India

While always a cheap country, the Indian rupee used to ride high at 39 rupees to the US dollar. Now, you get 78 rupees to the dollar — that’s nearly 50 percent more money to travel with. Unless you book five-star resorts and eat only Western meals, you’ll find it hard to spend $50 USD a day here. You can get by on closer to $30 USD by staying in cheap guesthouses, taking second-class trains, and avoiding Western food. And if you want to splash out, you can live large for as little as $60 USD per day. Even iconic sights like the Taj Mahal — a Wonder of the World — are super affordable (it’s just $14 USD to enter).

India is a cheap backpacking destination with a rich cultural history, mouthwatering food, helpful and curious locals, incredible regional diversity, great tea, and a lot to do. It’s a gigantic place best either explored in either one large trip or a few smaller chunks. Either way, don’t miss India.