How to Eat Cheap When You Travel the World (Updated 2023)

Final Up to date: 3/17/23 | March seventeenth, 2023

I like to eat.

In actual fact, consuming is considered one of my favourite actions, and likewise considered one of my favourite facets of touring.

Meals is such an integral a part of so many cultures that to skip out on meals whenever you journey is to overlook out on part of that tradition.

I’m all the time dissatisfied after I meet vacationers who prepare dinner all their meals in a hostel kitchen.

Why come to Italy and never have pasta?

No sushi in Japan?

Avoiding steak in Argentina?

Skipping paella in Spain?

When you don’t have to eat each single dish whenever you go to a brand new nation, it’s essential to be as open as doable to their meals tradition.

In fact, many vacationers have a sound concern in terms of meals. For one, consuming out on a regular basis is pricey. Think about when you ate out day-after-day — your meals finances can be astronomical!

Moreover, many individuals have dietary considerations that stop them from totally embracing new meals. And plenty of vacationers are vegan or vegetarian, as effectively, which could influence their choices.

As a backpacker, individuals usually assume that I, like different backpackers, prepare dinner all my meals.

Nevertheless, I don’t really prepare dinner fairly often after I’m on the highway. Whereas I like cooking at dwelling, I hate poorly geared up hostel kitchens.

To ensure I can eat out with out breaking the financial institution, I’ve needed to discover ways to stability consuming 99% of my meals out whereas nonetheless discovering a means to save cash.

Sure, it takes a little bit of intelligent considering, nevertheless it positively is feasible. Right here’s how you can eat out on a finances when you journey the world:

1. Eat at Buffets

Whereas they don’t all the time serve one of the best meals, buffets supply nice worth to your cash, particularly since they’re all-you-can-eat. As a rule, you may replenish on one meal for all the day. They’re a very good economical alternative and provide the most meals to your buck (whereas permitting you to pattern a whole lot of totally different meals).

2. Go to Outside Avenue Distributors

Small stands that promote scorching canines, sausages, sandwiches, and related meals nice locations to get an affordable and fast meal. Whereas in Sweden, I lived off a lot of these distributors. Whereas they’re nothing fancy, they’re tasty and low cost!

In Amsterdam, FEBO and their croquettes saved my abdomen full. In Costa Rica, the empanada vendor stuffed me up for a greenback and I purchased native meals from distributors at markets for mere pennies in Madagascar.

These fast and cheap meals received’t win any Michelin stars (although there are Michelin star meals stalls in Singapore!) however, they’ll hold you full with out emptying your pockets.

3. Eat Avenue Meals

In most locations around the globe (and particularly in Asia), the streets are lined with little meals stalls and areas the place meals is cooked brazenly on the road.

You seize a plate, sit down in slightly plastic chair, and luxuriate in a scrumptious meal. Avenue meals is a number of the greatest meals on the planet. Meals at road stalls (totally different from road distributors, who’ve a bit extra everlasting set-up) value lower than a greenback more often than not and are a good way to essentially expertise the native delicacies.

Many locations — like Thailand and Vietnam, for instance, wouldn’t be the identical if the road meals disappeared.

4. (Typically) Eat Quick Meals

Quick meals isn’t one of the best for you, however it’s an alternative choice if you’d like an affordable meal in cheap elements of the world. For as little as $5 USD (extra in costly nations like Norway, dwelling of the $15 Whopper), you may get a filling (and massively caloric) meal.

Furthermore, the native greenback menu will prevent much more. Certain, it’s not the best meals, and I’m going to skip the philosophical debate about touring around the globe solely to eat McDonald’s to say that it’s low cost and simply one other means that will help you rein in your spending. (Nevertheless, notice: in Asia, quick meals is usually costlier than native meals.)

5. Go Native

Once you’ve been touring for some time, it’s solely regular to crave a style of dwelling once in a while. That implies that certain, generally I get sick of Greek meals after I’ve been touring there for a bit. Different instances, I can’t eat any extra Thai meals and simply desire a burger.

And that’s OK.

We stay in a globalized world — eat what you need. Nevertheless, non-local meals is nearly all the time costlier than native delicacies. For instance, in Vietnam, a bowl of pho is lower than a greenback, however a burger is about 3 times as a lot (or extra!).

Go native and you’ll save your self a ton of cash in the long term!

6. Discover the Lunch Specials

Many eating places, particularly in Europe, supply lunch specials, the place objects on the dinner menu are supplied at an enormous low cost. You may get a tremendous afternoon meal for a fraction of the price you’d pay for a similar meal within the night.

I normally are likely to eat my “good” meal throughout lunch, as a result of lunch specials and plates of the day are about 30-40% off what I would pay at dinner. The choices will normally be extra restricted, however the financial savings greater than justify it.

7. Skip the Soda

Grabbing a refreshing can of Coke or Pepsi would possibly appear to be an affordable strategy to quench your thirst, nevertheless it’s a alternative that provides up (very similar to shopping for a espresso day-after-day). Certain, I could splurge every now and then on a Coke, however I rarely purchase soda as a result of it’s so costly (and it’s so unhealthy for you!).

Once you’re visiting a tropical location, an ice-cold soda is unquestionably interesting. However spending a few bucks day-after-day can actually add up over the course of a long-term journey!

8. Refillable Water Bottle

Water may not be as costly as soda, however shopping for a bottle (or three) day-after-day can add up. As you stroll round and sightsee, you could keep hydrated. However shopping for a bottle of water is just not solely environmentally wasteful — it additionally makes silly finances journey sense.

Assuming every bottle is about $.75 USD and you purchase three a day, over the course of a month you’ll spend $67.50!

That’s some huge cash spent on water! (Plus, in some elements of the world, bottled water prices much more than that!)

Carry a refillable bottle of water (with a filter) with you as a substitute and simply use the faucet water. I recommend a Lifestraw bottle. It ensures your water is all the time clear and secure.

9. Don’t Snack

A gelato right here, a gelato there. A soda. A sweet bar. An ice cream. A small pastry. All of it provides up.

For the reason that value is so small (“It’s solely a euro!”), we don’t consider snacking as having a huge impact on our finances. However shopping for snacks just a few instances a day will slowly add up and throw your finances out of whack. Even when you simply purchase two little snacks for 1.50 EUR per day, that’s going to be at the least 90 EUR (over $100 USD!) by the tip of the month.

It’s not one thing many vacationers consider, however snacking actually does add up over the long run. Keep away from snacks and stick with massive, filling meals as a substitute. Should you do have to snack, be sure to account for it in your finances.

Should you’re somebody who loves snacking all through the day, think about shopping for snacks on the grocery store like fruits, crackers, power bars, and many others., to take with you to munch on over the course of the day so that you’re ready as a substitute of splurging on an overpriced vacationer lure snack.

10. Cook dinner Typically

I don’t prepare dinner loads on the highway as I don’t like hostel kitchens. They by no means have every part I want, and I hate touring with a conveyable kitchen so I can have all of the substances I need.

But when I’m in a single place for some time (or if I’m Couchsurfing), I prepare dinner just a few meals.

Cooking is among the greatest methods to maintain your journey prices down, and supermarkets are additionally nice locations to go to see what the native individuals eat. The one place the place cooking your individual meals isn’t probably the most economical choice is Asia, the place road meals is normally cheaper.

As I discussed, I’ll usually exit for a nicer meal at lunch after I can discover a whole lot. That can normally imply for dinner I’ll be cooking my very own meals. That means, I’ll nonetheless get to attempt the native delicacies however I’ll additionally get to maintain my finances intact. Double win!

11. Picnic

One other good self-cook technique is to picnic. That is one thing I do loads for lunch if I’m someplace the place the climate is good. I normally head to an area meals market, decide up a bunch of meals, and go picnic within the park. Not solely am I saving cash (sandwiches aren’t costly), nevertheless it affords me a very good likelihood to observe the locals scurry about their each day lives.

Should you’re staying at a hostel, this can be a nice ice-breaker for assembly new individuals. Simply invite everybody alongside to affix you and also you’ll be making new associates very quickly!

12. Use Tourism Playing cards

Most individuals consider vacationer playing cards just like the iAmsterdam card or the VisitOslo move as only a means to save cash on transportation and points of interest. However these playing cards additionally supply reductions at many eating places. Usually, reductions are round 15-25%, however generally lunch specials could be as much as 50% off.

Go to the native tourism workplace whenever you arrive and ask what meals reductions are included. Chances are high you’ll be capable to save much more cash when you simply take the time to study in regards to the tourism move. it’s a worthwhile funding!

13. Discover Free Breakfast

If you’ll find hostels or lodges that embody breakfast, you’ve already eradicated the price of one meal. Plus, if in case you have an enormous breakfast that fills you up for many of the day then you definitely don’t have to eat as many meals out. Furthermore, many hostels around the globe additionally supply free dinners, free espresso and tea, and different food-related perks. Search them out to save cash and decrease your meals prices.

14. Eat With College students

The place there are universities, there are college students, and since college students are normally broke, meaning there are doubtless low cost locations to eat close by. Test Google Maps for native post-secondary establishments and see what you’ll find within the close by space. Many bars within the space will doubtless have low cost drinks and completely satisfied hours too, so it can save you much more.

15. Use Grocery store Offers

In lots of nations, supermarkets supply lunchtime specials for staff within the surrounding areas. These normally entail recent sandwiches or some soup or salads. Moreover, many supermarkets additionally low cost meals that expires quickly, together with bread, baked items, meat, and produce. Purchase groceries within the night and you may doubtless end up some discounted (however nonetheless completely secure and edible) meals.

I like a pleasant eating places. I don’t thoughts paying cash for a very good meal with a pleasant glass of wine. However doing that EVERY meal is just too costly.

However, by utilizing the ideas above, I can afford to maintain my prices down whereas nonetheless with the ability to afford a top quality meal now and again.

And that’s what is basically essential — discovering the precise stability.

As a result of when you can handle to stability consuming nice meals with saving cash, each your pockets and your abdomen will thanks.