10 Budget-Friendly Travel Destinations for 2025

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Where will you travel in the rest of 2025, or more importantly, where can you travel on a budget? While everyone has a different destination they want to check off their bucket list, most travelers ideally want to go to scenic locales that allow them to partake in the culture while not breaking the bank. The good news is that there are plenty of hot spots you can visit that fit the bill.

For the 10 destinations mentioned in this list, GOBankingRates utilized Budget Your Trip to help you plan your vacation and determine the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Keep in mind, however, that this does not factor in the airfare it would take to get to the destination. Here are GOBankingRates’ top 10 affordable travel destinations worth exploring in 2025.

Japan

• Average daily price: $145

According to Kayak’s 2025 travel trends report, interest in visiting Japan is up 11%, with Tokyo ranking in the most-searched international destination of 2025. And while it may not necessarily be a super cheap place to travel, when compared to comparable places like New York City or Paris, it’s a steal. 

Whether you’re planning to visit Tokyo or head to another must-visit city like Osaka, you should be able to stay within your budget. The cost of a one-week trip to Japan, according to Budget My Trip, is typically around $1,013 per person. This amount factors in food, local transportation, sightseeing and accommodations.

Colombia

• Average daily price: $47

With plenty of incredible cities, beaches and mountains to explore, Colombia remains a great bargain for adventurous backpackers. On average, two tourists visiting Colombia pay $662 for a weeklong trip including costs of food, transportation, accommodations and sightseeing. 

If you’re looking to keep airfare costs down, consider flying out to Barranquilla. Currently, data from Skyscanner indicates there’s a 19% drop in airfare costs to this city, as reported by USA Today.

Fiji

• Average daily price: $200

Fiji, which made Travel + Leisure’s list of the 50 best places to travel to in 2025, is worth visiting if your budget has some extra wiggle room for an outdoor enthusiast’s trip to paradise. 

A trip for two generally costs $2,801 for a week. This amount covers accommodations, food, transit and sightseeing, according to Budget My Trip.

Argentina

• Average daily price: $11

It’s important to note that while Budget My Trip said a one-week trip to Argentina typically costs $153 for two people, this does depend on the cities you decide to visit. For those interested in visiting Buenos Aires, for example, it’s in your best interest to put a few thousand dollars more into an Argentina trip fund. For instance, in a Thrillist piece last year, writer Courtney Lynn Muro chronicled the cost of an eight-day visit to Buenos Aires, which totaled $1,756.

Muro cited the cost of dinners and wine at steakhouses adding up and recommended visiting local bodegones to save money while still enjoying delicious local eats.

Mexico

• Average daily price: $123

Mexico remains an overall bargain for travelers visiting from North America. Two tourists can expect to pay about $1,723 on their food, accommodations, transportation and sightseeing costs for a week in Mexico.

Italy

• Average daily price: $208

To cover the costs of accommodations, food, transportation and sightseeing, two travelers spending a week in Italy need to be prepared to spend about $2,915. 

At $208 on average daily, Italy is the most expensive travel destination on this list. However, for travelers craving delicious pasta and pizza and selfies taken in Rome and Sicily, it’s worth the money spent.

Vietnam

• Average daily price: $69

For those ready to spend some time backpacking through Asia, Vietnam can always be relied on for providing plenty of bang for your buck. 

Two travelers are likely to spend about $959 for a week-long Vietnam trip. According to Budget My Trip, this amount covers sightseeing, food, transportation and accommodations.

Thailand

• Average daily price: $98

Enjoy a week-long getaway to Thailand without going into debt. Budget My Trip’s data states it’s possible to cover accommodations, food, transportation and sightseeing for two on an average amount of $1,367.

The Philippines

• Average daily price: $74

It’s a win-win to visit the Philippines. The country recently received a mention in Travel + Leisure’s 50 best places to travel in 2025 and has maintained a long-held reputation for affordability, especially if you decide to extend your vacation. 

For a two-week trip to the Philippines, the average cost for one person is about $1,036.

Portugal

• Average daily price: $171

Lisbon and the Algarve region of Portugal were ranked by Travel + Leisure among the best places to travel in 2025 for cultural immersion. 

Check this European capital off your travel bucket list without paying a fortune. According to Budget My Trip, solo travelers usually pay $1,200 for a week-long trip to Portugal while two tourists pay about $2,400 to cover the costs of food, sightseeing, transportation and accommodations.

Final Take To GO: Is Travel Getting More Expensive?

Though most travel has always been considered a luxury, that typically didn’t imply that it was out of the realm of possibility for your average budget. However, recently, you may have felt way more of a financial crunch when fishing for the best-priced flights online. Here are a few key takeaways:

• The Consumer Price Index shows the price of airline tickets going up 25%
• Even just last month, airfares spiked 18.6%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Don’t count travelers out, though, as a recent Bank of America Institute survey showed spending at airlines and travel agencies is up a whopping 60% year-over-year despite 40-year high inflation rates and resource-strapped airlines.

Despite the fact that a lot of traveling costs are skyrocketing, worry not, as there are still affordable options all over the world.

Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.

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