How To Find Affordable and GOOD Accomodation As A Slow Traveler

I’ve been traveling full time for more than three years, and I keep to a fairly strict budget in order to do so. One of the biggest reasons I choose to be nomadic is to combine my love of travel with a minimalist lifestyle that is still much more abundant than type of life I could afford if I still lived in the US.

Traveling slowly further brings my costs down because you stay in one place longer, meaning fewer expensive long-haul flights and the ability to take advantage of long-term discounts by booking stays of at least four weeks on Airbnb. Sometimes you can find similar discounts on other platforms and sometimes it makes sense not to use Airbnb, for a number of reasons I will get into. But I would say I still use Airbnb about 80% of the time, even after a fairly rough start. I’ve tried to learn from the not-so-great experiences and have gotten much better at picking places that tick most of the boxes.

Be picky, but flexible

Of course, what I look for in a home for a month may be different than what you want or need, but it’s definitely important to know what is an absolute must-have for you before starting to search. I generally try to keep a balance between “flexible” and “picky,” especially on my initial search, then I will eliminate possibilities until I find something that I’m pretty sure I can live with. The basic items I am looking for are: some kind of laundry facility in the building, heating if it’s in a place that gets cold, some kind of workspace, a functional kitchen, and an apartment not on the ground floor – the higher, the better. I also consider aesthetics and I prefer a modern, renovated apartment over a “vintage” one any day. Much as I appreciate the look and charm of older buildings, they can have some quirks that are not so fun to deal with for long stays. For example, the first place I stayed in Buenos Aires required manually lighting a gas boiler every day in order to take a hot shower. Also consider that many old buildings do not have elevators, or they may have an ancient creaky elevator that barely fits one person.

So after setting my maximum budget and finding several places with the basics which look like decent possibilities, it’s time to carefully scrutinize the photos and reviews. I try to look for trends in the reviews. If there are several positive comments about the bed quality, low noise levels, a responsive/flexible/helpful host, that’s a good sign. Red flags would be multiple comments about poor cleaning, problems with the wifi, unusual amounts of noise (ongoing construction projects and the like), a problematic host, and definitely any mention of cockroaches or other vermin. I also will eliminate anything that is too far away from my preferred neighborhoods or not convenient to public transit. During this phase of the search, I will make a wishlist with the candidates that look like good possibilities.

I usually take a break here and come back maybe the next day to refine the wishlist even further. Ideally, I’m looking for a place that will be convenient to check in (self check-in is always preferred, though I will sacrifice that for a place that ticks most of my other boxes), close to decent supermarkets, not on a super busy street, in a crowded tourist area, or anywhere too sketchy. And then it just comes down to “vibes.” Can I see myself feeling at home here for a month? Is there ample storage space for my stuff, ample kitchen space to cook? What amenities does the building have? Usually by this point, I can decide which apartment will offer the best value and go ahead and book. It’s also important to make note of the cancellation policy and make sure that you are OK with that. 

This is the method I have used mostly in large South American cities like Buenos Aires, Santiago, Bogota, etc. and it’s worked fairly well because in these cities, there are a ton of modern high-rise condo buildings that generally offer similar features. And I can typically find something in those cities that fits my requirements for $700 or less for a month. There have been a few places under $600, a couple where I paid over $700…but averaging out all my rentals in South America, the median is around $650. Now, you can find cheaper places, but you will usually be compromising on location, amenities, aesthetics, or all of the above. And you can obviously pay more if you have a long list of requirements or have the budget for more luxury. But I have been pretty happy with most of my stays. Even for this amount, you will almost always be in a well-maintained secure building, sometimes with a basic gym and/or rooftop pool. All for less money than I paid for a really crappy studio in a not-so-great area of Phoenix in 2021.

I have used Airbnb in Europe as well, but it’s a lot more challenging to find something suitable on a tight budget for sure, for numerous reasons. First of all, western Europe in general is just pricier, and accomodation prices keep going up thanks to various factors: rebound tourism after Covid, displacement of a huge number of people thanks to the war in Ukraine and other refugees, the sheer greed of investors turning existing housing into holiday rentals…yes, it’s a problem, particularly in the most touristy areas. Most European cities also have a lot of older housing stock and fewer modern highrises, at least in the city center. From outside, it can certainly be more aesthetically pleasing, and the old-world feel is part of the charm of visiting such places. But it makes it trickier to find a spacious place with decent renovations, especially for a longer stay. So what can you do if you wish to slow travel in Europe frugally? 

Travel off season for savings

For the past couple years I have found that the ideal travel schedule for me is to spend about 6 months in South America (approx. March-September), then visit Europe from late September to March. This means avoiding the peak tourism season and the sweltering hot summer weather. It’s far easier to find accommodation at  lower prices outside of the high season (with the exception of the Christmas holidays). This is particularly true for areas like southern Spain, Sicily, and coastal resort cities in the Balkans. 

I have also tried mixing some shorter stays in more expensive areas with longer stays in more affordable areas. While I am a big fan of slow travel, rent for a month in a city like London is just not in my budget. However, I’m willing to stay in a hostel for a few nights rather than not go to London at all. You could also decide that you are just going to splurge and stay in an expensive city for one month, then balance your budget by going to lower cost areas before and/or afterward. 

Consider all the options

Another option that many people utilize to reduce or even eliminate accommodation costs is house-sitting. I haven’t tried this personally since it does take away some of your travel flexibility, and there are responsibilities involved, as well as a sign-up fee and vetting process to get started. However, I’ve heard really positive things from different bloggers who have gone this route, and I wouldn’t rule out trying it someday.

Finally, although Airbnb is still the place I look first for longer stays, it’s far from the only option. I have also rented apartments on Booking.com with mostly good results. There are other platforms out there, such as one called Flatio which seems especially geared toward digital nomads, although I have not personally used them. There are also various regional sites that will probably turn up lower prices for a longer-term stay. Many people also utilize Facebook Marketplace or Facebook expat groups to find leads. I have never tried this myself since I don’t know what kind of recourse you would have if there should be any issues. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are already familiar with the area and have local contacts who can vouch for the landlord and help you avoid getting scammed. Another thing to consider when renting directly is that you might be responsible for utility payments – gas or electricity, water, internet. These things can add quite a bit to your monthly expenses.

What about staying in hostels or co-living spaces long term? Well, some people do it, but it’s not for me. I can deal with hostels for a few days, but I really enjoy having a solid sleep routine, peace and quiet. If you are young, extroverted, and adventurous, however, this might work for you. And it’s often possible to work in hostels for exchange for accommodation.