🏡 How Long-Term Travelers Can Find Affordable Accommodation in 2025: 7 Smart Strategies

6.4.25

🏡 How Long-Term Travelers Can Find Affordable Accommodation in 2025: 7 Smart Strategies

Traveling long-term is a dream for many, and in 2025, it’s more achievable than ever. Whether you're a digital nomad, remote worker, or gap-year traveler, finding affordable, comfortable accommodation is one of the most important parts of your journey.

In this guide, we’ll break down 7 proven ways to find affordable long-term accommodation, along with tools, tips, and links to help you get started — no matter where in the world you are.

🌍 Why Affordable Long-Term Accommodation Matters

🧳 Accommodation is often your biggest expense
💻 Digital nomads need reliable workspaces + Wi-Fi
🌱 Comfort & affordability = sustainable travel
📆 Monthly savings = more freedom and travel

🛏 1. Book by the Month on Airbnb (and Always Negotiate)

Airbnb isn't just for short stays. In 2025, many hosts offer long-term stay discounts — often up to 40% for bookings over 28 days.

💡 Tips:

Look for listings marked “Monthly stay discount”
Contact the host directly and ask for a better rate
Search using filters like kitchen, Wi-Fi, and workspace

🔗 Explore Monthly Rentals on Airbnb

🏘 2. Use Coliving Platforms for Built-in Communities

Coliving spaces are the new favorite for digital nomads. You get furnished rooms, shared workspaces, and often community events, all in one monthly price.

🏡 Top Coliving Platforms:

Outsite – Global network for remote workers
Selina – Budget-friendly rooms with coworking
Coliving.com – Compare multiple providers easily

🌟 Benefits:

All utilities included
Built-in social connections
Wi-Fi and workspaces included

🏠 3. Try Trusted House Sitting (Free Stays!)

Yes, you can stay somewhere entirely for free by house-sitting. Trusted homeowners let travelers stay in their homes to watch pets or water plants while they're away.

🐾 Great for:

Animal lovers
Slow travelers
Budget-conscious digital nomads

🔗 Sign up at TrustedHousesitters

🛏 4. Use Facebook Groups and Local Marketplaces

In 2025, Facebook is still one of the best places to find long-term rentals directly from locals.

🔍 How to search:

Join groups like “Digital Nomads in [City]”
Use keywords like “short-term sublet,” “room for rent,” or “expat housing”
Ask locals for referrals or insider tips

Examples:

“Digital Nomads Medellín”
“Bali Long-Term Rentals”
“Expats in Lisbon – Housing & Rentals”

💬 Always meet in public or do video calls before committing.

🛌 5. Stay at Guesthouses or Hostels Monthly

While usually considered for short-term stays, many hostels and guesthouses offer steep discounts for long stays.

🛏 Benefits:

Daily cleaning & Wi-Fi
Shared kitchens (save on food)
Social vibe & flexible check-in

Top booking sites:

👉 Related Post: Best Hostels for Digital Nomads in Europe

📦 6. Use Mid-Term Rental Platforms

If Airbnb is too expensive and Facebook feels risky, try dedicated mid-term platforms designed for 1–12 month stays.

📲 Platforms to Try:

Flatio – Perfect for Europe & remote workers
Blueground – Premium apartments globally
Homelike – Ideal for business travelers & expats

✅ Most include utilities, Wi-Fi, and no long-term contracts

🧳 7. Negotiate Directly with Hotels or Serviced Apartments

This one’s underrated: Go directly to hotels or apartments and ask for long-stay pricing. Many have unlisted “extended stay” deals you won’t find online.

📞 Ask for:

Weekly or monthly rates
Free breakfast or laundry
Airport pickup discounts

💡 Use tools like Google Maps to find “apart-hotels” or “serviced apartments” and call directly.

📲 Bonus: Essential Apps for Long-Term Travelers

Airbnb – For global monthly rentals
Coliving.com – Community living spaces
TrustedHousesitters – Free accommodation
N26 / Wise – Borderless banking
Google Fi / Airalo – eSIMs and data for any country

💸 Example Monthly Budget (Europe)

Category	Estimated Cost (USD)
Accommodation	$500–$1,000
Food (home cooking + local eats)	$300–$500
Transport (local/month pass)	$50–$100
Wi-Fi/Phone	$20–$50
Total	$870–$1,650

Note: Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe can be 30–60% cheaper.

🔐 Safety Tips for Long-Term Rentals

📄 Always use platforms that offer secure payments
🕵️ Check reviews and verify photos
📍 Research the neighborhood before booking
🗓 Book 1 week first, then extend if it’s a good fit

📌 Final Thoughts

Affordable long-term travel in 2025 is not only possible — it’s becoming the norm. Whether you're backpacking, working remotely, or simply taking a life break, there are plenty of smart ways to find quality housing without overspending.

Choose a strategy (or combine several), and you can enjoy months of global living for less than the cost of a month’s rent at home.

✨ Travel slow. Live smart. Make the world your home.

Sip, Stay, Roam88