Tips for Kiwis to to travel for cheap: Visit cities like New Delhi, Hanoi, Cairo, Istanbul or Bali

Hanoi is one of the most affordable cities to visit in 2024, according to a recent study. Photo / Unsplash

How do we travel more but spend less money? That’s the question many of us have asked ourselves over the last few years as the cost of living ticks upwards, especially as many Kiwis see travel as a non-negotiable.

This is why we love little-known tips for finding cheap flights, tools that show us the cheapest time to book a holiday or using Chat GPT to save money on trip planning.

It’s also why some travellers will head to New Delhi, India, which has been named the most affordable city to visit by a recent study.

The study took a list of popular tourist destinations and analysed several data points to produce an “affordability” score, according to Wethrift, an online e-commerce brand that produced the study.

New Delhi was deemed the most affordable in 2024, followed by Hanoi in Vietnam and Cairo in Egypt. Istanbul in Turkey and Hurghada in Egypt rounded out the top five.

Seven data points were analysed, including the average cost for public transport, a meal, a small grocery shop, tourist attraction entry and accommodation for a weekend for two people. The number of flight routes was also factored in, as accessible destinations can be cheaper to fly to.

India has long been appreciated as an affordable destination. This is partly due to the relatively weak currency and lower income levels and wages, which result in lower costs of production and thus, cheaper products.

The capital, New Delhi, was deemed the most affordable city on the list, as attractions cost an average of $105.69 to visit while the average meal is less than $4.

There are 145 flight routes in and out of the city, which can result in better airline deals, the study stated. This will only improve if Auckland Airport succeeds in its plan to secure direct flights to India. Accommodation will also set you back just $81 per night for two people.

In second place was the Vietnamese city of Hanoi, where public transport can cost $0.48 and a grocery shop for two is just $67.39.

Tourist hot-spot, Bali, also made the list in sixth place, with accommodation averaging $150 per night and meals around $4.

The problem with ‘averages’

However, the ‘average’ price of an entire city’s attractions or hotels can sometimes be misleading, especially in an area as large as Bali or New Delhi.

For example, hotels in Ubud or Seminyak, where tourists are likely to stay, can easily cost upwards of $300 per night, with meal prices that match New Zealand. However, far cheaper prices in remote villages, such as Trunyan or Jatiluwih, can pull the average down.

So, when planning to visit an “affordable” destination, it’s important to consider whether you are exploring more developed or gentrified areas and whether this may result in higher-than-usual prices.

Additionally, when living in a country as far away from the rest of the world as New Zealand, the cost of airfares can be a major factor to consider when trying to keep a low budget.

Fortunately, there are tips and tricks for finding cheap flights, knowing when the cheapest time to book a holiday

Top 10 most affordable travel destinations for 2024

1. New Delhi, India
2. Hanoi, Vietnam
3. Cairo, Egypt
4. Istanbul, Turkey
5. Hurghada, Egypt
6. Bali, Indonesia
7. Bangkok, Thailand
8. Marrakech, Morocco
9. Phuket, Thailand
10. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil