Budget... what budget?

I had a had time wrapping my head around the idea of a budget when I was travelling. How can you really figure out how much you are going to spend when there are so many different activities to do and places to see!!

Here is a general budget for travelling in Southeast Asia:

Food
     When Danielle and I were travelling we researched other blogs and figured out a food budget of $10 US a day. That was absolutely ridiculous, but it is doable if you are dedicated to keeping on budget. We were not.
      For local food in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam can be as inexpensive as $2 US for street food or as expensive as $20 US in a restaurant. A typical meal is approximately $5-10 US. Western food (pizza, sandwiches, bacon and eggs) are more expensive in every country. Prices for western food ranges from $6 US to $25. Singapore was more expensive  typical meals costing approximately $12-18 US. 
     This all depends on what you are eating and the quantities as the meals are typically smaller portions than in North America.


Alcohol & Water
     As ridiculous as this may sound, we did not take into account drinking - in any aspect. I highly suggest putting aside at least $3-$5 US a day for water alone. The climate is extremely hot and humid and you will be dehydrated much faster than at home. A bottle of water costs anywhere between $0.30 - $1 US. Make sure you keep a bottle of water with you at all times during the day and take advantage of hotels that have complimentary bottles.

     Now, let's talk about alcohol. Beer and spirits are cheap in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand! A bottle of Chang (Thai beer) costs about $3 US. Spirits, mostly vodka, will be served in cocktails or in buckets. A cocktail costs $4-$7 US in a bar or restaurant. Buckets are available at stands on the street and in bars. They generally cost $10-$15 US. Let's talk about wine. Probably best not to drink it at all. You will probably end up drinking rice wine - as I did. Not my thing at all! Wine is the most expensive choice.


Transportation
     Tuk-tuks are the best mode of transportation out there! I wish they had them in Canada. They are super fast and inexpensive. I suggest that you barter for taxis and tuk-tuks. The price will always depend on the distance but they are reasonable. We always asked the tuk-tuk drivers to take us for tours or make multiple stops. This way, we always had a tuk-tuk waiting for us and got a good deal on the price! Most of them are quite honest and helpful and will bring you to major tourist attractions if you ask. BUT only pay them half up front and half once you get home - in case they are one of the few dishonest people and take the cash and run!

     Subways and metros are also super convenient. Singapore has the most amazing metro, and if you can figure out Kuala Lumpur's - go for it! Bangkok also has a great subway system that will take you right from the airport to the centre of the city - which will allow you to get a cheaper tuk-tuk or taxi ride to your hotel. Metros cost about $3 US per trip.

     Planes, trains and ferries are great for going long distances. I preferred planes over trains obviously for the time convenience.  The flights in Asia are reasonable starting from $20. Make sure you take note of what is included in the price of the flight - most of the time on budget flights baggage is NOT included and can be an additional $30 US per bag. Trains are about $20 US depending on the distance and ferries are about $5-$10 US.


Accommodation
     In Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam the choices of accommodation vary. They range from super cheap guesthouses to moderately priced hostels/guesthouses to expensive hotels. Danielle and I stayed in a number of great places for relatively low prices.
     Generally we spent $6-$15 US each per night. There were some places that inexpensive accommodation was not available such as Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, so we splurged on hotels that were approximately $15-$30 US each. The accommodations generally included a private bathroom, two beds, wifi and air conditioning. If you do not feel like you need air conditioning or wifi you can definitely save some money there.


Activities
     Activities in Southeast Asia can range from a couple dollars to a couple hundred all depending on what you plan on doing! Scuba driving will easily cost anywhere from a hundred to a couple hundred dollars. Visiting temples can cost from $3-$30 US depending on the temples. Bike riding, tours, boat rides, and everything else can be reasonable - just shop around at different "tour agencies".

     Now shopping! Well we spent a ton of our money here. We bought little knick-knacks, clothes, bags, accessories, make-up and gifts. If you are on a budget - DO NOT SHOP! I ended up getting custom clothing made in Vietnam which ended up costing me well over $800.


Daily Budget
     Overall, I would put aside about $40-50 US a day. There are many people who say you can live in Southeast Asia for as little as $15 a day. I look at it this way - you spent all this money going on this fabulous vacation - you are going to want to do EVERYTHING you can! I highly recommend over budgeting just in case!