An affordable holiday is more than just a cheap flight. It may cost a bit extra to arrive at these five destinations, but once you’re on the ground there’s money to be saved.
While booking the first flight in your price range can be tempting, why not see how far you can actually go for your budget. Using KAYAK Explore More, you can browse all of your options based on the desired cost of your entire trip, including flights, accommodation and the cost of living.
Check out our picks for destinations where on-the-ground costs more than makeup for the price of your flight.
Calangute, India
Calangute, India
Great accommodation options, a beach to surpass all others, and a host of activities and attractions for any mood – Calangute is one of those unforgettable places to visit in Goa. Getting there may be a bit pricier than your typical flight, but hotels in the area can sometimes cost less than £10 a night.
There’s also plenty of bargain hunting to be had, with local flea markets that are a thrill for the senses and easy on the pocket. You can spend Wednesday in Anjuna for the weekly flea market or head to Calangute Bazaar each Saturday morning in search of a true bargain.
The town’s eclectic range of restaurants serve up some of the tastiest food in northern Goa at quite a bargain, take look at some these prices:
- A meal at an inexpensive restaurant on average: £2.10
- A 3-course meal for two on average: £10.48
- Price of a domestic beer: £0.63
- Cappuccino: £1.03
Buenos Aires
Flying to Buenos Aires will take time and money but once you arrive, you’ll find a cosmopolitan, multicultural, affordable city with varied cuisine and thriving arts scene on offer.
With hotels starting at £28 a night, Buenos Aires offers plenty of opportunities to save, including its streets of endless clothing stores and boutiques. From brand name goods to local artisan crafts, be sure to leave room in your suitcase for new acquisitions.
More than just the city and buildings, you’ll fall in love with the people of Buenos Aires, known as Porteños. Warm, passionate and opinionated, they light up the city both day and night with the kind of energy that can’t be put out. From the cafes to the city streets to the nightclubs, where international DJs entertain the hip crowds, Buenos Aires is an affordable feast for the senses.
- A meal at an inexpensive restaurant on average: £4.21
- A 3-course meal for two on average: £15.30
- Price of a domestic beer: £1.15
- Cappuccino: £1.04
Hanoi
Hanoi acts as a focal point for Vietnamese culture – here, in the capital, you’ll find the country’s most vibrant cultural events, its best museums and wonderful food that’ll make you forget the long flight.
You can find accommodation in Hanoi starting at £12 a night, and there are even more savings to be had in the street markets throughout the city. The Night Market in the Old Quarter is a must, even if you don’t plan on buying anything; a large selection of clothing, handicrafts, and food can be found there.
From delicious vegetable soups to scrumptious pork sandwiches, Vietnamese cuisine has something for everyone. Street food vendors complete the authentic dining experience.
- A meal at an inexpensive restaurant on average: £1.65
- A 3-course meal for two on average: £16.45
- Price of a domestic beer: £.63
- Cappuccino: £1.38
Mexico City
Mexico City is waiting for you to touch down and explore all it has to offer. The city is blessed with cultural riches and hotel prices sometimes as low as £22 a night.
There’s plenty of shopping in Mexico City too, Condesa offers a more bohemian vibe, with fashion bargains aplenty of local favourites like Suite 66, while Pino Suarez market specializes in youth fashion and offers rock-bottom prices.
Mexico City is somewhere all lovers of Mexican food simply need to visit. Whether it’s the tacos at the stalls of the Mercado de la Merced or the local food from family-run restaurants, you’ll never have tasted anything like it.
- A meal at an inexpensive restaurant on average: £3.44
- A 3-course meal for two on average: £20.22
- Price of a domestic beer: £1.62
- Cappuccino: £1.58
Rio De Janeiro
Rio is a city of fabulous beaches, beautiful people, fine dining, music and dance – the samba beat is the soundtrack to this South American hotspot. And with a low cost of living and hotel prices as low as £18 a night, there’s rarely a moment when your wallet will give you a reason to press pause.
If you’re looking to shop for a bargain the city’s stores offer an impressive range of beachwear, while the Sunday hippie market at Ipanema’s Praca General Osorio is the best place for jewellery, trinkets and souvenirs.
The best food in Rio is not necessarily found in fancy restaurants but hidden in bars on every corner, on shelves of bakeries and at beach vendors’ carts with wallet-friendly options to fit all tastes.
- A meal at an inexpensive restaurant on average: £4.57
- A 3-course meal for two on average: £21.93
- Price of a domestic beer: £1.46
- Cappuccino: £1.12
Note: Data pulled on 21st of September 2018 for hotels (three-star and up) searches from the UK. Data is based on the median price found on KAYAK.co.uk for search queries made from 1st January 2018- 20th September 2018 for travel 21st of September 2018 – 31st of December 2018. Prices are subject to change, may vary, or no longer be available. All local cost figures based on Numbeo.com cost of living figures accessed on the 21st of September, 2018.
