Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam — all on a $50 daily budget including accommodation, food, transport, and the occasional beer. Here’s how it’s going so far (spoiler: better than expected).
Week one is done. Seven days, three countries, $350 total spend. I’m writing this from a hostel in Siem Reap that costs $6/night, and honestly? This might be the most fun I’ve had traveling in years. Here’s the full breakdown.
Day 1-3: Bangkok — The Learning Curve
I landed in Bangkok with a loose plan and a tight budget. First lesson: Bangkok is cheap, but it’s easy to blow your budget if you’re not paying attention. A street pad thai costs 50 baht ($1.50). A cocktail at a rooftop bar costs 400 baht ($12). See the difference?
I stayed at a hostel in Khao San Road for $8/night. Not glamorous, but clean, air-conditioned, and full of other backpackers doing the same thing. Breakfast was included (toast, eggs, fruit), which saved me $3-5 per day.
Daily budget breakdown:
- Accommodation: $8
- Food: $12 (street food breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Transport: $5 (BTS Skytrain, tuk-tuks)
- Activities: $10 (Grand Palace entrance fee)
- Beer: $3 (one Chang beer at a street-side bar)
- Total: $38/day
I came in under budget. First win.
Day 4-5: Siem Reap — Angkor Wat on a Budget
I took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap ($18, sleeper bus, surprisingly comfortable). This saved me a night of accommodation and got me to Cambodia by sunrise.
Siem Reap is a tourist town, but it’s still cheap if you know where to eat. I rented a bike for $2/day and cycled to Angkor Wat at 5 AM to watch the sunrise. The temple pass costs $37 for one day — expensive, but worth every cent. I spent six hours exploring temples, sweating through my shirt, and feeling like an Indiana Jones extra.
Lunch was $2 amok curry at a local spot. Dinner was $4 BBQ skewers at the night market. I splurged on a $3 fruit shake. No regrets.
Daily budget breakdown:
- Accommodation: $6 (hostel dorm)
- Food: $10 (three meals + snacks)
- Transport: $2 (bike rental)
- Activities: $37 (Angkor Wat pass, split over two days = $18.50/day)
- Beer: $2 (Angkor Beer from a convenience store)
- Total: $38.50/day
Still under budget. Barely.
Day 6-7: Ho Chi Minh City — The Food Paradise
I flew from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City on a budget airline ($45, including baggage). Flights in Southeast Asia are weirdly cheap if you book in advance and travel light.
HCMC is where the food challenge really began. Vietnamese street food is absurdly good and absurdly cheap. Banh mi for breakfast: $1. Pho for lunch: $2. Bun cha for dinner: $3. I ate like a king for under $10/day.
I stayed in a hostel in District 1 for $7/night. Free breakfast (again). The hostel organized a free walking tour of the city, which saved me another $15. At night, I hung out at the hostel bar, bought beers from a convenience store ($1 each), and met travelers from Australia, Germany, and Brazil.
Daily budget breakdown:
- Accommodation: $7
- Food: $12 (street food all day)
- Transport: $4 (Grab bikes and buses)
- Activities: $0 (free walking tour)
- Beer: $3 (three convenience store beers)
- Total: $26/day
Under budget by almost 50%. This is working.
What I’ve Learned So Far
1. Street food is your best friend. Every meal I’ve eaten at a restaurant cost 3-5x more than street food, and it wasn’t even better. Stick to the stalls with long lines of locals.
2. Hostels save you money (and are actually fun). Free breakfast, free walking tours, and instant friends. I’ve met more people in one week than I did in three months of solo travel last year.
3. Overnight transport is a cheat code. Sleeper buses and trains save you a night of accommodation and get you to the next city while you sleep. Win-win.
4. Skip the tourist traps. Rooftop bars, fancy restaurants, and “authentic” cooking classes are budget killers. Do one or two splurges per week, but otherwise, eat and drink like a local.
5. Walk everywhere (or rent a bike). Grab and tuk-tuks add up fast. Walking is free, better for your health, and you actually see the city.
The Challenges
It’s not all easy. Hostel dorms are loud. Budget airlines are uncomfortable. Street food occasionally gives you food poisoning (day 5 was rough). And sometimes, you just want a private room, a hot shower, and a meal that doesn’t come from a plastic bag.
But here’s the thing: this is the most present I’ve felt in years. I’m not mindlessly spending. I’m not rushing. I’m actually paying attention to where I am, what I’m eating, and who I’m meeting. The $50/day limit forces me to slow down and experience things instead of just consuming them.
Week Two: The Plan
Next stop: Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hanoi. I’m adding a splurge day (1 day per week where I can spend up to $100) because I want to do a motorbike tour of the Hai Van Pass, and that’s not happening on a shoestring budget.
But the core challenge continues: $50/day average, street food only, hostels over hotels, and as much walking as humanly possible.
Current spend: $350 for 7 days = $50/day exactly. Let’s see if I can keep it up. Follow along for week two.