Woman Traveled the World for 17 Months and Spent $50 a Day: Which Countries Were the Most Budget-Friendly

A travel enthusiast traveled the world for 17 months and spent $50 a day. She said Insider about the most accessible countries I've visited.

After saving for years, Sarah Bence and her partner spent 17 months traveling the world.

They began their voyage in Peru, then went to northern Mexico, and then visited Asia.

The couple decided it would be helpful to track all their expenses along the way. Bence's initial budget was $1500 a month, or about $50 a day. Sarah's partner had the same budget.

Cost Management

Bens only stayed within budget for the first 3 months. travel. The partners spent two of them in Peru. Here, Bence spent $1370 in July and $1179 in August.

“Of all the countries we visited, Peru had some of the lowest prices for food and accommodation,” she noted. “Our real key to staying on budget in the first few months was to travel slowly. We took buses rather than fast, expensive flights, and we got discounts on accommodations so we could stay longer. We also cooked a lot for ourselves and didn’t book expensive tours or activities.”

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Bence stayed within her budget in September, too. The couple spent the month in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Bence spent $1325, compared to an average of $33 in Peru and $45 in Ecuador.

Colombia was more expensive. The average traveler spent $57 per day. The couple spent only a few days there at the end of the month.

Available countries

While exploring Central America, Bence didn't go far beyond her $1500 monthly budget, spending $1646 in one month and $1888 in another.

Her daily expenses were less than $50 in El Salvador ($38,70) and Costa Rica ($33,09).

“But to be fair, the budget for Costa Rica is not accurate. My parents came and paid for our stay for 10 days as a Christmas and birthday present. Without their gift, I would have spent much more,” Sarah said.

She said El Salvador (the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America) seemed very accessible, but the couple spent only 12 days there.

“I wish I could have stayed in this country longer, both for my wallet and because I liked the people, the scenery, the food,” Sarah admitted.

She exceeded her budget, but only slightly, visiting Colombia ($57 per day), Honduras ($58,41 per day), Nicaragua ($53,43), Guatemala ($62,72) and Vietnam ($54,23).

It can be even cheaper

“I think I could have stayed within budget in these places if I had tried harder or reorganized my itinerary,” Bence concluded.

Skipping expensive experiences like a motorbike ride in Vietnam or a night hike up a volcano in Guatemala would have kept Sarah's expenses down. But they were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities she couldn't pass up, she says.

You could also save a significant amount by booking cheaper accommodation, such as hostels.

“The longer we traveled, the more we chose more comfortable (and often more expensive) accommodations, like Airbnb or private rooms in hostels,” Sarah noted. “Splitting the cost of accommodation between the two of us helped. I couldn’t afford that kind of accommodation as a solo traveler. We rarely chose the cheapest options.”

Dear countries

In March, Bence spent $3076 in Belize and Mexico—double her monthly budget.

She splurged on some experiences, like a snorkeling trip in Belize and a mezcal tasting in Oaxaca. Average prices, Sarah says, were higher than she expected for almost everything.

Although Bence allowed herself to overspend, she did hold off on some activities, like a $125 cave tour in Belize. She still wanted to stay within her budget.

“But now I regret not spending that money,” Sarah concluded over time.

In Indonesia, it cost $109,96 per day.

"It may seem like a lot of money for a country that has a reputation for being affordable. I spent five days on the island of Sumatra hiking and admiring orangutans," the tourist shared.

Her flights, transportation and excursions were not cheap, but they turned out to be her most memorable experiences.

Going Over Budget

Before leaving, Bence expected to exceed her budget in some countries.

Her average daily expenses in Panama were $98,38. Food and accommodations were on the expensive side.

Sarah splurges on a five-day sailboat trip to Colombia to get there.

Bence knew Singapore would be expensive, so she limited herself to six days there. She stayed in hostels or used credit card points for hotels. Her expenses in Singapore still came to $95 a day.

Finally, the most expensive country Sarah visited was her beloved Japan. There, she spent an average of $121 per day, or $3288 over 27 days—almost twice her monthly budget.

The dream has come true

“This long journey has been incredible. It wouldn’t have been possible without my planning. Daily and monthly spending goals have helped me control my spending,” Sarah concluded.

Setting a conservative budget, having savings separate from the trip budget, and making money along the way allowed the traveler to not feel too stressed when she went over budget.

“In hindsight, I could have restructured my itinerary to spend more time in countries with less money. But ultimately, I don’t have any major regrets,” Bence concluded. “The bottom line is that you should spend money on bucket list items (within reason). I’ll never forget seeing wild orangutans in Indonesia or learning how to make sushi in Japan. Money can be earned, but memories last forever.”