61 Cheapest Places to Travel in Europe | 2026 Budget Guide

Old World Charm, New World Value

61 Cheapest Places to Travel in Europe

Shattering the myth that Europe is expensive. Discover hidden medieval towns, affordable Mediterranean coasts, and vibrant cities for under $50 a day.

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Europe doesn’t have to drain your savings. While Paris and London grab the headlines (and your wallet), there are dozens of cities across the continent that offer rich history, stunning architecture, and delicious food for a third of the price.

We’ve curated the ultimate list of 61 destinations, focusing on the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the sun-drenched, affordable corners of the Mediterranean.

🏔️

The Balkans

Rugged mountains, ottoman heritage, and the best value in Europe.

Sarajevo, Bosnia

Where East meets West. Authentic Turkish coffee is $1, and history is layered on every corner.

Must do: Baščaršija Old Town

Sofia, Bulgaria

One of Europe’s cheapest capitals. Mount Vitosha offers skiing and hiking reachable by city bus.

Must do: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Belgrade, Serbia

Gritty, energetic, and famous for its floating river clubs (splavs) and fortress sunsets.

Must do: Kalemegdan Fortress

Tirana, Albania

Colorful, quirky, and incredibly cheap. The cafe culture here is vibrant and welcoming.

Must do: Bunk’Art Museum

Ohrid, N. Macedonia

The “Jerusalem of the Balkans” set on a stunning, ancient lake surrounded by monasteries.

Must do: St. John at Kaneo

Kotor, Montenegro

Fjord-like scenery with Venetian architecture. Cheaper than Dubrovnik but just as beautiful.

Must do: Hike to Fortress

#07

Mostar, Bosnia

Famous for its daring bridge jumpers and cobbled stone streets.

Must do: Stari Most

#08

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Europe’s oldest inhabited city with a Roman theatre in the center.

Must do: Ancient Theatre

#09

Varna, Bulgaria

The summer capital with golden sand beaches and Roman baths.

Must do: Sea Garden

#10

Skopje, N. Macedonia

A city of statues, brutalism, and old bazaars. Very unique.

Must do: Stone Bridge

#11

Berat, Albania

The “City of a Thousand Windows” (UNESCO). Stunning white houses.

Must do: Berat Castle

#12

Ksamil, Albania

The “Maldives of Europe” with crystal turquoise water.

Must do: Beach Hopping

#13

Novi Sad, Serbia

Relaxed vibe on the Danube, home to the massive EXIT festival.

Must do: Petrovaradin Fortress

#14

Nis, Serbia

Birthplace of Constantine the Great. Famous for its grilled meat.

Must do: Skull Tower

#15

Banja Luka, Bosnia

Green city famous for its tree-lined avenues and river rafting.

Must do: Kastel Fortress

#16

Podgorica, Montenegro

Functional capital with Roman ruins nearby and great wine.

Must do: Millennium Bridge

#17

Pristina, Kosovo

Youngest population in Europe with a vibrant coffee culture.

Must do: Newborn Monument

#18

Prizren, Kosovo

Cultural capital with Ottoman bridges & mosques beneath a fortress.

Must do: Kalaja Fortress

#19

Split, Croatia

Visit in off-season for affordable living inside a Roman Palace.

Must do: Diocletian’s Palace

#20

Zadar, Croatia

Historic old town with unique sea-powered sound art installations.

Must do: Sea Organ

🏰

Central & Eastern

Medieval towns, hearty food, and deep history.

Krakow, Poland

Mythical vibe with a dragon legend. Pierogi bars offer hearty meals for under $5.

Must do: Wawel Castle

Budapest, Hungary

Two cities in one. Thermal baths and ruin bars make this a top value destination.

Must do: Széchenyi Baths

Bucharest, Romania

“Little Paris” of the East. Massive architecture, parks, and very cheap nightlife.

Must do: Parliament Palace

Prague, Czechia

Go slightly outside the tourist center for $2 beers and stunning gothic views.

Must do: Charles Bridge

Bratislava, Slovakia

Often overlooked neighbor of Vienna. Small, charming old town, and very budget friendly.

Must do: Blue Church

Brasov, Romania

Gateway to Transylvania. Hiking, bears, and Dracula legends await in the mountains.

Must do: Bran Castle Trip

#27

Warsaw, Poland

Resilient capital with a beautifully reconstructed Old Town and modern skyline.

Must do: Royal Castle

#28

Gdansk, Poland

Baltic port city with unique Dutch-style architecture and amber trade history.

Must do: WWII Museum

#29

Wroclaw, Poland

City of 100 bridges and 12 islands. Hunt for the 400+ bronze dwarfs.

Must do: Dwarf hunting

#30

Zakopane, Poland

Poland’s winter capital. Wooden chalets, cheese, and mountain hiking.

Must do: Morskie Oko hike

#31

Debrecen, Hungary

Great university town and cultural center on the Great Hungarian Plain.

Must do: Great Forest Park

#32

Eger, Hungary

Famous for its castle, thermal baths, and “Bull’s Blood” red wine.

Must do: Valley of Beautiful Women

#33

Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Unofficial capital of Transylvania. Young vibe with great cafes.

Must do: Botanical Garden

#34

Timisoara, Romania

“Little Vienna”. Beautiful secessionist squares and first European city with electric street lights.

Must do: Union Square

#35

Sibiu, Romania

Germanic heritage. Famous for houses with “eyes” in the roofs watching you.

Must do: Bridge of Lies

#36

Brno, Czechia

Authentic Czech life, functionalist architecture, and a huge student population.

Must do: Villa Tugendhat

#37

Cesky Krumlov, Czechia

Fairytale town on a river bend. Stunning castle but visit early to avoid crowds.

Must do: Castle Tower

#38

Kosice, Slovakia

Beautiful main street, impressive cathedral, and underground museums.

Must do: St. Elisabeth Cathedral

☀️

Baltics & South

From the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean coast.

Tallinn, Estonia

A preserved medieval walled city. Compact, walkable, and tech-forward.

Must do: Town Hall Square

Riga, Latvia

Capital of Art Nouveau architecture. The Central Market offers cheap local eats.

Must do: House of Blackheads

Vilnius, Lithuania

Known for its Baroque architecture and the quirky, independent “Republic of Užupis”.

Must do: Gediminas Tower

Lisbon, Portugal

Western Europe’s cheapest capital. Stunning tile work, hills, and cheap wine.

Must do: Tram 28 Ride

Porto, Portugal

Grittier and arguably cheaper than Lisbon. Famous for its river views and Port wine.

Must do: Dom Luís I Bridge

Athens, Greece

A living museum. Street food (gyros/souvlaki) is cheap, delicious, and everywhere.

Must do: The Acropolis

#45

Kaunas, Lithuania

European Capital of Culture 2022. Art Deco architecture and street art.

Must do: Devil’s Museum

#46

Tartu, Estonia

Intellectual capital with a cool student vibe and soup town district.

Must do: University of Tartu

#47

Jurmala, Latvia

Beach resort town with beautiful wooden Art Nouveau villas.

Must do: Jomas Street

#48

Palermo, Italy

Street food capital. Chaotic, crumbling, and beautifully intense.

Must do: Ballarò Market

#49

Naples, Italy

Birthplace of pizza. Authentic, gritty, and full of life.

Must do: Pizza Margherita

#50

Catania, Sicily

Baroque city built from lava stone under the shadow of Mt. Etna.

Must do: Fish Market

#51

Thessaloniki, Greece

Foodie capital of Greece with rich Byzantine and Ottoman roots.

Must do: White Tower

#52

Crete, Greece

Huge island with diverse landscapes, gorges, and cheap local food.

Must do: Elafonisi Beach

#53

Seville, Spain

Heart of Andalusia. Tapas culture here is supreme and affordable.

Must do: Royal Alcázar

#54

Valencia, Spain

Home of Paella and futuristic architecture by Calatrava.

Must do: City of Arts

#55

Granada, Spain

Famous for free tapas with every drink you order in bars.

Must do: The Alhambra

#56

Malta

History-packed island. Visit in off-season for great deals.

Must do: Valetta

#57

Larnaca, Cyprus

Laid-back beach city with affordable diving and wreck sites.

Must do: Salt Lake

#58

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Europe’s greenest capital. Dragon bridges and relaxed cafe life.

Must do: Ljubljana Castle

#59

Maribor, Slovenia

Wine region capital. Home to the world’s oldest vine.

Must do: Old Vine House

#60

Istanbul, Turkey

Where continents meet. Insane history, food, and energy.

Must do: Hagia Sophia

#61

Tbilisi, Georgia

Bohemian, historic, and incredibly welcoming. Great wine.

Must do: Narikala Fortress

Explore Beyond Europe

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📊 All 61 European Budget Spots

#	Destination	Country	Avg Daily Cost
1	Sarajevo	Bosnia	$30-40
2	Sofia	Bulgaria	$35-45
3	Belgrade	Serbia	$35-45
4	Tirana	Albania	$30-40
5	Ohrid	N. Macedonia	$25-35
6	Kotor	Montenegro	$40-50
7	Mostar	Bosnia	$30-40
8	Plovdiv	Bulgaria	$30-40
9	Varna	Bulgaria	$35-45
10	Skopje	N. Macedonia	$30-40
11	Berat	Albania	$25-35
12	Ksamil	Albania	$35-50
13	Novi Sad	Serbia	$30-40
14	Nis	Serbia	$25-35
15	Banja Luka	Bosnia	$30-40
16	Podgorica	Montenegro	$35-45
17	Pristina	Kosovo	$30-40
18	Prizren	Kosovo	$30-40
19	Split	Croatia	$50-70
20	Zadar	Croatia	$45-60
21	Krakow	Poland	$40-50
22	Budapest	Hungary	$45-60
23	Bucharest	Romania	$40-50
24	Prague	Czechia	$50-70
25	Bratislava	Slovakia	$45-60
26	Brasov	Romania	$35-45
27	Warsaw	Poland	$45-60
28	Gdansk	Poland	$40-55
29	Wroclaw	Poland	$40-50
30	Zakopane	Poland	$35-50
31	Debrecen	Hungary	$35-45
32	Eger	Hungary	$35-45
33	Cluj-Napoca	Romania	$40-50
34	Timisoara	Romania	$35-45
35	Sibiu	Romania	$35-45
36	Brno	Czechia	$40-50
37	Cesky Krumlov	Czechia	$45-60
38	Kosice	Slovakia	$35-45
39	Tallinn	Estonia	$50-65
40	Riga	Latvia	$45-60
41	Vilnius	Lithuania	$40-55
42	Lisbon	Portugal	$50-70
43	Porto	Portugal	$45-65
44	Athens	Greece	$50-70
45	Kaunas	Lithuania	$35-45
46	Tartu	Estonia	$40-50
47	Jurmala	Latvia	$40-55
48	Palermo	Italy	$50-70
49	Naples	Italy	$55-75
50	Catania	Italy	$45-65
51	Thessaloniki	Greece	$45-60
52	Crete	Greece	$50-70
53	Seville	Spain	$60-80
54	Valencia	Spain	$55-75
55	Granada	Spain	$50-70
56	Malta	Malta	$50-70
57	Larnaca	Cyprus	$50-70
58	Ljubljana	Slovenia	$50-70
59	Maribor	Slovenia	$45-60
60	Istanbul	Turkey	$40-60
61	Tbilisi	Georgia	$30-45

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