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The Cheapest European Cities to Visit in 2027: 17 Underrated Cities Ranked by What a Day Costs
Europe is cheapest away from its famous capitals. These 17 cities each stand in for one of them (Olomouc and Košice for Prague, Wrocław for Kraków, Novi Sad for Belgrade) and are ranked by what one shoestring day really costs: a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight.
Photo: RKold, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Text added by Trip Under.
The short answer
On a shoestring, the cheapest European cities to visit in 2027 are Ohrid, Gyumri, Kutaisi, Košice, Plovdiv, then Wrocław, Berat, Veliko Tarnovo, Sibiu, Novi Sad. A day with a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight runs from about ₹2,100 in Ohrid to ₹5,500 in Tartu. Kutaisi (Georgia) and Gyumri (Armenia), in the Caucasus, are close behind. The Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania and eastern Central Europe are where Europe stays cheap.
Most "cheapest cities in Europe" lists are full of capitals: Budapest, Kraków, Prague, Sofia. They are cheap by Paris standards, but crowded and rising. Every city here is the quieter second city or old capital of the same country, with the same kind of old town, often at a lower price and with far fewer tour groups.
How we worked it out. Each figure is the shoestring day on that city's Trip Under page: one person, a hostel dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight, priced from dated sources listed on the page. We rank by this figure because it is the most comparable across cities; mid-range and comfortable budgets are on each city's page. Flights are not included. Prices on this page show in your own currency.
Infographic · one shoestring day per person
What a cheap day costs, cheapest first
Dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport, one sight. Flights extra.
All 17 cities at a glance
| City | Country | Instead of | Shoestring day | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohrid | North Macedonia | Lake Bled | ₹2,100 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Gyumri * | Armenia | Yerevan | ₹2,400 | Jun–Sep |
| Kutaisi * | Georgia | Tbilisi | ₹2,600 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Košice | Slovakia | Prague | ₹2,800 | May–Sep |
| Plovdiv | Bulgaria | Athens | ₹2,900 | May, Sep |
| Wrocław | Poland | Kraków | ₹2,900 | May–Sep |
| Berat | Albania | Dubrovnik | ₹3,000 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Veliko Tarnovo | Bulgaria | Sofia | ₹3,400 | May–Jun, Sep–Oct |
| Sibiu | Romania | Brașov | ₹3,800 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Novi Sad | Serbia | Belgrade | ₹3,850 | May, Sep |
| Lublin | Poland | Warsaw | ₹4,300 | May–Jun, Aug–Sep |
| Timișoara | Romania | Bucharest | ₹4,750 | May, Sep |
| Kaunas | Lithuania | Vilnius | ₹5,050 | May–Aug |
| Coimbra | Portugal | Lisbon | ₹5,300 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Olomouc | Czechia | Prague | ₹5,400 | May–Jun, Sep |
| Pécs | Hungary | Budapest | ₹5,400 | May, Sep |
| Tartu | Estonia | Tallinn | ₹5,500 | Jun–Aug |
The cheapest European cities, ranked
Cheapest first. Each names the famous city it stands in for.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1. Ohrid, North Macedonia
Instead of Lake Bled. A clifftop chapel over one of Europe's oldest lakes, frescoed churches all over the old town and a fortress walk above it.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Ohrid page.
Plan OhridFull place page →
Photo: ogannes, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Gyumri, Armenia *
Instead of Yerevan. Armenia's second city, where the Kumayri district keeps more than a thousand 18th- and 19th-century black-stone buildings you can walk for free.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Gyumri page.
Plan GyumriFull place page →_02.jpg/960px-Bagrati_Cathedral_(Kutaisi)_02.jpg)
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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3. Kutaisi, Georgia *
Instead of Tbilisi. Georgia's old royal capital, with Bagrati Cathedral above the river, Gelati Monastery a short ride out and two show caves within an hour. Many low-cost flights land at Kutaisi's own airport.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Kutaisi page.
Plan KutaisiFull place page →
Photo: Maros M r a z ( Maros ), CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Košice, Slovakia
Instead of Prague. A Gothic cathedral, a singing fountain and a long main street of pastel townhouses in eastern Slovakia, at a fraction of Prague's crowds.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Košice page.
Plan KošiceFull place page →
Photo: BrankaVV, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Instead of Athens. A Roman theatre you can sit in, a stadium under the shopping street and painted Revival houses on three hills.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Plovdiv page.
Plan PlovdivFull place page →
Photo: Jar.ciurus, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, via Wikimedia Commons
6. Wrocław, Poland
Instead of Kraków. A city of islands and bridges with a market square as grand as Kraków's and little bronze dwarfs hidden in the pavements.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Wrocław page.
Plan WrocławFull place page →
Photo: Arianit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
7. Berat, Albania
Instead of Dubrovnik. Two Ottoman hill towns of stone houses, Berat's "town of a thousand windows" and Gjirokastër's castle, easy together by bus.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Berat page.
Plan BeratFull place page →
Photo: RKold, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
8. Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Instead of Sofia. Bulgaria's medieval capital: the Tsarevets fortress, a second ruined hill across the river and old houses stacked above the Yantra gorge.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Veliko Tarnovo page.
Plan Veliko TarnovoFull place page →
Photo: Chainwit., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
9. Sibiu, Romania
Instead of Brașov. A Saxon walled town of three squares, roofs with "eyes", Romania's oldest art museum and a huge open-air village museum.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Sibiu page.
Plan SibiuFull place page →
Photo: Skelanard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
10. Novi Sad, Serbia
Instead of Belgrade. A Habsburg fortress above the Danube and a pastel old town you can cross on foot, 36 minutes from Belgrade by fast train.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Novi Sad page.
Plan Novi SadFull place page →
Photo: Max Dziekański, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
11. Lublin, Poland
Instead of Warsaw. A walkable old town, a royal chapel covered in 1418 Ruthenian frescoes and the free Majdanek memorial, two hours from Warsaw.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Lublin page.
Plan LublinFull place page →
Photo: Pudelek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
12. Timișoara, Romania
Instead of Bucharest. Baroque and Secession squares, a canal you can ride for the price of a bus ticket, and the city where Romania's 1989 revolution began.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Timișoara page.
Plan TimișoaraFull place page →
Photo: Tim Adams, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
13. Kaunas, Lithuania
Instead of Vilnius. A UNESCO-listed interwar modernist city with a red-brick castle, two old funiculars and a long linden-lined avenue.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Kaunas page.
Plan KaunasFull place page →
Photo: Kondephy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
14. Coimbra, Portugal
Instead of Lisbon. An old university town climbing a hill above the Mondego river, with fado of its own and a fraction of Lisbon's queues.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Coimbra page.
Plan CoimbraFull place page →
Photo: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
15. Olomouc, Czechia
Instead of Prague. Baroque squares and the UNESCO-listed Holy Trinity Column (under restoration until the end of 2026), with Prague's kind of architecture at a student town's prices.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Olomouc page.
Plan OlomoucFull place page →
Photo: Takkk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
16. Pécs, Hungary
Instead of Budapest. Roman-era tombs under the cathedral square, a mosque turned church on the main square and a porcelain quarter on the slopes of the Mecsek hills.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Pécs page.
Plan PécsFull place page →
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, via Wikimedia Commons
17. Tartu, Estonia
Instead of Tallinn. Estonia's university town: a leaning town hall square, riverside parks and the national museum, at a calmer pace than Tallinn.
The shoestring day is a dorm bed, cheap meals, local transport and one main sight. Mid-range and comfortable budgets, stays and the way in are on the Tartu page.
Plan TartuFull place page →Where Europe is cheapest
- The Balkans: Ohrid, Plovdiv, Berat, Veliko Tarnovo, Novi Sad. Several keep their own currency, and beds and food are among the cheapest in Europe.
- Romania and Hungary: Sibiu, Timișoara, Pécs: big old towns, small crowds.
- Central Europe's second cities: Košice, Wrocław, Lublin, Olomouc: the architecture of Kraków and Prague without their prices.
- The Baltics and the far west: Kaunas, Coimbra, Tartu are dearer, but still cheaper than their capitals.
Check the dates that matter. When we checked, Timișoara airport was closed from 2 to 22 November 2026 with flights moved to Arad, Sibiu's Council Tower was shut for restoration, and UK travel advice mentioned protests in Serbia. The details are on each city page.
How to keep a European city trip cheap
- Fly into the nearest low-cost airport, not the capital, when there is one: Kutaisi, Wrocław, Košice and Sibiu all have their own.
- Travel by train or bus between cities. Regional trains and buses here cost a fraction of Western European fares.
- Stay in hostels or guesthouses midweek. Weekend rates rise, especially in university towns.
- Eat lunch menus. Set lunches in Poland, Czechia, Romania and the Balkans are the cheapest proper meal of the day.
- Check entry rules for your passport. Schengen, the Balkans and the Caucasus each have different rules, so check the official government site before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest city in Europe to visit?
On our figures, Ohrid: a shoestring day is about ₹2,100. In Europe proper, Ohrid in North Macedonia is cheapest, at about ₹2,100.
What is the cheapest city in Eastern Europe?
Ohrid, then Košice, Plovdiv, Wrocław, all at or under ₹2,900 a shoestring day on our pages.
Which cheap European city is a good alternative to Prague?
Košice in Slovakia (about ₹2,800 a shoestring day) and Olomouc in Czechia (about ₹5,400): Gothic and Baroque old towns at a fraction of Prague's crowds.
Is Romania cheap to visit?
Yes. A shoestring day in Sibiu is about ₹3,800 and in Timișoara about ₹4,750 on our pages.
Is Georgia cheap to visit?
Very. A shoestring day in Kutaisi is about ₹2,600, and Kutaisi has its own low-cost airport.
Do these costs include flights?
No. They are on the ground only: a bed, food, local transport and one main sight. Flights depend on where you start.
Sources and how we priced this
- Daily costs, best months, airports and what each city replaces: Trip Under city pages, each with its own dated sources (checked 5 November 2026 for the newest cities), and our cost model.
- Currency: prices stored in Indian rupees, shown in your currency at fixed ECB reference rates (16 October 2026).
- Search demand: Google Keyword Planner (all locations), checked 5 November 2026.
Keep reading
Plan one of these cities
Every city has full costs, stays, the best months and a day-by-day plan, shown in your own currency.
Browse all destinations →Costs come from Trip Under's place data and our cost model (see methodology). They are indicative ballparks for budget travel and move with season and demand. Check live bus, train and room prices before you book. Trip Under is reader-planned, not an agency, and takes no commission on any booking.