Backpacking Asia for 8 Months: €47 a Day

Short answer: two of us backpacked through 9 countries and territories in Asia for 244 days (July 2023 to March 2024) and spent €22 815 on the road, about €47 per person per day. With return flights from Amsterdam (€2 304 for two) and preparation such as vaccinations (€1 269), the whole trip cost €26 388 for two. Vietnam was the cheapest country at €35 per person per day; Hong Kong & Macau the most expensive at €83.

These are our own numbers: we wrote down every expense in the local currency and converted it to euros on the day. Prices are from 2023 and 2024, so check current prices before you budget.

What did each country cost per day?

Per day for two people, per person, and the total for our stay. Flights to the next country are counted in the country we flew from.

Which Southeast Asian country was cheapest for us?

For stays of six days or longer, from cheapest to most expensive per person per day: Vietnam (€35), Laos (€39), Indonesia (Sumatra) (€46), Malaysia (€48), Thailand (€49), Cambodia (€49), Sri Lanka (€51), Philippines (€57), Hong Kong & Macau (€83). Short stays in Hong Kong and Macau (€83) and the Bangkok stopover (€78 per person per day) were the most expensive days. In Hong Kong the onward flight to the Philippines alone was €322 for two.

Where did the money go?

Food and drinks were our biggest cost, more than accommodation. Activities came second; the eight biggest activities below make up 47% of that.

What did a normal day cost in the places we stayed longest?

Accommodation per night (for two) and the day-to-day cost per person: accommodation, food and local transport, without tours and flights. A hotel paid on arrival is spread over all the nights it covered. Places where we stayed four nights or more:

What were the biggest single expenses?

Related guides: canyoning at Datanla waterfalls in Dalat, animal-friendly elephant sanctuaries in Thailand and sunrise at Angkor Wat.

How much were the visas?

Visa rules and fees change. Check the official immigration website of each country before you go.

What did SIM cards cost?

We bought a local SIM card in almost every country. What we paid:

How much did we lose to bank and ATM fees?

ATM fees, exchange costs and card transaction fees added up to €293 over 244 days. Vietnam (€94), the Philippines (€59) and Laos (€58) cost the most in fees.

What did we spend before we left?

• Return flights for two (Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Colombo to Amsterdam): €2 304.
• Vaccinations for two people: €791.
• Malaria tablets for two: €74.
• Other preparation (a backpack and shopping for the trip): €404.

Which vaccinations you need depends on your route and health. Ask a travel clinic.

Our route, country by country

Kuala Lumpur, Sumatra, Malaysia (Penang and more), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau, the Philippines, a stopover in Bangkok and Sri Lanka. Guides from the route: bus from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, street art in George Town, the Thakhek motorbike loop, local bus from Vientiane to Thakhek, bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City and the Cu Chi tunnels.

How did we track our costs?

One spreadsheet tab per country. For every expense: date, amount in local currency, the amount in euros, a category and a short description. A totals tab adds up days, cost per day and cost per person per day. That is why we can share these numbers.

Last updated: October 2026. All amounts: our own expenses, July 2023 to March 2024.