Traveling to three SE Asian countries, Philippines, Laos, and Cambodia, has been an interesting experience. Each were different in terms of cost, so my spending varied greatly. Today, I wanted to share my breakdowns.
My 31 Day Philippines Spending Breakdown
Staying with my relatives in the Philippines helped offset the cost of accommodation. They also paid for my sight seeing in Palawan and Sagada, allowing me to save quite a bit for the entire month. This really helped especially since I went over budget during the first three months of my travels.
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Flight from Sydney, Australia to Manila, Philippines - 3,066.55 Philippine Pesos ($87.60 CAD)
Starbucks - 280 Philippine Pesos ($8 CAD)
Donations - 100 Philippine Pesos ($2.88 CAD)
Clothes - 2,560 Philippine Pesos ($73.14 CAD)
Christmas gifts to relatives - 1,798 Philippine Pesos ($51.37 CAD)
Food - 40 Philippine Pesos ($1.14 CAD)
Total money spent in Philippines: 7,844.55 Philippine Pesos ($224.13 CAD)
Average money spent per day in the Philippines: 253.05 Philippine Pesos ($7.23 CAD)
Aeroplan Miles used: 35,000 Miles for the one way flight from Sydney to Manila
My 3 Day Laos Spending Breakdown
Despite it being a developing country, Laos was surprisingly pricey. The country is really out of the way, and not as easy to get to compared to Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand. Overall, visiting Laos was a neat experience, but I'm not sure if I will return anytime soon.
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Flight from Manila, Philippines to Vientiane, Laos - 730,000,000 Kip ($123.1 CAD)
VISA on arrival - 33,000 Kip ($42 USD or $55.44 CAD)
Taxi - 67,000 Kip ($11.16 CAD)
Bottled Water - 12,000 Kip ($2 CAD)
Food - 105,000 Kip ($17.50 CAD)
Shampoo - 8,000 Kip ($1.33 CAD)
Laos National Museum (with camera access) - 20,000 Kip ($3.33 CAD)
Tuk Tuk tour - 80,000 Kip ($13.33 CAD)
Bicycle rental - 10,000 Kip ($1.67 CAD)
2 Nights in Backpackers Garden Hostel private room - 190,000 Kip ($24.22 USD or $32.21 CAD)
Total money spent in Laos: 1,546,154 Kip ($261.07 CAD)
Total money spent without flight: 817,329 Kip ($137.97 CAD)
Average money spent per day in Laos: 515,503 Kip ($87.02 CAD)
Average spending per day in Laos without flight: 275,940 Kip ($45.99 CAD)
Aeroplan Miles redeemed: 20,000 Aeroplan Miles
My 5 day Cambodian Spending Breakdown
Cambodia turned out to be pricier than I had anticipated, mainly because their currency is USD. The Canadian dollar is weak at the moment, so any time I need to use USD, I get hit hard financially.
Regardless, sites like the Genocide Museum and Angkor Wat were definitely worth the time, effort and money.
I will probably visit Cambodia again in a few years from now, because the country is exploding in the investment front. I was approached by several businessmen, asking me if I was interested in doing business together. Perhaps when I have built up some capital.
Flight from Vientiane, Laos to Phnom Penh, Cambodia - $15.94 USD ($21.20 CAD)
2 Nights in Tama Hotel - $38.62 USD($51.37 CAD)
Taxi - $12 USD ($15.96 CAD)
Bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - $13 USD ($17.29 CAD)
Cambodia E-VISA - $37 USD ($49.21 CAD)
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - $6 USD ($7.98 CAD)
Motorcycle Taxi $1 USD ($1.33 CAD)
Food - $36.88 USD ($49.04 CAD)
Water - $0.38 USD ($0.50 CAD)
Tuk Tuk - $7.75 USD ($10.31 CAD)
Presidential Palace - $10 USD ($13.33 CAD)
Tuk Tuk tour of Angkor Wat including tip:$14.88 USD ($19.79 CAD)
Angkor Wat ticket - $20 USD ($26.60 CAD)
Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok - $29 USD ($38.57 CAD)
Total money spent in Cambodia: $242.47 USD ($322.48 CAD)
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Travel insurance saved our long-term trip after getting robbed, which reinforces the fact that you shouldn't go off on adventure without insurance ready to have your back.
Pick up your travel insurance policy at World Nomads or Allianz today- two we use often when traveling!
Pick Up Your Travel Shoes Today!
Looking for a good pair of travel shoes for your next trip?
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Check out their great jackets as well as other clothing products and buy yours today!
Pick Up a New Camera Today!
We are photography junkies, and one of our best purchases lately has been the Sony a6000 camera.
Coupled with our 20mm, we've been able to take some of the best travel shots to date. Buy yours at Amazon today!
Book a Guided Tour
Want to head out somewhere new but aren't quite ready to do it on your own?
Jump on a guided tour with companies like G Adventures, Intrepid, Geckos Adventures, or Contiki! We've done guided tours in the past and absolutely love them for a new or harder to explore region!
Pick Up a Lonely Planet Before You Go
Looking to plan your next trip and find the best places to see, eat at, and experience while you are there?
Pick up the most recent edition of Lonely Planet for your destination to start planning your journey today!
Total money spent without flight: $226.57 USD ($301.28 CAD)
Average money spent per day in Cambodia: $48.49 USD ($64.50 CAD)
Looking for Travel Insurance Before Your Adventure?
Travel insurance saved our long-term trip after getting robbed, which reinforces the fact that you shouldn't go off on adventure without insurance ready to have your back.
Pick up your travel insurance policy at World Nomads or Allianz today- two we use often when traveling!
Check Out Hotel Prices to Snag a Great Deal
Book a Flight to Your Next Adventure
Book your next flight by researching the best prices on Skyscanner or Airfare Watchdog!
These two services search hundreds of websites and airlines to help get you on your next adventure for less!
Pick Up Your Travel Shoes Today!
Looking for a good pair of travel shoes for your next trip?
Check out the multi-purpose shoes at KEEN Footwear! We loved our waterproof shoes from KEEN during our 15-month trip around the world and highly recommend them for those heading off on an adventure!
Pack Weather Resistant Gear from Under Armour
We loved our Under Armour when traveling the world for its versatility, resistance to the elements, and that they packed quite well.
Check out their great jackets as well as other clothing products and buy yours today!
Pick Up a New Camera Today!
We love photography when we travel, and one of our best purchases has been the Sony a6000 camera.
Coupled with some amazing prime lenses (we love our 20mm), we've been able to take some of the best travel shots to date. Buy yours at Amazon today!
Book a Guided Tour
Want to head out somewhere new but aren't quite ready to do it on your own?
Jump on a guided tour with companies like G Adventures, Intrepid, Geckos Adventures, or Contiki! We've done guided tours in the past for harder to travel regions and love them!
Pick Up a Copy of Lonely Planet Before You Go
Looking to plan your next trip and find the best places to see, eat at, and experience while you are there?
Pick up the most recent edition of Lonely Planet for your destination to start planning your journey today!
Average money spent per day in Cambodia without flight: $45.31 USD ($60.27 CAD)
Aeroplan Miles redeemed: 20,000 Aeroplan Miles
Starwood Points redeemed: 8,000 Starpoints - 2 free night stay at Le Meridien Angkor Wat
First Time Here?
Check out our Top 100 travel experiences from two long-term trips and over two years on the road!
