What your money actually buys in 15 destinations, day by day, broken down by accommodation, food, transport, and the experiences worth paying for. No vague estimates. Real current numbers.
Peru on £45/Day
Peru has two economies running simultaneously: the tourist economy of Cusco and the Sacred Valley (where everything costs 30-50% more than the equivalent in Lima or the regions) and the Peruvian economy that most of the country inhabits. The budget traveller’s strategy is to move between them deliberately.
The daily breakdown in Cusco:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, San Blas guesthouse | £14-22 |
| Set breakfast at guesthouse | £2-4 |
| Menú del día, local restaurant, lunch | £2.53-3.80 |
| Restaurant dinner, Plaza de Armas area | £7-12 |
| Combi taxi (shared minivan), 3 journeys | £0.76 |
| Coca tea (for altitude) | £0.25 |
| Water, snacks | £1.27 |
| Daily total | £28-44 |
The Cusco altitude cost:
Arriving at Cusco (3,400m) from Lima (sea level) requires 24-48 hours of acclimatisation before strenuous activity. The legitimate altitude sickness medication (Acetazolamide, from a Peruvian pharmacy without prescription): £3-5 for a course. The coca tea from every guesthouse breakfast: free or minimal. The altitude day — when you rest, eat lightly, and do nothing strenuous — is a budget day by default (no entry fees, no transport, minimal food costs).
The Machu Picchu calculation:
The entry to Machu Picchu is the largest single line item in a Peru trip:
| Entry type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Machu Picchu entry (Circuit 1, 2, or 3) | $52-60 / £41-47 |
| Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (return) | $24 / £18.90 |
| Train Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (return, PeruRail) | $65-90 / £51-71 |
| Inca Trail permit (4-day, compulsory agency booking) | $630+ / £496+ per person |
The Inca Trail alternative (if not doing the full 4-day): the Salkantay Trek (5 days, $300-450 / £236-354 including guide, camp, food) or the Lares Trek (3 days, $200-300 / £157-236). Both reach Machu Picchu via different routes without the permit scarcity of the Inca Trail.
The Peruvian food value:
The menú del día (the set lunch served in local restaurants from noon to 2:30pm): soup, main plate with rice and beans, drink, dessert. S/8-15 / £1.62-3.03. The finest cheap meal in South America, available in every Peruvian town.
The 12-day Peru budget:
| Segment | Days | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lima (2 days) | 2 | £28-35 |
| Cusco + acclimatisation | 2 | £28-40 |
| Sacred Valley | 2 | £25-38 |
| Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes base) | 2 | £55-75 (entries inflate) |
| Lake Titicaca (Puno) | 2 | £22-32 |
| Arequipa | 2 | £24-35 |
12-day Peru total (return flights UK via Madrid or Miami, £500-750): £950-1,350 including flights.
Uzbekistan on £35/Day
Uzbekistan is the finest value Silk Road destination — the recently liberalised economy (visa restrictions were eased in 2018, the currency became convertible the same year) has produced rapid tourist infrastructure development while keeping costs well below the neighbouring destinations.
The daily breakdown in Samarkand:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse (B&B included) | £12-20 |
| Street samsa (lamb pastry), breakfast supplement | £0.27 |
| Plov at the Siab Bazaar, lunch | £1.09 |
| Restaurant dinner (Silk Road-themed, tourist area) | £5-9 |
| Taxi, 3 journeys (negotiated) | £2.18 |
| Tea at a chaikhana (tea house) | £0.27 |
| Water, fruit | £0.55 |
| Registan entry | £3.28 |
| Daily total | £25-37 |
The Uzbek guesthouse economy:
The guesthouses (mehmonkhona) of the Silk Road cities — Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva — typically include breakfast (the Uzbek spread: non bread, butter, honey, jam, boiled egg, tomato and cucumber). The breakfast inclusion makes the accommodation price more efficient than the bare room rate suggests. The most characterful guesthouses are in converted historical buildings within the old cities — a room in a centuries-old madrasah in Khiva costs £14-22/night with breakfast.
The transport within Uzbekistan:
The Afrosiyob high-speed train (Tashkent to Samarkand: 2 hours, £5.46; Samarkand to Bukhara: 1.5 hours, £4.37) is the most efficient internal transport. Shared taxis fill the gaps (Bukhara to Khiva: 4 hours, £5.46 per seat in a shared taxi).
The Samarkand-Bukhara-Khiva circuit:
| City | Nights | Approx Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tashkent (arrival) | 1 | £22-30 |
| Samarkand | 2 | £25-38 |
| Bukhara | 2 | £22-32 |
| Khiva | 2 | £20-28 |
| Nukus/Aral Sea | 2 | £18-28 |
10-day Uzbekistan total (return flights UK via Istanbul or Doha, £350-500): £600-830 including flights.
Albania on £30/Day
Albania is the finest value European destination by a significant margin — the cost gap between Albania and its Balkans neighbours (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia) is 30-50% in Albania’s favour, and the quality of the beach coast, the mountain interior, and the UNESCO-listed cities is equivalent to any of them.
The daily breakdown in Berat:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse (Mangalem quarter) | £10-18 |
| Byrek (filo pastry pie) + coffee, breakfast | £1.30 |
| Tavë kosi (baked lamb and rice with yoghurt), lunch | £3.25 |
| Restaurant dinner, raki included | £6-10 |
| Taxi, 2 journeys | £1.30 |
| Water | £0.43 |
| Berat Castle entry | £0.87 |
| Daily total | £24-35 |
The Albanian beach (the Riviera south of Vlorë):
The Albanian Riviera — the coastline from Vlorë to Sarandë along the Ionian Sea — is the least developed Adriatic/Ionian beach destination in Europe, with crystal water comparable to Croatia at 40% of Croatia’s prices. The guesthouses in Himara, Jal, and Ksamil (the village adjacent to the Butrint ruins): £15-28/night for a room within 200 metres of the beach.
The Valbona-Theth trek (the Albanian Alps):
The 3-day hike through the Albanian Alps from Valbona to Theth (the most celebrated mountain hike in the Western Balkans): the Valbona guesthouse (£14-20/night, includes dinner and breakfast from the family kitchen), the trail crossing the Valbona Pass (1,800m), the Theth guesthouse (same price). No permit required. No agency required. The independence of the walk (marked trail, no guide needed, the guesthouses at both ends bookable by email) is the specific Albanian mountain experience.
The currency:
Albanian Lek (ALL). £1 ≈ 120 ALL. Albania is not in the EU and uses its own currency — exchange at any bank or exchange office (the airport rates are poor; the Tirana city centre offices are competitive).
The 10-day Albania circuit:
| Segment | Days | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tirana (1 day) | 1 | £25-35 |
| Berat | 2 | £22-32 |
| Albanian Riviera (Himara/Ksamil) | 3 | £28-40 |
| Gjirokastër (UNESCO old town) | 2 | £22-30 |
| Valbona/Theth (mountain trek) | 2 | £18-25 (full board guesthouses) |
10-day Albania total (return flights UK via Tirana Nënë Tereza Airport, Wizz Air, £50-120): £330-480 including flights.
The Balkans on £30/Day
Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and North Macedonia combined:
The Balkans triple delivers three countries in one circuit at a daily cost below almost any other multi-country European trip.
Montenegro daily breakdown (Kotor):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, Kotor old town or Dobrota | £18-28 |
| Burek (filo pastry), bakery breakfast | £0.90 |
| Fresh fish, harbour restaurant, lunch | £8-14 |
| Local restaurant dinner + wine | £10-16 |
| Ferry (Kotor Bay crossing) | £2 |
| Water, coffee | £1.50 |
| Daily total | £41-62 |
Montenegro is the most expensive Balkans country — the Bay of Kotor’s specific beauty has driven hotel and restaurant prices to approximately Slovenian or Croatian levels in peak season. The budget: staying in Dobrota or Perast (the villages adjacent to Kotor rather than in the old city) reduces accommodation costs by 25-35%.
Bosnia & Herzegovina daily breakdown (Sarajevo):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, hostel or guesthouse, Baščaršija | £12-20 |
| Burek with yoghurt, breakfast | £1.30 |
| Ćevapi + somun + onion, lunch | £2.17 |
| Restaurants dinner (Mostar Road area) | £6-10 |
| Tram, 2 journeys | £0.87 |
| Bosnian coffee, 2 cups | £1.30 |
| War Tunnel Museum entry | £3.47 |
| Daily total | £27-40 |
Sarajevo is exceptional value — the Baščaršija (the old bazaar) guesthouses are among the finest value accommodation in the Balkans, the ćevapi (the minced meat sausages in flatbread) are the cheapest quality meal in the region, and the Bosnian coffee culture (the džezva, the sugar, the lokum) costs £0.65-0.87 per serving.
North Macedonia daily breakdown (Ohrid):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, Lake Ohrid guesthouse | £10-16 |
| Börek, market breakfast | £0.69 |
| Gravche na tavche (baked beans, national dish), lunch | £2.08 |
| Restaurant dinner, lake fish | £6-9 |
| Local bus, 2 journeys | £0.69 |
| Coffee | £0.69 |
| Daily total | £20-30 |
North Macedonia is the cheapest country in the Balkans triple — Lake Ohrid in particular offers exceptional value: the clearest lake in Europe for swimming (the visibility reaches 22 metres), Byzantine frescoes in the lakeside churches, and guesthouse accommodation from £10-16/night.
The 10-day Balkans circuit budget:
| Country | Days | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Montenegro (Kotor + Budva) | 3 | £40-60 |
| Bosnia (Sarajevo + Mostar) | 3 | £28-40 |
| North Macedonia (Ohrid) | 4 | £20-32 |
10-day Balkans total (return flights UK to Podgorica or Sarajevo, £60-150): £400-640 including flights.
Nepal on £35/Day
Nepal has two cost environments: Kathmandu (the capital, the tourist infrastructure city, the costs inflated by the trekking permit economy) and the trail (where the teahouses — the simple guesthouses along every major trekking route — offer extraordinary value).
The Kathmandu daily breakdown:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, Thamel guesthouse | £10-18 |
| Dal bhat (lentil rice set), breakfast | £1.58 |
| Mo:mo (dumplings), lunch at Thamel stall | £1.05 |
| Restaurant dinner, Thamel tourist area | £5-9 |
| Taxi, 2 journeys (metered) | £2.11 |
| Pashupatinath entry (foreigners) | £6.33 |
| Boudhanath Stupa (free) | £0 |
| Water | £0.53 |
| Daily total | £27-39 |
The trekking economy:
The teahouse system on the Annapurna Circuit, the Everest Base Camp route, and the Poon Hill trek provides accommodation and meals at the following rates:
| Item | Cost (low altitude) | Cost (high altitude, above 3,500m) |
|---|---|---|
| Teahouse dormitory | £1.58-3.16 | £3.16-6.33 |
| Teahouse private room | £3.16-6.33 | £5.27-10.54 |
| Dal bhat (the trekking staple, unlimited refills) | £3.16-5.27 | £5.27-8.43 |
| Tea, boiled water, snacks per day | £2.11-3.16 | £3.16-5.27 |
The permit costs:
| Permit | Cost |
|---|---|
| TIMS Card (Trekkers’ Information Management System) | NPR 2,000 / £12.62 |
| Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) | NPR 3,000 / £18.94 |
| Sagarmatha National Park Permit (EBC route) | NPR 3,000 / £18.94 |
| Langtang National Park Permit | NPR 3,000 / £18.94 |
The 14-day Nepal budget (Annapurna Circuit):
| Segment | Days | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu (pre-trek) | 2 | £28-38 |
| Trek (teahouses, dal bhat, permits amortised) | 10 | £18-28 |
| Kathmandu (post-trek) | 2 | £28-38 |
| Permits + guides/porters amortised | — | £8-12/day |
14-day Nepal total (return flights UK via Doha or Delhi, £400-600): £700-950 including flights.
The guide and porter question:
The EBC and Annapurna Circuit can be done without a guide (the trails are well-marked, the teahouses are frequent). A local guide costs £20-30/day; a porter costs £12-18/day. The porter is the correct hire — carrying a heavy pack at altitude is unnecessary suffering and the porter income is substantial for a Nepali household. The guide is optional on the main routes; valuable on the off-route variations.
Vietnam on £35/Day
Slightly cheaper than the £50/day target in the SE Asia overview — the floor version that requires some compromises from the comfortable middle.
The daily breakdown in Hoi An:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, Hoi An guesthouse (AC) | £8-14 |
| Cao lầu, market breakfast | £1.09 |
| Bánh mì, lunch from street vendor | £0.63 |
| White Rose + won tons, dinner restaurant | £5-8 |
| Bicycle hire (all-day) | £1.57 |
| Entry to 2 heritage sites | £3.14 |
| Iced Vietnamese coffee | £0.63 |
| Water | £0.31 |
| Daily total | £21-30 |
The budget floor in Vietnam:
£35/day produces comfortable independent travel throughout Vietnam — private rooms with AC (essential from April through October), restaurant meals twice daily, local transport, and site entries. The costs that push above £35: the Ha Long Bay overnight cruise (£80-180, spread across the trip), and the occasional flight (VietJet Hanoi to Da Nang from £15 if booked ahead).
City cost comparison:
| City | Budget Room | Lunch | Dinner | Daily Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi Old Quarter | £8-14 | £0.94-1.57 | £3.14-6.28 | £18-28 |
| Hoi An | £8-14 | £0.63-1.26 | £5-8 | £21-30 |
| Ho Chi Minh City | £10-16 | £1.26-2.51 | £4-8 | £22-33 |
| Hue | £7-12 | £0.63-1.26 | £3-6 | £17-25 |
| Da Lat | £7-12 | £0.94-1.57 | £3-6 | £17-25 |
Laos on £25/Day
The cheapest country in mainland Southeast Asia — the specific Laos economy (small domestic market, limited manufacturing, high proportion of subsistence agriculture) keeps costs extremely low even by regional standards.
The daily breakdown in Luang Prabang:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, old city guesthouse | £9-16 |
| Sticky rice + morning market, breakfast | £0.63 |
| Khao piak sen noodle soup, lunch | £0.94 |
| Restaurant dinner, local | £3.76-6.27 |
| Tuk-tuk, 2 journeys | £1.26 |
| Kuang Si Waterfall entry | £0.85 |
| Beer Lao (large bottle) | £0.63 |
| Water | £0.31 |
| Daily total | £17-27 |
The Laos slow boat:
As covered in the Southeast Asia extension guides, the 2-day Mekong slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang costs £18.70 (tickets) + £5-12 (Pak Beng overnight) = £24-31 total. Spread over 2 days: £12-15.50/day for transport and accommodation — the cheapest long-distance travel in Southeast Asia.
The vang Vieng reality:
Vang Vieng has developed a reputation as a budget party destination that distorts the Laos cost picture. The tube floating and the bucket drinks are cheap; the tourist infrastructure that has grown around them is not representative of Laos at large. Budget: £22-35/day in Vang Vieng (higher than Luang Prabang due to the tourist economy concentration).
Georgia on £28/Day
Georgia is the most surprising value in the Caucasus — and the most surprising destination for UK travellers who haven’t been. The wine (the qvevri tradition covered in the Tbilisi 48-hour guide), the food (the supra feast culture, the khinkali, the khachapuri), and the mountain landscape (the Svaneti tower villages, the Kazbegi valley and the Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170m) are all in the same country accessible on a £28/day budget.
The daily breakdown in Tbilisi:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse (Mtatsminda area) | £12-20 |
| Shotis puri + matsoni, market breakfast | £1.06 |
| Khinkali (8 dumplings), lunch | £2.66 |
| Restaurant dinner + wine (by the glass) | £8-14 |
| Metro, 2 journeys | £0.53 |
| Sulphur bath (1 hour private room) | £2.66-5.32 |
| Water | £0.27 |
| Daily total | £27-44 |
The wine cost:
Georgian wine at a Tbilisi wine bar: £3.99-7.98 per glass (natural qvevri wines). Georgian wine at the supermarket (Fresco, Goodwill): £2.66-5.32 per bottle for genuinely excellent wine. The £28/day budget accommodates wine with dinner every night if supermarket or carafe rather than wine bar pricing is used.
The mountain regions:
Kazbegi (the Caucasus mountain town, 3 hours from Tbilisi by shared marshrutka taxi, £5.32): the Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170m above the town (2-hour hike or taxi), the Dariali Gorge, the Truso Valley. Accommodation: £10-18/night for a guesthouse room in Kazbegi town. Total daily cost in Kazbegi: £18-30 (lower than Tbilisi due to simpler accommodation and food options).
Svaneti (the UNESCO-listed medieval tower villages, accessible by flight from Tbilisi to Mestia, £25-40 one way, or 8-hour minibus, £8): the finest mountain landscape in Georgia, the tower houses rising from the valley floor, the Ushguli — the highest permanently inhabited village in Europe. Accommodation in Mestia or Ushguli guesthouses: £12-20/night with breakfast included. Daily cost: £20-32.
The 10-day Georgia budget:
| Segment | Days | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi | 2 | £28-42 |
| Mtskheta day trip | 1 | £15-22 (marshrutka) |
| Kazbegi | 2 | £18-30 |
| Svaneti (Mestia + Ushguli) | 3 | £22-35 |
| Batumi (Black Sea) | 2 | £22-32 |
10-day Georgia total (return flights UK, Wizz Air direct from Gatwick, £100-220): £380-560 including flights.
Philippines on £35/Day
The Philippines has a flight economy that significantly affects the budget — the country is an archipelago of 7,641 islands, internal flights are the standard transport, and Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines have created a budget domestic airline market with fares from £8-25 per leg.
The daily breakdown in Palawan (El Nido):
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse, El Nido town | £14-22 |
| Sinangag (garlic fried rice) + egg, breakfast | £1.25 |
| Kare-kare (oxtail peanut stew), lunch | £2.51 |
| Seafood restaurant dinner | £7-12 |
| Island hopping Tour A (full day boat) | £18.82 per person |
| Water, buko juice | £0.94 |
| Daily total | £44-58 (island hopping day) |
| Daily total (rest day) | £26-40 |
The island hopping economy:
El Nido’s island hopping tours (Tour A, B, C, D — each covering different islands and lagoons) are the primary El Nido activity. At £18.82-25.10/person per tour, with 4 tours covering the full El Nido circuit, the island hopping budget for 4 tour days is £75-100. Spread across a 7-day Palawan stay, this adds £11-14/day to the daily average.
The internal flight reality:
Manila to Palawan (Puerto Princesa): Cebu Pacific from £12-28 one way. Manila to Siargao: from £18-35. Manila to Boracay (Caticlan airport): from £12-25. The Philippines budget requires allocating £50-120 for 3-4 internal flights for a full circuit.
The Philippines city comparison:
| Location | Budget Room | Daily Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Manila (Makati) | £12-20 | £28-40 |
| Cebu City | £10-18 | £25-38 |
| El Nido (Palawan) | £14-22 | £38-55 |
| Siargao | £12-20 | £30-45 |
| Boracay (Station 2) | £16-28 | £38-58 |
Cambodia on £30/Day
Cambodia has a dual pricing economy (Cambodian prices and tourist prices) and a dual currency system (US dollars and Cambodian Riel, both accepted everywhere). The tourist infrastructure in Siem Reap (the Angkor Wat base) is more expensive than Phnom Penh and significantly more expensive than the rural towns.
The daily breakdown in Siem Reap:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse, Pub Street area | £8-16 |
| Bai sach chrouk (pork and rice), breakfast | £0.82 |
| Amok (fish curry in banana leaf), lunch | £2.05 |
| Restaurant dinner, tourist area | £5-9 |
| Tuk-tuk, half day (to temples and back) | £6.15 |
| Angkor Wat 1-day pass | £34.44 |
| Water | £0.41 |
| Daily total (Angkor entry day) | £57-77 |
| Daily total (non-Angkor day) | £23-35 |
The Angkor Wat pass reality:
The single largest cost in Cambodia — the Angkor Archaeological Park pass:
- 1-day: $37 / £29.13
- 3-day: $62 / £48.82 (spread over 10 days)
- 7-day: $72 / £56.69
For serious temple exploration: the 3-day pass covers Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (including the Bayon and the Baphuon), Ta Prohm (the famous tree-root temple), Banteay Srei (the women’s temple, the finest stone carving in the complex), and Preah Khan. The 7-day pass adds the outer temples (Beng Mealea, Koh Ker) if time allows.
The Phnom Penh reality:
Cambodia’s capital is 20% cheaper than Siem Reap — the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (the former S-21 prison, now a genocide memorial, entry $3 / £2.36) and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek ($6 / £4.72 including audio guide) are the primary visitor sites. Both require attending with the same weight as the Kigali Genocide Memorial — not rushed, not minimised.
Egypt on £40/Day
Egypt’s cost structure is unusual: the internal transport and accommodation are very cheap, but the site entries (which are priced to capture tourist revenue from the international visitor economy) are significant.
The daily breakdown in Luxor:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse (West Bank) | £8-14 |
| Ful medames + aish baladi, breakfast | £0.64 |
| Koshary, lunch | £0.96 |
| Restaurant dinner, Nile view | £5-9 |
| Local taxi, 3 journeys | £1.92 |
| Water, sugarcane juice | £0.64 |
| Valley of the Kings entry (3 tombs) | £11.18 |
| Karnak Temple entry | £9.57 |
| Daily total | £38-48 (heavy site day) |
| Daily total (lighter site day) | £22-32 |
The site entry accumulation:
Egypt’s temple and site entries aggregate quickly:
| Site | Entry |
|---|---|
| Valley of the Kings (3 standard tombs) | EGP 600 / £11.18 |
| Tutankhamun’s tomb (additional) | EGP 1,200 / £22.37 |
| Karnak Temple | EGP 500 / £9.32 |
| Luxor Temple | EGP 300 / £5.59 |
| Egyptian Museum (Cairo) | EGP 450 / £8.39 |
| Pyramids of Giza entry | EGP 600 / £11.18 |
| Great Pyramid interior | EGP 800 / £14.91 |
| Abu Simbel | EGP 900 / £16.77 |
Budget EGP 4,000-6,000 / £74.55-111.83 for the full temple circuit entries across a 10-day Egypt trip.
The felucca and dahabiya (Nile sailing):
The overnight felucca from Aswan to Edfu (2 nights, the traditional sail on the Nile before the Aswan High Dam was built): £25-40/person per night, meals included, the Nile bank visible throughout. The dahabiya (the traditional two-masted Nile sailing boat): significantly more expensive (£80-150/person per night) but the finest Nile experience available.
Jordan on £55/Day
Jordan is the most expensive country in the BGGD budget breakdown series — the country’s small population, limited domestic food production, and high-value tourism economy (Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea) produce costs closer to southern Europe than Southeast Asia.
The Jordan Pass impact:
As covered in the Petra guide, the Jordan Pass ($75-130 / £59-102 depending on the Petra entry days) covers the tourist visa AND Petra entry — without it, the visa ($40 / £31.50) and Petra (1-day $55 / £43.32) cost more separately. The Jordan Pass is non-negotiable for any visitor seeing Petra.
The daily breakdown in Petra/Wadi Musa:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Guesthouse, Wadi Musa | £18-35 |
| Falafel + hummus, breakfast | £2.52 |
| Mansaf (from a local restaurant), lunch | £6.30-9.45 |
| Restaurant dinner | £8-14 |
| Taxi, 2 journeys | £3.15 |
| Jordan Pass (Petra entry amortised) | £20-25/day |
| Water | £0.63 |
| Daily total | £59-90 (Petra days) |
The Wadi Rum overnight:
The overnight Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum — the fundamental Wadi Rum experience: £35-60/person including the jeep tour, the camp, dinner, breakfast, and the sunrise. Non-negotiable. Book through a Bedouin operator from the Rum Village visitor centre (the government-licensed operators are listed at wadirum.jo).
The Dead Sea:
Entry to the public beach sections (Ein Bokek resort area): minimal (the beach is technically free; the beach clubs and their facilities cost £10-15). The Dead Sea in the Jordan budget: a half-day diversion, not a cost driver.
Jordan is worth the cost:
The £55-75/day average for Jordan (including amortised Jordan Pass costs) is among the highest in this budget series. The country delivers: Petra is the most significant archaeological site in the Middle East, Wadi Rum is the finest desert landscape accessible from the UK, and the Jordanian hospitality (the country has a genuine reputation for warmth toward visitors) makes the cost feel proportional to the experience.
Ethiopia on £38/Day
Ethiopia is developing its tourist infrastructure rapidly — the combination of the new Addis Ababa airport hub position and the extraordinary historical sites (Lalibela, Axum, the Omo Valley) has produced recent investment in accommodation quality while costs remain significantly below comparable African destinations.
The daily breakdown in Addis Ababa:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse, Bole area | £12-20 |
| Injera with tibs (fried meat), breakfast | £1.53 |
| Beyaynetu (fasting platter, vegetable), lunch | £2.30 |
| Restaurant dinner, injera spread | £5-9 |
| Blue taxi, 3 journeys | £1.53 |
| Tej (Ethiopian honey wine), 2 glasses | £1.53 |
| Water | £0.38 |
| National Museum (Lucy) | £2.30 |
| Daily total | £26-38 |
The Lalibela factor:
Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches are the most significant Christian pilgrimage site in Africa and one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements in the world. The entry ticket to the Lalibela complex: $50 / £39.39 for 5 days (multiple visits allowed). The flight from Addis Ababa to Lalibela: Ethiopian Airlines from £75-100 return. The accommodation in Lalibela: £15-30/night for a guesthouse with the church views.
The Lalibela 3-day visit daily cost (including the flight amortised and the entry fee): £55-75 — significantly above the Ethiopia average, but the site justifies it.
The injera economy:
Injera (the Ethiopian sourdough flatbread used as both plate and utensil) with a variety of stews costs £1.53-3.83 at any local restaurant. The Ethiopia budget is anchored by the extraordinary cheapness of the national cuisine — the beyaynetu (the fasting platter served on Wednesdays and Fridays when Orthodox Christians abstain from meat) at £2.30-3.83 is the finest value complete meal in East Africa.
Turkey on £38/Day
Turkey has experienced significant inflation (above 50% annually for several years), but the lira’s corresponding depreciation means the UK traveller’s purchasing power has actually improved — £1 buys approximately 36-38 Turkish Lira at time of writing versus £1 = £22 TRY five years ago. Turkey is genuinely cheaper for UK visitors than at any point in the last decade.
The daily breakdown in Istanbul:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room, guesthouse, Sultanahmet | £20-35 |
| Simit + tea, street breakfast | £0.56 |
| Lahmacun, lunch | £0.83 |
| Balık ekmek (fish sandwich), mid-afternoon | £1.39 |
| Meyhane dinner + 2 glasses raki | £11.11-16.67 |
| Metro + tram, 4 journeys | £1.11 |
| Topkapı entry | £13.89 |
| Basilica Cistern | £13.89 |
| Daily total | £63-84 (heavy site day) |
| Daily total (non-site day) | £35-52 |
The Cappadocia balloon:
As covered in the Cappadocia guide, the hot air balloon (£140-220/person) is the largest single expenditure in a Turkey trip. A 10-day Turkey circuit (Istanbul 3 days, Cappadocia 3 days, Turquoise Coast 4 days) with one balloon flight averages out to approximately £55-75/day including the balloon.
The coastal economy:
The Aegean and Mediterranean coast towns (Bodrum, Fethiye, Kaş) are 30-40% cheaper for accommodation than Istanbul — guesthouses from £16-28/night, restaurant meals £4-8. The gulet (the boat charter) is the budget outlier: cabin charter from £600-1,200/week.
Rwanda (Gorilla Permit Breakdown)
Rwanda’s gorilla permit ($1,500 / £1,183) is the largest single expenditure in any budget on this list. Outside the permit, Rwanda is affordable — but the permit dominates the trip economy for most visitors.
The per-day breakdown for a 7-day Rwanda trip:
| Item | Total Cost | Per Day (7 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Gorilla permit (1 person, 1 trek) | £1,183 | £169 |
| Return flights UK (RwandAir direct from Heathrow) | £500-750 | £71-107 |
| 7 nights accommodation (Kigali + Ruhengeri) | £140-280 | £20-40 |
| Food (7 days) | £100-175 | £14-25 |
| Transport (Kigali-Musanze + park jeep) | £75-120 | £11-17 |
| Total per day (1 gorilla trek) | £285-358 | — |
The Uganda comparison:
Uganda’s gorilla permit at $700 / £551 saves £632 per person compared to Rwanda. For a couple doing one trek each: £1,264 saved on permits alone. The Uganda 7-day equivalent:
| Item | Uganda Total | Rwanda Total |
|---|---|---|
| Gorilla permit × 1 | £551 | £1,183 |
| Flights from UK | £500-700 | £450-650 |
| 7 nights | £120-220 | £140-280 |
| Food + transport | £150-220 | £150-220 |
| Total | £1,321-1,691 | £1,923-2,333 |
The Uganda saving per person: £602-642. The Rwanda advantage: better infrastructure, shorter drive to the park, the Nyungwe Forest chimp experience. The decision framework is covered in the Uganda — BGGD Guide.
The Master Comparison Table
| Country | Daily Budget (own travel) | 10-Day Excl. Flights | Flights from UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laos | £18-28 | £180-280 | £400-600 |
| Nepal | £22-32 | £220-320 | £400-600 |
| Albania | £22-32 | £220-320 | £50-120 |
| Cambodia | £25-35 | £250-350 | £400-600 |
| Georgia | £26-38 | £260-380 | £100-220 |
| Vietnam | £25-38 | £250-380 | £350-550 |
| North Macedonia | £20-30 | £200-300 | £60-150 |
| Uzbekistan | £25-37 | £250-370 | £350-500 |
| Thailand | £28-45 | £280-450 | £350-500 |
| Bosnia | £27-40 | £270-400 | £60-150 |
| Ethiopia | £26-38 | £260-380 | £500-750 |
| Philippines | £30-45 | £300-450 | £400-600 |
| Morocco | £35-52 | £350-520 | £80-180 |
| Colombia | £28-48 | £280-480 | £500-750 |
| Peru | £28-44 | £280-440 | £500-750 |
| Turkey | £35-55 | £350-550 | £100-250 |
| Egypt | £35-50 | £350-500 | £250-450 |
| Montenegro | £38-58 | £380-580 | £80-180 |
| Japan | £38-60 | £380-600 | £500-800 |
| Jordan | £55-80 | £550-800 | £180-350 |
| Rwanda (gorilla) | £170-250 | — | £450-650 |
