This is an old chestnut and tbh a bit of a daft dilemma. You don’t go abroad to save money, you go abroad abroad for a holiday* and try (if you want) to punt inexpensively. Bloody obvious really. Even with the cheapest airfare, transfers, food and accommodation, do you really think you will “save” money?? Of course not. But Germany is a) an experience worth having and b) pretty good value if you are lucky. It also has some cheap airfares and reasonable accommodation. Cheaper still is Greece, but in some ways harder unless you simply go for 10E trash SPs.
If you want my opinion (and you didn’t ask but it’s a forum, so I’m trying to contribute) the best all-round deals are to go long haul to a place where pissflaps are cheap as chips and stay for as long as you can. The time that you are there can be cheap (eg certain Asian and S.A. countries) so the longer you can stay, the better the cost-efficiency.
But honestly, for anyone for whom that isn’t obvious, you need to get your travel legs first — then start weighing up more options. Germany is among the most straightforward for a newbie. Relatively similar culture, mostly very safe, and whether you go FKK, flatrate or Eros Centres, about as easy-peasy as it comes. So make a bucket list, and if money is s big factor, look out for bargains on EasyJet and Ryanair and Jet2 and learn how to travel without luggage. Simples.
*when you realise this, you maybe see why I say choose somewhere you want to go for its own sake, not just for punting: but cross off any countries that won’t supply your punting needs efficiently!!
