Best Budget Ski Resorts Around The World

The time’s right for winter sports, so if you still haven’t chosen your skiing destination, we’re here to help. We have prepared a list of ski resorts from around the world to save you some time searching for the most affordable options.

Find the perfect place for your ski vacation on a budget, then gear up and enjoy! It’s time to get the dust off your ski goggles and snowboarding boots and hit the slopes! Don’t forget to dress warmly; a good winter jacket, a pair of gloves, and a ski helmet are essentials for any ski trip.

America & Canada

1. Killington, Vermont, USA

Killington’s also a great place for snowboarders

If you’re looking for a nice ski trip at a good price in the US, try this part of the East Coast. Since most visitors only stay for a day or two, all resorts are yearning for guests who’d stay longer. That’s the way you can find good packages for longer stays. Killington’s the largest ski resort in Vermont and it has good quality snow. Have some fun exploring the series of six wooded peaks. This is a great place for families because it offers trails for beginners as well as intermediate trails. The area has the largest vertical drop in New England at 3,050 feet. Depending on the day, the lift prices are in the range of $54 to $96.

2. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Utah

This resort has a number of outdoor facilities, including outdoor heated pools

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is another great destination for families in North America. The terrain has runs for all categories of skiers, from beginner to pro. There’s a total of 89 runs, with one tram, 4 quads, and 6 doubles. Although ski runs are mostly closed in the summer the Snowbird resort stays open. The accommodation facilities have a number of benefits, including outdoor heated pools, fitness rooms, and restaurants. Kids under 6 can ski for free while the early adults pass cost is $62. The lift tickets are in the range of $13 for night skiing to $114 for the entire day, depending on age and when you get them.

3.     Bear Mountain, California

Bear mountain has a lot of skiing terrain, spreading over four mountain peaks.

Bear Mountain Ski Resort spreads over four mountain peaks and is a favorite skiing destination in Southern California. There’s a vast area for skiing, a total of 749 acres. The terrain’s most suitable for intermediate level skiers, but there are trails for everybody, from beginner to pro. At Bear Mountain you can also enjoy night skiing over the weekend and holidays. Important note: there aren’t any hotels or inns within the resort, but there are places you can spend the night nearby. There are 12 lifts, and regular daily tickets start from $20 for children (7 years and older), $43 for young adults, and $53 for grown-ups.

4. Copper Mountain, Colorado

The Copper mountain’s a great destination for skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, and snowshoeing.

Copper Mountain Ski Resort may not look like an economical option, but you should be able to find good packages and special deals to cut costs. This is a great destination for a ski vacation. The resort offers options for a number of activities, including skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating and snowshoeing. This is all possible because of the enormous size of the resort and 21 easy runs, 25 intermediate and as much as 54 advanced runs! If you want to go in early December, you can pay as little as $30 for hotel accommodation. The multi-day lift tickets can be purchased online at the cost of $204 for three days during regular season.

5. London Ski Club at Boler Mountain, Ontario, Canada

The Boler Mountain’s a nice place for a family vacation.

Boler Mountain (AKA Boler Hill) is kind of tiny but that’s why the prices are also minimal. The London Ski resort has a long history of being a not-for-profit skiing location since it was opened in 1949. That’s another explanation for the low prices. There are no hotels within the resort but there are nearby cities that offer accommodation. The resort now has a ski school, 10 runs, 3 parks and 4 lifts. And we think that’s a pretty fair offer. The lift costs are $27 for adults and $22.50 for children. Hotel accommodation in 2-3 stars hotels start at $83 per room.

6. Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

With 4200 acres of skiable terrain, Lake Louise is one of the biggest ski areas in North America.

If you hurry up and get the early season prices, you can really have a bargain and a blast at Lake Louise Ski Area. There are also special discounts for those who have a season ski pass and for Louise Card holders. Lake Louise has 139 runs covering a 4200 acre of skiable terrain, which makes it one of the largest ski areas in North America. This is a good location for family visits as it has many gentle slopes suitable for beginners. Note: it can get really cold out there, so pack warm. If you want to enjoy a five-star service at three-star prices, come to Lake Louise. The lift tickets range from $25 for children to $67 for adults.

7. Red Mountain Resort, Canada

Red Mountain Resort has 83 runs for all categories of skiers.

Red Mountain Resort’s located near the US/Canadian border and it’s Canada’s oldest ski resort. It is welcoming to all categories of skiers with 83 runs spread over more than 1585 acres. Although it has a reputation of being a tough mountain, there are also wide spaces for beginners. There are 6 ski lifts and the daily passes are $22 for children and $43 for adults. The resort opens on December 5, and there are four places to stay within the resort. Depending on where you’re staying, the weekly winter ranges start at about $235 and go up to almost $400. Make sure to check out the special offers.

South America

8. La Hoya, Argentina

La Hoya also has runs for everyone, from beginner to pro, and it has a great ski school.

Not to forget South America, we must present the Ski and Snowboard Terrain in La Hoya, Argentina. This isn’t a very vast skiing area but it’s mostly unobstructed by trees and it has trails for beginners, intermediate, advanced and expert skiers. In total, there are 24 trails with the length of 22km, with the longest one being 5.1km. The ski area sits in a circular basin and it’s about 148 acres large. There’s also a small terrain park. The main benefits are probably the off-piste terrains that are open and accessible by the top lift. The snow quality in La Hoya is high and thanks to the basin orientation, the season’s open from June to October. The lift prices are $23 for children and $30 for adults in high season.

9. Cerro Catedral, Argentina

The Cerro Cathedral’s the biggest ski area in South America with 3000 acres of skiable terrain.

Cerro Catedral or Catedral Alta Patagonia is really a sight for sore eyes. The views are magnificent and the vistas across Lake Nahuel Huapi are simply breathtaking. As for the ski resort itself, it’s now highly developed according to South American standards. There’s a solid infrastructure as well as a number of lifts, as well as a village at the base of the mountain. The 3000 acres of lift-accessed ski terrain makes it the largest in South America. What real enthusiasts will love is that about half of the terrain is for off-piste skiing. There are slopes for all levels of skiers. The lift cost’s $36 for children, $53 for minors, and $61 for adults in high season.

10. Ski Portillo, Chile

Portillo Ski Resort’s an excellent place for pro skiers.

Portillo ski resort in Chile is well known for world class skiing. It’s located near the Argentinian border, high up in the Andes, near the highest peak outside of Himalayas, Mount Aconcagua. You can find accommodation at Hotel Portillo. One of the reasons this resort is popular in South America is because it’s the only cat skiing operation in the area. The main attributes of this skiing terrain are steep and deep, so experts can find Portillo a worthy challenge. In high season, the lift tickets cost $27 for children and $42 for adults.

Europe

11. Les Carroz, France (Altitude: 1120m)

Les Carroz ski resort’s a wonderful place for family holidays.

Les Carroz is a chalet-style French village that shares the Grand Massif area with Samoëns, Morillon, and Flaine. The village has good food shops and restaurants. This is an excellent and very under-rated base for skiing in the Grand Massif area. When the weather’s good, you can ski on the slopes of Flaine (2480m) while in the case of bad weather you can ski locally in the woods. Many prefer apartment accommodation but there are also two hotels in Les Carroz. As for the cost, you can get a lift pass for $282, and for the total of $727, you can also get ski hire, ski lesson, and food and drink for 6 days.

12. Ellmau, Austria (800m)

Ellmau’s a part of Ski Welt slope area with the highest point at 1830m

Ellmau’s a part of Austria’s biggest linked area of slopes, the Ski Welt. This attractive traditional village offers a reasonably useful access to the slopes. According to current standards, the resorts offer low prices. Ski Welt’s high point is at 1830m, at the top of Söll’s Hohe Salve. Other than that, this area offers vast areas of wooded slopes to cruise on. The snowmaking and the lifts are efficient. The runs up on the hill are mostly short, but there are long descents to the villages in the valley. The total costs of this arrangement for six days are $705, including the $282 lift pass, as well as ski hire, lesson, and food and drink.

13. Livigno, Italy (1815m)

Livigno has the best tracks for beginners and intermediate level skiers, but there are a few tracks for pros, too

The modest prices this resort has to offer are caused by the duty-free status Livigno enjoys thanks to the nearby Swiss border. This is a pleasant, traditional village, tucked away in a remote and isolated valley. At the foot of the slopes there’s a nice pedestrian core. Although this isn’t a particularly snowy part of the Alps, the high altitude (highest top at 2800m) helps a lot with this. Only a couple of runs have the black steepness status while most runs are easy to intermediate. The slopes are almost entirely open and there’s a modern lift system at the regular price of $282. The total costs, including lift pass, ski hire, lesson, and food and drink are $697 for six days.

14. Monte Rosa, Italy (1600m)

The Monte Rosa’s a three valley ski area with long intermediate runs and lots of off-piste terrains

Monte Rosa’s another great skiing destination in Italy. Monte Rosa Ski’s a three-valley ski area on the southern flanks of the Monte Rosa glacial massif. There are great long intermediate runs, but the main attraction of this area is the off-piste terrains. Some of these black slopes are lift-served while some are only accessible by helicopters. The resorts are relaxed and unspoiled. The western valley and the central valley are good bases while the eastern valley can suffer because of the closing of top lifts in bad weather. The total cost of the lift pass ($267), ski hire, lesson, and food and drink’s $653.

15. Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Kranjska Gora’s a perfect place to bring your kids because it has great slopes for beginners

The Eastern European Country of Slovenia may be small but it has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to winter sports. Kranjska Gora is a great skiing destination for families because it has compact convenient slopes that are the best possible option for beginners. Although the resort brags with a World Cup slalom black run, if you want something that’s really challenging, this isn’t a place for you. Instead of raw nature and steep slopes, you’ll see a pretty little village and moderate tree-lined slopes. This is exactly why it’s a great place for families with children. There are 18 slopes and 18 lifts,as well as a skiing school. Day lift tickets are $34.50 for adults, $29.50 for young adults and seniors, and $22 for children.

Balkans

16. Kopaonik, Serbia

Kopaonik’s the best ski resort in the area with great runs, high-speed lifts, ski school, and much more

If you haven’t visited the Balkans yet, you’ve made a terrible mistake. Luckily, you can still do that. We suggest starting with Kopaonik in Serbia. Kopaonik is the biggest and the most developed resort in the region, with high-speed lifts and beautiful off-piste runs at the top. The snow is very good and mostly untouched off-piste. The runs are very well prepared and suitable for beginners, pros and all skiers in between. There’s about 55km of runs for alpine skiing and 12 km of runs for cross-country (nordic) skiing. There’s also night skiing and a ski school for children. The service and the food are amazing and the locals are very friendly. The cheapest set of six-day ski pass can be purchased for $96.50.

17. Popova Shapka, Macedonia

Awesome snowy forest runs and open faces make Popova Shapka great for all the enthusiasts

Popova Shapka’s a very snowy resort in Macedonia. There’s no marked piste so you’re free to explore or stick to the few groomed runs. This is also the base for Europe’s exclusive cat-ski operation, Eskimo Freeride. If you’re looking for epic terrains combining awesome forest runs with open faces, you can get this arrangement at the price of $220 for 6 days. If you’re not really into this and want a calm, smooth ride, the regular arrangement for the six-day ski pass is $65. This is an excellent ski pass price, and you can also get a good accommodation in Hotel Granit. Make sure to try the stone baked pizzas, goulash and rakija.

18. Kolašin, Montenegro

Kolašin ski resort offers challenging steep runs and a Nordic ski circuit

If you want to experience supreme adventure skiing through birch forest runs over tons of snow, one of the great destinations is Kolašin, Montenegro. The open faces provide steep terrain with testing descents and there’s also a Nordic ski circuit. There’s a high-speed lift that can carry six people, a café, restaurant and a ski center. You won’t find accommodation at the ski area but you can stay in the town of Kolašin. Apartments are the best choice. The food and drink are also very affordable. The six-day ski pass can be purchased for $100.

19. Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jahorina offers supreme fun with a lot of different terrains and it’s packed with excitement

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s famous for hosting the 1984 Winter Olympic Games and one of the prime resorts to visit is Jahorina. The terrain is very vivid and fun, with a constant change of tree-riding, open faces, groomed piste and small drops. You can stay in Jahorina but Sarajevo’s only half an hour away and you can get a better price there. Make sure to check out the local cuisine, beer and wine. There are high-speed six-man lifts to take you up, and the six-day ski pass costs only $90.

Asia

20. Shemshak, Iran

Shemshak’s the biggest ski resort in Iran with two main slopes and the highest point at 3050m

If you want to experience Asia in a new way, try out Iran as a skiing destination. We bet you would’ve never thought of it. However, Shemshak offers a unique experience at low prices. The resort’s located in the Alborz mountain range and it’s the second biggest ski resort in Iran. The slopes are at the altitude of 2550m to 3050 m. There are two main slopes with a chair lift and this resort is most suitable for experienced skiers. There’s also a possibility of night skiing. The prices are considered reasonable and affordable even for the middle class.

21. Yabuli, China

Yabuli has hosted 3rd Asian Winter Games and it’s also the place where the national team comes to train

Yabuli Ski Resorts is the best and the biggest ski resort in China. It’s located in the province of Heilongjiang and it’s the resort where the Chinese national team comes to train. Yabuli has hosted the 3rd Asian Winter games and it’s also the home to the world’s longest toboggan run. The soft, powdery snow and the beautiful pine trees make this natural setting unforgettable. The prices are more than economical and start from $42 for a full day including equipment hire on weekdays.

22. Shiga Kogen, Japan

The Shiga Kogen provides the vastness of 21 interlinked ski areas so there’s a number of options for everyone

Shiga Kogen’s the largest ski resort in Japan as it consists of 21 interlinked ski areas. It has something to offer for everyone, from the beginner level to pros in search of adventure. It has 75 lifts including 1 tram, 4 gondolas and for that amount of options, a $45 lift pass is more than a good deal. The longest run is 6 km long, The vertical drop’s 980m and the season’s open from December to April.