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Revealed: the cheapest (and most expensive) travel destinations

A new study ranks global travel destinations based on their affordability for a five-day stay

Dimple Shiv
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Dimple Shiv
Contributor, travel
The island paradise of St Barts in the Caribbean
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Are you a budget backpacker, a lover of luxury or somewhere in between? For most people, planning where to travel is entirely influenced by the health of their bank balance.

Well, now planning a trip around your budget just got a little bit easier, thanks to a new study from Traveller’s Elixir. The study ranks the world’s least and most affordable places to travel, based on average hotel and food prices, transportation costs, and attraction prices. 

Top of the list for expensive getaways is Monaco, which Traveller’s Elixir suggests will set you back $2,258 (£1,805) for a five-day trip. In contrast, the least expensive destination is Delhi in India, a city full of delicious street food, art, culture and history, which would cost you just $181 (£145) for the same number of days.

Here are the 10 most expensive destinations and the average cost of a five-day stay:

1. Monaco ($2,258, £1,805) 
2. St Barts ($2,181, £1,753) 
3. Gstaad, Switzerland ($2,065, £1,660)
4. Reykjavik, Iceland ($1,919, £1,542)
5. Bora Bora ($1,918, £1,542)
6. Honolulu, US ($1,914, £1,538)
7. San Francisco, US ($1,885, £1,515)
8. New York City, US ($1,779, £1,430)
9. Grand Cayman ($1,637, £1,316)
10. Venice, Italy ($1,548, £1,244)

Here are the 10 most affordable destinations based on the average cost of a five-day stay:

1. Delhi, India  ($181, £145)
2. Phnom Penh, Cambodia ($224, £180)
3. Kathmandu, Nepal ($229, £184)
4. Tbilisi, Georgia ($249, £199)
5. Medellin, Colombia ($255, £205)
6. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ($259, £208)
7. Chiang Mai, Thailand ($286, £229)
8. Cairo, Egypt ($289, £232)
9. Luang Prabang, Laos ($291, £234)
10. Bangkok, Thailand ($292, £234)

Did you hear that these are the world’s wealthiest cities in 2023?

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