Warm and Budget Friendly Winter Destinations by Continent
Many people want to get away from the cold temperatures found in their home towns during the winter. However, budgets must be taken into account. Where can you go for cheap winter sun for each continent during the winter?
The cheapest, warm place to holiday in the winter is João Pessoa, Brazil. The equivalent in Africa is Egypt, Chiang Mai in Thailand for Asia. Darwin in Australia, Seville in Spain in Europe, and Jamaica in the Caribbean is also budget friendly and warm.
The exact cost of your trip to any of these places will vary depending on firstly when you book your flights. Secondly how much you spend on food and transportation, and the cost of your hotel or holiday rental. We have compiled a list of some of the cheapest and warmest places to visit in each continent.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in Africa
Canary Islands, Spain
The Canary Islands are located in Spain but are in the continent of Africa. During the winter, the temperature is typically between 16 and 21°C (60 – 70°F). It is the perfect temperature that allows you to enjoy your outdoor holiday. However, you may need a light jacket if you plan on being outside at night.
The Canary Islands are a popular winter holiday destination for some cheap winter sun. They have a multitude of beautiful beaches and warm weather that can be found. You can easily find affordable hotels and there is a multitude of great restaurants that can fit any budget.
Depending on where you are travelling from, your flights might be expensive. However they will likely be the most expensive part of your trip. If you plan your trip and purchase your plane tickets far in advance or take advantage of deals, you can save money on plane tickets to the Canary Islands so you can set aside a smaller budget for your trip or use the money you saved on other things like gifts for your friends and family.
Kigali, Rwanda
When it is cold in winter, it is between 16 and 27°C (60 – 80°F) in Kigali, Rwanda. Kigali is a great cheap winter sun destination because it has a rich culture, beautiful animals, many backpacking opportunities, and an interesting history. If you are an artist or appreciate art, Kigali is a place that you must visit in the near future, as the art scene is increasing and incredibly vibrant.
You can easily travel to Kigali on a small budget, as it is one of the cheapest cities in Africa to visit. You can easily find a cheap hotel or holiday to let for your trip.
Egypt
Depending on where you go in Egypt, you can easily travel there during the winter if you want to go someplace warm and need to stick to a relatively small budget. It is slightly colder than some other places in the African continent. Typically it stays around 16°C (60°F) during the winter, but it is still much warmer than many cities in the west. You can easily stay warm if you bring a light jacket.
Egypt is full of rich history and is well-known by many people across the world. and there are a good amount of stays that are close to the Giza Pyramids which are the crown jewel of Egypt. You can get a tour of the Pyramids of Giza the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis Tour.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in Asia
Before you visit the Asian continent during the winter, you should know one thing. Although you will get a good portion of cheap winter sun destinations it is often rainy in most Asian countries during the winter. So you will likely need to pack a jacket and an umbrella, even if the weather forecast predicts that it will be quite warm.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is typically 21-29°C (70-85°F) during the winter. So you will likely only need to bring a light jacket if rain is forecasted or you plan on going out at night when the temperature drops. Your flights will likely be expensive, but quite a lot of things are affordable there.
Sri Lanka has a whole host of activities and things to offer from wildlife, temples, history and culture, water activities and adventures. That also includes some activities that families can enjoy, it is that wonderfully diverse.
Colombo has many place to stay because it will give you good access for many different tours. You can explore temples from here, go for a cruise, go to Sigiriya, Dambulla, the National Wildlife Park and many other places.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai, Thailand is slightly more expensive to visit than Sri Lanka. However it is quite warm and is still extremely affordable to travel to. During the winter, the temperature typically stays between 16-27°C (60 and 80°F), which is quite warm.
If you want to a good place to stay that is also incredibly cheap I suggest the ISTY Hotel. This fabulous hotel got a travellers Choice award from TripAdvisor in 2021 and consistently keeps getting good ratings from guests.
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
If you want to spend time in a warm city during the winter and want to visit Cambodia, you should go on holiday to Sihanoukville, Cambodia. There are a good amount of places to stay in Sihanoukville, some are absolutely fabulous and cost very little.
It is quite affordable, as you will likely only spend about $40 per person per day during your holiday.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in Australia
The Australian continent is known for having warm weather during traditional winter months. However it can be expensive to travel to many places in the continent. Luckily, there are a few places that offer cheap winter sun to travel to and holiday in.
Darwin, Australia
Darwin, Australia is technically called Darwin, Northern Territory, so you may see either name when booking flights and hotel rooms. During the winter, it typically stays between 25 and 32°C (77 – 90°F) during the day, although it sometimes cools down a lot at night.
These high temperatures happen partially because, in Australia, their summer is our winter, so they experience colder temperatures between June and August and warmer temperatures between November and February.
There are a good couple of hundred stays in Darwin. It is slightly expensive to visit Darwin, as you will likely spend about AUD $151 per person per day. Darwin is quiet with most activities centring around nature and adventure.
Whitsunday Islands
Visiting Whitsunday Islands is more expensive than visiting Darwin, as you will likely spend AUD $162 per person per day, but the average temperature is slightly lower at 22 to 29°C (72 – 85°F). However, many people find that the cost is worth it because of the beautiful beaches, clear water, and beautiful greenery that is found slightly inland.
An alternative is taking a day cruise to Whitsunday Islands instead, which will bring the cost down because you will not opt for an overnight stay down.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in Europe
The European continent is not known as one of the warmest continents in the world during the winter. However some years the weather is warmer. This means there are a few places where you will only need to wear a light jacket or coat during the day while going on a winter holiday.
Lisbon
If you go to Lisbon in the winter, you will be able to enjoy temperatures between 9 and 16°C (49 – 61°F). While these temperatures may not seem to be very warm, they are warm if you live in an area that often has negative temperatures during the winter.
There are all sorts of different types of accommodation, including some budget friendly stays within the city centre. The relatively low price to go on holiday here makes up for the relatively low temperatures, as you will likely only spend about €105 per person per day. Once you get here, you can easily find cheap food and amenities, which will help you stick to your budget.
Seville, Spain
If you have ever wanted to visit Spain but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, you should definitely go on holiday to Seville, Spain. There are thousands of places to stay within 5km of the city centre. You will likely only spend an average of €99 per person per day while in this city, and you can easily travel to other surrounding cities. However, you will likely want to stay in Seville, as it is absolutely beautiful, especially during the winter.
If you visit this city during the winter, the temperature will likely stay between 6 and 18°C (43 – 65°F), which is warm but not extremely hot, which will be nice if you are from an area with a colder climate and don’t want to shock your body during your winter holiday because of a drastic temperature change.
If you want to head to Seville with family, there are 9 fun things to do with kids in Seville which includes a map.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in North America
It is quite expensive to go on holiday in North America. However if you travel to either of these places, you can easily find deals that can help you stick to your budget for some fantastic cheap winter sun.
Jamaica
Jamaica is known for its warm, beautiful beaches that stretch on for miles, as well as the lively parties that often occur during holidays and college semester breaks. While it can be expensive to visit Jamaica, the warm weather more than makes up for the high costs, as it typically stays between 21 and 31°C (70 – 88°F) during the winter.
Luckily, there are many deals to be had to book your Jamaican holiday. Plus if you book in advance you can find some better deals including stays that are next to the beach for you to make the most of it. While you are there you will likely only spend $105 per person per day.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is quite expensive to visit, but that is mainly because of the plane tickets that you must purchase in order to get there. Once you arrive in Punta Cuna, you likely won’t spend as much money as you expect to.
Luckily, the warm temperatures make up for the high cost of the trip, even though you can easily lower the cost by booking your trip in advance and taking advantage of deals. It typically stays between 21 and 31°C (70 – 87°F), even during the winter. There are many places to stay right up to the beach so you can swim and soak up the hot winter sun.
If you travel to Punta Cana around the Christmas season, you will find yourself amongst a lot of celebrations, as the residents of this beautiful place absolutely love celebrating Christmas and other various holidays.
Warm and Budget-Friendly Winter Destinations in South America
Cartagena, Colombia
If you are looking to go on a cheap holiday that will be extremely warm, you definitely want to go on vacation to Cartagena, Colombia. It will likely only spend about $34 per person per day while there.
It typically stays between 24 and 30°C (76 – 86°F) during the winter, which is not too hot but not too cold for most people, although you may be surprised by rainstorms during your holiday.
Cartagena is a beach city that is full of history, so you will be able to relax and learn at the same time. You can easily stay in one of the 4-star hotels and enjoy the amenities or stay in cheaper hotels and travel around the city during your holiday, it is up to you. There are hundreds of properties along the beach front to suit all budgets.
You likely won’t need to rent a car, as everything you will want to see and the places you will want to visit will likely be close to where you are staying. However, the plane tickets will likely be expensive, so keep that in mind.
João Pessoa, Brazil
João Pessoa, Brazil is one of the cheapest, warmest places that you can visit during the winter for some cheap winter sun. During your winter holiday to João Pessoa, Brazil, you will likely only spend about $30 per person per day, although you can easily spend more if you are able to afford it.
During the winter, it typically stays between 23 and 31°C (74 – 87°F), which will allow you to fully enjoy the various beaches that are nearby. And there are many stays in Joao Pessoa next to the beach that will allow you to do just that.
Conclusion
Although it may be hard for you to justify traveling out of the country or to another continent during the winter, especially because many popular holidays that go to similar places to the ones mentioned here, you can definitely travel on a budget. You just need to know where to travel to.
If you want to escape the cold of the city that you live in, there are many places that are warm where you can go to warm up temporarily. Why enjoy a winter wonderland when you can relax on a warm, sandy beach?
Exactly what you will spend and what your budget for your holiday will be will vary depending on you, but there are many places that you can travel to while spending less than $150 on each person every day, which is quite affordable.
