After several years of traveling the world, starting from cheap backpackers all the way to full-time digital nomads, we have been in many types of accommodation.
From low-budget to high-end places, from party to work-orientated places, from short-term to long-term stays, we have tried it all…
In this article, we share every type of accommodation we have used, a brief description, the price level ($ to $$$), tips, and the resources we use!
“You need a lot of money to travel the world”.
This is the biggest myth ever. You only spend a lot of money traveling if you want to. In this article, we will show several options for every wallet size. Dive in!
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House Sitting / Pet Sitting
[Cost:$ || Mid to long term accommodation]
We absolutely love this type of accommodation! You stay in someone else’s home, while the owner is away for work or on vacation. All you have to do is keep an eye on the house and do some basic tasks, which normally include taking care of pets (pet sitting)!
The effort is often close to 0, and you get a place you can call home with good conditions. Great to get some work done online!
Resources
Trusted House Sitters is by far the best platform for house sitting. The only cost you have is a yearly fee to join and use the platform, which will be paid off after 1 week of house-sitting. Plus, you can use this link and get a 20% discount on your first year.
Tips
- Be flexible. You never know when & where an opportunity will appear!
- This type of accommodation works with a system based on reviews. Check the other’s and work on yours. A bad review can mean not being accepted anymore.
- You have to look trustful. Put some effort into your profile! Add a video of yourself and be open for a video call beforehand.
Rental Apartments
[Cost:$-$$$ || short to mid-term accommodation]
Staying in local apartments became a very popular type of accommodation in the last decade or so.
These apartments are fully furnished, ready for renting, and allow you to experience a place from a local neighborhood. In these rental platforms, you can find a wide variety of apartments. From humble private rooms in someone else’s house to a 5-star complete apartment at the top of a tower.
Resources
AirBnb is always our go-to when it comes to apartment rentals. There are thousands of apartments for every taste. Click this link and have 30€ off on your first booking.
Tips
- Check other people’s reviews on the apartment.
- Check the location. Cheaper flats are not smart if you are 50km from the place you want to visit.
- Especially in this type of accommodation, the longer the stay, the cheaper it gets.
Read also: Is Travel Insurance worth it? Everything you need to know
Colivings
[Cost:$$-$$$ || mid to long term accommodation]
Our favorite type of accommodation at the moment. Ideal for Digital Nomads or anyone who works online. A coliving is more than a place to sleep, it is living with a community of like-minded people!
Despite having our privacy, there are some common areas like the kitchen, living room, and coworking space. Apart from working together and learning from each other, it is normal to have dynamic group activities outside the working zone.
Perfect to develop personal and professional relationships and to fight loneliness while traveling.
Resources
You can search for options on Coworker.com and filter “with co-living accommodation”. Our favorite colivings are:
- In Europe – Nine coliving in Tenerife, Spain. (See video in this link)
- In America – Flamingo coworking in Santa Marta, Colombia
Related – Coliving – Best Place to Live as a Digital Nomad
Tips
- Look for colivings close to activities or nature you like. A beach nearby is always a must for us!
- The smaller the coliving the stronger the connections built inside will be.
- Be active in the community. Participate in or organize events!
Hostels
[Cost:$ || short term accommodation]
Hostels are a popular type of accommodation for backpackers and solo travelers as they are normally the cheapest option with a strong social aspect.
Rooms and bathrooms are normally shared, as well as living rooms and kitchens. This results in low prices, even though there are hostels with great spaces and conditions that aren’t that cheap.
These shared divisions force human interactions, thus making hostels a great place to meet other travelers!
Resources
There are several platforms to search for hostels. We always use the most popular ones: HostelWorld or Booking.com.
Tips
- Extra care with your valuables. There are some bad-intentioned people.
- Ear plugs for the snoring monsters and eye-mask for the possible light.
- Some have breakfast included. Search for those and save some extra money every day.
Work Exchange / Volunteer Travel
[Cost: 0-$ || short to mid-term accommodation]
Did you know you can travel the world and pay for your accommodation with your time, energy, or knowledge? Yup, you can, with this type of accommodation!
Yup, you can exchange your work or volunteer abroad in exchange for accommodation in endless ways: hostels, NGOs, social projects, farms, eco-villages, restaurants, and other small businesses.
Besides the “free” accommodation part, it is a great opportunity to learn new things, help local businesses, develop relationships with locals, and get a unique insight into a foreign culture!
Resources
Our best recommendation is Worldpackers with hundreds of different jobs and programs all around the world and a community ready to help you! From basic tasks like welcoming guests to more advanced tasks like marketing or SEO. No more excuses, start traveling the world now!
Click this link and get a 20% discount to join Worldpackers and get 1 year of volunteer travel and free accommodation!
Tips
- Use the many filters Worldpackers have and find a work you like in a place you want.
- Pay attention to the conditions negotiated, so you don’t get surprises.
Related – How to Volunteer Abroad and Travel for Free with Worldpackers
Couchsurfing
[Cost:0 || short-term accommodation]
The cheapest and richest way to travel the world. Couchsurfing is an online platform that connects you with locals who can let you stay in their place for free. You can also host travelers at your place or meet other travelers in any area.
Couchsurfing is more like a community to connect travelers, share experiences, and know more about each other’s cultures.
Why would someone let you use their place for free? Probably because they have been in your shoes, or simply want to “travel the world” without leaving their own homes.
Related: Couchsurfing in India – 1 week with an Indian family
Resources
Even though there are other platforms, we have only used the most popular: Couchsurfing.com.
Tips
- Couchsurfing is a system based on reviews. Always check other people’s reviews before staying at their places.
- Build an in-depth profile, tell who you are and what you are doing.
- Send customized invites to improve your chances of being accepted.
Read more about this in our guide: How does Couchsurfing work?
Hotels
[Cost:$$-$$$ || short-term accommodation]
The oldest and most expensive type of accommodation while traveling is Hotels. Great if you want comfort, privacy, or breakfast buffets. By far the option we use less and, in our opinion, slowly losing market.
Resources
Booking.com is the world leader and our go-to when we choose this type of accommodation.
Tips
- Look for reviews and locations.
- Use filters to narrow down your search and find something you like.
Hotel Meliã in Madeira, Portugal
Related: The Ultimate Portugal Travel Guide: Everything you need to know
Extra tips for travel accommodation
- When moving from place to place, consider overnight buses or trains to avoid that night’s accommodation.
- When we have flight stop-overs, we normally sleep in airports. For this, get golden information about any airport at sleepinairports.net.
These are the types of accommodation we know and use on our trips. If you need any more info on any of these options, get in touch with us!
Is there any option we missed? Let us know in the comments!
Useful links for your next trip!
Some tools and platforms we use and recommend. By using these links, you help TravelB4Settle! Thanks 🙂
- Travel safe with Heymondo. Travel insurances with the best prices on the market, specialized for travellers, flexible plans and high coverages. Get a fast quote with 5% discount.
- Revolut Card – Free transfers and cash withdrawals abroad without fees. Get your free card
- Book flights with Kiwi for good deals, advanced research and flexible trips.
- Book an apartment you like with Airbnb, a hostel with HostelWorld or any accommodation with Booking!
- Rent a car with Rentalcars, comparing vehicles and prices before travelling!
- Get cashback in more than 120.000 online and offline stores with CashbackWorld . Read our complete guide
More tools, equipment and services we use and recommend on our Resources Page.
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Home stays are another types of accommodation that most of the people are loving it. Home stays gives you exactly the experience of living in home. You will be having your own private area where you can cook and live for number of days you want.
That’s nice idea , thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for a wonderful overview types of accommodation.I really loved reading your thoughts; obviously you know what you are talking about!Your site is so easy to use too, I’ve bookmark it in my folder.
Thanks so much for your feedback Nelson! We are glad we were able to make a clear overview of it :). In the future, if you need any type of clarification don’t hesitate in contacting us! Cheers, Miguel
I hope that you won’t stop writing such interesting articles. I’m waiting for more of your content. I’m going to follow you!
Thank you so much!