What is the Cheapest Country for an Internship Abroad?

If you are a UK university student looking at international internships, cost is probably the first thing on your mind. Flights, accommodation, food, and daily expenses add up fast. So which country will stretch your budget the furthest?

We have placed hundreds of UK students in internships across 30+ countries. Here is what it actually costs, which destinations give you the most for your money, and how to make any placement affordable.

The Short Answer: Accra, Ghana (from £350/month)

Accra, Ghana is the cheapest destination we offer for UK students doing an internship abroad. A shared room runs £120-180 per month, local meals cost £1-2 each, and public transport is under £20 per month. You can live comfortably in Accra on £350-450 per month, all in.

Here are the five cheapest countries for an internship abroad, ranked by total monthly living costs:

All five of these destinations fall into the Turing Scheme's Group 2, meaning you can receive £480-630 per month in government funding to cover your costs. In Accra and Bali, the Turing grant alone can cover your entire monthly spend.

Budget Breakdown: What £500/Month Gets You in Each Country

Numbers on a table only tell you so much. Here is what £500 per month actually looks like day-to-day in different destinations:

Accra (£500 = living well)

A private room in a shared house in Osu or East Legon. Three meals a day at local chop bars with jollof rice and grilled tilapia. Tro-tro rides across the city. Weekend trips to the beach at Kokrobite. Money left over for nights out and a co-working space. You are not surviving on £500 in Accra. You are genuinely comfortable.

Bangkok (£500 = comfortable)

A room in a serviced apartment near the BTS Skytrain. Street food for lunch (£1.50 per pad thai), a nicer restaurant for dinner twice a week. Monthly BTS pass for the commute. Weekend markets and temple visits. Tight but completely doable, with the occasional treat.

Cape Town (£500 = manageable)

A bed in a shared house in Observatory or Woodstock. Home-cooked meals most nights, eating out once or twice a week. MyCiTi bus to the waterfront. Hiking Table Mountain costs nothing. You will need to budget carefully, but Cape Town rewards that effort with incredible experiences.

Prague (£500 = just enough)

A room in a shared flat outside the centre. Czech pub lunches for £4-5, supermarket dinners. Monthly transit pass for £20. You can do it, but there is not much room for extras. A £600 budget in Prague puts you in a much more comfortable position.

Barcelona (£500 = tight)

A bed in a shared room in Gracia or Sants. Cooking every meal at home from Mercadona groceries. Walking or cycling to your placement. One cana on the beach per week if you are disciplined. Honestly, Barcelona on £500 is possible but stressful. Budget £700-800 to actually enjoy it.

The Catch: Cheap Does Not Always Mean Best Value

The cheapest destination is not automatically the smartest financial choice. Two factors change the equation entirely.

Some countries pay you

Berlin has a strong culture of paid internships, especially in tech and startups. German law requires companies to pay interns on placements longer than three months, typically £500-800 per month. Yes, Berlin costs £800-1,000/month to live in. But if your internship pays £600, your net cost is only £200-400, making it cheaper than an unpaid placement in Bangkok.

Some countries let you earn alongside

Sydney is expensive at £1,200+ per month, but Australian student and working holiday visas allow part-time work. Hospitality and retail jobs pay £14-18 per hour. Working 15 hours a week covers most of your rent. The internship itself may be unpaid, but you are not relying solely on savings.

How to Make Any Destination Affordable

Even expensive cities become realistic with the right strategy. Here are four ways to cut costs no matter where you go:

• Apply for Turing Scheme funding. UK students can receive £480-690/month in government grants for internships abroad. Your university handles the application. This is free money that does not need to be repaid, and in affordable destinations, it covers everything.
• Eat local. The single biggest budget mistake is eating at tourist restaurants. In Bangkok, the same meal costs £1.50 from a street vendor or £8 in a restaurant on Khao San Road. In Cape Town, a braai at home costs a fraction of a Camps Bay dinner. Eat where locals eat.
• Go off-season. Flights and accommodation drop significantly outside peak months. A January start in Bali is much cheaper than a July start. September in Barcelona saves hundreds compared to June. Many of our best placements run year-round, so you have flexibility.
• Choose shared housing. A private studio in any city will strain your budget. Shared flats and co-living spaces cut accommodation costs by 40-60% and give you a built-in social life. We help students find housing at every destination.

The Sweet Spots: Best Value for Money

If we had to recommend three destinations that balance affordability with strong internship quality, these would be our picks:

These three cities offer something the cheapest destinations do not always provide: a deep pool of quality internships across multiple industries, reliable infrastructure, established intern communities, and a lifestyle that makes the experience unforgettable. They are affordable enough to manage on Turing funding and savings, and professional enough to make a real impact on your CV.