1. Laos, $30/day
Laos is one destination you can keep your budget on $30 a day. Accommodation can be quite expensive when compared to most places in Southeast Asia. Many of the adventurous activities you can do in Laos are cheap. It costs $2.50 to see one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, $7 for a full-day tubing experience along the Vang Vieng river, and $6 for an awesome tiger balm massage. You can also rent a motorbike for cheap and venture off to the smaller towns, where everything is even cheaper! With more and more new hostels built to cater to the increasing number of backpackers, you can go for cheaper for longer. However, if you have a bit more to spend, you can get a gorgeous room for closer to $35 which would easily cost $100 in the US. Meals can cost from $3 – $9 per day. Some hostels provide a basic breakfast. Accomodation can cost $5-$10 per night in a hostel. Transportation ranges from $6 – $15 for a motorbike for the day (prices may vary depending on the bike condition and your haggling skills), or up to $25 for an intercity bus ticket and a SIM card with data costs $6 for 1.5GB with 30-day validity.
2. Vietnam, $35/day
Vietnams street food is probably one if the most affordable and healthiest n Asia. Picture a bowl of soup with rice noodles, cilantro, a delicious broth, and an entire pork shank for $1.50, or a cup of potent, flavorful coffee for $1. Renting a motorcycle can take care of all your transportation needs for the day. But not everyone feels at ease operating a motorbike, particularly in nations like Vietnam where the traffic can be incredibly chaotic. The good news is that GrabBike, an app that's like Uber except for bikes, is widely used in many major cities and only costs $0.50 for a 2-kilometer trip! Long-distance buses and trains are also affordable and reliable. Accommodation is similarly pleasant and easier to afford than most places, it costs $5-$10 per night in a hostel, meals round $5 – $12 per day. Some hostels provide a basic breakfast. Transportation costs $8 – $15 for motorbike rental or GrabBike trips and a SIM card wth data costs $6 for 1.5GB with 30-day validity.
3. Cambodia, $30/day
There are certain one-time costs, like the $62 three-day Angkor Wat pass, and diving expeditions that pile up, but there will also be days when spending just a dollar or two could go a long way, as when you're riding a bicycle through a little town and eating inexpensive but excellent pork skewers.
4. Northern Thailand, $32/day
On a tight budget, the north of Thailand is simple. The expense of accommodation begins to double, triple, and even quadruple as one travels south. If you are traveling to Thailand on a tight schedule or budget, stay up north. Even in well-known locations like Chiang Mai and Pai, it's simple to find inexpensive dorms for less than $7 but in general, they can range from $5-$10 per night in a hostel.
If you stick with eating street food not only will you save some money, but the experience will also be lot more tasty and authentic. Meals are around $5 – $15 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast. The majority of activities, like visiting the White Temple, trekking, or getting three other people from your hostel to rent a car and go on some day trips, are all reasonably priced, so you really don't need a lot of money to have a good time. Transportation ranges from $6-$10 for a motorbike for the day (prices may vary depending on the bike condition and your haggling skills) or a rental car split between 4 people. Lastly, a SIM card with data costs $7 for 1.5GB with 30-day validity.
5. Indonesia, $35/day
The interesting thing about Indonesia is that, depending on one key factor, transportation, it can either be very affordable or rather expensive. Both intercity travel and taking a private boat to move from one island to another can be both time- and money-consuming. Be consistent with one or two regions to save money! There is a lot to see and do, and staying longer in one location will only enable you to explore further and have more fulfilling experiences. If you want to travel far and wide on a budget, take the local transportation to save money.
On the other hand, food and beverages are reasonably priced all throughout the country and also incredibly tasty! A scooter ride through the mountains, a waterfall hunt, or spending the entire day lounging in a hammock by the beach all cost relatively little money. Particularly in locations like the Gili Islands, hostels are widely available, sociable, and inexpensive. Accommodation ranges from $7-$15 per night in a hostel, meals range from $5 – $15 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast. Transportation costs $8-$15 for a motorbike for the day (prices may vary depending on the bike condition and your haggling skills) and a SIM card with dats costs $5 for 2GB with 30-day validity
6. The Philippines, $37/day
The archipelago of the Philippines may be fairly expensive and time-consuming to navigate, and there aren't nearly as many hostel options as there are in other Southeast Asian nations. There are ways to reduce your travel expenses in the Philippines, even if these two aspects may seem like a big turnoff to tourists attempting to stretch their money as far as possible. Book your flights and make travel arrangements well in advance if you decide to go during the shoulder seasons (it is not the country to always wing it!), and try to stick within 1-2 regions, the Philippines can still be affordable. Additionally, the nation contains some of the most stunning islands, dive spots, and hidden jewels that would have cost considerably more to visit in other regions of the world. In that regard, visiting the Philippines is worth every peso you spend.
Meals can cost from$5 – $15 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast. Accommodation ranges from $7-$20 per night in a hostel. Transportation costs $10-$15 for a motorbike for the day (prices may vary depending on the bike condition and your haggling skills) or $15 – $20 for a boat ride from one island to another. And a SIM card with data costs $6 for 2GB with 30-day validity.
7. Malaysia, $40/day
Malaysia, one of the most economically developed nations in Southeast Asia, is frequently thought to be pricey, but it is actually rather reasonable. On your journey, you must include visiting the Cameron Highlands, Borneo's jungles, and the stunning islands. The best part is that they are all affordable.
There are numerous interesting local neighborhoods and markets that are free to explore, an overnight bus to the Perhentian Islands from Kuala Lumpur costs as little as $15, and Malaysian food is unlike any other - you can find food from just about any culture, and it's so cheap and delicious, though not always healthy. Malaysia is also one of the cheapest places in the world to get a PADI scuba diving certificate.
The one item that may make traveling in Malaysia pricey is alcohol, which is heavily taxed. However, that won't be a problem if you don't intend to drink every night. Meals are around $5 – $10 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast, accommodation around $7 – $15 per night in a hostel, transportation around $5 – $7 for a full day of train and bus rides, or $15 – $20 for an overnight intercity bus ride and a SIM card with data about $8 for 2GB with 30-day validity.
8. Sri Lanka, $35/day
Like many other nations, Sri Lanka can be visited on a backpacker's budget or for a sizable sum of money. The cost of outings like safaris and entry into UNESCO World Heritage sites is the biggest shocker. This makes it more expensive to completely explore Sri Lanka because each ticket cost roughly $40–$50. However, on days when you skip costly activities, you may get by in Sri Lanka for less than $30 per day. Food, accommodation, transport, and internet access are all reasonably priced. Meals round about $5 – $10 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast, accommodation around $8-$15 per night in a hostel and SIM card with data $2 for 1.5GB with 30-day validity. Taking a taxi or using Uber (in major cities) can occasionally be less expensive than renting a bike, which is something to keep in mind when it comes to transportation. If you can find people in your hostel to share the expense, hiring a driver for the day can cost as little as $5 per person. The train is the most affordable mode of transportation and the greatest way to travel through Sri Lanka. Transportation can cost $3-$5 for a second-class cabin train ride between cities or $15-$20 per person for a private car and driver split between 4 people.
9. Nepal, $30/day ($15/day if trekking)
If you eat, sleep, and travel locally, Nepal is a relatively affordable place to visit, with most meals, accommodation, and transportation costing only a few dollars. Street food in Nepal does not have the finest reputation. However, you can find inexpensive and tasty home-cooked meals in nearby small cafes. Meals can cost $5 – $10 per day. Some hostels provide breakfast. When making an online reservation for accommodation, take caution because large businesses have converted neighborhood homestays into boutique hotels and resorts. It's possible that the "local guesthouses" you've reserved are a part of a major hotel chain. Try making your first few reservations online and looking for accommodation from real local guesthouse when you get there. Accommodations rounds $7-$12 per night in a local guesthouse.
If you decide to go trekking, as long as you do so independently and avoid Mt. Everest itself, which costs tens of thousands of dollars, you can travel for as cheap as $10 per day on food and accommodation at the lower elevations, and closer to $20 USD at higher elevations on popular routes like the Annapurna Circuit. Transportation rounds about $10-$15 per person for a private car and driver split between 4 people, or a local bus ride between cities. A SIM card with data costs $3 for 1.25GB with 30-day validity.
10. Taiwan, $45/day
Nevertheless, high-end meals and apparel might occasionally cost as much in Taiwan as they do in the US. With the High-Speed Rail (HSR), intercity travel is either expensive or time-consuming when compared to marginally less expensive choices. With that being said, transportation ranges from $0 – $3 for a full day of bike, bus, and train rides, or $20 – $40 for an HSR ride between cities. Internet costs are also higher than in the previously mentioned countries with a SIM card at $33 for unlimited data with 28-day validity. Accommodation varies from $10 – $35 per night in a hostel
