Southeast Asia on a Budget: Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia
Backpackers have been averaging about $35/day across Southeast Asia, but that number hides a massive range. A day on a Thai island can cost $55. A day in rural Vietnam can cost $20. The difference isn’t about how “budget” you are — it’s about where you go and what you know about local pricing.
This guide covers the three most-traveled countries in the region with realistic numbers, not optimistic estimates.
Thailand: Two Countries in One Budget
Thailand has a two-tier pricing problem. Northern and central destinations (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya) still offer traditional backpacker value. Southern islands and beaches (Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui) charge near-Western prices for accommodation and activities.
Daily Budget
- Northern/Central Thailand: $25-35/day
- Southern islands: $45-55/day
What Things Cost
Accommodation:
- Hostel dorm: $8-15 (mainland) / $15-25 (islands)
- Budget private room: $15-25 (mainland) / $30-50 (islands)
Food:
- Street food meal: $1-3
- Local restaurant: $3-6
- Tourist restaurant: $8-15
Transport:
- Local bus: $0.30-1
- Tuk-tuk ride: $2-5
- Long-distance bus: $10-20
- Domestic flight: $30-80
Activities:
- Temple visit: $3-8
- National park entry: $10-15
- Snorkeling day trip: $25-60
Where to Save
Eat at stalls with long local lines. Street food in Thailand isn’t just cheaper than restaurants — it’s often better. A plate of pad kra pao (basil stir-fry) from a sidewalk stall costs $1.50 and beats most sit-down versions.
Stay inland on islands. Beachfront accommodation on Koh Phi Phi costs 3-4x what you’d pay a ten-minute walk away. Same beach, same ocean, dramatically different price.
Book domestic flights early. AirAsia and Nok Air run sales regularly. A Bangkok-Chiang Mai flight booked two weeks out: $50. Booked two months out: $20.
Skip tuk-tuks for daily transport. They’re a novelty, not a transit system. Bangkok’s BTS and MRT are fast, air-conditioned, and cost $0.40-1.50 per ride.
Vietnam: The Best Value, North to South
Vietnam is consistently the cheapest of the three for travelers. Costs stay relatively flat throughout the country — Ho Chi Minh City isn’t dramatically more expensive than Hoi An — which makes budgeting simpler.
Daily Budget
$20-30/day throughout the country.
What Things Cost
Accommodation:
- Hostel dorm: $6-12/night
- Budget private room: $10-20/night
- Mid-range hotel: $25-45/night
Food:
- Street food (pho, banh mi): $1-2.50
- Local restaurant: $2-5
- Tourist restaurant: $5-12
Transport:
- Local bus: $0.25-0.75
- Motorbike taxi: $1-3
- Long-distance bus: $8-15
- Domestic flight: $30-70
- Motorbike rental: $5-8/day
Activities:
- Museum: $1-3
- Cooking class: $15-30
- Ha Long Bay tour: $25-50
Where to Save
The overnight train saves a hotel night. The Hanoi-Sapa and Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City sleeper trains are cheap, atmospheric, and eliminate one night’s accommodation cost.
Rent a motorbike for multi-day trips. At $5-8/day, a motorbike gives you freedom that bus routes can’t match. The Hai Van Pass between Hue and Hoi An is one of Southeast Asia’s best rides.
Book through Vietnamese companies. Local tour operators charge 30-50% less than international ones for identical experiences. Hostel front desks usually know the best local operators.
Eat pho for breakfast. The Vietnamese do. It costs $1-2, it’s filling, and it’s different in every region — Ha Noi pho tastes nothing like Saigon pho.
Cambodia: Ancient Wonders, Budget Prices
Cambodia runs slightly cheaper than Thailand and about the same as Vietnam, with one exception: Angkor Wat pulls prices up in Siem Reap. Budget for that separately.
Daily Budget
$20-30/day (add $15-25/day for Angkor Wat days).
What Things Cost
Accommodation:
- Hostel dorm: $5-10/night
- Budget private room: $8-18/night
- Mid-range hotel: $20-40/night
Food:
- Street food: $1-3
- Local restaurant: $2-5
- Amok curry (national dish): $2-4
Transport:
- Tuk-tuk ride: $1-4
- Long-distance bus: $5-12
- Bicycle rental: $2-3/day
Activities:
- Angkor Wat 1-day pass: $37
- Angkor Wat 3-day pass: $62
- Local temples: free-$3
- Boat tour: $15-35
Where to Save
Buy the 3-day Angkor pass. The complex has hundreds of temples spread across a huge area. Cramming it into one day means missing most of it and paying more per temple.
Rent a bicycle at Angkor. Tuk-tuk drivers charge $15-20/day to shuttle you between temples. A bicycle costs $2-3 and lets you explore at your own pace, stopping wherever you want.
Eat Khmer food, not Western food. Tourist restaurants in Siem Reap’s Pub Street charge $8-12 for burgers. Walk two blocks and get a plate of lok lak (marinated beef with rice) for $3.
Explore beyond Siem Reap. Battambang is a fraction of the cost, with its own temples, the famous bamboo train, and a circus school that puts on shows for $15.
Planning a Multi-Country Route
Sample 3-Week Budget
| Week | Destination | Daily Budget | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thailand (Bangkok + Chiang Mai) | $30 | $210 |
| 2 | Vietnam (Hanoi + Ho Chi Minh City) | $25 | $175 |
| 3 | Cambodia (Siem Reap + Phnom Penh) | $25 | $175 |
| Total | $560 |
Excludes international flights and visa fees.
Route Strategy
Start in Thailand. It has the best infrastructure for first-time Southeast Asia visitors. Use it to adjust to the climate, the food, and the pace before moving to Vietnam and Cambodia.
Cross borders overland. Bus crossings between these three countries cost $5-15 and save domestic flight money. The Bangkok-to-Siem Reap bus is a popular route.
Move from expensive to cheap. Start in Thailand’s pricier south and work your way to cheaper mainland, then Vietnam and Cambodia. This way your budget loosens as you go instead of tightening.
Hidden Costs to Watch
- Visa fees: Cambodia’s e-visa is $30. Vietnam may require a visa depending on your nationality ($25-50). Thailand gives most passports 30 days free.
- ATM fees: Thai ATMs charge 220 baht (~$6) per withdrawal on top of your bank’s fee. Withdraw larger amounts less often.
- Tourist area markups: Prices near Angkor Wat, Bangkok’s Khao San Road, and Hoi An’s Old Town run 2-3x what you’d pay a few blocks away.
- The “everything’s so cheap” trap: Low prices make every individual purchase feel negligible, which is exactly how people blow their budget in the cheapest countries. Track your expenses daily, not at the end of the trip.
How Spentrip Handles Three Currencies in Three Weeks
Spentrip converts Thai baht, Vietnamese dong, and Cambodian riel to your home currency automatically, so you can see what your trip is actually costing in real terms. The trip-based organization keeps each country’s spending separate, making it easy to compare what Vietnam cost you versus what Thailand cost you — useful for planning return trips.
The free version covers everything a backpacker needs: unlimited manual entry, multi-currency support, and spending breakdowns. If you want to skip the typing, premium receipt scanning handles receipts in Thai, Vietnamese, and Khmer script.
Southeast Asia has been a budget travel staple for decades because the value is genuine — not just cheap hotels, but cheap and good. The food is world-class. The landscapes are spectacular. The cultures are deep and welcoming. A $560 three-week trip across three countries isn’t a bare-bones survival experience. It’s a comfortable one. The only thing that would improve it is actually knowing where your money went — and that’s a solvable problem.
