Summer travel accommodation: Thinking outside the box

Summer is one of the busiest times for travel, so as would-be tourists set themselves down in front of their laptops, computers, or phones to figure out where to go and how to fit it into their travel budget, now is a good time to take a look at which world cities and regions offer the most and least expensive accommodation.

Whether it be a 5-star hotel or a hostel, unless you are one of the fortunate few in that 2 percent category of income, a budget for a place to stay – large or small – has to be a factor. So, sit back and take this all in, and see if your dream vacation for this year is on any of the lists and if you can afford a bit of luxury, should be looking at Airbnb, or even perhaps making your trip into a camping experience.

Overall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, tops the list for the most affordable accommodation in cities, and German regions come out on top for affordable hotels, hostels, and campsites. According to a study completed by Campsy, an online booking platform, CEO Philipp Hillenbrand says, “Though the bulk of travel takes place on a city-to-city basis, we are passionate about encouraging travelers to step outside urban areas and seek the unique experiences that nature has to offer. We hope that our research empowers readers to gain more from their holiday budget this summer, and perhaps encourage camping as their accommodation of choice.”

City Results

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has the least expensive average accommodation costs worldwide, while Monte-Carlo, Monaco calculated as the most expensive.

The top 5 least expensive cities are Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Skopje, Macedonia; Tirana, Albania; Antalya, Turkey; and Sofia, Bulgaria. The top 5 most expensive cities are Monte-Carlo, Monaco; St. Tropez, France; Reykjavik, Iceland; San Francisco, USA; and New York, USA.

Regional Results

Saxony, Germany has the least expensive average accommodation costs worldwide, while Hither Hills State Park, New York, USA was calculated as the most expensive.

The top 5 least expensive regions are Saxony, Bremen, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, Germany, as well as Isole dello Stagnone di Marsala, Italy. While the top 5 most expensive regions were Lake Geneva, Switzerland, and the rest in the USA – Hither Hills State Park, New York; Yellowstone Park, Wyoming; Yosemite National Park, California; and Acadia National Park, Maine.

The most affordable campsite per night fee was found in Hamburg, Germany, and the most expensive was in Ticino, Switzerland, with a big $50 difference in price. The most affordable Airbnb price per night was in Skopje, Macedonia, while the most expensive was in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Comparison? Oh, about a mere $365. The most affordable 5-star hotel price was in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina and the most expensive was in Monte Carlo, Monaco. You may want to sit down for the difference in price on this one: close to $2,500. Remember, this is per night. The most affordable shared hostel dormitory was found in Kiev, Ukraine, and the most expensive was in St. Moritz, Switzerland with a difference of around $50.

For detailed pricing information by category, click here.