Cheapest Countries in Europe: 9 Countries To Make Your Travel Budget Last Longer

If you want to spend more time travelling around Europe, you have to add the cheapest countries in Europe and add some of these spots to your European itinerary.

How to make the most out of your European trip?

Spend more time in the cheapest countries in Europe.

That’s how you’ll be able to spend more time in Europe. So what are the cheapest countries in Europe, you ask?

I live in Romania, and I’ve been to most of the other cheap countries in Europe, and that’s why I can recommend some of the most budget-friendly places in Europe.

What are the cheapest countries in Europe?

Yes, you are about to be amazed to discover that almost half of Europe had immensely to offer in terms of culture and history. And that at nearly half the price of the most touristic and overcrowded places (*wink wink* Paris or London).

That’s why I want to convince you to put some of the cheapest countries in Europe on your bucket travel list. And I bet that if you do, here’s where you’ll have the most fun during your European travel adventure.

Don’t forget that a large part of your budget will go on accommodation, so consider staying in hostels to same some more and also make some new friends. Check out HostelWorld to find cool hostel all over the world.

Without taking more of your time, here are the cheapest countries in Europe.

The Cheapest Countries In Europe Are In The Balkans

Romania

I will start with Romania as one of the cheapest countries in Europe because Romania is my home country. And it’s where you will have the most fun, guaranteed.

Romania has breathtaking landscapes, mountains you can hike, lovely seaside resorts and charming countryside villages.

Accommodation in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, vary from 15 Eur to 200 Eur for some of the fanciest hotels. An average room, centrally located in Bucharest will cost you around 35 Eur per night. You can find even cheaper accommodation if you want to stay in hostels.

Although it is different when you speak the local language and you understand the culture, I can assure you that Romania will feel like a second home.

Also, after travelling to over 35 countries worldwide, I have to mention that Romania is one of the safest countries.

Check out this Romania dedicated page, my home country to find out all my travel tips and resources for Romania.

What not to miss in Romania?

• Bucharest (here’s a list of amazing places to see in Bucharest, top things to do in Bucharest, Best Bucharest Restaurants, 51 Instagrammable places in Bucharest and Best day trips from Bucharest)
• Seaside resorts in summer (Find out why you should avoid Vama Veche)
• Brasov and mountain resorts (Sinaia, Busteni, Predeal); Dracula’s Castle
• Transfagarasan and Transalpina roads
• Cluj and the surrounding area (Villages in Alba county, Salina Turda)
• Maramures area (picturesque landscape where traditions are still kept)
• The Moldovian Monasteries
• The Danube Delta and Danube Valley

Check out my guide about the most beautiful places in Romania.

Interesting Facts about Romania:

• The Palace of Parliament from Bucharest is the heaviest building in the world and the second-largest administrative building in the world, after the Pentagon
• Romania has one of the best internet speed in the world, with mobile internet speeds of up to 43.2 Mbit/s in cities
• Transfagarasan and Transalpina are one of the most breathtaking roads in the world (Check out the ultimate guide about Transfagarasan Road)

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is ranked on all charts as one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe, but it has more to offer than its attractive prices.

Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, has a rich culture, and the entire country’s history will fascinate anyone who wants to learn more about the Ottoman Empire, which ruled this land until the late 18th century.

Bulgaria’s diverse geography will please any nature lover, with ski resorts for winter (Bansko is the most famous ski resort in Bulgaria), and summer resorts famous across all of Europe and beyond.

Accommodation in Bulgaria ranges from 11 Eur up to 130 Eur, but the average will be around 25 Eur for a budget room, per night.

What not to miss in Bulgaria?

• Sofia
• Bansko (summer and winter)
• Plovdiv
• Seaside resorts and Kaliakra fortress
• Veliko Tarnovo and central Bulgaria for picturesque landscapes(Dryanovo, Gabrovo, Tryavna, Sevlievo)
• A one-week Bulgarian road trip

Interesting Facts about Bulgaria

• Bulgarians shake their heads to mean yes and nod for no
• Bulgaria’s Rose Valley produces about 70-85% of the world’s rose oil, a component in most perfumes.
• Bulgarian is the official language, and it uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which became the third official alphabet of the EU in 2007.

Serbia

Serbia is one of the cheapest countries in Europe, and it is not part of the European Union. Though Serbia does not have a seaside, it has a long and controversial history, which includes the Hapsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire.

The country is full of beautiful monasteries, which will stun you with their beautiful architecture. And in between, be prepared to explore beautiful landscapes, rivers and canyons.

Accommodation in Serbia varies from 14 Eur, for a dorm bed, to 100 Eur, for a 5-star hotel in Belgrade.

What not to miss in Serbia?

• Belgrade
• House on the Drina
• Studenica Monastery
• Subotica
• Uvac Canyon
• Kopaonik National Park

Interesting Facts about Serbia

• Serbia is the world’s leading raspberry producer. In 2012, 95% of the world’s raspberries came from Serbia.
• Serbia has Europe’s largest gorge, the Đerdap Gorge, which they share with their neighbours, the Romanians, which call it the Danube Gorge
• Serbia has a river called Year because it is 365 meters long

Slovenia

Slovenia is a lovely country, with friendly people and beautiful landscapes. Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, will charm you with its amazing streets and fortress, and the beautiful scenery will make you want to see more of it. By the way, did you know that Slovenia has 46 km of the seaside and the cosiest and most picturesque sea towns?

Slovenia it’s on its way to becoming a green destination, and its capital was declared in 2016 a European green capital.

Accommodation in Slovenia will cost you 16 euros if you choose to stay in a hostel and up to 100 Euros for a 4-star room in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

What not to miss in Slovenia?

• Ljubljana
• Lake Bled
• Seaside towns (check out the picturesque Piran in Slovenia)
• Triglav National Park for its mountains
• Solkan Bridge to admire the turquoise Soča River and the beautiful Soča Valley

Interesting Facts about Slovenia

• Slovenia has the world’s largest ski jump, at Planica
• Slovenia has more than 10,000 caves. The best known are Postojna and Krizna Jama Cave (Europe’s underground natural wonders)
• Slovenia is one of the most sustainable countries in the world, and it’s taking into account indicators covering environment and climate, culture and authenticity, nature and biodiversity.

Cheapest European Countries in the Baltics

The three Baltic countries are some of the most peaceful and welcoming countries there are in Europe. Their summer holds for only two months, and I urge you to visit these three in the summer. The best about the Baltics is the outdoors, and it will get too cold or some places might be closed during other seasons.

I visited the Baltic countries in August 2019 as part of a grand Baltic road trip which started in Romania. Check out the itinerary for an 18-day Eastern European road trip, as the Baltics are also considered part of Eastern Europe.

Lithuania

Lithuania is a hidden gem, with beautiful cities and a lovely seaside to enjoy during the summer. It’s a hidden paradise for those seeking empty wild beaches and for nature lovers.

Accommodation in Lithuania will not hurt your budget too much. It will vary from 9 euros for a hostel bed to 130 Euros for a 5-star hotel room in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

What not to miss in Lithuania?

• Vilnius
• Trakai castle – I’ve included it in the 1-day Vilnius itinerary because it’s so close to it.
• Klaipeda and the surrounding area
• Palanga

Interesting facts about Lithuania

• Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare independence from the USSR in 1991
• The Lithuanian language is one of the oldest in the world, and it is the closest one to the ancient Sanskrit language
• Basketball, like a second religion to some, is the most popular sport in Lithuania

Latvia

Latvia is the middle country of the Baltic state. Another beautiful country with lavish nature and a lot to explore for those who like hiking and being outdoors.

What not to miss in Latvia?

• Riga
• Gauja National Park
• Jurmala – a seaside resort
• Rundale Palace
• Cesis
• Turaida Museum-Reserve
• Liepaja
• Ventspils

Interesting facts about Latvia

• Lithuania was one of the last countries to be Christened in Europe, but to this day, most Lithuanians are pagans and worship nature.
• Riga’s Central Market is one of Europe’s biggest markets. It is located in the pavilions used by the Germans in WW1 to build zeppelins.
• In Liepaja, you can spend a night in a Soviet-style prison hotel

Estonia

Estonia is the third Baltic country and is one which resembles the nordic style the most. It has over 2000 islands, and Tallinn, its capital and greatest city, connects to other important cities, such as Helsinki, Saint Petersburg, and Stockholm.

The land of Vikings, covered mostly by forests, and national parks, will invite you to observe its beautiful nature. Check out hostels for affordable accommodation options.

What not to miss in Estonia?

• Tallinn
• Alpakafarm OÜ
• Saaremaa island
• Lahemaa National Park
• Soomaa National Park

Interesting facts about Latvia

• Estonia is one of the least populous countries in Europe, with a population density of 28.4 people per square kilometre.
• Tallinn is sometimes dubbed the Silicon Valley of Europe and has the continent’s highest number of startups per head of population.
• Estonia was the first country in the world to adopt online voting – way back in 2005.

Cheapest European Countries in Eastern Europe

I feel that most people are somehow afraid of Eastern Europe, like there’s something terrible happening, where you will get mugged, kidnapped or even worse. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but none of that will happen. You will probably have the time of your life and then have a hard time convincing your parents that these countries are cool.

Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the cheapest countries in Europe, and most foreigners avoid it, as it isn’t in the European Union. But I urge anyone who wants to discover more of Europe to travel to Ukraine. After visiting it for the first time in 2018, I decided to go back each year and see more of it. And that’s what I did.

Ukraine used to be under Soviet influence, and it holds a rich history of the communist era, but it has a great desire to attract more tourists for a good reason. Ukraine has ski (Bukovel) and seaside resorts (Odesa), and a lot of history that was written on its land.

Unfortunately, Ukraine is famous primarily for the worse nuclear accident in the history of mankind, the 1986 explosion from Chernobyl, which attracts most of Ukraine’s foreign tourists, and it is a great example of dark tourism on a global scale. But Ukraine has beautiful geography and a rich culture to please its guests, so I urge you to put it on your European travel bucket list.

Accommodation in Ukraine will cost you from 10 Euros for a bed in a hostel to 130 Eur for a 5-star hotel. Check out the hostel options.

What not to miss in Ukraine?

• Kiev
• Odessa
• Lviv and the castles near Lviv

Interesting Facts about Ukraine

• Kyiv has the deepest metro station, Arsenalna, on the Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska line, at 105.5 metres below ground.
• The Instagram famous Tunnel of Love is in Ukraine, a railway near the town of Kleven.
• Ukraine ranks sixth in alcohol consumption internationally, and its national drink is horilka, a clear spirit which translates to burning water.

Russia

Russia is one of the few countries that stretches on two continents (I can only think of Turkey as the other one), but the European side has two of the fascinating cities I recommend you to travel to. While some are reluctant about Moscow, we can all agree that Sankt Petersburg should be on your travel bucket list.

Russia is one of the cheapest countries you can travel to in Europe. Travelling to Moscow and Sankt Petersburg isn’t just about ticking places off your travel bucket list, but they also hold great cultural and historical stories.

I just want to mention also the longest train trip you can take, the Transsiberian, a 9.289 km long railway, that goes all across Russia, starting from Moscow and all the way to Vladivostok, the Eastern part of Russia. The journey takes two weeks, and it’s one of those experiences that most backpackers dream about.

Yes, you will need a visa for Russia, but St. Petersburg started welcoming foreigners from 53 states can visit the Leningrad region using a free e-visa in October 2019. Sankt Petersburg can also be reached by cruise ship from Tallinn and Helsinki.

Accommodation in Saint Petersburg can vary from 5 Euros for a bed in a hostel to 150 Euros for a 5-star hotel in the centre of Sankt Petersburg. Check HostelWorld for more hostel options.

What not to miss in Russia?

• Trans-Siberian Railway
• Moscow Kremlin
• St. Petersburg (Hermitage Museum, Saint Basil’s Cathedral etc.)

Interesting Facts about Russia

• The word vodka derives from the word voda, which means water in Russian.
• Moscow’s underground is the world’s most beautiful metro network.
• Traffic in Moscow is so bad that wealthy Russians hire fake ambulances to beat the jams

Final thoughts: cheapest countries in Europe

I’m proud to say that all the pictures you see in this blog post are mine, and I can guarantee that these are some of the cheapest countries in Europe. There are a few more that I haven’t been to (yet), and I hope I will visit them soon.

Maybe some of the countries on my list are not on your travel bucket list, but that’s ok. I have another list of cheap places to travel to in Europe for you.

If you’re looking for more inspiration for your first-time travel to Europe, make sure also to check out this extensive guide on how to plan your Europe trip on a budget.

I hope you will make the most out of your European trip, and if you need more tips about how to travel cheap in Europe, make sure to drop me an email, a comment or a message on any of my social media channels.

Find me on Instagram and get to see what day-to-day life in Romania looks like.

Safe travels, and let me know which of these cheapest European countries made it to your travel bucket list!