Cost of Travel Overview (2017)

Railay Beach, Thailand

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most inexpensive regions to travel, so its popularity with backpackers is no coincidence. Not everywhere in Southeast Asia is equally cheap however, so it’s worth doing your research when budgeting your trip.

My most recent trip in the region was in 2015, though everything in this post has been updated for 2017. I also sampled at least 50 prices from accommodation booking sites for each country to calculate the average cost for a dorm bed or basic private double room (e.g. in a hostel or 1 or 2-star guesthouse). Accommodation cost is typically a good indicator for the cost of a country overall, so the charts should give you a good sense of relative value for money.

Some important caveats:

• The data for accommodation prices are sourced from online booking sites, and these inevitably include businesses that are more established. Shoestring travellers may also find plenty of unlisted…