10 low-cost European countries You Can check out on $50 / Day or less

Some budget travellers avoid Europe because they don’t believe there are any low-cost European countries to visit, but that’s simply not true.

While the continent is home to some budget-busting destinations like France, Ireland and Norway, there are also some culture-filled, low-cost European countries that can be checked out on $50 / day or less. even in the western part of Europe.

In this article, I’m going to break down our much-loved low-cost European countries of 2020 and show you how you can travel on as little as $50 / day in some of the continent’s a lot of fascinating places.

If you’re seeking to check out a lot more than just Europe, check out our list of the least expensive countries to check out in 2020, the best countries to check out in 2020, and if you’re an expat or digital nomad like us, check out our list of the least expensive places to live.

This post has been updated in January 2020 to reflect the current low-cost (and awesome) countries to check out in Europe. 

Table of Contents
How To travel Europe For Cheap
1. Greece 
2. Spain
3. Bulgaria
4. Poland
5. Albania 
6. Georgia
7. Republic Of North Macedonia
8. Montenegro
9. Croatia
10. Italy
Bonus! #11 Romania
Enjoy The least expensive European Countries

How To travel Europe For Cheap

Before I get into the low-cost places to check out in Europe in 2020, I must point out that it’s not always easy to travel on $50 / day or less, particularly in the last couple of countries on this list. but if you take into consideration a few money-saving tricks, you can easily save a lot of money off your daily budget, and bring it down to around $50 / day.

Save on Accommodation:

In nearly all cases, you’ll find more affordable accommodation in Europe on Airbnb, particularly if you book well in advance. even in a lot more expensive cities, it’s possible to find apartments for $15 – $20 / night if you book early enough.

You can save even a lot more by staying in a private room in an apartment, rather than having the entire place to yourself. because some apartments are so cheap, you can use our special $35 Airbnb voucher code and actually pay for up to two nights for free… on us!

Want to find complimentary accommodation in Europe? consider finding house sitting jobs or couchsurfing.

Save on Food:

By renting your own apartment or condo instead of staying a hotel room, you’ll also get your own kitchen. This indicates that you can cook for yourself and save on meals. When we travel in Europe, we typically cook 1 or 2 meals per day in our apartment, but we still make sure to go out and try the local cuisine at least once per day.

Another option is to look for food festivals that typically have complimentary samples available, select the “menu of the day” which is an budget-friendly set lunch meal, or in the case of Italy, aperitivo which includes complimentary food when you purchase a drink.

Save on Activities:

Europe is terrific for complimentary walking excursions in lots of of the major cities. To find these, simply run a Google search: “Free walking excursions in [city]” and you’ll find one to reserve.

I’ve also provided a lot of other complimentary activities for each of the low-cost European countries provided in this post. For some activities like island cruises and multi-day treks, you can save money by booking last-minute. If there’s already a group formed or a sail scheduled, speak to the excursion operators about last-minute discounts.

Transportation:

In nearly all cases, you’ll save money by booking trains, ferries, buses and flights in advance. If you’re travelling to multiple low-cost countries in Europe, you may want to look into a Eurail pass. If you plan to fly a lot, try to fly carry-on in buy to save money on baggage fees. 

Here are 10 low-cost European countries to check out in 2020.

1. Greece 

Budget apartment: $20 / day

Meal at an economical restaurant: $7

Domestic Flight: $100+

Half-day tour: $20+

Free activities: Hiking, chilling on the beach, white wine tastings, check out Monastiraki Flea Market, hike Lycabettus Hill, Museum of popular Instruments and lots of more.

Ahh Greece. The word itself conjures up images of dazzling pebbled beaches, tantalizing sunsets and clusters of white buildings cascading into the Mediterranean Sea.

While a lot of people have fantasized about a holiday in Greece, very few realize that it’s genuinely one the best low-cost European countries to visit. It’s quite easy to spend $50 / day or less, particularly in the off-season or the carry season, when the price of flights and accommodation can be discounted by as muchas 50%.

We have checked out Greece on multiple occasions and whenever we are surprised by the value of this European nation and the hospitality of the locals. There are limitless things to do in Greece, you’ll never be bored. 

We’ve stayed in beautiful, modern studio apartments for less than $20 per night and dined on wonderful authentic Greek cuisine for $7 – $12 at a great restaurant with a view. If you’re trying to find a sensational destination in Europe that won’t break the bank, I think Greece rightfully tops this list.

Read a lot more about Greece Travel:

14 best places to check out in Greece

27 fantastic things To do in Athens

27 things To do in Ios: A Must-Visit Greek Island

15 amazing things To do in Zakynthos Greece

2. Spain

Budget hotel or hostel: $30+ / day

Budget apartment: $30+

Meal at an economical restaurant: $7

Domestic Flight: $30+

Half-day tour: $20+

Free Activities: Hiking, chilling on the beach, complimentary museums on holidays, visit Museo de Reina Sofia in Madrid anytime, walk La Rambla in Barcelona, come for festivals

Despite its close proximity to the UK and its popularity as a holiday spot for lots of of Western Europe’s a lot of affluent nations, Spain still remains one of the best low-cost countries in Europe and uses extraordinary value for money.

Not only is Spain affordable, it’s one of the most geographically diverse countries on the continent, with snow-capped peaks and breathtaking Mediterranean beaches.

While your money won’t go as far in the larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, it is still possible to live on very little in Spain, particularly if you stay in a great Airbnb and cook a few meals for yourself every day.

Make your way outside of the overly popular cities (Barcelona in particular) and take pleasure in all of the other villages, towns and cities in Spain — not only will your budget thank you, but your experience may be richer considering that the residents of Barcelona becoming quite jaded due to over-tourism.

Food in the grocery stores is an extraordinary value and you can purchase respectable bottles of white wine for around 2 euros. There are many pueblos blancos (White Villages) around the country where you can park your automobile or take a bus to the entrance and stroll around in a vehicle-free, time warp environment.

Tapas in Spain, particularly in smaller villages, are of terrific value and you can normally fill up on under $7 including a glass of white wine (if you’re not near the beach). one of the best values in Spain is the terrific network of low-cost domestic and international flights (to other countries in Europe).

Read a lot more about Spain Travel:

Cost of Living in Spain: A guide For digital Nomads

A guide to Barcelona for First-Timers

How To spend 6 Days in The South of Spain

10 best things To do in Seville

3. Bulgaria

Budget hotel or hostel: $20+ / day

Budget apartment: $15+

Meal at an economical restaurant: $4

Half-day tour: $15+

Free Activities: Hiking, some white wine tastings, museums, complimentary walking tours, walking old towns

Bulgaria was one of our greatest surprises on all of our travels to the continent. Without a doubt, this is one of the least expensive European countries, if not the best value overall. We couldn’t believe how budget-friendly and charming Bulgaria was. We stayed in stunning hostels that were inside centuries-old buildings. We took pleasure in complimentary walking excursions and the meals we ate were of extraordinary value.

The Bulgarian people are some of the friendliest in Europe and the nation is blessed with fascinating old towns, ornate churches, delicious cuisine and world-class wine. There are also many festivals to be enjoyed, particularly during the summer months, and some very excellent nature. but the value for money is really hard to beat.

I’ll never forget one evening we were out with our pal and the three of us ate and drank white wine from 5pm to midnight and when the bill came at the end of the night it was so low that we told the waiter that there need to have been a mistake.

There was no mistake. We had eaten, drank and danced with the staff for about 7 hours and spent around $35 total. As a bonus, in Bulgaria travellers always receive some of the best service you could ask for.

Finding This post beneficial For Your next Europe Trip? Please share!

Read a lot more about Bulgaria Travel:

10 things To do in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Plovdiv, Bulgaria: A Must-Visit Balkan City

4. Poland

Budget hotel or hostel: $20+ / night

Budget apartment: $15+

Meal at an economical restaurant: $5

Half-daytour: $10+

Free Activities: get lost in old towns, walk the royal road in Krakow, lounge in city parks, check out churches, Spend a Sunday morning at Bazar Olimpia in Warsaw

While we haven’t yet been to Poland, we’ve done ample research and absolutely plan to check out it during our next trip to Europe (plus, lots of our pals have been here). The truth is, I’d be doing you, the reader, a disservice, by leaving this wonderful budget destination off the list, because Poland is absolutely one of the least expensive countries in Europe. but the astounding value for money isn’t the only reason Poland is high on our bucket list of travel destinations.

With postcard-perfect cities like Kraków and Gdańsk, a rich history, excellent nature, hearty and delicious cuisine and some of the most notoriously friendly people in the region, Poland has been calling us for lots of years.

If you look at Airbnb, you’ll see that Poland has some of the best value apartments anywhere in the world. even in the capital of Warsaw, there are nearly too-good-to-be-true modern apartments in the city center for $15 / night! There are also many hostels and budget hotels with great rooms for around $20 and meals at local restaurants come in at around $5 and there are some street options for much less.

Kraków has recently become a bit of a digital nomad hot spot thanks to its affordability, special vibe and respectable wi-fi. I could absolutely see us posting up here for a couple of months on our next trip to Europe, with maybe some trips to other cities in the country. Don’t miss Poland, it is absolutely one of the least expensive European countries. 

Read a lot more about Poland Travel:

Poland on WikiTravel

87 unusual things To do in Poland

5. Albania 

Budget hotel or hostel: $15+ / night

Budget apartment: $10+

Meal at an economical restaurant: $4+

Half-day tour: $25+

Free Activities: get lost in old towns, hike to viewpoints, hike the popular Theth to Valbona trail, walk to beaches, check out churches, find old war bunkers, dodge goats

Albania is a rugged, off-track destination in Europe. Surprisingly, while it’s absolutely the least-visited of the destinations on this list, it’s not actually the least expensive country in Europe. There are some better values to be had on this list, but none offer the adventure and intrepid feel that Albania does.

If you want to check out one of the least expensive European countries while not seeing another traveller for days on end, then Albania is your place.

With stunning beaches, dramatic mountain landscapes, forgotten villages, and tasty food, Albania is a place that feels lost in time. This is one destination in Europe where you’ll absolutely find goats on the road!

Read a lot more about Albania Travel:

Albanian Food: 10 Must-Try meals in Albania

Acclimatizing to Albania: A 10 Day road Trip

6. Georgia

Budget hotel or hostel: $15+ / night

Budget apartment: $10+

Meal at an economical restaurant: $6+

Half-day tour: $25+

Free Activities: get lost in old towns, dry Bridge Market, hike the countryside, check out the Writer’s house in Tbilisi, check out churches, kick back in parks, river walks, complimentary walking tours, complimentary white wine tastings

Still one of the most underrated places to check out on the continent and without a doubt one of the best low-cost European countries to visit, Georgia shocked us at every turn. From the easy entry visa to the terrific white wine and the modern-meets-ancient city of Tiblisi, this is one place that is all to typically overlooked — which is unusual as it’s one of the best visa complimentary countries for travellers. 

With entire apartments on Airbnb starting at a staggering $10 / night, and delicious, hearty meals at great restaurants starting at around $6, Georgia over-delivers for the price on pretty much every aspect of travel. plus they give a lot of nationalities a 1 year visa on arrival, making it the best place for expats and digital nomads.

Outside of t