The cheapest Europe trip from India in 2026 runs through the east and the Balkans, where Albania, Georgia, Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Portugal give you classic European cities for roughly a third of what Western Europe costs. Europe has a reputation for burning through a budget, but pick the right countries and it can cost less per day than a fancy trip within India. Here are the cheapest places to go, what they actually cost, which ones let you skip the Schengen visa, and how to keep flights and trains low.
Cheapest countries in Europe for Indians, ranked
Ranked by a comfortable mid-range daily budget, covering a room, food, local transport and sightseeing, excluding international flights.
| # | Country | Approx / day | Schengen? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | ₹3,000 | No, e-visa or visa-free shortcut |
| 2 | Albania | ₹3,200 | No, often visa-free windows |
| 3 | Bosnia and the Balkans | ₹3,500 | No, non-Schengen |
| 4 | Hungary (Budapest) | ₹4,500 | Yes |
| 5 | Czechia (Prague) | ₹4,800 | Yes |
| 6 | Poland (Krakow) | ₹4,500 | Yes |
| 7 | Portugal | ₹5,500 | Yes |
Daily figures are approximate mid-range costs and exclude international flights. Visa rules change, so confirm before booking.
The no-Schengen route: Georgia, Albania and the Balkans
The single biggest saving for Indians is avoiding the Schengen visa, which costs money, time and paperwork. Georgia is the star: e-visa or, if you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa, visa-free for 90 days, with Tbilisi and the Caucasus mountains at about ₹3,000 a day. Albania and the western Balkans, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, are non-Schengen, cheap and beautiful, with Ottoman old towns, lakes and a wild coastline. See our Tbilisi itinerary to price a trip.
The cheapest Schengen countries
If you already have or want a Schengen visa, spend it on the cheap countries, not Paris or Zurich. Hungary, Czechia and Poland give you fairy-tale capitals, Budapest, Prague and Krakow, for well under half of Western prices, all linked by cheap trains and buses. Portugal is the best-value country in Western Europe, with Lisbon and Porto offering beaches, trams and food at a fraction of Paris or Amsterdam.
How to keep the whole trip cheap
Fly into a budget hub. Look for cheap Indian departures to Istanbul, Tbilisi, Budapest or Warsaw rather than the expensive Western hubs, then continue on a low-cost airline. Use Europe’s budget airlines and buses, Wizz Air, Ryanair and FlixBus move you between cities for a few euros if you book early and travel light. Travel in shoulder season, April to May or September to October, for lower fares and thinner crowds. Stay in hostels and guesthouses, eat at markets and bakeries, and buy a city transport pass. A Wise card spends at the real rate instead of losing money to conversion.
A sample two-week cheap Europe trip
Fly into Tbilisi, spend five days in Georgia, then a cheap flight to Budapest, three days there, an overnight train or bus to Prague for three days, and finish with two days in Krakow before flying home. That mixes a non-Schengen start with the cheapest Schengen capitals, and keeps daily costs around ₹3,000 to ₹4,800 the whole way.
Plan it properly
Compare any two countries in the Compare Countries tool, build a day-by-day plan with the AI Itinerary Builder, and check what your budget is worth with Salary Goes Furthest. If you are going the Schengen route, read our Schengen visa guide for Indians.
Compare flights across dates on Aviasales and cover the trip with SafetyWing, which also satisfies visa insurance rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest country in Europe for Indians?
Georgia, at roughly ₹3,000 a day, and it is not even in the Schengen zone, so it avoids the Schengen visa. Albania and the western Balkans are close behind, and among Schengen countries Hungary, Czechia and Poland are cheapest.
Can I visit Europe without a Schengen visa?
Yes. Georgia, Albania and the western Balkans are outside the Schengen zone and much easier and cheaper for Indians. You can build a full European trip through these without a Schengen visa at all.
How much does a Europe trip cost from India?
On the cheap route, a comfortable day runs about ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 in the budget countries, plus flights. A two-week trip through Georgia and Central Europe can be done for far less than most people expect if you book flights early.
When is the cheapest time to visit Europe?
Shoulder season, April to May and September to October, brings lower flights and rooms and thinner crowds, with pleasant weather. Deep winter is cheapest of all but cold.
Costs and visa rules change and vary by source, season and travel style, so confirm current details with official sources before booking. Some links on this page are affiliate links that support GlobeDude at no extra cost to you.
