So what does it cost for a slow traveler on a budget to live for a month in Kotor or Lisbon, Bangkok or Penang? Rishikesh or Tulum? You will find the Earth Vagabonds slow travel budget examples from around the world listed on this page.
Our budget when we started in 2015 was $2,000 a month for two people.
During the pandemic, when we were ‘stuck’ in the Philippines, we gave away our unused travel money to Filipino and indigenous friends trying to survive without tourists. So, the ‘charity’ categories in those months are way higher than normal.
After the pandemic, we kept our 2k per month budget in places like India and Nepal, but raised it to $2,500 in Eastern Europe and Turkiye.
Budgets are relative — yours may be higher or lower. But these expenditure examples give you a clear idea of what you can spend as a budget slow traveler in various cities around the world.
The most recent budget breakdowns are at the top of this ever-growing list.
Last note: we don’t play around with fudging dates. Every post is clearly marked when it was posted. We don’t pretend everything was written this year, like some other travel bloggers.
Slow travel budget examples
![](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/see-the-world-on-76-a-day-main-pic-1024x571.webp)
See the world on $76 a day!
Theo![](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/istanbul-budget-breakdown-main-1024x573.jpeg)
What it cost to live in Istanbul 1 month
Theo![summer spending summary eastern balkans](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/eastern-balkans-spending-summary-1024x574.jpg)
Summer spending breakdown for Eastern Balkans
Theo![Beach in Varna, Bulgaria with the bus that goes to Istanbul, Turkey](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/budget-breakdown-varna-bulgaria-1024x572.jpg)
What it cost to live in Varna, Bulgaria for 1 month
Theo![varna beach on the black sea in bulgaria](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/varna-beach-bulgaria-1024x575.jpg)
What it cost to live in Bucharest, Romania, for 1 month
Theo![what it cost for 17 nights in the uae: less than $1,700](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/uae-cost-breakdown.jpg)
What it cost for 17 nights in the UAE – the slow travel way
Theo![travel costs for 1 year in Asia in the new normal with covid war inflation](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Travel-budget-breakdown-Asia-1-year-1024x577.jpg)
What it cost us to travel in Asia for 1 year
Theo![Partial city skyline with phrase about what it cost to live in Chennai, India.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cost-to-live-in-chennai-1-month-1024x576.jpg)
What it cost to live in Chennai as budget slow travelers
Theo![Earth Vagabonds India trip included Jaipur, with the famous Hawa Mahal, pictured here.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ellen-and-theo-in-jaipur-at-hawa-mahal-1024x576.jpg)
India trip: Under budget, low cost of living
Theo![slow travel expense report includes outings at museums like this one in udaipur](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ellen-theo-udaipur-1024x578.jpg)
A different type of slow travel expense report
Theo![theo and ellen in penang](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cost-of-living-penang-1024x576.jpg)
Our living costs in Penang as slow travelers
Theo![Beach at sunset in Penang, Malaysia, in 2022.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/penang-beach-sunset-2022-1024x599.jpg)
Budget breakdown: Penang, Malaysia
Theo![hua hin beach where cost of living in thailand is low for expats](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/hua-hin-beach-in-thailand2-1024x600.jpg)
Cost of living in Thailand for expats on a budget
Theo![Earth Vagabonds share their Bangkok travel budget breakdown for mid-2022.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bangkok-travel-budget-in-2022-1024x574.jpg)
Bangkok slow travel budget breakdown 2022
Theo![Earth Vagabonds question if they can restart budget slow travel in Bangkok in 2022.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/budget-slow-travel-bangkok-1024x576.jpg)
Budget slow travel cost in Bangkok 2022
Theo![Ellen stands on a tidal sand bar on Boracay Island in the Philippines.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Ellen-on-White-Beach-sand-bar-Boracay-Sept.-2021-1024x589.jpg)
Budget breakdowns & travel options 18 months into pandemic
EllenThanks for reading, “Earth Vagabonds slow travel budget examples.”
If you want to know more about the budget slow travel lifestyle, we recommend you head over to the About Us page, and also the Q+A with readers page.
And if you are serious about this lifestyle, read about how we plan a slow travel itinerary.
![Theo jumps from a cliff into sea, happy about early retirement and slow travel.](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Budget-slow-travel-since-2015-1024x576.jpg)
vagabond
Vagabond: (n) A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. (adj) Having no settled home.
slow travel
Long-term stays; use buses and trains with infrequent flights; the faster you go the less you see.