Where to Travel in Russia This May Without Breaking the Bank

If you're planning a trip for the May holidays in 2026 but watching your wallet, new data points to some surprisingly affordable Russian cities. Analysts from the Otello booking service compiled a list of destinations where accommodation costs are lowest.

The most budget-friendly spot is Barnaul, where a hotel room averages just 3,800 rubles per night. It's followed by Blagoveshchensk (4,400 rubles), and a three-way tie between Adler, Tomsk, and Irkutsk, all at 4,600 rubles. Krasnoyarsk rounds out the cheapest tier at 4,900 rubles. For travelers with a bit more flexibility, cities like Makhachkala, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Pyatigorsk also made the list, with nightly stays staying under 6,000 rubles.

The research also highlights a surge in traveler interest. Bookings for Kislovodsk, Zelenogradsk, Svetlogorsk, Smolensk, and Yaroslavl have nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2025, suggesting these are the trending spots for the holiday period.

This follows earlier Otello findings on popular destinations for last-minute domestic trips, which frequently include the Golden Ring cities, the Krasnodar region, and Kazan. The takeaway is clear: for a cost-effective May getaway, looking beyond the usual capitals can lead to significant savings and new discoveries.