Costs & How to Budget in 2019 • Indie Traveller

Jump to: Thailand – Laos – Cambodia – Vietnam – Singapore – Malaysia – Indonesia – Philippines – Myanmar

Six years ago, I went backpacking through Southeast Asia for a whopping 9 months. I was amazed by how cheap it was!

During this entire journey, I was living totally off my savings and having an incredible time. 

Ever since this epic trip, I’ve been going back to Southeast Asia nearly every year. It’s just such good value and the region is brimming with amazing places to visit.

If you’re making a budget for Southeast Asia, be warned though: not every country is equally cheap.

For example, it often happens that backpackers get used to the ultra-low prices in a country like Vietnam, but then go somewhere and end up surprised. Backpackers in the Philippines, for instance, might complain about how expensive the hotels and hostels are… even though it’s still a bargain by European or North American standards.

Prices also change over time. Cambodia…