Cheapest Countries in Europe List
Miami Beach, United States
I found a thread inside the Lonely Planet message forum (Thorn Tree) containing one-man's perception of the cost of travel inside Europe, sorted by country (and sometimes city, type of accommodation). There are obviously more than a few countries missing from this list (like Germany), but I wonder how accurate his impressions are.
Over the years I have listed countries of Europe, starting with the cheapest. I used my own experience, notes from correspondents on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree, the site for Town Twinning Europe, and the site Balkanology.
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, and Belarus are hard to list here. In almost every other country accommodation costs are in line with other day-to-day expenses, but not in Russia and most other states of the former Soviet Union. Ukraine comes almost lowest in this order of tourist costs if you rent an apartment for a week, or can use one of the few two-star hotels.
West Europe tends to jump into our minds, because they have been visited longer, but if you want mountains you can choose Slovakia and not Switzerland, if a baroque town choose the Czech Republic and not Austria, if charming old towns Hungary, not Italy, if clean Protestant architecture then Estonia not Sweden.
- Armenia, using home stay
- Ukraine, using home stay
- Moldova
- Bulgaria
- Slovakia
- Romania
- Armenia, using a hotel
- Albania
- Lithuania
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Serbia
- Poland (excluding Krakow)
- Czech Republic (excluding Prague)
- Hungary
- Macedonia cheap
- Montenegro (excluding Podgorica)
- Croatia
- Podgorica
- Slovenia
- Portugal
- Southern Spain
- Krakow
- Turkey
- Southern Italy
- Greece
- Prague
- Northern Italy
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Finland
- France
- Austria
- Ireland
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Denmark
- Ireland
- Britain
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Travelvice is the home of Craig Heimburger, a perpetual wanderer who has visited over forty countries and is currently in his third year of uninterrupted travel. He is a writer, a photographer, and a free spirit. Recently his girlfriend, Tatiana, and their newborn son, Aidric, can be found by his side.
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Turist
July 7th, 2008
So, in this case Moldova is the cheapest country to visit
Erik
July 7th, 2008
Why is Ireland listed twice at #34 and #38?
Romania is spiffy. Since Moldova and Bulgaria are nearby, it becomes a hat trick choice, I say, with perhaps Serbia as a bonus. Ukraine would be great but the tourist visa hassle lessens the appeal in my opinion.
Kevin @ TheTravelEditor.com
July 11th, 2008
In southern Europe, once you leave cities the prices drop, and sometimes quite substantially. We visit the rural areas around Piacenza in northern Italy several times a year (my wife's family comes from there), and you can eat and drink fabulously well without breaking the bank. I can't comment on accommodation prices, but there are plenty of B&Bs and agriturismo places around. By the way, my Italian friends all say that you eat incredibly well near Piacenza, and Italians would know.
I've also found similar price disparity near Valencia and in Greece.