I constantly hear people tell me that they “wish they could travel abroad” and then they turn around and book an all inclusive somewhere in the Caribbean for the same price, or more. What I’ve come to realize is that it isn’t cost holding them back, but rather, it’s the fear of the unknown. As travelers, we know that the expense for that all inclusive we booked is set in stone and we’re going to eat and drink our fill on a beautiful beach for a week. It’s very familiar to our past experiences. On the contrary, when we book a trip abroad, we generally don’t know what it will cost, or what our experience will be, so we fall back into our comfort zone - especially when a week of vacation is at stake. My goal with this post and future posts is to help build confidence in travel abroad and hopefully show how we can do it for a reasonable price.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on our blog, so I thought it would be helpful to walk through the top three most cost effective destinations abroad that we’ve experienced while traveling from the US - especially as we can start to see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel (thanks vaccines!). Obviously, we haven’t been everywhere, so this list is purely from our perspective. I also think it is relevant to mention that “cost effectiveness” is relative to the travel style of the traveler. Kailah and I try and find the best “bang for our buck” without sacrificing location and experience (value-based travel). This means that we don’t stay in hostels and generally don’t pay for luxury. It isn’t that we look down on either of these accommodation styles, they generally just aren’t our “thing”. Beyond that, “cost effectiveness” is pretty straight forward – the value you get for the cost you pay - food, admissions, experiences etc.
Also, for the purpose of this post, I am going to leave out Southeast Asia, as the cost is so low, Europe and North American destinations can’t contend. I’ll write a subsequent post about our cost experiences in SE Asia. Lastly, all weekly costs that I mention are all-in (including food/drink), and assume that you fly out of Boston or New York, so estimates might vary depending on your airport.
Anyway, on to the fun stuff…
Ponta Delgada, Azores - $1400/pp for a week
Whenever I talk about this location I feel like I’m giving away a true secret of the travel world. It has a temperate climate year-round, vibrant green hillsides, gorgeous lakes, natural hot springs and GREAT food and wine. We visited in late November and enjoyed walking around in sunny 65 degree weather during the day and then out again for dinner along the festive decorated streets. Besides the restaurants of Ponta Delgada and drinking and eating Azorean cuisine, there is plenty to do around the island. We took a full day private tour, bathed in the natural thermal baths, hiked for a jaw-dropping view of Sete Cidades and visited a natural salt water swimming pool.
Cost notes:
Off season rates can get you as low as $90 ($150 high season) a night to stay right in the middle of Ponta Delgada (check our itinerary below).
We routinely found beers at a restaurant for $3 a glass and bottles of wine for under $10. The delicious Azorean cuisine was just as reasonable. Kailah and I ate and drank at A Tasca in Ponta Delgada (highly recommend) for under $60.
The full day tour we took cost us $200 and was completely private. Our driver was incredibly accommodating and brought us anywhere we wanted to go, including dropping us off at a restaurant and picking us up when we were done.
Ponta Delgada is…
Perfect for: A relaxing stay in a temperate climate, incredible views, hiking, Azorean cuisine, thermal baths
Not perfect for: sandy white beaches, night life, resorts, golf (although there are two courses)
For more info on the details of our stay, visit our exact itinerary here.
Montepulciano, Italy - $1600/pp for a week
Tuscany is obviously much more well known than the Azores, but Montepulciano belongs on this list. With so much commercialization in local cities (and even in Montepulciano), it’s difficult to find a place that makes you feel like you are IN Italy. The rolling hills and vineyards are exactly what you dream of. And the food and wine? Indescribable. The fact that it is inexpensive is why I am writing about it. Where else can you rent a farmhouse stay (called an agriturismo) for less than $80 a night and then go out with your party of four for a Florentine steak, with red wine carafes for under $100?
Cost notes:
As I mentioned, there are many agriturismo options surrounding Montepulciano that you can book for under $100. We stayed in a very nice and rustic agriturismo for $60/night back in 2013
Our favorite restaurant in the world, Osteria Aquacheta, is located in Montepulciano and is mentioned below in our itinerary. It is an incredible example of low cost. Their Florentine steaks are enormous, delicious and fairly priced based on the weight. In addition, the restaurant offers entire carafes of local wine for 6 euro (~$8).
You can save a ton of money in Tuscany and eat like royalty by buying local wine, meats, cheeses, breads and vegetables.
Montepulciano is…
Perfect for: high quality wine (at low cost), local food (meats, bread, cheeses etc), scenery, authentic Italy
Not perfect for: beaches, bars, night life, seafood, beer
For more info on the details of our stay, visit our exact itinerary here.
Dingle, Ireland - $2000/pp for a week
Dingle is my favorite town on Ireland’s west coast. While it is very well known at this point, it still retains it’s small town Irish feel, with its vibrant pub culture and some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. It meets my low cost criteria because accommodations can be as low as $150 a night and many of the excursions can be done at no cost (check out our itinerary, link below).
Cost notes:
We’ve stayed at Murphy’s B&B twice now and love it because it’s around $150/night and located directly over Murphy’s pub. It’s also within walking distance of every store and pub in Dingle (and the owner serves an amazing Irish breakfast every morning, which is included).
Again, if you wanted to shave more cash off, you could always shop at Garvey’s SuperValu (1 min walk)
Dingle is…
Perfect for: bars/pubs, Irish culture, whiskey, traditional music, coastline scenery, golf
Not perfect for: wine, resorts, public transportation, food variety
For more info on the details of our stay, visit our exact Ireland itinerary here.
Cheers! - Kyle