The cheapest cities to visit in Europe on a budget in 2025

Albania’s pretty coastline has been having a bit of a moment over the last couple of years as a budget alternative to Greece, Spain and Italy, but you’d be a fool to pay the country a visit and overlook its capital – particularly if you’re after a budget city break. Tirana is steeped in Communist era history: Bunk’art 1, a Cold War bunker turned museum, and one of the city’s most popular attractions costs just £4 to enter, but lots of traditional buildings have since been given vibrant makeovers in the form of street art. Then there’s brilliant restaurants (like Mystic 2) and bars (such as Radio Bar), which are rustling up great dishes and cocktails at decent prices. 

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €46 (£40, $50)
🍻 Average pint: €3.45 (£2.96, $3.70)

🏘️ Check out the best Airbnbs in Albania

With just my part-time job pocket money as a budget, I went to Sofia for a post-exams trip a few years ago – and reaching blissfully hot temperatures in the summer, the Bulgarian capital shouldn’t be overlooked. Besides admiring its blend of communist traces, Roman ruins and Byzantine architecture, we joined a stunning free tour up the nearby Vitosha mountain and embarked on a free Balkan food tour, with generous complimentary samples from some of the city’s most delicious spots (enough to replace lunch). And, obviously, we sunk plenty of gloriously cheap wine and beer in its countless parks and hidden bars.

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €55 (£46, $60)
🍻 Average pint: €1.63 (£1.37, $1.80)

If I hadn’t already been on a road trip around Croatia, Zagreb almost definitely wouldn’t have been on my radar. Despite being Croatia’s capital, the city is pretty underrated, cowering in the shadow of popular destinations such as Split and Dubrovnik – but I’m here to make a case for it as a brilliant budget destination. Why? Because it’s so goddamn walkable. That’s right – alongside the reasonable accommodation and food prices, Zagreb’s streets are some of the most pleasant to get around on foot: we barely used public transport at all (but even if you do, a tram ride of up to 30 mins costs just 44p). Start from the city’s sprawling main square and meander your way to pretty much every one of the city’s best sights before grabbing an excellent people watching spot – the cafés here are excellent.

Kaunas was a European Capital of Culture for 2022, and an incredible 1,000 events took place to celebrate it. But otherwise, for those of us who weren’t there are plenty of seriously impressive exhibition spaces open all year round, like the Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery. And if you want something a bit weirder, head to the seriously strange Devil’s Museum. 

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €69 (£58, $76)
🍻 Average pint: €3.45 (£2.90, $3.81)

In Riga, it’s all about the art nouveau. The architecture is seriously beautiful, and there’s a huge, buzzy creative scene. Check out Putti, a modern gallery and events space, or Rīgas Birža for something more traditional. Looking for something less refined? The booze here is really cheap – so if you’re looking to let loose, head to the Old Town for all the most established bars. 

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €59 (£49, $64)
🍻 Average pint: €3.29 (£2.76, $3.66)

Another Balkans spot on the list, Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it remains remarkably affordable. It’s also a city that doesn’t demand you spend money – you can wander its streets for hours Join a free walking tour to get familiar and learn about the city’s history (we say free, but make sure to tip your tour guide). Grab bits for lunch at Gradska tržnica Markale, a covered food market in the city centre, fill up on a traditional burek for less than a fiver, and stop for a beer or wine for as little as €2. 

Festival vibes meet olde-worlde history in Kraków. We recommend packing in as many medieval sites as possible, and then getting stuck into a great night out. Try to plan your trip to coincide with one of the city’s many, many festivals, which range from the typical (think Summer Jazz Festival and the Kraków Film Festival) to the more obscure, like the International Soup Festival. Yum.

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €69 (£59, $77)
🍻 Average pint: €2.51 (£2.15, $2.82)

Bucharest is great if you’re looking for a good time. Don’t sleep on the nightlife, just make sure to avoid the overhyped bars near the centre and head for one of the sky bars instead. You can try (delicious, hearty) traditional food for bargain prices, too. Our reccomedation is the legendary Caru’ cu Bere – order the grilled pork and a side of sauerkraut.

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €53 (£45, $59)
🍻 Average pint: €1.73 (£1.48, $1.94)

We’ve previously named Hull as one of the UK’s best places to visit, for its culture, LGBTQ+ scene and, for tourists, its very pretty old town – a town steeped with history, having survived the Hull Blitz during WW2. But you can’t ignore one of Hull’s biggest draws: it’s seriously cheap. And as the UK’s major cities all get closer to London prices (we’re looking at you, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester), that’s more and more hard to come by. For the perfect weekend visit, wander round cute shops at Hepworth Arcade and splash out a little at restaurant and bakery Hearth with all the cash you saved on the Airbnb. 

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €81 (£69, $85)
🍻 Average pint: €5.58 (£4.75, $5.87)

Český Krumlov is a lot like Prague, but without the stag dos. Its labyrinthine, baroque streets all lead you, eventually, to the huge castle complex at the centre. It’s beautiful in summer, but for the really picturesque views go in winter, when it’s blanketed in snow. Keep warm in one of the many cosy cafés, or try traditional food in one of the live music parlours. Not a rowdy bunch of blokes to be seen. 

🏩 Average one-bed Airbnb: €89 (£76, $99)
🍻 Average pint: €1.68 (£1.44, $1.89)