Best area to stay in Santorini

Santorini and Mykonos are two of the most expensive islands. They might be better off visiting elsewhere.

For nightlife, Fira is the place to be. The beachfront villages of Kamari and Perissa are much less expensive than the villages overlooking the caldera. Both have good shops, restaurants and bars. If you want recommendations for accommodations you need to specify their combined maximum nightly budget, in EURO. "Nothing expensive" is not helpful. You can also try using the filter system at www.booking.com to see what might still be available in their price range.

Maybe try camping on the beaches? I was in Santorini on Halloween and it was the last day of the season so I got a killer deal on a hot tub suite which was 650 in season

Camping on the beaches is not allowed, it's actually illegal.

Santorini and Mykonos are not known for "Nothing Expensive"

Lots of other options for "nothing expensive" for islands.

On the other hand "nothing expensive" could mean one thing to one person and another thing to someone else.

A price range is always needed for recommendations.

There are PLENTY of affordable hotels on Santorini in spite of what you might read. It all depends on your choice of location and what you can afford. If you want something inexpensive you'll most likely have to sacrifice a caldera view and maybe even stay in a village that has no seafront or clifftop view. I suggest you use the filter system at www.booking.com to see what's available for your travel dates for the money you want to spend.

Thank you all for your replies. I understand your point about having a price range. I’d have to talk to them to find out more of what they can afford. But I did get a good idea of what each area offers.