As of August 2026
Southeast Asia prices in 2026
What things actually cost, in US dollars with the local figure alongside (rates: ฿32.5, ₱57, ₫26,000, Rp16,300, RM4.3 to the dollar, August 2026). These are typical numbers — what you'll usually pay, not the cheapest or the daftest. Everything is dated, and the whole table gets a going-over every few months.
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23 items
Drinks
The number everyone asks first. A local beer costs two to four times as much in a go-go bar as in a 7-Eleven, and a ladies’ drink costs more again — that mark-up is her commission, and it is the whole economics of the bar.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local beer (beer bar) | Pattaya | $2.5–3.5 | ฿80–110 | per bottle | Soi 6, Soi Buakhao and LK Metro beer bars; Walking Street open-air bars run ฿120–150 and go-go bars more. Happy hours knock ฿10–20 off. |
| San Miguel (beer bar) | Angeles City | $1.8–2.8 | ₱100–160 | per bottle | Fields Avenue and Perimeter Road beer bars and sports bars; Walking Street go-go bars charge ₱180–250. About ₱65 in a store. |
| Local beer (beer bar / pub) | Bangkok | $3–4.5 | ฿100–150 | per bottle | Sukhumvit beer bars and the Nana-area bar complexes; Sukhumvit Soi 11 pubs and rooftops charge ฿180–300. |
| Local beer (hostess bar) | Phnom Penh | $1.5–3 | US$1.50–3 | per can or draft | Street 136 and Riverside hostess bars; daytime draft promos as low as $1. Cambodia is priced in dollars — riel only for small change. |
| Local beer (bar) | Ho Chi Minh City | $1.2–2.5 | ₫30,000–60,000 | per bottle | Bui Vien street bars and District 1 pubs; plastic-stool bia hoi is a fraction of this, Le Thanh Ton hostess bars and rooftops two to three times it. |
| San Miguel (bar) | Manila | $2.6–4.4 | ₱150–250 | per bottle | P. Burgos Street and Poblacion bars; Poblacion craft and cocktail bars charge more, EDSA Complex clubs more again. |
| San Miguel (bar) | Cebu | $1.6–2.6 | ₱90–150 | per bottle | Mango Square and Mango Avenue bars; Mactan resort bars roughly double. |
| Local beer (bar) | Phuket (Patong) | $3–5.5 | ฿100–180 | per bottle | Bangla Road open-air bars; beach clubs and go-go bars sit at or above the top of the range. Patong is the priciest bar beer in Thailand. |
| Bintang (bar) | Bali | $2.5–4.5 | Rp40,000–70,000 | per bottle | Kuta and Legian bars; Seminyak and Canggu beach clubs charge Rp60,000–90,000. Alcohol tax keeps Indonesia dear. |
| Bintang (bar) | Jakarta | $3–5.5 | Rp50,000–90,000 | per bottle | Blok M and Mangga Besar bars at the low end; SCBD and Senopati lounges well above it. |
| Tiger / Carlsberg (bar) | Kuala Lumpur | $4.7–7 | RM20–30 | per bottle | Changkat Bukit Bintang bars; happy hours and jugs help. Malaysia taxes alcohol heavily, so this is the most expensive bar beer in the guide. |
| Local beer (bar) | Hanoi | $1–2 | ₫25,000–50,000 | per bottle | Ta Hien bars and Tay Ho pubs; a glass of fresh bia hoi on the corner is ₫10,000–15,000. |
| San Miguel (bar) | Subic Bay | $1.8–2.6 | ₱100–150 | per bottle | Barrio Barretto beach bars; among the cheapest bar beer in Luzon. |
| Ladies’ drink | Pattaya | $4.5–7.5 | ฿150–250 | per drink | Beer bars at the low end, Walking Street and LK Metro go-go bars at the top. The mark-up is her commission. |
| Ladies’ drink | Angeles City | $4.5–11 | ₱250–600 | per drink | Perimeter Road and smaller Fields bars ₱250–350; big Walking Street go-go bars ₱400–600, some with a pricier “double”. |
| Ladies’ drink | Bangkok | $4.5–9 | ฿150–300 | per drink | Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy go-go bars; a few top rooms charge more. Beer bars cheaper. |
| Ladies’ drink | Phnom Penh | $3.5–5 | US$3.50–5 | per drink | Street 136, Street 104 and Street 51 hostess bars. Cheapest ladies’ drinks in the region. |
| Ladies’ drink | Manila | $4.4–7 | ₱250–400 | per drink | P. Burgos Street bars; EDSA Complex and KTVs higher. |
| Ladies’ drink | Cebu | $3.5–6 | ₱200–350 | per drink | Mango Square bikini bars and KTVs. |
| Leo / Chang (7-Eleven) | Thailand | $1.4–2.2 | ฿45–70 | per can or large bottle | Can ฿45–50, 620 ml bottle ฿65–70. Sales legally run 11:00–14:00 and 17:00–24:00 only, and not on Buddhist holy days. |
| San Mig Light (7-Eleven) | Philippines | $1.1–1.5 | ₱60–85 | per bottle | Red Horse 500 ml ₱80–100. Sari-sari stores a touch cheaper, hotels a lot dearer. |
| Cocktail (rooftop bar) | Bangkok | $14–25 | ฿450–800 | per glass | Mid-tier Sukhumvit and riverside rooftops, before the 10% service and 7% VAT most add. The famous towers charge ฿1,000+. |
| Bottled water, 500–600 ml (store) | Everywhere | $0.25–0.50 | ฿7–15 / ₱15–25 / ₫5,000–10,000 | per bottle | Convenience-store price. Bars and restaurants charge two to four times this. |
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Drinks as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
6 items
Food
Street-level food is astonishingly cheap everywhere; Western food near the bars costs about what it does in a small American town.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street-food meal (noodles, rice plate, grilled meat) | Everywhere | $1.5–3 | ฿50–80 / ₱80–150 / ₫40,000–70,000 | per meal | A stall or carinderia plate across Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. Add a soft drink for 50 cents. |
| Western main (restaurant) | Pattaya | $8–15 | ฿250–500 | per main | Burger, schnitzel, pasta or a modest steak on Soi Buakhao, Second Road or Jomtien; premium steakhouses ฿900+. |
| Western main (restaurant) | Angeles City | $8–13 | ₱450–700 | per main | Fields Avenue and Perimeter Road diners; Clark hotel restaurants and premium steaks ₱900+. |
| Dinner for two (mid-range restaurant, two drinks each) | Bangkok | $40–80 | ฿1,300–2,600 | per meal | A proper sit-down Thai or international restaurant on Sukhumvit or Silom. Street food for two is under $10; hotel fine dining is $150+. |
| Bowl of pho | Ho Chi Minh City | $1.8–3 | ₫45,000–80,000 | per bowl | Neighborhood pho shop to a District 1 tourist spot. Famous-name branches ₫90,000+. |
| Full expat breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, coffee) | Everywhere | $4–8 | ฿130–260 / ₱250–450 / US$4–7 | per person | The bar-street diners of Pattaya, Angeles and Phnom Penh; hotel buffets are $10–20. |
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Food as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
18 items
Hotels & rooms
Typical low-season nightly rates, walk-in or booked online. High season (Christmas to Easter) adds 20–40% and the good rooms go early.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget guesthouse / hotel | Pattaya | $20–35 | ฿650–1,150 | per night | Clean air-con room around Soi Buakhao or Jomtien, usually guest-friendly. Booking-site rate, low to mid season. |
| Mid-range hotel (pool, near the scene) | Pattaya | $45–85 | ฿1,500–2,800 | per night | Three-star with a pool within walking distance of Walking Street, LK Metro or Soi Buakhao. High season (Dec–Feb) adds 20–40%. |
| Upscale / beachfront hotel | Pattaya | $120–250 | ฿3,900–8,000 | per night | International-brand beachfront and Pratumnak hill properties. Ask about joiner policy before you book. |
| Budget hotel | Angeles City | $22–40 | ₱1,250–2,300 | per night | Air-con room off Fields Avenue or Perimeter Road, nearly always guest-friendly. |
| Mid-range hotel (pool, near Fields) | Angeles City | $45–85 | ₱2,500–4,800 | per night | The pool-party hotels and the better Fields/Perimeter properties. Fills up for Halloween, the balloon fiesta and New Year. |
| Mid-range hotel (Sukhumvit) | Bangkok | $55–110 | ฿1,800–3,600 | per night | Three- to four-star between Nana and Asok, walkable to Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. Many are guest-friendly; check the joiner policy. |
| Mid-range hotel (Riverside / BKK1) | Phnom Penh | $35–70 | US$35–70 | per night | Boutique hotel with a pool near the Riverside bars or in BKK1. Phnom Penh is the best hotel value in the guide. |
| Mid-range hotel (District 1) | Ho Chi Minh City | $40–80 | ₫1.0–2.1 million | per night | Three- to four-star in District 1 within a short ride of Bui Vien and Le Thanh Ton. Vietnamese hotels are generally relaxed about guests. |
| Mid-range hotel (Makati) | Manila | $55–110 | ₱3,100–6,300 | per night | Makati and Poblacion; the hotels around P. Burgos Street are the guest-friendly mainstays. |
| Mid-range hotel (Cebu City) | Cebu | $40–85 | ₱2,300–4,800 | per night | Around Mango Avenue and the Fuente / Ayala areas. Mactan resorts start around $100. |
| Mid-range hotel (Patong) | Phuket (Patong) | $50–110 | ฿1,600–3,600 | per night | Three- to four-star within walking distance of Bangla Road. Low season (May–Oct) can be half the high-season rate. |
| Mid-range hotel (Kuta / Legian / Seminyak) | Bali | $45–100 | Rp730,000–1.6 million | per night | Resort-style with a pool; excellent value for the standard. Villas with private pools start around $80. |
| Joiner fee (where charged) | Everywhere | $10–30 | ฿500–1,000 / ₱500–1,500 | per guest per night | Most hotels we list charge nothing. Where a fee exists it is usually billed as an extra-person charge, sometimes with breakfast. Always ask at check-in. |
| Studio / one-bed condo, monthly | Pattaya | $300–600 | ฿10,000–20,000 | per month | Six- to twelve-month lease in Jomtien, Pratumnak or central Pattaya, furnished, utilities extra. One-month deals run 30–50% higher. |
| Studio / one-bed condo, monthly | Angeles City | $300–550 | ₱17,000–32,000 | per month | Furnished unit in Balibago, Malabanias or near Clark, long lease. Electricity is the big extra in the Philippines. |
| One-bed condo, monthly | Bangkok | $450–900 | ฿15,000–30,000 | per month | Modern one-bed on the Sukhumvit BTS line (On Nut to Phra Khanong at the low end, Asok–Thonglor at the top), twelve-month lease. |
| One-bed apartment, monthly | Phnom Penh | $400–800 | US$400–800 | per month | BKK1, Tonle Bassac or Riverside; serviced apartments with pool and gym run $650–1,200. |
| One-bed apartment, monthly | Ho Chi Minh City | $450–900 | ₫12–23 million | per month | District 1 or Binh Thanh, furnished; serviced apartments with cleaning from $900. |
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Hotels & rooms as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
11 items
Getting around
A baht bus or a tricycle costs less than a beer. Airport transfers are the only transport line that costs real money.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab car, short ride (2–4 km) | Everywhere | $2–4 | ฿70–130 / ₱120–250 / ₫50,000–100,000 | per ride | Fixed in-app fare; surges late at night and in rain. GrabBike / motorbike option is about half. |
| Baht bus (songthaew), fixed route | Pattaya | $0.45–0.60 | ฿15–20 | per hop | Official fare since April 2026: ฿15 within central Pattaya, ฿20 to Jomtien or Naklua. Chartering one as a taxi is negotiated and much more. |
| Tricycle, short hop | Angeles City | $1–1.8 | ₱60–100 | per ride | Tourist rate around Fields and Balibago; ₱150–200 to SM Clark or Marquee Mall. Agree the fare before you get in. |
| Motorbike taxi (win), short hop | Bangkok | $0.60–2 | ฿20–60 | per ride | Orange-vest riders at the soi mouth; fares are posted on a board at most stands. Wear the helmet. |
| Tuk-tuk via PassApp or Grab | Phnom Penh | $1–3 | US$1–3 | per ride | Within the center (Riverside to BKK1 is about $2). Airport to Riverside $8–12. Street-hailed drivers ask double. |
| BTS Skytrain single fare | Bangkok | $0.50–2 | ฿17–65 | per trip | Distance-based since November 2025, capped at ฿65 on the main lines. Use a Rabbit card or tap a contactless credit card. |
| Taxi / private car, Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya | Pattaya | $40–55 | ฿1,300–1,800 | per car | Pre-booked transfer or airport taxi, tolls included, about 1h45. Minivans and buses are the cheap alternative. |
| Grab / airport taxi, Clark to Fields Avenue | Angeles City | $7–12 | ₱400–700 | per car | Fifteen to twenty minutes. Grab is cheapest; terminal taxis and hotel cars sit at the top of the range. Drivers can be scarce after midnight. |
| Grab, NAIA to Makati | Manila | $6–12 | ₱350–700 | per car | Thirty to ninety minutes depending on traffic. Airport coupon taxis and hotel cars charge ₱800+; avoid anyone offering a “fixed price” in the arrivals hall. |
| Metered taxi, Suvarnabhumi to Sukhumvit | Bangkok | $12–20 | ฿400–650 | per car | Meter plus the ฿50 airport surcharge and ฿50–75 in tolls. Use the official taxi queue on level 1; the Airport Rail Link is ฿45. |
| Bus, Bangkok (Ekkamai / Mo Chit) to Pattaya | Pattaya | $4.5–6 | ฿148–192 | per seat | Roong Reuang coaches every 30–40 minutes, about 2.5 hours; a direct bus from Suvarnabhumi is similar. Book on 12Go or at the terminal. |
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Getting around as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
7 items
Flights
Economy fares from the US mainland, booked a couple of months out, outside the holidays. Regional hops are cheap and frequent.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAX / SFO / SEA to Bangkok, round trip economy | Bangkok | $850–1,300 | US$850–1,300 | per ticket | One stop via Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo or Hong Kong, 19–22 hours each way, booked about two months out outside Christmas and Songkran. Sales dip to $600–750. |
| JFK / EWR / BOS to Bangkok, round trip economy | Bangkok | $950–1,500 | US$950–1,500 | per ticket | One stop via Doha, Tokyo, Seoul or Taipei, 20–24 hours each way. Gulf carriers are often cheapest from the East Coast. |
| US to Manila, round trip economy | Manila | $850–1,400 | US$850–1,400 | per ticket | Nonstop from LAX and SFO (about 15 hours) on Philippine Airlines; one-stop options via Tokyo, Taipei or Seoul are often cheaper. Add $100–300 from the East Coast. |
| Bangkok to Manila, round trip economy | Bangkok | $180–300 | US$180–300 | per ticket | About 3.5 hours nonstop on Cebu Pacific, Thai, PAL or AirAsia. One-way tickets are $90–150 before bags. |
| Bangkok to Phnom Penh, round trip economy | Bangkok | $120–250 | US$120–250 | per ticket | Seventy minutes in the air; one-way from $50–120. Several daily flights from both BKK and DMK. |
| Manila to Cebu, round trip economy | Manila | $60–120 | ₱3,400–6,800 | per ticket | Seventy-five minutes, flights every hour on Cebu Pacific, PAL and AirAsia. Promo fares can drop to $30 each way; bags cost extra. |
| Bangkok to Phuket, one way economy | Bangkok | $40–75 | ฿1,300–2,400 | per ticket | Eighty-five minutes on AirAsia, Thai Vietjet, Nok or Thai. Mostly from Don Mueang on the budget airlines; add bags. |
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Flights as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
13 items
Essentials
SIM cards, ATM fees, laundry, a massage, a haircut — the small stuff that adds up over a fortnight.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist SIM, 8–15 days unlimited data | Thailand | $10–20 | ฿300–700 | per SIM | AIS, True or dtac tourist packs; cheapest at a 7-Eleven or operator shop in town, dearest at the airport counters. Passport required. |
| Tourist SIM with data, 15–30 days | Philippines | $9–20 | ₱500–1,100 | per SIM | Globe or Smart tourist SIM at the airport or any mall; SIM registration with your passport is mandatory. |
| Tourist SIM with data, 15–30 days | Cambodia | $5–10 | US$5–10 | per SIM | Smart or Cellcard at the airport or any phone shop; tens of gigabytes for the money. Passport required. |
| Tourist SIM with data, 30 days | Vietnam | $4–8 | ₫100,000–200,000 | per SIM | Viettel has the best coverage; buy at an official shop rather than a street kiosk so it is registered properly. |
| Regional Asia eSIM, 10–20 GB / 30 days | Everywhere | $15–35 | US$15–35 | per plan | Handy for a multi-country trip and for landing connected; a local SIM is cheaper per gigabyte once you are in town. |
| ATM fee, foreign card | Thailand | $6.8–7.8 | ฿220–250 | per withdrawal | Charged by the Thai bank on top of your own bank’s fees; AEON machines charge ฿150. Withdraw the maximum (usually ฿20,000–30,000) each time and decline the ATM’s conversion. |
| ATM fee, foreign card | Philippines | $3.5–4.5 | ₱200–250 | per withdrawal | Most banks cap withdrawals at ₱10,000–20,000. HSBC machines charge nothing but are rare; Metrobank and BPI allow larger pulls. |
| ATM fee, foreign card | Cambodia | $4–6 | US$4–6 | per withdrawal | Dollar machines; most banks charge $5 regardless of amount. Bring clean, undamaged US bills too — torn notes are refused. |
| ATM fee, foreign card | Vietnam | $0.85–2.5 | ₫22,000–66,000 | per withdrawal | Low fees but low limits (₫2–5 million); a few banks charge nothing. Always choose to be charged in dong. |
| Thai massage, one hour (street shop) | Thailand | $9–14 | ฿300–450 | per hour | Foot or traditional Thai massage in a regular shop; oil massage ฿400–600. Tip ฿50–100. |
| Massage, one hour (spa) | Philippines | $6–10 | ₱350–600 | per hour | Regular spas and mall massage chains; hotel spas double. Tip ₱100. |
| Laundry, wash and fold | Everywhere | $0.90–1.8 | ฿30–60 / ₱50–100 / US$1–2 | per kg | Street laundries, same-day or next-day. Hotel laundry is priced per item and costs five to ten times more. |
| Men’s haircut (barbershop) | Everywhere | $3–10 | ฿100–300 / ₱150–500 | per cut | Local barber at the low end, a mall or expat barbershop with a hot-towel shave at the top. |
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Essentials as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
7 items
Entertainment & extras
Cover charges, go-go bar beer, pool parties, KTV rooms. No barfine or take-out figures appear on this site, ever — see the note below.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nightclub cover charge | Pattaya | $0.00–9 | ฿0–300 | per entry | The big Walking Street clubs are usually free; on busy nights and holidays some charge ฿150–300 including a drink. |
| Nightclub cover charge | Bangkok | $9–18 | ฿300–600 | per entry | Sukhumvit Soi 11 and RCA clubs, usually including one or two drinks; guest-DJ nights ฿500–800. Some waive it for women. |
| Nightclub cover charge | Manila | $5–18 | ₱300–1,000 | per entry | Poblacion and BGC clubs on Friday and Saturday, usually consumable; most bars charge nothing. Dress codes are enforced in BGC. |
| Beer in a go-go bar | Pattaya | $4.6–6.2 | ฿150–200 | per bottle | Walking Street and LK Metro go-go bars; no cover charge, the drink price is the entry fee. |
| Beer in a go-go bar | Bangkok | $5–7.7 | ฿160–250 | per bottle | Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy; Patpong similar but check the menu before ordering. No cover charge. |
| Pool party entry (men) | Angeles City | $5–9 | ₱300–500 | per entry | The hotel and rooftop pool parties around Fields Avenue; often consumable against drinks, free for hotel guests and usually free for women. |
| KTV private room hire | Manila | $9–26 | ₱500–1,500 | per hour | Mid-range karaoke room rate before drinks; hostess KTVs add ladies’ drinks and a per-hour charge per hostess, so a night can run ₱10,000+. |
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Entertainment & extras as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
7 items
Visas & living
Visa fees and extensions, insurance, a gym, a coworking desk. For the ones who stay longer than planned.
| Item | Where | USD | Local | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day tourist extension (immigration office) | Thailand | $58 | ฿1,900 | per extension | One extension of the visa-exempt stay, done in person at any immigration office (Jomtien for Pattaya). Bring passport photos, copies and the TM30 from your hotel. |
| First 29-day tourist extension (Bureau of Immigration) | Philippines | $53–56 | ₱3,030–3,150 | per extension | Takes the visa-free 30 days to 59. Later extensions cost a little more and the ACR I-Card (about ₱3,500) becomes due after 59 days. |
| Cambodia tourist e-visa (30 days) | Cambodia | $36 | US$36 | per visa | $30 visa plus $6 processing on the official evisa.gov.kh portal; visa on arrival is $30 cash. A free e-Arrival card is also required. |
| Vietnam e-visa (90 days) | Vietnam | $25–50 | US$25 single / US$50 multiple entry | per visa | Official portal evisa.gov.vn only; third-party sites charge two to four times as much. Allow a week. |
| Travel medical insurance, one month | Everywhere | $50–150 | US$50–150 | per month | Basic nomad-style policies from about $60 for a man in his 50s; comprehensive cover with evacuation for a 60- to 69-year-old is $120–200. Medicare does not cover you abroad. |
| Gym membership, one month | Everywhere | $30–60 | ฿1,000–2,000 / ₱1,500–3,500 | per month | A decent air-conditioned gym in Pattaya, Angeles, Bangkok or Phnom Penh; hotel gyms and premium chains $80+. |
| Coworking day pass | Everywhere | $8–15 | ฿250–500 / ₱400–800 | per day | Bangkok, Saigon, Bali and Phnom Penh have plenty; Pattaya and Angeles have a few. Monthly desks $100–200. |
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Visas & living as of August 2026. Dollar figures are typical; local figures are what is quoted on the ground.
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What a week actually costs
Add it up honestly and you get three sensible budgets. All of them assume you’re paying for a room, eating properly and drinking like an adult. Excludes flights.
| Style of trip | Per day | Seven days | What that buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Careful | $70 | $490 | Budget guest-friendly room, local food, beer bars, baht buses and trikes, no daft nights. |
| Normal | $130 | $910 | Mid-range hotel with a pool near the scene, a mix of Western and local food, the main strip most nights. |
| Comfortable | $250 | $1,750 | Upscale hotel, Grabs everywhere, restaurants, a day trip, generous rounds. |
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Cambodia and the Philippines run 15–25% under these numbers; Bangkok, Phuket and Bali 15–30% over. As of August 2026.
Money questions, answered
How much does a week cost?
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Budget $1,200–2,500 for a week in Pattaya or Angeles City excluding flights, as of August 2026. That covers a mid-range hotel ($45–85 a night), food, transport, and a realistic bar budget of $60–150 a night with ladies’ drinks. Add $850–1,400 for the flight and $100 for SIM, insurance and visas.
Should I bring cash or use ATMs?
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Both: bring $300–500 in clean US bills as a backstop and use ATMs for the rest. ATM fees are ฿220–250 per pull in Thailand and ₱200–250 in the Philippines, so withdraw the maximum each time. Cambodia runs on US dollars, so bring more cash there. Exchange booths in town beat the airport every time.
What are the ATM fees?
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As of August 2026: ฿220–250 (about $7) per withdrawal in Thailand, ₱200–250 (about $4) in the Philippines, $4–6 in Cambodia and ₫22,000–66,000 (under $3) in Vietnam — all before your own bank’s fees. A US debit card that refunds foreign ATM fees pays for itself in a week. Always decline the ATM’s currency conversion.
Can I use credit cards?
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In hotels, malls, supermarkets, Grab and better restaurants, yes; in bars, street food, tuk-tuks and small hotels, no — cash rules the bar streets. Use a no-foreign-transaction-fee card where cards are accepted and never hand a card over in a go-go bar. Tap-to-pay works on the Bangkok BTS.
Should I tip, and how much?
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Tipping is appreciated but not expected at US levels. Round up taxi fares, leave ฿20–50 or ₱50–100 for a waitress, ฿50–100 or ₱100 after a massage, and 5–10% in a nicer restaurant if no service charge is added. Over-tipping in bars marks you as an easy touch.
What is the best way to carry money?
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A no-fee debit card for ATMs, a no-foreign-fee credit card for hotels, a few hundred dollars in cash in the hotel safe, and only what you need for the night in your front pocket. Split cards between two places. Tell your bank you are travelling so the first ฿20,000 withdrawal does not get blocked.
Does Cambodia really use US dollars?
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Yes — prices in Phnom Penh are quoted and paid in dollars, and ATMs dispense them. Riel (about ៛4,050 to the dollar as of August 2026) is used for change under a dollar. Bring crisp, undamaged bills; torn or marked notes are refused everywhere, and nobody wants $100 bills at a bar.
Prices sourced from our own spending, reader reports and published rates, checked August 2026. Related: what a trip costs · money, ATMs and cards · hotels compared · what a ladies’ drink is.
