There is no need to have capital to spend an unforgettable vacation. Here is our list, month by month, of the cheapest destinations for your 2015 holidays.
January – Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Unlike other cities in Southeast Asia, Phnom Penh maintains a fairly low number of skyscrapers. This means that all the entertainment that this city has to offer is found at sea level: scooters whizzing through the main streets of the markets, inexpensive gastronomic delicacies along the Tonlé Sap promenade and magnificent villas dating back to French colonization.
It is a city in transition. Having overcome the atrocities during the reign of Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, the city also known as ‘The Paris of the East’, is regaining its former glory with the notable increase in artisan shops and numerous modern bars popping up outside the day after day next to the National Museum and the majestic Royal Palace in the heart of the Daun Penh district.
February – Lima, Peru
Lima is a vast city full of contradictions: a pinch of the past, a pinch of modernity, something borrowed from Spain and the cool breeze of the Pacific Ocean, all mixed together, and here is one of the trendiest cities in Latin America !
In the heart of the city you will find ‘The City of Kings’, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its impressive colonial-era relics on every corner of the streets as well as the late 17th century Baroque San Francisco Monastery, a true own neighborhood gem.
If you are looking for something more modern then head to Barranco, the area close to the beach. Delve into the winding cobbled streets and enjoy the beautiful graffiti, cheap Peruvian food and typical local bars where half-priced cocktails will taste even better. You can even recharge your batteries at the beautiful and unique Museum of Electricity .
Ah, don’t forget the weather! Going to the Peruvian capital in February guarantees beautiful sunny weather and without the sticky mist produced by the humidity that the locals refer to as ‘La Garua’, you will enjoy beautiful views of the Pacific.
March – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
With the city slogan ‘Laissez les bon temps rouler’ (‘Enjoy life’), there is no doubt that New Orleans is a great destination to party. Millions of visitors flock to the streets in February for Mardi Gras but if you move the trip by just one month, you can still count on a party atmosphere as well as milder weather and less crowded streets. This way you can enjoy the picturesque Creole architecture at your own pace.
After filling your stomach with classic gumbo and jambalaya dishes, you will have the energy to hop on the tram and venture into the turbulent nightlife that will give you the opportunity to see jazz musicians playing on the street in every corner of the French Quarter besides the bars with live music that ensures fun and an electric atmosphere, all at very affordable prices!
April – Busan, South Korea
Home to South Korea’s largest trading port and Asia’s largest film festival , Busan has a more welcoming and warmer international environment than its “big sister” Seoul as well as mountains, beaches and Buddhist temples to visit in really affordable prices.
Seafood is the main item on Busan’s menu, with the millions of marine species being brought to the city’s Jagalchi Fish Market every day, a godsend for restaurant owners and hungry tourists looking for a cheap bite. Bring your snack with you for a picnic at Dongbaek Island Park and you will immerse yourself in the most fascinating, natural and jaw-dropping part of South Korea.
April is the perfect month to enjoy the wonderful annual Cherry Blossom festival in the nearby town of Jinhae-gu. It is a few hours by train from Busan, but these rosy beauties are worth the price of the ticket!
May – Tbilisi, Georgia
If the final choice for your vacation is conditioned by the desire for lots of food, the colorful Georgian capital is the place for you.
Tbilisi is a true gastronomic paradise with its generous portions of ‘khinkhali’ (meat dumplings) and Georgian ‘khackapuri’ pizza served at every diner in the city. Swallow it all down with the help of the prized red wine from any former Soviet state and then relax in the vapors of the famous thermal baths of the ancient city.
Founded in the 5th century, this ancient city has been rebuilt 29 times over the years and will therefore give you a mix of medieval, classic, Art Deco and Soviet buildings that you will find throughout the city. If we add to all this also a perfect climate at the beginning of the summer, Tbilisi is without a doubt the next city break to be seized, before the current very low prices suddenly increase!
June – Izmir, Turkey
Positioned along the central Aegean coast, this port city is historically known as an important ancient urban center, a veritable home to Greeks, Jews, Armenians, French and Italians for around 5,000 years. Nowadays, you will find the quiet inhabitants of Izmir inside the many trendy bars in the Alsancak district or expressing their creativity in the abandoned industrial buildings, transformed into common spaces for art exhibitions.
Visiting Izmir in June, you will find the city in full splendor as well as one of the most important cultural events in Turkey, the Izmir International Festival capable of putting on your plate a great mix of classical and contemporary dances, plays and musical performances (all this at reduced prices before the arrival of the hot and unsustainable summer).
This is an affordable yet chic alternative to other top Turkish destinations, and thanks to the quiet, hotel-free Ramo Beach (Altınkum Plajı) next to the shore in nearby Çeşme, you’ll have the chance to swap the city backdrop with a wonderful oasis of sand.
July – Budapest, Hungary
Despite its popularity growing year by year, the low-cost entertainment that bustling Budapest can offer is truly noteworthy.
The best month to visit the city is July, and if the heat gets too stifling, you can always count on the Széchenyi thermal baths in the city park, filled with elderly gentlemen playing floating chess. As night falls, do as a real inhabitant of the city and stroll through the parks, where amusement parks are usually set up and perfectly reflect the general cheer of summer.
Once in the Hungarian capital, a walk to Falk Miksa utca, a world famous street full of museums and historical shops, is a must. In some shops you can even rummage through family paintings, dating back to the Communist era, forgotten over time.
Far from the more traditional neighborhoods is ‘District VIII’ (Józsefváros), an old seedy district recently transformed into one of the best areas of Budapest, full of bars that have had the audacity to break away from traditional Magyar cuisine and full of cultural spaces experimental such as the Lumen Museum of Photography .
August – Porto, Portugal
Porto ! There is no cheaper place in Europe, under a hot summer sun, than Portugal’s fantastic second city.
Start at Ribeira Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located alongside the Douro River. It is the ideal place for people watching: from refined street performers to elderly couples wandering around the square in search of a morning ‘bica’ (Portuguese coffee). A few steps from the square are the Crystal Palace Gardens, which will allow you to come into close contact with nature in the presence of peacocks and other splendid species of birds, to then arrive at the Romantic Museum which displays the most elegant objects of the nineteenth. century.
The locals are called ‘Tripeiros’ (tripe eaters) and yet the typical Porto specialty, the ‘Francesinha’, is a real meat-based gastronomic delicacy! With numerous layers of different types of meat covered in melted cheese, dipped in tomato sauce and accompanied by a fresh Portuguese beer, this is a sumptuous dish. Head to Café Santiago and sample the best of them all.
Once inside the neighborhood, get lost in Livraria Lello & Irmão, a splendid Art Nouveau-style bookstore where you will find everything there is to know about the recent riches of the port while leafing through obscure books with a good glass of port . A delightful way to end the afternoon in the romantic Portuguese city!
September – Oaxaca, Mexico
The coast of Mexico is a more than popular holiday destination and the beaches are targeted by tourists but, as you enter the country to the southwest, you will find a cheap city full of life and other authentic surprises.
Surrounded by mountains and the splendid thermal spring, known worldwide as Hierve el agua, the city of Oaxaca is also located on the doorstep of one of the most important archaeological sites in Latin America, Monte Albán, a city built by the native Zapotecs in 500 BC
Returning to the center of Oaxacan, we find a truly resplendent cultural heritage with the sublime Baroque architecture dating back to the Dominican order. You will also be able to count on the markets and their aromas of chocolate and chilli where you will find the best Mexican food.
With more than 150,000 registered artisans across the state, Oaxaca is considered the veritable home of Mexican craftsmanship. Pick your wood-carved pendant at one of the many family-run boutiques and then head outdoors for the must-see afternoon “Fiesta” next to the stunning Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church.
October – Tunis, Tunisia
In addition to being one of the most exciting cities in North Africa, cozy Tunis is the perfect city for a broke traveler!
Beyond the eucalyptus trees that cover the avenues of the new part of the city, giving it a more modern and European touch, the adjacent Carthage will allow you to go back in time to the golden years of a now forgotten empire, while the Bardo Museum showcases the best collection in the world of walls and mosaics from that Roman empire that succeeded in ousting the Carthaginian one.
The UNESCO-protected Medina and its many souks (Arab markets) are easy to explore and will give you the chance to discover the more traditional side of the city, with ancient perfumeries that will tempt you with their fragrance and classic tailors intent on making a tunic golden customized.
Should the wild side of Tunis become too lively for your taste, just a 20-minute train ride away will find the blue and white bohemian village of Sidi Bou Said, which will give you peace and tranquility.
November – Cape Town, South Africa
Whether you want to immerse yourself in the local cosmopolitan art, climb to the top of the beloved Table Mountain or simply relax under the rays of the sun on a top-notch beach, you will find that there is always something for everyone in the so-called ‘City Mother ‘, and all at very low prices.
With nearly half of the residents under the age of 25, Cape Town is hip, welcoming and original. A nice walk in the recently refurbished Old Biscuit Mill in the Woodstock neighborhood is a perfect way to pass the time. The factory offers a rich choice of excellent international restaurants, designer boutiques and other special small businesses. Unsurprisingly, the city received the “World Design Capital” award last year.
For all those who prefer the company of animals, a walk to Boulder Beach will allow you to take a ride alongside the penguins that live on the shores of this beach.
December – Colombo, Sri Lanka
Immediately after the civil war ended in 2009, Sri Lanka’s largest metropolis was transformed into a fantastic and simply perfect place to spend the holidays and end the year in the best way, with exquisite cuisine and a vibrant nightlife at almost ridiculous prices.
It is a cosmopolitan city that is home to several religions, although Buddha still dictates law in these parts. In this Buddhist kingdom you can find some of the finest religious works in all of Asia, such as the unmissable Gangaramaya temple on Lake Beira, the perfect place to hone your meditation technique.
Another institution next to the city of Colombo is the old Dutch hospital. Built in colonial times during the 17th century, the huge structure with thick walls and a red roof was refurbished in 2011 and has since become one of the trendiest spots in all of Colombo, filled with daring fusion restaurants, dining rooms. tea and cocktail lounges that come to life at nightfall.
To get in touch with the typical relaxation and peace that reigns on the island, get on board a train and embark on a romantic journey south towards Monte Lavinia. This place is famous for its heavenly golden beach. After diving in and sipping a great ‘King Coconut’, you will want to stay nearby to enjoy the beautiful sunset behind the waves of the Indian Ocean.
| Location | Taxi fare per km | 1 X Local Beer | Meal for one person in a cheap restaurant | 1 night in a 3 star hotel |
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| Phnom Penh , Cambodia | € 0.80 | € 0.80 | € 3.21 | € 16.36 |
| Lima , Peru | € 1.37 | € 1.37 | € 3.29 | € 19.25 |
| New Orleans , USA | € 1.20 | € 2.81 | € 11.23 | € 55.20 |
| Busan , South Korea | € 1.52 | € 2.17 | € 5.06 | no information |
| Tbilisi , Georgia | € 0.26 | € 0.87 | € 5.40 | € 45.71 |
| Izmir , Turkey | € 0.91 | € 2.90 | € 3.80 | € 36.15 |
| Budapest , Hungary | € 0.91 | € 1.37 | € 4.85 | € 18.67 |
| Porto , Portugal | € 0.75 | € 1.50 | € 6.00 | € 19.65 |
| Oaxaca , Mexico | € 0.57 | € 1.24 | € 4.99 | € 30.49 |
| Tunis , Tunisia | € 0.22 | € 1.04 | € 2.62 | € 41.88 |
| Cape Town , South Africa | € 0.73 | € 1.39 | € 5.47 | € 35.96 |
| Colombo , Sri Lanka | € 0.28 | € 1.10 | € 1.53 | € 23.57 |
The prices above are the result produced by the Numbeo online consumer database in December 2014.
