#594: How to Travel on $75 Per Day, with Nomadic Matt Kepnes

Ever wonder if you could afford to travel for months at a time? According to Nomadic Matt, who’s visited more than 100 countries over the last 19 years, you can see the world on just $75 a day. That’s about $27,375 per year, less than many people’s current cost of living.

Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, joins us to challenge common assumptions about travel costs. He explains that long-term travel can actually be cheaper than staying home.

When you’re traveling, you shed many regular expenses that eat into your budget back home, like car payments, home insurance, and utility bills.

The key is to “travel like you live,” as Nomadic Matt puts it. This means using public transportation instead of taxis, shopping at local markets, and seeking out free activities — just like you might do in your hometown.

It’s not about staying at five-star resorts, but experiencing destinations authentically while keeping costs reasonable.

Nomadic Matt also breaks down several travel myths. The old advice about booking flights on Tuesdays? Outdated in today’s algorithmic pricing world. Using incognito mode to get better flight prices? No evidence supports this idea.

He does confirm that booking round-trip flights often costs less than one-way tickets, even if you don’t use the return portion.

For those interested in credit card points, Nomadic Matt recommends choosing cards based on your specific travel goals rather than chasing the most popular options. Consider which airlines you use most and what perks you’ll actually take advantage of.

The pandemic has transformed travel in significant ways. While prices have increased and some budget travel services have disappeared, new opportunities have emerged — especially for remote workers who can now take advantage of digital nomad visas to live abroad while maintaining their income.

Whether you’re planning a two-week vacation or dreaming of becoming location-independent, Nomadic Matt’s practical advice shows how international travel is more accessible than you might have thought.

Timestamps:

Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.

(0:00) Intro to Nomadic Matt and $75/day budget

(1:00) Modern hostels aren’t grungy anymore

(3:00) Origins of the $75/day travel budget

(5:00) “Travel like you live” approach saves money

(8:50) Mix accommodations based on trip needs

(9:40) Choose travel cards matching your specific goals

(16:40) Use points before devaluation happens

(20:00) Best booking times for flights

(37:00) Social media’s impact on global travel

(42:00) Overcoming language barriers easily

(48:30) Post-COVID travel costs and changes

(56:20) Remote work visas for long-term travelers

(1:02:40) Why travel costs less than staying home

(1:05:50) How location independence evolved from unusual to mainstream

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