12 Cheapest European Countries to Visit (Plus What a 2-Week Budget Actually Looks Like)

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Looking for the cheapest European countries to visit? You’re in the right place. Here are 14 real picks for traveling Europe on a budget, plus what a realistic 2-week budget actually looks like for a solo traveler, a couple, and a family of 4.

Western Europe gets all the attention and most of the price tag. Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, all incredible, all expensive. But Europe on a budget is absolutely a real thing if you know where to look, mostly in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, where a genuinely great trip costs a fraction of what the same two weeks would run you in France or Italy. If budget travel around Europe is part of a bigger study abroad plan, my best places to study abroad in Europe and best cities to study abroad in Europe guides go deeper on the logistics side. This post is all about the cheapest countries in Europe to visit, broken into regions, with weather, vibe, what to actually look forward to, and real budget ranges for each.

This post is all about the cheapest european countries to visit including where to visit in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Western Europe!

A quick note on the budget numbers below: these are estimates for budget-conscious travel, hostels or budget guesthouses, local food, public transit, and a handful of paid activities or tours. They don’t include international flights to get there. Pack light: my Europe backpacking packing list is built around exactly the kind of budget-airline, checked-bag-fees trip this post assumes. And if you end up routing through Italy, my Cinque Terre day trip guide is worth bookmarking for a side trip that doesn’t blow the budget. Actual costs will swing based on season, how far in advance you book, and your own travel style, so treat these as a realistic starting point, not a guarantee.

Cheapest countries to visit in the Balkans

The Balkans are, hands down, the best-value region in Europe right now. Gorgeous coastlines, mountain towns, and a fraction of Western Europe’s prices.

1. Albania

Albania is Europe’s coastline before everyone else finds out about it. The Albanian Riviera gets compared to Croatia’s coast constantly, at a noticeably lower price, and the whole country still feels raw and unpolished in the best way. Save time for the beach towns along the Riviera like Ksamil and Sarandë, Berat’s Ottoman old town, and some of the cheapest, freshest seafood you’ll find anywhere in Europe.

Best time to visit: May through September for beach weather, comfortably in the 80s June through August, or shoulder season in spring and fall if you’d rather skip the crowds.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $500-650 | Couple: $800-1,000 | Family of 4: $1,400-1,800

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Few places in Europe hit you emotionally the way Sarajevo does. Its Ottoman old town sits right next to visible scars from the 1990s war, and Mostar’s famous bridge, a couple hours south, is one of the most photographed spots in the Balkans for good reason. Budget real time for Sarajevo’s old bazaar, the walk across Stari Most, and a coffee culture that will slow your whole trip down, in the best way.

Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall, when the continental climate settles into warm, comfortable days in the 70s and 80s.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $420-560 | Couple: $700-900 | Family of 4: $1,300-1,700

3. North Macedonia

This is one of the last corners of Europe that still feels like a genuine discovery instead of a checklist stop. Lake Ohrid, one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, is the headliner, but Skopje’s strange mix of ancient ruins and oversized modern statues, plus wine country almost nobody talks about yet, round out the trip.

Best time to visit: May through September, when hot, dry summer weather makes the lake worth the trip.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $420-560 | Couple: $700-900 | Family of 4: $1,300-1,600

4. Montenegro

The Bay of Kotor looks like a fjord that wandered into the Adriatic by mistake, and the walled towns along the coast feel like a smaller, cheaper Amalfi. Spend time walking Kotor’s old town and up the city walls, hit the beaches around Budva, or head inland to Durmitor National Park if mountains beat coastline for you.

Best time to visit: May through September for the coast, when the Mediterranean climate runs hot and dry (the mountains stay cooler even in summer).

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $560-770 | Couple: $900-1,300 | Family of 4: $1,600-2,200

5. Serbia

Belgrade has one of the best nightlife scenes in Europe and almost nobody outside the region talks about it, gritty, fun, and completely unapologetic about what it is. Don’t skip the floating river clubs, Novi Sad’s EXIT Festival if your dates line up, and some of the cheapest, best food in the whole region.

Best time to visit: April through October, before the continental winter turns genuinely cold.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $500-630 | Couple: $800-1,050 | Family of 4: $1,400-1,900

Cheapest countries to visit in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe covers everything from castle-dotted countryside to genuinely major capital cities, still at a fraction of what you’d pay further west.

6. Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a bit of a split personality, and it works in its favor: beach towns on the Black Sea, mountain villages inland, and a capital, Sofia, that’s shockingly cheap for a European capital city. Plovdiv’s Roman amphitheater, still used for concerts, the Black Sea coast, and rose valleys in early summer are all worth building a trip around.

Best time to visit: June through September for the coast, or winter if you want a genuinely cheap ski trip in Bansko.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $500-630 | Couple: $800-1,050 | Family of 4: $1,400-1,850

7. Moldova

Few travelers can even point to Moldova on a map, which is exactly why it’s worth going. It’s genuinely one of the cheapest countries in all of Europe, and one of the least visited, so you’ll have most of it to yourself. Cricova and Milestii Mici, two of the largest wine cellars in the world, are absolutely tourable, and Chisinau’s low-key, unhurried capital energy is a nice contrast if you’re coming from busier stops.

Best time to visit: May through September, when the continental climate is at its mildest.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $350-490 | Couple: $600-800 | Family of 4: $1,100-1,450

8. Romania

Romania is fairy tale territory, genuinely: medieval towns, fortified churches, and yes, an actual Dracula’s castle you can walk through. Bran Castle, the medieval towns of Sighișoara and Brașov, and the Carpathian Mountains if you want hiking layered on top of the history, are the highlights.

Best time to visit: May through September, ahead of the properly snowy winters that hit Transylvania and the Carpathians.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $560-700 | Couple: $900-1,150 | Family of 4: $1,600-2,000

9. Hungary

Budapest is a genuine bucket-list capital: thermal baths, grand architecture, and a ruin bar scene that’s entirely its own thing, all at a fraction of what Vienna or Paris charge just a few hours away. Plan time for the Széchenyi and Gellért thermal baths, the ruin bars in the Jewish Quarter, and a Danube view that holds its own against any capital in Europe.

Best time to visit: April through June or September through October, when the continental climate is mildest.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $630-840 | Couple: $1,000-1,350 | Family of 4: $1,800-2,400

10. Poland

Krakow’s old town feels like a fairy tale and Warsaw moves faster and more modern, and somehow both are still genuinely affordable. Krakow’s main square and the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine, Auschwitz-Birkenau (heavy, but one of the most important places you can visit in Europe), and pierogi at every price point round out the trip.

Best time to visit: May through September, before the cold, snowy winters set in.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $630-840 | Couple: $1,000-1,350 | Family of 4: $1,800-2,400

11. Slovakia

Slovakia gets overlooked mostly because it sits right next to Prague and Budapest and loses out to both, which is exactly why it’s cheaper. Bratislava’s compact, walkable old town, hiking in the High Tatras, and castle after castle at a fraction of the crowds you’d hit elsewhere make the case for stopping.

Best time to visit: May through September for Bratislava and the High Tatras.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $600-800 | Couple: $950-1,250 | Family of 4: $1,700-2,200

12. Czechia (Czech Republic)

Everybody already knows Prague is beautiful, which is exactly the problem: prices have crept up over the last decade as it’s become one of the most visited cities on the continent, so it’s not the steal it was 15 years ago. It’s still noticeably cheaper than Western Europe though, and the city delivers: Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge at sunrise before the crowds hit, the astronomical clock in Old Town Square, and a beer culture that’s genuinely, famously cheap even as everything else has gone up.

Best time to visit: April through June or September through October, for good weather without peak summer crowds.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $650-900 | Couple: $1,050-1,450 | Family of 4: $1,900-2,500

More affordable European countries worth a look

13. Portugal

This is the most “Western Europe” pick on the whole list, and priced a little more like it, but still noticeably cheaper than Spain, France, or Italy. Lisbon’s hills and tram lines, Porto’s port wine cellars, and the Algarve’s cliffside beaches if a coastal trip beats a city one, all make the case for it.

Best time to visit: April through June or September through October for Lisbon and Porto; the Algarve stays pleasant nearly year-round.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $840-1,120 | Couple: $1,350-1,800 | Family of 4: $2,400-3,200

14. Croatia

This is the other pricier pick on the list, and for good reason: Dubrovnik, Split, and the islands have boomed over the last decade (the Game of Thrones effect is real), so it costs more than its Balkan neighbors now. It’s still cheaper than Italy directly across the water though, and the payoff is real: Dubrovnik’s Old Town walls, Split’s Diocletian’s Palace, Plitvice Lakes National Park, and island hopping between Hvar and Korčula if you have the extra days.

Best time to visit: May through September for the Adriatic coast, when the Mediterranean climate is hot and dry.

2-week budget (estimated): Solo: $700-950 | Couple: $1,150-1,550 | Family of 4: $2,000-2,700

This post was all about the cheapest European countries to visit

And honestly, the biggest myth in European travel is that a great trip has to be expensive. It doesn’t, it just has to be the right country.

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Quick FAQ

What is the cheapest country to visit in Europe? Moldova consistently comes out as the cheapest, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Albania close behind. All four can realistically be done on a tight budget without feeling like you’re missing out.

Is it cheaper to travel in Europe than people think? Yes, if you’re willing to look past the obvious Western European capitals. The Balkans and Eastern Europe offer genuinely great travel experiences at 40-60% less than what you’d spend in France, Italy, or Switzerland.

What’s the best budget destination in Europe for a first trip? Hungary or Poland are the easiest on-ramps, both have major, well-connected capital cities (Budapest and Krakow) with excellent infrastructure, so you get an easy trip and a cheap one at the same time. I also have posts on 16 Hidden Gems in Europe and top places to visit in Europe if you want to go check those out!

How much does 2 weeks in Europe cost on a budget? Based on the countries above, a solo traveler can realistically do 2 weeks for $350-850 depending on the country, not including flights. A couple should budget roughly 1.5-1.7x the solo number, and a family of 4 roughly 2.5-3x, since accommodation and some costs get shared across more people.