Southeast Asia Backpacking Budget (Complete Travel Cost Breakdown)

Backpacking Southeast Asia is one of the best ways to travel on a budget while experiencing incredible cultures, stunning landscapes, and delicious food. But how much does it really cost? Whether you’re a shoestring backpacker or a flashpacker, this guide will break down all the costs to help you budget for your adventure.

General Costs

Average Costs for Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is one of the most affordable regions for travelers. Here’s a rough breakdown of daily budgets:

• Shoestring Backpacker: $22-$35 per day
• Living It Large Backpacker: $40-$55 per day
• Flashpacker: $60-$90 per day

Pre-Trip Expenses

Before you even land in Southeast Asia, there are some costs to consider:

• Flights: $200-$1,200 (one way, depending on your location)
• Vaccinations: $0-$350
• Visa Fees: Varies by country ($30-$60 per visa)
• Backpacking Gear: $200-$400
• Travel Insurance: $40-$100 per month

Cheapest Flight Cost to Bangkok Thailand, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia / Singapore

You can find great, amazing deals on flights if you search the right way. Here’s an article on Finding the Best Flights. Just for an idea, deals happen in advance or last minute can be found on deal finders such as

• Cheap Flight Finders: Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights), SkyScanner, Google Flights
• Using Budget Airlines (often low weight and baggage limits)
• Using Points from airlines or credit cards
• Fly from Major Airports: Places like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City, even Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, or Taipei host massive airports. With frequent flights comes frequent discounts.
• Consider Stops between Destinations: this may sound counter-intuitive, but sometimes, a flight from California to Tokyo, and then Bangkok, or New York to Paris to Bangkok will be cheaper than flying directly. I have a full guide on 3 best Strategies for finding the Cheapest Flights.

Travel Health and Vaccinations

Some people get no vaccinations, others will take everything under the sun. Most of Southeast Asia have no required vaccines to enter unlike other countries in South America and Africa, requiring vaccines for things such as yellow fever.

Here’s what the NHS and CDC recommend:

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/travel-vaccinations/available-travel-vaccines/

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-vaccines

If you’re curious, I also wrote an article on my personal experiences here.

Tourist Visa Fees in Southeast Asia

This is all dependent on your passport. The Passport Index Website and App does a good job on staying up to date on changing entry policies.

https://www.passportindex.org/

Here is a full guide on Visas in Southeast Asia.

Types of Visa costs include:

• Visa Free- No cost, just bring your passport with at least 6 months validity. Some countries will check for itinerary & flights out and will not stamp you in if you don’t have the required documents. Others are care-free.
• Visa on Arrival- No Pre-submitted Paperwork, $30-$80 fee. Same paperwork requirements as Visa Free
• ESTA / E-Visa- Pre Submitted Paperwork (hours to weeks before), $0-150, but usually approved quickly and with little headache. Plan these on your itinerary, especially Vietnam.
• Visa Required- Pre Submitted Paperwork many times well in advance and sometimes many games of bureaucracy. For example, China for many Western Passports.
• No Entry- you cannot enter the country with your passport

Currently, the rule of thumb is:

• Thailand- Usually Visa free 60 days (30-90 depending on current policy), extendable 30 days in the country
• Laos- $30-50 Visa on Arrival 30 days | Visa free 15 days certain Countries, 30 days ASEAN.
• Vietnam- E-Visa 90 days, Visa on arrival 30 | check countries
• Cambodia- $30-50 Visa on Arrival | 15-30 Days Visa Free ASEAN countries
• Malaysia – Visa Free 90 Days

Depending on if you have a stronger passport from countries such as the U.K., most of Northern and Western Europe such as Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, U.S.A, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc, this will apply to you.

If you are from ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) or for some reason Argentina, you may have many visa free and visa on arrival choices as well that in some cases are longer and in others shorter, than the above countries.

If you are traveling from other great countries with not as strong passports, hello! Glad you’re reading and still traveling. You may not be eligible for many Visa Free or Visa on Arrivals and instead have to pre-submit visa paperwork and be accepted.

My personal trip was in 2023, at the last waves of the you know what of 2020. This caused some worries about country entry rules, with changes happening every few weeks in some countries. I already had my flight booked to Bangkok when entry was fine, and then they completely banned entry again for a few weeks. I decided to just go anyway and got lucky with them re-opening borders a week before I started my trip.

What to pack for Backpacking Southeast Asia

The basics are bringing money, a good backpack, and good footwear.

Have these three prepared, and the rest is all optional. Clothes on your back and pack a bit more. If you forget, you can always buy more. Same with toiletries, although some things like Sunscreen are quite different in style, quality, and price (way more expensive!) in Asia.

For a full guide with all the tips, here is my backpacking packing guide South East Asia.

Is Insurance Worth It – Best Travel Insurance

Yes! Accidents happen, and medical care abroad can be expensive. Companies like SafetyWing offer budget-friendly nomad insurance that covers emergencies, lost luggage, and trip cancellations.

World Nomads is my personal option, which costs a little more than Safety Wing, but covers more injuries from activities, stolen items, and a bit more all inclusive. I have personally made claims with them and have had a great experience and continue to use them.

These are my two recommendations for backpackers and digital nomads because: they can be extended on the road and are trustworthy. Many traditional travel insurances are bought to cover certain days and cannot be extended. Safety Wing and World Nomads were created as a new avenue for our needs.

There are many many options for travel insurance, and many choose not to have any. Don’t be one of them. If you can pay for travel, you can pay for insurance. Sure, some places may be cheaper than the notorious United States for healthcare costs, but I have seen countless people bandaged up from scooter accidents.

I personally have first hand experience having to use travel insurance when I got bit by a wild dog in Thailand, which led me to the hospital 5 times over 6 weeks in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. I personally used World Nomads, and had a great experience… or as great as you can when you think you may die from rabies .

If you want to hear a worse story, my own father went on a backpacking trip in the 90s… or at least started one. Same one I was going on, just 30 years before me, and got badly poisoned in Bangkok with his friends. He was stuck in the hospital for months (with great service I heard), and hit with a bill that cost 10s of thousands of dollars (in the 90s!), and still has permanent nerve damage in his left arm. Without travel insurance, your life may be ruined.

Travel Costs by Country

There are many great countries in Southeast Asia to visit, but you’ll be pressed for time to visit them all. Transportation cost averages also go up when you move quicker. Here’s my guide on making your itinerary for Southeast Asia.

Here’s a country-by-country breakdown of typical daily budgets:

Thailand Budget

• Budget traveler: $25-$40/day
• Mid-range traveler: $40-$70/day
• Luxury traveler: $80+/day

Laos Budget

• Budget traveler: $20-$35/day
• Mid-range traveler: $40-$60/day
• Luxury traveler: $70+/day

Vietnam Budget

• Budget traveler: $20-$35/day
• Mid-range traveler: $40-$65/day
• Luxury traveler: $80+/day

Cambodia Budget

• Budget traveler: $20-$35/day
• Mid-range traveler: $40-$65/day
• Luxury traveler: $70+/day

Singapore Budget

• Budget traveler: $50-$80/day
• Mid-range traveler: $90-$150/day
• Luxury traveler: $200+/day

Malaysia Budget

• Budget traveler: $25-$40/day
• Mid-range traveler: $45-$70/day
• Luxury traveler: $90+/day

 

Indonesia Budget

• Budget traveler: $25-$40/day
• Mid-range traveler: $50-$80/day
• Luxury traveler: $100+/day

Philippines Budget

• Budget traveler: $25-$40/day
• Mid-range traveler: $50-$80/day
• Luxury traveler: $100+/day

Daily Cost of Backpacking in Southeast Asia – Quick Answers!

How Much Does a Trip to Southeast Asia Cost?

A month of travel in Southeast Asia can cost anywhere from $600 to $2,500, depending on your travel style.

Yeah, I know, that’s broad. So here’s the answer.

For a starter budget, plan on $1,000USD a month for on foot expenses. This excludes flights into and out of South East Asia, travel insurance, pre-travel health checkups, gear, visas, etc.

$1000 a month will let anyone get by fine without worrying. Even if you are going to budget spending less, which you will be amazed if you are a frugal, budget, shoestring backpacker, this is a good safety net.

This would mean a budget of about $33 a day.

To break it down:

Can I travel for $1000 a month

You will be able to spend:

• $10 a day on Accommodation: enough for a nicer hostel or cheap hotel
• $10 a day on food and drinks: 3 street food meals and 2 beers; or 2-3 restaurant meals; or a 7/11 toastie and a night worth of beers.
• Public transportation to New City every 3 days: averaging $10 every three days. About $2 average per hour of commute using local transportation.
• $300 for Tours, Experiences, Scooter Rentals and other miscellaneous costs such as laundry, intercity transport, and more.

If you expect a hotel every night, maybe double the accommodation cost to $20 a day. If you can get by on the cheapest hostels, half the accommodation costs $5 a day.

If you want some western foods and restaurant foods every now and then, adjust accordingly. Maybe double to $20 a day. If you plan on going out and drinking a lot, know beers at bars and clubs will be more expensive and eat your budget.

I wouldn’t recommend lowering the food budget under $10 a day. I survived on $5 for much of my trip, but I was a pretty skinny dude with a goal to see how cheap I could do it. Health is more important than saving a few bucks.

If you want to take luxury busses or train rides, or even fly between locations, definitely up your transportation cost. Here are some transportation guides between locations to give a better idea on cost and quality.

• Night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
• Getting from Bangkok to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui Islands.
• Chiang Mai to Pai: roller coaster bus ride or deadly scooter adventure
• Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai Bus
• How to get from Thailand to Laos: The Slow Boat
• Laos to Vietnam: The Infamous 20 hour Bus
• Hitchhiking in Asia

Cost of Food in Southeast Asia

• Street Food: $1-$3 per meal
• Restaurant Food: $5-$15 per meal
• Water: $0.50-$1 per bottle
• Beer: $1-$3 per bottle

Cost of Accommodation in Southeast Asia

• Hostels: $2-$15 per night
• Budget Hotels: $10-$40 per night
• Airbnbs/Guesthouses: $10-$50 per night

Cost of Transportation in Southeast Asia

• Local Buses: $0.50-$2 per ride
• Tuk-tuks/Grab (Ride-sharing): $1-$5 per ride
• Overnight Buses: $10-$25
• Trains: $5-$30 (depending on distance)
• Domestic Flights: $20-$100 (budget airlines like AirAsia)
• Motorbike Rental: $5-$10 per day
• Ferries (island hopping): $5-$25

Budget-Saving Tips for Travel in Southeast Asia

Save money on Pre-Trip Expenses – Before You Go

• Book Flights Early: Use Skyscanner or Google Flights to find cheap tickets.
• Use budget airlines: AirAsia and VietJet offer cheap flights.
• Pack Light: Avoid checked baggage fees.
• Get Travel Insurance: It’s worth it!

More Saving Tips:

• Eat local: Street food is cheap and delicious. Why go to a McDonalds while you have so many local options? Sure, some people travel for business or other reasons. But this is backpacking.
• Stay in hostels or guesthouses: Great for meeting people and saving money. It’s two in one. Just know the type of hostel you’re booking. The type of people you’ll meet are very different. Here’s a guide on picking a hostel.
• Use public transport: Buses and trains are much cheaper than taxis.
• Travel slow – The more you move, the more you spend. Moving quickly is the #1 thing that will change a $600 budget to a $1200 budget without doing anything luxurious.
• Bargain wisely, but be ethical – Haggling is expected in markets. Don’t get completely ripped off and know general prices, but you don’t have to go full Indian parent haggling.

If tourists always pay 5x more than locals, locals will get priced out and the area will be more gentrified. But, both sides know tourists have more disposable income and westerners generally earn on average 5x the local salary due to stronger currency.

Cheapest Travel Budget – $400 a month Budget

The costs above are good estimates to save for before going. If you want to pinch every penny possible by going to the cheapest hostels, find the cheapest street food, and not do any activities, it is possible but not highly recommended.

You could end up spending as little as $400 a month in 2025 backpacking in countries in Southeast such as Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

You will still get an experience, but this is more of a “journey” not destination. I say this as I have ended up doing it for parts of my 6 month long stretch. A lot of it was a mental exercise as I still had money in the bank, but wanted to see how far I could really do it.

I was met with exceptional kindness everywhere and learned a lot about life this way. Do bring gifts for people who help you, and remember to spread kindness in the future. Pick up hitchhikers, host couchsurfers, buy a drink or meal for someone. Spread the love. It makes the world a better place.

• Cheapest $2 Hostels. This means countries with the Cheapest Hostels being $2-3 usd a night in Thailand and Laos, and $1-2 more in Vietnam and Malaysia. Some places will be more, some less. Would need research.

Couchsurfing for free accommodation is an option. I’ve couchsurfed, but not to cut costs as it is affordable in SEA, but for the experiences. Being around locals and exchanging cultures is a great part of travel. I plan on hosting couchsurfers at my own place to continue the global experience.

• $2-5 food a day. Street food is about $1-2 a meal 2-3 times a day to sustain living, but maybe not the healthiest.

If you’re a bigger person, you will lose some weight.

• $0 Transportation. Transportation is the most expensive when cutting costs so this means the alternative of walking around and hitch hiking for transportation. An occasional ticket somewhere might need to be done.

You may be frugal, but if you’re not dead broke, bring some gifts for people and pay for their meals if you make a stop.

• $0 Tours and Experiences. No tours or activity costs. If you’re really frugal, laundry in the sink and hang drying.

I personally went down this route for a bit of my journey, with just a small monthly budget for activities.

Most of my 6 month travels in Southeast Asia were like this but with a budget for transportation and tours, but I kept the hostels to a minimum cost, and didn’t spend as much on food as I needed to for a sustainably healthy diet.

But at 20 years old, I was after that bare minimum experience of travel that I knew I wouldn’t try as much later on. It gave me more time to explore areas that most tourists won’t visit. I would walk through towns for hours every day just seeing the local life and getting interesting opportunities you wouldn’t get on a tour.

What 6 Months of Traveling in Southeast Asia Cost Me

Over six months, from the end of February to End of August, I went through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, South of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan and spent $3,500 averaging about $20 per day. Here’s the breakdown:

How to Travel on Only $20 a Day?

While it’s possible to survive on $20-$30/day, some things will increase your budget:

• Fast travel (frequent flights, private transport)
• Western food & alcohol
• Expensive activities (diving, tours, adventure sports)
• Accommodation upgrades

This is also excluding Flights into and out of the region, which vary based on your home country or starting and ending location. This also does not account for pre-purchased expenses such as my travel insurance, which cost me between $80-120 a month, medical checks and preparation before going, and purchasing backpacking gear.

I partied a few times, but didn’t drink too much. I did have a dinner beer when eating out with people very frequently.

I always took the cheapest transportation between cities, but still moved at a decently fast pace. I did occasionally hitchhike between cities when I met with new friends who were interested in hitchhiking.

I have a crazy hitchhiking expedition that stretched about 400 km or 250 miles from the border of Vietnam to the capital Hanoi and traveled the east Coast of Taiwan by hitchhiking.

I didn’t rent scooters every day, but instead opted to explore cities on foot for much of my journey.

FAQs About Backpacking Costs in Southeast Asia

How much money do I need to backpack Southeast Asia?

For a shoestring budget, plan for $700-$1,200 per month. For a comfortable budget with many tours, aim for $1,500-$2,500 per month.

How much does it cost per day to backpack Thailand?

Thailand’s daily budget ranges from $25-$50 per day, depending on your style of travel.

How much does it cost per day to backpack Vietnam?

Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries, with daily expenses ranging from $20-$40 per day.

Is backpacking Southeast Asia expensive?

No! Compared to other regions, Southeast Asia is incredibly affordable for budget travelers.

How do I budget for backpacking?

1. Decide on your daily budget (e.g., $30/day = $900/month).
2. Plan your route to estimate visa and transportation costs.
3. Save extra for unexpected expenses.

Backpacking Southeast Asia is an unforgettable experience, and with the right planning, you can stretch your budget and make the most of your adventure. Got questions? Feel free to reach out to me @ mail.barefootsurfer.com or on instagram @wkbranham (sorry no official barefoot surfer account, just my private)