How Expensive is South East Asia?

So I think by now, if you have done any research into travelling or going abroad you will be wondering if you can afford it, I have done a Vlog about how I saved to go travelling and I was only really able to do that once I knew how much everything was going to cost. The common perception of South East Asia is that:

“It’s Soooo Cheap”

I can honestly, hand on heart be honest with everyone and tell you that it really isn’t as cheap as you think, I’m not saying that it is expensive to travel around Asia, because it isn’t… in fact it really doesn’t cost all that much money if you’re a sober, vegetarian, hitch hiking, hammock sleeping vagabond – This is Asia, and people know that it costs less than it does at home (I’m talking the US, AUS and Europe) but I’m pretty sure the Asians here over this side of the pond have figured that out too and because the quantity of travellers has increased, their demand has increased thus I think prices have increased too. I cannot tell you what things cost 10 years ago but I do know that if you have a lonely planet guide (LP) that is over 6 months old… it’s probably wrong about the prices, wrong about the accommodation and wrong about the best places to go (apart from historical monuments, museums and other long lasting attractions)

(ANGKOR WHAAAATT?!?!)

For example, I’m in Cambodia, I went to Angkor wat and LP told me that a single day ticket would cost me $20 – not too shabby for the world’s most awesome and biggest temple but this was not the case, the tuk tuk driver said it was $37 but I thought he was ripping me off… so I googled it and everyone is saying $20 so I wait until I get to the ticket station and BOOM, $37 (apparently this doubled in February… just my luck). Not that I would want to not go, I had already considered what I would do if the price was $37 and knew I wanted to bask in the temples glory so I paid up.

In Thailand, I found the beer to be quite expensive most places being about 120 baht for a large chang… that’s £2.20 which is what you would pay for a large Tsingtao in a spoons (classic) but the buckets were fairly cheap. This being said you couldn’t determine what is in a bucket. In Malaysia I found alcohol in general to be very expensive apart from Langkawi where it’s the cheapest I have seen [see other post].

Malaysia was my second destination after Thailand and the price for food, accommodation, attractions & travel was remarkably affordable. I’m talking 75p for 2 roti canai and a cold kopi-o (my favourite breakfast) in most Indian restaurants in KL, Penang, Melaka & the majority of western Malaysia

Sri Ganesha – KL – Jalan pudu Lama – Next to Ganesha temple – Best thali ever.

The reason I’m writing this is because during my trip so far I have been making conversions in my head based on previous currencies basically everywhere I go, here are some examples;

• Salmon Bagel – Vientiane, Laos: “That just cost me 5 and a half Pad Thais on Kaosan Rd.”
• Tuk, Tuk from bus station – Siem Reap, Cambodia: “No way! – That’s 4 50c beers!”
• Mdm Big Mac Meal – KL, Malaysia: “That’s Half what it would cost me at home.”
• Nandos Meal –  KL, Malaysia: “That’s Half what it would cost me at home! Cheeky.”

I just don’t seem to understand how if a coffee at home can cost as low as 50p how can they justify charging me $2.50 for a crappy coffee here? The milk sucks, if you want it iced you get charged more and they only put a tablespoon of coffee in. I remember being embarrassed that me and Natasha paid 140 for a restaurant pad Thai on our first day when in reality that’s only £2.50 and here in Cambodia where it’s supposed to be cheaper they’re trying to charge me that for rolled up ice cream. [Rant over]

I think you get the picture but here’s the truth, accommodation is more than likely going to be cheaper than back home, but you do get what you pay for and the ones that are nicer, pay their staff more and treat you better will cost more of what it would cost back home.

What I’m saying is that my theory is that the typical backpacker route (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam) have cottoned on and their prices have hiked, although some areas will be cheaper than others I’m finding that street food is costing more which means restaurants are charging more, places with aircon are usually more expensive and rather than the more rural bus stop offs in Thailand and Laos being cheaper they take advantage of your naivety – they know how to make their living  but there is a silver lining… I hear in Vietnam beer is cheaper than water and beer is made out of water, bargain, 2-4-1.