Thailand forum

Budgeting for 5 month trip to South East Asia

alisonbrown-
08

newbie
Posts: 3

Hello,

My friend and I will be heading out to Bangkok from the U.S. mid-November and are planning on staying until the end of March. We were thinking about teaching for a while, but with the teaching regulations getting tougher this might not be possible.

I am planning on bringing $5000USD with me to last between November 11-March 31, with a 2 week layover in Japan on the way back (which will be relatively more expensive than SEA).

I was wondering if this was an adequate amount of money to bring. We will be traveling all over Thailand as well as Cambodia/Laos/HOPEFULLY Vietnam (if we make it that far). I would love to see all of those countries especially since we will be there 5 months but I am not sure if $5000 will last me that long :) Please help!

#1 Posted: 16/10/2008 - 04:07
maykoay188

newbie
Posts: 2

Hello there, you have picked the right place of travel. South east Asia is very interesting. I have been to Cambodia for 5 days, stayed in a guesthouse, spent about RM 600.00 just last year. This is minus the airfare and taxes. Its just sightseeing, acc and food. For H.C.Ming city ,or Saigon I did a guided tour of about over a thousand, and Hanoi cost me around RM 800.00. I will be going to Hanoi again. But this time, it will be a trip on the Halong Bay. My budget is around 800 to 1000.
I hope you can work out this rough guide. Here again it depends very much on standard and taste of individual. Have a good trip!

#2 Posted: 16/10/2008 - 08:47
sirhalberd

adventurer
Posts: 264

Be careful carrying so much cash with you. Another method to get cash overseas is to use a debit card in an ATM and withdraw cash from your checking account while in Thailand.

There are some banks and credit unions that have no fees or small fees for each ATM withdrawal. Check it out! If you go with using debit cards remember to tell your credit union or bank that you will be overseas or the withdrawal may be denied.

Good luck.

#3 Posted: 16/10/2008 - 09:35
alisonbrown-
08

newbie
Posts: 3

thanks for your responses. i don't plan on carrying that much cash with me! that would be silly on my part. i do plan on using atm's while i'm there, and i'll prob bring a fair amount of baht with me in order to tide me over while i settle in.

i'm basically trying to see if there is anyone else out there who has traveled throughout SEA for an extended period of time (5 mos+) and how much they spent each month (i'm guessing around $1000- for food, accom, and transport- but there are so many conflicting amounts!) It would not be good to get stuck in the middle of a foreign country with no money and budgeting for a place I have never been to before is hard to judge! any more suggestions?

#4 Posted: 16/10/2008 - 10:01
mattocmd

adventurer
Posts: 308
Located in:

I live in Korea and have visited Japan....

Two weeks in Japan will be extremely expensive.

The 5 grand for SE asia for 5 months is fine, especially given the exchange rates. Hopefully you are talking about American dollars. But maybe you will need an extra $1000 for two weeks in Japan (depending on what you will do there, if you drink, and if you want to eat delicious japanese food)

#5 Posted: 16/10/2008 - 11:20

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Travel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!