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Travel Mug Podcast
Six Affordable Places to Travel in 2026
If you're searching for affordable alternatives to popular travel destinations, we share 6 amazing and underrated travel destinations where your dollar stretches a bit further!
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We are travel enthusiasts who do not claim to be professionals! Instead, we are two Halifax, NS natives with travel blogs who somehow found one another on the internet, and now, we have a podcast!!
Join us every week as we talk about our favourite destinations, travel tips, travel fails, and all things travel!
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Disclaimer: All episodes are based on our opinions and experiences. Always do your research and make travel plans based on your budget and comfort levels.
Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Travel Mug Podcast. This is Jenn and I am joined by my partner in podcasting, Meggan. So as we've mentioned in recent episodes, travel and Life Mm-hmm. Definitely getting more expensive. So if your travel budget isn't stretching as far as it used to, we're hoping to bring you some options today. So we're planning to outline some common travel destinations and suggest some cheaper and or less travel alternatives. So we used a website called Budgetyourtrip.com to compare prices of destinations. This travel cost index is calculated based on travel budgets of real travelers who submit their travel spending. The categories that are included in the daily averages that we're gonna mention are things like accommodations, intercity and local transportation, food, water, entertainment and tips and a handful of other things. International transportation, so from leaving from your home country to that one and souvenirs and alcohol are not included in this. Excellent. I think it's like the coolest website and like thank you to all the travelers out there like doing the work of submitting it because I would, I mean, I never knew this. It was a thing. Yeah, it's super helpful for sure. It's, it is. And I'd also like to mention before we get started that not everything about the country or location that we are suggesting you consider will be cheaper as there is always regional or rural versus city differences for prices. So just keep that in mind and research based on where you actually may want to travel in these locations. Uh, it's always fun just to have options, but of course, wherever you decide it may have some varying differences. Yeah. All right. Let's take us to the first spot, Meggan. Excellent. So we're gonna do a little like instead of games. So the first one that we want to dive into is instead of Japan, consider Taiwan. Hmm. So we personally watch quite a few YouTube travel vloggers and a few of them have been to Japan and love it. Actually, it's somewhere I would love to go as well, while others have spent time in Taiwan. So we've seen a bit of both. Japan, from what I understand, is super safe and orderly with their citizens being quite quiet, even in public and very respectful. They are the country of vending machines. I have heard, and I meant to Google this right before we started, that the vending machines actually outnumber the people. That would be a lot of vending machines. you wanna do a quick Google while I'm chitchatting with the peeps., But, uh, they have amazing food from their convenience stores and just amazing food in general. You can leave your bike if you have one literally on the street unlocked, and it'll still be there days later. But also, unfortunately for some places in Japan, there's also overt tourism, especially in areas like Kyoto, Tokyo and Mount Fuji Mm-hmm. Now, Hi, Oh, yes. I'm gonna, I'm gonna jump in with the stat here 'cause we are wrong, but there's apparently one vending machine for every 23 people in Japan. That's still very high density, So the stat not as fun, but that is still pretty, even if that would, like, we hardly have any people here in Canada and that still would be a big deal. right? Yeah. that is a lot of vending machines. So go vend your heart out if you wish to go to Japan. Now Taiwan experienced a lot of internal tourism, especially during the pandemic, and they are still recovering from that time with a bit of over tourism, but not as much as other countries in the region. It is, of course, known for its natural landscapes, rich culture and history, amazing coastlines and lush forests plus a lot of hot springs. Ooh. now Japan in terms of the comparison for cost savings, which is why we're here. So Japan comes in around 150 USD per day, while Taiwan is about 136 USD per day. I would say, really the difference is kind of negligible, but you can definitely find, , some cheaper deals in like more rural Japan, but a lot of people don't necessarily travel there. And Taiwan just in general, , is a bit cheaper. So yeah, there is a difference. And I would say the difference really though in overall average for Taiwan is more in actual accommodations. Hmm. accommodations do cost you a little bit more. So that's really just a, , a push to book early and look for cheaper alternatives often if you would be able to stay in hostels, that kind of thing. So accommodations run you a bit more on average in Taiwan, but everything else is cheaper. What to do in Taiwan if you've never considered going there.'cause this could be your first, uh, aha. Moment. So there is Taipei 101. It's the iconic skyscraper which offers stunning panoramic views of the city and features high-end shopping and dining options. The National Palace Museum, home to a vast collection of Chinese art and artifacts showcasing thousands of years of history. Taroko, national Park for hiking, Kenting National Park where they have beautiful beaches, water sports, and a lively nightlife scene. And other things you can do and do some research on are night markets are super popular in Taiwan, such as the Shilin market, island hopping as there are 23 inhabited islands and hot balloon rides, which always sound terrifying, yet super fun to me. Same. I, I want to do a hot air balloon ride, but I am very scared. Yeah. Yeah. Samesies . Samesies.. What are you gonna chat about? Okay, so instead of Iceland, consider Canadian Yukon or USA Alaska. So you know that Meggan and I, we both love Iceland. We've both been a few times, but there's no getting around the fact that Iceland is expensive. Mm-hmm. So the travel cost index for Iceland is 262 US dollars per day. Um, which includes hotels are very expensive. So they're kind of running the majority of your budget there. So where else can we go for beautiful nature? The Northern Lights and Hot Springs. I'm gonna pitch you two different but similar locations right here in North America, Yukon and Alaska. So since I've been to both the Yukon and Iceland, I can tell you that they are not the same, but they're comparable depending on what you want to do. So. First, the cost. Alaska comes in at about 196 US dollars per day, and unfortunately, the Yukon wasn't specifically in this list, but Canada in general comes in at 197 US dollars per day, so pretty similar. So what are we gonna do there? So many parks get out in nature. I mean, and that's what we're gonna, you know, that's what most people want to do in Iceland, and that's what you should do here. There are many, many hikes depending on your experience and skill level. Some Alaska highlights. Are the Flattop trail said to be Alaska's most climbed mountain. It is just three miles round trip, but a challenging hike. So be prepared for that. Uh, the Anchorage Museum is all about the unique culture of Alaska. The Mendenhall Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers, so you can experience it via a platform from the visitor center. There's also hiking trails, kayaking, or boat tours that you can see it from. Uh, one thing that I really wanna do and didn't get to do on my trip to the Yukon is you can take a train from Skagway, Alaska to Carcross in the Yukon, the White pass and Yukon route is an incredibly scenic train ride that takes nearly five hours. It does include a 45 minute layover in Bennett. And then in the Yukon, there's Kluane National Park where you can hike, uh, camp or just come to see Canada's highest peak, which is Mount Logan. You can head up to Dawson City and pan for Gold, see Tombstone Territorial Park, check out the preserved frontier style buildings and more. And then the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, where you can see 12 plus species of Yukon native animals in their natural habitat. And then the eclipse. Nordic Hot Spring where you can relax in rock pools containing natural hot springs water. This is the only hot springs in the Yukon. There's lots more to do in the Yukon. So I'm gonna plug my Yukon, uh, trip report episode, which you can scroll back and listen to to hear about some more stuff. That is a lot to do, but also you're very right in including this in the list because people go to Iceland for the, the scenery, the outdoors, the nature, the hikes, et cetera. And both Alaska and uh, the Yukon have that in spades. So I think that's a great comparison. Yeah. All right.. So next we're gonna move on to, instead of Italy, go to Malta. Okay. I know Italy is often a dream destination for people because of the food, the culture, history, the wine. I could go on and on and it is certainly, on my must see list for life., It can however, be a bit expensive depending on where you go, uh, what you do and where you choose to lay your little head., An alternative I definitely wanna talk about is less popular, but absolutely stunning. And that is Malta. So it gained independence. In 1964 and is surrounded by beautiful blue water, you can immerse yourself in its diverse culture, electric vibe, and get lost in the unique temples and stone buildings. The Maltese Islands themselves are made up of Malta, Gozo, and Comino. There are other Uninhabited islands as well, but those are the main three. and how much could you save by choosing Malta over Italy? So a typical traveler for Italy spends approximately 232 US dollars per day. A lot of that on hotels, which seems to honestly be a trend in all the places that we've mentioned so far. Local transportation, I'd like to add as well seems to be kind of the cheapest in a lot of these, Mm-hmm. Now for Malta, a typical traveler spends $159 per day, which is quite the difference from $232. Mm-hmm. And there as well, uh, accommodations are most expensive, but nearly about$52 on average, cheaper per night. So it does of course depend on tastes, , what you end up booking, where you end up eating. But overall, Malta is the less expensive choice. So things to do in Malta. So Valletta, it's exploring a UNESCO world, heritage City including St. John's Cathedral, Grandmaster's palace, upper Barrakka Gardens, and Fort St. Elmo, which made me think of not something that's serious, but instead Elmo, I couldn't anyway., Obviously, um, Mdina, if I'm saying that properly, so wander through the silent city, medieval walled city with a rich history and stunning architecture. It is called the Silent City because after the capital of Malta moved to Birgu in the 16th century, the city experienced a significant decline in population and activity, making it feel eerily quiet. Yeah. Yes., Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples, I could be saying that incorrectly, likely am. Discover these fascinating prehistoric megalithic temples, some of the oldest freestanding stone structures in the world. Hmm. There's also the Citadel, a historic fortified city on Gozo. So not Malta, but one of the other islands. Uh, you can get between them offering panoramic views. On Comino, there is the blue lagoon, so it is a must visit for swimming and snorkeling. And the crystal blue, uh, waters. Blue grotto. So you can take a boat trip to explore sea caves and a stunning natural arch. Gozo Island, like we mentioned, one of the other islands you can explore that including its beaches, temples, and the capital Victoria. And then there is Popeye Village. It's a fun and unique attraction built as the set for Popeye the movie with Robin Williams. That's. I know. I know A little piece of movie history there for There you go. All right, so next up I'm going to suggest instead of Barbados, consider Dominica. So I have been dreaming of a tropical vacation lately, and since I've been researching the Caribbean islands, I've discovered that there are many, many, many different price points. many different dollars amounts I could spend. Literally, depending on where you go, of course. So let's take Barbados as an example. It is stunning. It has beautiful white sand, beaches, crystal clear water, historic places and wildlife to see, and so much more, but it comes in at a pricey 438 US dollars per person per day. Oh my. I went to Barbados once. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I went because I won free everything. So I was in the travel industry at the time and our accommodations were free. And now that I look back, even though it was many moons ago, thank goodness. Yeah, thank, thank goodness. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think like even so, uh, on average past travelers have spent $470. Uh, per day for one night on hotels and $157 on meals, which is also quite expensive. But when you compare it to other places that we've been talking about., So where should we go instead, uh, because that sounds out of my budget. Um, consider the beautiful island of Dominica. So Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, it's two different places. Dominica costs about 235 US dollars per person per day. So that is so much cheaper. Nearly half. Yes, yes. So, yeah, especially the hotels are, uh, much less expensive. Although everything is almost half food, meals, and local transportation. Yes, yes. I actually really didn't know anything about Dominica. I don't know anybody who has been there personally. So I checked out the Discover Dominica website, which calls the island one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean, which I have to agree 'cause. I didn't know that much about it, so I do have to give you the caveat that it does not have white sand beaches, but it does have beaches and it does have plenty to do, including you can hike Trafalgar Falls, which are twin waterfalls. One's 125 feet and one. 75 feet high. You can swim in Emerald Pool. So a 40 foot waterfall fills a natural pool, and you're surrounded by a lush green forest. There's Cabrits National Park, which there's old Fort Ruins from the battle between the British and The French for ownership of the island., Mero Beach is a small beach with gray and black volcanic sand, so kind of similar to Iceland beaches. Um, and then Champagne Beach is another option. It offers a great snorkeling reef and is named for bubbling waters from volcanic thermal springs. It's kind of like a little natural hot tub. Yes. It's called the Nature Island for a good reason. There is so much to do and really this is just scratching the surface of what there is to do there. Cool. Imagine the birds that are there. Yes. I'm over 40. Imagine the birds. I could see. I'm thinking a lot. Yeah. know that that actually sounds amazing and I didn't really know a lot about, and I'm sure I've heard Dominica and my brain probably went Dominican. So like, Yeah. we're all discovering a lot here. Yeah. I love that. Alright, thank you for sharing. My final one that I'm gonna discuss is instead of Croatia. Go to Montenegro or should you? Let's talk about Okay, let's do it. now. This last one I'm talking about does not follow our trend, however, both spots are fairly inexpensive, but one suffers from over tourism in certain parts of the country, and one is a bit more of a hidden gem. So we didn't wanna leave either of them out, and it really is your choice, of course. And that, of course, Croatia and Montenegro. So Croatia situated on the Adriatic Sea, it blends history, natural beauty, and culture perfectly, and it's become less of a hidden gem. It's out there loud and proud now as a gem, especially since parts of it were featured in the popular TV series, game of Thrones. More than that, though, it used to be considered an amazing vacation location for a truly affordable price, and even though it still is not out of reach, the prices are a lot higher than they used to be due to its ever-growing popularity, although there's still a few hidden gems you can find in the country that are not overrun with the peoples. Now, Montenegro. Recently, uh, an old coworker of mine stopped here on a cruise and he texted me and he's like, you are missing out if you're not considering Montenegro. And he couldn't believe how beautiful it was. And honestly, not a lot of people that I know of anyway, except our Travel Pal, Anna, um, are talking about going to Montenegro. So located in the Balkans, you can visit ancient towns and fortresses, hiking water, sports, and beaches. There's forests, lakes, mountains, coastline, national parks. It has it all. It really does, and I was supposed to go to Montenegro as part of a cruise in 2020, which I've talked about, and this was the stop I was most. Excited for. So yeah, I was, I was, uh, obviously bummed that we didn't get to do the trip at all, but, uh, I gotta, I gotta make it to Montenegro 'cause I was really excited to go here. Yeah. And apparently for good reasons. So in terms of the comparison, so Croatia, a typical traveler there, spends 134 US dollars per day. And I would say there nothing is too expensive. But the accommodations once again in Croatia are most expensive, but literally 114, uh, USD on average now. This is where things aren't quite the same. Surprisingly, in Montenegro, uh, a typical traveler spends 150 USD per day., And that's about, I guess I'm not good at math, but about $16 more. Accommodations are less, but what seems to be more in Montenegro are meals. Interesting. Yeah. very much, very much so. Now, the top three things, I'm gonna run down quickly in each place to do so in Croatia. There's lots more than this of course, but exploring Dubrovnik old town, visit Plitvice National Park and island hopping along the coast. And then the top three things to do in Montenegro, explore the stunning bay of Kotor, uh, with its charming towns and dramatic scenery. Visit the historic and picturesque Kotor Old Town and immerse yourself in natural beauty of Durmitor National Park. But again, that's just scratching the surface and I'm gonna have to look more into Montenegro, although I also do want to go to Croatia. I mean, why not both? Why not both? Apparently I may be able to afford both. I love it. I do too. Alright, so, uh, my last one also kind of slightly different from the first front of four places that we've talked about. I'm gonna talk about in. Instead of Bali, consider Lombok. So they're both Indonesian islands, but Bali has been experiencing over tourism and you can experience another amazing island just 172 kilometers away, which will be far less crowded. So that's nice. Yes. Indonesia's already pretty affordable at just 69 US dollars per person, per day on average. Now we're talking. Yeah. Right, but we gotta get there from here. That is Far and expensive. Yeah, true. yeah, yeah. I love, so just to break it down, it was 26 US dollars per day on meals, $8 and 77 cents on local transportation and $61 on hotels. So that's, uh, pretty good. Bali itself averages 88 US dollars per day, so a little bit more expensive than the national average, but Lombok comes in at 61 US dollars per person per day, so pretty good. So what should you do in Lombok? Here are a few ideas. Hike Mount Rinjani a massive volcano in the northern part of the island. You can swim in the Tiu Kelep waterfall, which is accessible by a 20 minute hike. Go to the beach. Of course there's Mawun Beach. Selong belanak Beach or Nipah Beach, just a few options. The area is also known for surfing, so maybe you could take some surf lessons if that's something that you're into. And there's a ton of other waterfalls, hikes and surf spots to check out. Sounds dreamy and affordable. Yeah. Yeah, if you can, uh, get a good deal on a plane ticket to get there, you are all set. This one might be a, a better, uh, spot for our pals that are in, uh, like Australia and New Zealand and those spots. Go live your inexpensive lives friends. Right. All right. So that is all we have for this week's episode. There are many, many, many more affordable places to travel, so you'll have to do your research and find the ones that match your interests and your budget. We'll make sure to link the, uh, website budget your trip.com to our, uh, show notes so that you can check it out 'cause it's pretty great., You can find lots of resources. In the show notes and on our blog, travel mug podcast.com. You can also find us on social media, at Travel Mug Podcast, and you can support the show through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or by sharing the show with a travel loving pal. And until next time, bye everyone. Bye.
