Previous Next

Jump to (80) articles

At Matador, we know firsthand that it doesn’t take tons of money to travel the world, and that you don’t even have to be a backpacker to travel on a budget (though sometimes it helps). We’ve compiled hundreds of valuable tips on how to travel for free (seriously), or close to it.

These include guides to places with lower costs of living as well as budget guides to pricier destinations, ideas for making money on the road, info on how to fund your travels through writing, photography, and filmmaking, and opportunities to travel or volunteer abroad for free.

We also have articles focused on the budget backpacker lifestyle.

Notes from an impromptu ski mission in northwest India.
Natalie Ashett's guide to what's free and cheap in London.
Dozens of sweet exhibits...not to mention air conditioning.
Counting sheep wasn't working so I switched to bottles of beer.
Guide to traveling by local boat in northwestern Myanmar.
Cylindrical meat, hamster caskets, and dismembered bears.
Puerto Natales Chile is much more than a stopover on the way to Torres del Paine.
Forget that it’s just pig grease and focus on the deliciousness.
Budget Traveler picks 5 US budget theme parks. I pick a better one.
A real-world test of a budget-travel hypothesis.
Pricewise, French Guiana is closer to Europe than the rest of South America...
Megan Wood compares seven international cities in Europe with a low cost of living.
Peter's reached the end of his journey, symbolically shaving his beard into a stylish...
Peter crosses the bridge into Panama. He wanders the islands of Bocas Del Toro.
Here are 5 videos from our friends at Positive World Travel featuring life and travels in...
Peter hits the San Jose, Costa Rica to disprove the negative rumors he's heard.
Karen Dion breaks down the Finnish capital by cost category, pointing out cheap picks in...
The miles begin to wear on Peter as he heads into Costa Rica looking for a place to swing...
Peter wanders through a maze of bus changes to arrive in Granada, Nicaragua, where he...
Peter witnesses a horrific part of Nicaraguan culture by attending a cock fight.
Peter endures a long day of travel when his bus to Nicaragua breaks down and he gets...
What and where to eat in Paris while making the most of every euro.