Lee Abbamonte is a former Wall Street banker and has shared countries where you can spend less, including one unexpected option

A man who has travelled to every country in the world revealed some of the places where you can live it up, without breaking the bank.

Lee Abbamonte is a former banker on Wall Street and has been to every country after quitting his job to become a travel blogger.

Since then, he has listed some of the countries you can visit where your dollars are likely to go a lot further, with one unexpected inclusion.

Travelling can be a wonderful experience, but it can also be very expensive, so any tips for where people can go which won’t require taking out a mortgage is handy.

Abbamonte has been travelling the world since he left his job all the way back in 2002.

In addition to visiting every country in the world he has also been to every US state, as well as both the North and South Poles.

It’s fair to say that it probably doesn’t get much more well-travelled than that!

So where is it that Abbamonte recommends for people who are looking for a less expensive country to visit?

Many of the countries are in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Abbamonte revealed that you can score a luxury hotel in all of these places for less than $100 a night.

That said, it’s probably worth mentioning that these are a long way from the US, taking anywhere form 15 hours to more than a day depending where in the country you fly from.

Abbamonte told Business Insider: “The hardest part is getting there, but once you’re there, you’re in heaven.”

He went on to recall how he had paid ‘like $39’ for the Shangri-La in Bangkok, though it’s worth noting that as of June 2024 this is listed as $162.

The stunningly beautiful Halong Bay in Vietnam. (Balate Dorin / Getty)

Vietnam also has Ha Long Bay, which Abbamonte called “one of the most beautiful places in the world,” and where an overnight cruise including pools, jacuzzis and wine cellars can set you back around $190 a night. Not bad at all!

Meanwhile, Cambodia had the same prices but was less popular with tourists, with Abbamonte explaining: “There aren’t the tourists you get in Thailand and Vietnam.”

What about other parts of the world?

Abbamonte recommended Argentina for fans of a good steak, saying: “You can go down there and live it up real cheaply.”

He added: “If you like steak, there’s really nowhere better.”

For context, a 21-ounce ribeye cost the equivalent of around $45.

Adis Ababa in Ethiopia. (Vadim_Nefedov / Getty)

People who like their food can also travel to Ethiopia, with Abbamonte saying: “They’re really, really nice, and you can eat world-class meals for virtually nothing.”

But what about the unexpected entry?

Well, that’s Japan.

It might not be somewhere you would think of for cheap travel, but Abbamonte explained that now is a good time to go as the exchange rate is favourable for people taking dollars.

He said: “It’s as cheap as it’s ever been for the American dollar right now.

“In Tokyo, the hotels are slashed to a third less than they normally are.”