How much does it really cost to cycle around the world? Less than you think. Here's the real budget of the first 609 days: what we spent, where every euro went, and how we slept almost always for free.
Around the world by bicycle
per person, per day
No headline, no trick: it's what it cost, on average, to pedal east out of London. Here are the real numbers.
ScopeThese numbers cover the first half of the trip — up to China (Central Asia, early 2015). They don't include the final 47,000 km and 30 countries. They're 609 real days of logged spending.
01
Where the money goes (per month)
The secret of the budget: a tent, other people's sofas, and the kindness of strangers.
Groceries & hygiene
€72.88
Visas & border fees
€12.91
Urban transport & entry fees
€0.43
Food was 77% of the budget. Accommodation: 48 cents a month.
02
Where we sleep
The secret of the budget: a tent, other people's sofas, and the kindness of strangers.
Unexpected invitations11%
64
Volunteering for a bed6%
39
Urban camping & squats3%
20
In 609 nights we paid to sleep just 7 times. Almost 600 nights free.
03
A day's spend, country by country
Average spend per person, per day. The Balkans and the Caucasus are a gift; the Central Asia visas, the only scare.
Montenegrothe cheapest
€1.65
Turkmenistanthe priciest
€15.99
04
How you can do it too
A handful of decisions do nearly all the work. None needs you to be an athlete or brave; just swap the question from “how much does it cost?” to “how do I not pay for this?”.
Don't pay to sleep
We almost never reached for our wallet: a tent in any forest or roadside ditch, Couchsurfing and Warmshowers to stay in people's homes, and saying yes when a stranger invites you — which happens more than you'd think. Out of 609 nights, we paid for 7. 12 places to sleep for free →
Cook, and shop at markets
Food was our biggest expense and still only €73 a month, because we bought at local markets and cooked ourselves. Eating out, however cheap, blows the budget.
Move by thumb or by pedal
Hitchhiking is legitimate and safe with a bit of common sense: never on motorways, never in a car that doesn't feel right. It's free — only in some Eastern European countries is it worth checking the driver knows that too. How to hitchhike →
Trade days for money: volunteer
With Workaway, Helpx or WWOOF you work a few hours a day in exchange for a bed and food. It also gives you a break from changing place every day.
Do your homework first
An hour of research saves you a fortune: the local bus instead of the tourist one, the restaurant where local people eat, and not getting fleeced at a land border.
Choose the map wisely
The Balkans, Turkey, the Caucasus and Iran give you a huge amount of travel for very little: Montenegro cost us €1.65 a day. Start where your budget stretches furthest.
05
The “buts”
To travel you need just one thing: to want it. The rest are excuses you can get over if you really want to.
“I've got no money.”
You can do long trips on under €5 a day without going hungry. And if you want it badly enough, even for free.
“It's not the right time.”
What do you want more — what's holding you back, or to travel? There's your answer.
“I'm scared.”
After years around the world with no money, I can tell you: most people are good people. You just need common sense to dodge the few who aren't.
Set a date today, mark it on the calendar and tell people. That day your trip begins. No excuse holds: if you want to travel… travel.
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