With cost-of-living top of mind, Australians are seeking holiday hotspots where the Aussie dollar will go further. While it’s no surprise to see seven out of the top 10 destinations for Aussie budget travellers are located in Asia, what’s different is the city that will deliver more bang for your tourism buck in 2025.
Asia has been a popular and well-trodden path for Aussie budget travellers and backpackers for eons, offering cheap flights and accommodation, easy visa accessibility and consistent warm weather.
Coupon aggregator site CupoNation Australia used travel data and metrics to compile its first-ever Backpacker Paradise Index of the top 10 destinations for Aussie budget travellers in 2025, looking at flights, affordability, safety, local dining and social buzz.
The list overwhelmingly favoured close-to-home destinations across Asia, New Zealand and the South Pacific – all just a short-haul flight away from Australia.
Manila tops the list for Aussie budget travellers, thanks to low flight costs, no visa hassles, and balmy weather. Several carriers have upped their direct flights from Australia to the Philippine capital recently, including Qantas, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
The Fiji capital of Nadi achieved second place, ranking highest for its outdoor activities, eco-tour offerings and short flight time from Australia.
The perennial Aussie holiday fave, Bali, ranked third in the top 10 list, followed by Kuala Lumpur.
Bali ranked highly with the cheapest meals (around AUD$2.90 on average), affordable accommodation (around AUD$44 per night) and abundant direct flights from Australia.
Meanwhile, KL had the cheapest accommodation on offer (around AUD$42.90 per night), budget-friendly street food and multicultural experiences.
Two New Zealand cities made the list: Christchurch scooped the number five spot, thanks to flight accessibility, pristine environment and free attractions, and the cool Kiwi capital of Wellington came in at eight with the cheapest flights and a vibrant arts and culture scene.
Singapore (6), Jakarta (7), Bangkok (9) and Ho Chi Minh City (10) rounded out the top 10 list of best destinations for Aussie budget travellers in 2025.
Bangkok achieved an 11 per cent jump in Instagram hashtag usage, while a diverse and affordable food scene is a major drawcard in Denpasar, Jakarta and Wellington.
Singapore was the safest city in the index, Jakarta offers the cheapest public transport and Bangkok has the second-cheapest flights from Australia.
Read the full list here.
