free cultural or natural attractions helps reduce costs. Booking flights in advance and traveling in the shoulder season can also save a lot. Flexibility and openness to local experiences often lead to richer and cheaper trips.

Are budget destinations less safe or lower in quality?

Not necessarily. Many affordable destinations have excellent infrastructure, safe neighborhoods, and welcoming local communities. Budget travel simply encourages staying outside luxury zones, eating local food, and using public transport. Researching local customs, reading reviews, and practicing basic safety precautions ensures a comfortable and secure trip.