So as a solo traveller, how much do you need to comfortably travel in Southeast Asia? This question will get wildly different answers depending on who you ask. Some people will proudly tell you they spend less than $5 per night on accommodations. Others will say that they don’t stay any place that’s less than $100 per night. For me, the answer lies somewhere in the middle, so today I’m sharing my wisdom as a long-term traveller on how much it costs to travel this part of the world.

Before we begin, a few notes on my methodology:

• Costs usually vary day-to-day, depending on if you are on the road, doing lots of activities, or relaxing and not doing much. I try to indicate costs in a weekly format to account for an average on accommodations and food, as well as building in some variety.
• The following budgets are based on my personal experiences traveling solo, and your budget can obviously be more (or less) depending on your interests and whether you are more extravagant (or frugal) than I.
• I am working in Canadian dollars, which at the time of publication converts $1 CAD = $0.78 USD

Ah yes, the old backpacker mantra of how to see the world at $50 a day. To break it down:

$50 a day x 30 days = $1500 per month, or $350 per week

Short answer: yes. It is doable to travel in certain places in Southeast Asia on $350 per week. In countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, you can find dorm rooms from $5-$15 per night, and eat very well on $15 a day. This leaves you with a little pocket money for doing fun things or having a few drinks. I have met many people who travel on this type of a budget, and they very much enjoy their time abroad. Budget travel can be it’s own fun challenge, and you can get quite creative in making your dollar stretch as far as possible.

However, doing things this cheaply all of the time isn’t the easiest or the most stress-free. Often dorms that cost less than $10 per night aren’t exactly the nicest places to stay, and I have heard plenty of tales about questionable cleanliness, roach motels, and warehouse dorm rooms with 15-20 people in them. Being this tight on budget can also prohibit you from doing a lot of fun tours or visiting unique areas that require a guide or extra transportation to get there.

Sample budget for a week in Thailand (based on my stay in Bangkok in 2017):

• Transport from Phuket to Bangkok (by air): $80
• Hostel, room in a female-only dorm: $15 per night = $105 per week
• Food, 3 meals, mix of street food and restaurants: $15 per day = $105 per week
• Tuk-tuks and transport, 2 two-way trips: $20 per week
• Admission to 2 paid attractions: $10 per week
• Miscellaneous costs, including some beers, a couple of foot massages, etc.: $30
• TOTAL: $350 per week

So if you’re like me (a 20-to-30-something traveller who isn’t as keen on travelling as cheaply as possible all the time) what is a reasonable budget to travel in Southeast Asia? Perhaps you like to stay in private rooms, eat nice sit-down suppers, order an extra glass of wine at night, or splurge on the occasional tour or activity. You might also want to travel in one of the more expensive countries of Asia, such as Malaysia or Brunei, or travel mostly in major cities, which tend to be more expensive than travelling rural areas. To break it down:

$100 a day x 30 days = $3000 per month, or $700 per week

This is what I consider a moderate budget, where you are conscious of how much you spend, but don’t have to keep track of every dollar and risk ruin by over-spending from the bare bones. If you are staying in touristy areas, your costs for food and accommodations will also be a bit higher than off-the-beaten-track routes, so make sure you factor that in.

Sample budget for a week in Vietnam (based on my stay in Hoi An in 2018):

• Getting to Hoi An (open bus transport from Hue to Hoi An): $10
• Hotel, private room near the beach that includes breakfast: $55 per night = $385 per week
• Food, 2 meals, mix of street food and restaurants: $20 per day = $140 per week
• Taxis, Grabcar and transport, 2 two-way trips: $20 per week
• A local day tour, for example an island snorkeling tour or motorcycle tour: $100 per tour
• Miscellaneous costs, including some beers, a walking tour, or a few souvenirs: $45
• TOTAL: $700 per week

You might have noticed a few things conspicuously absent from my above budgets.

First, and most obvious, is the cost of getting to wherever you’re travelling. If you’re travelling from Canada to Asia, flights can average somewhere around $1000 (or more) round-trip, depending on where you’re going and how many layovers you’re willing to take on.

Next, travel insurance is also missing. This may or may not be something you choose to invest in, but if you’re doing long-term travel it’s a safe bet you’re going to get sick at some point, and having insurance can give you peace of mind that you’re covered in case of emergency. Depending on your options, travel health insurance will probably cost you somewhere around $100-$150 per month from a reputable provider.

Third, I have not included the costs of any multi-day or multi-week organized group tours. These types of tours can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on what you’re doing. It’s not uncommon to see a 10-day tour priced between $2000-$5000 dollars. These tours can often take you places that are hard to go on your own, but are usually way more expensive than travelling to the average destination by your lonesome.

Finally, factor in any monthly payments or online entertainment you might want to access. This is more significant for long-term travel, but it depends on your personal preference. For example, when I left Canada I realized that I was going to be missing a whole season of The Walking Dead, and I wanted to keep up with the episodes so that my mom wouldn’t spoil it for me. I ended up paying for a season’s subscription on iTunes to make sure I had access (about $40). This is definitely a non-essential budget category, but if you think you’ll be spending money on anything additional while you’re away, make sure you include it in your budget so there are no unhappy surprises when you look at your credit card balance.

Getting to the point, I think there’s a happy medium that can be found somewhere between budget and moderate travel. It’s worth it to have some cheap weeks so that you can afford to splurge on moderate or more expensive activities that you really want to do.

It’s important to examine your priorities when you travel, and figure out what’s important to ensure that you have the best possible time while travelling. Are you a foodie who likes to check out the local hipster places when you travel? Double your food budget. Could you care less what you eat as long as you’re not going hungry? Cut your food budget in half. Do you have trouble sleeping, and need a quiet space? Double your accommodations budget. Do you sleep like a rock in any conditions short of earthquake? Half your accommodations budget. Do you like to go to all of the major attractions? Plan to spend more on your entertainment budget. Do you like to wander around looking at public art and avoiding the touristy areas? Half your entertainment budget. Do you want the best of everything, and the cost be damned? Check out a different blog on luxury travel, and ignore my budget-conscious ways.