Last month was spent partially in Vietnam and Singapore, but mostly in India. It's by far the cheapest country I have traveled to, and certainly the most challenging yet. Right now I am in the state of Goa, a very tourist-friendly region. However, the rest of the country (so far at least) has been quite the adventure. You never know what you will see in India. I've eaten some of the best food I've ever had, stayed at some of the worst hotels, and have gotten ill more times than I'd care to count. The country manages to be both frustrating and rewarding at the same time; it is not a place I will be forgetting anytime soon.
I'm going to give you a brief sneak peak of the upcoming month. In roughly a week, I'll be taking a hiatus from India, by spending some time in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The Maldives is an extremely expensive country, and is mostly filled with tourist resorts; it will likely be my most expensive week of traveling ever. Both countries are islands, and are situated within one or two hours' flight from India. After the excursion, I will fly back into India, and travel in the middle and northern regions. The country is so densely packed, there is no way I'll be able to see everything in a few months. Nevertheless, I plan on doing my best, and making the places I do go to, count.
The three currencies I used during my fifth month: Vietnam Dong, Singapore Dollar, and Indian Rupee. The latter stretches quite far. In fact, if I would have only been in India this month, my total costs would have been even less. Nevertheless, this was my least expensive month yet. Here's a breakdown of costs, by category.
Accommodation - $142.24. Average of $4.74 per day. Unlike in Southeast Asia, there are very few dorm rooms in India, so I've been staying in private rooms the entire time. Even so, the costs are very low, with a night's stay usually ranging from $4-7. Even in Singapore (a relatively expensive country), I didn't pay more than $20 for two nights' stay.
Food and Drink - $172.28. Average of $5.74 per day, or $1.91 per meal. This is one of the areas where India truly excels at being a budget destination. In most places (besides for Goa), a meal will cost you about 50 cents. A large meal, including juice and/or Chai tea runs you no more than $1.
Alcohol - $16.81. I've not had much beer in India, but is relatively affordable. A large bottle of Kingfisher is about $1. I didn't drink in Singapore, but I've been told it's extremely expensive. Once again, you can get local brew in Vietnam for as low as 15 cents in some places.
Transport - $67.81. I cannot stress how cheap it is to travel by Indian rail. I've taken a ten hour train ride for as low as $1. Obviously, the price will go way up if you opt for an air-conditioned or luxury car.
Miscellaneous - $86.55. Includes things such as toiletries, laundry, ATM fees, etc. It also includes the price of an Ipod cable, a haircut, and some internet cafes.
Total amount spent - $485.69. Average of $16.19 per day. This was by far my cheapest month yet, and my first under $500. If I had only been in India, it would have been even less. Like always, this amount does not include international flights or visa fees (which will all be tallied in a separate post some day).
Once more, thank you to Simon and Erin, the creators of Trail Wallet. Their app continues to be my #1 budgeting tool. If you feel so inclined, check out their journey at neverendingvoyage.com.
I'm going to give you a brief sneak peak of the upcoming month. In roughly a week, I'll be taking a hiatus from India, by spending some time in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The Maldives is an extremely expensive country, and is mostly filled with tourist resorts; it will likely be my most expensive week of traveling ever. Both countries are islands, and are situated within one or two hours' flight from India. After the excursion, I will fly back into India, and travel in the middle and northern regions. The country is so densely packed, there is no way I'll be able to see everything in a few months. Nevertheless, I plan on doing my best, and making the places I do go to, count.
The three currencies I used during my fifth month: Vietnam Dong, Singapore Dollar, and Indian Rupee. The latter stretches quite far. In fact, if I would have only been in India this month, my total costs would have been even less. Nevertheless, this was my least expensive month yet. Here's a breakdown of costs, by category.
Accommodation - $142.24. Average of $4.74 per day. Unlike in Southeast Asia, there are very few dorm rooms in India, so I've been staying in private rooms the entire time. Even so, the costs are very low, with a night's stay usually ranging from $4-7. Even in Singapore (a relatively expensive country), I didn't pay more than $20 for two nights' stay.
Food and Drink - $172.28. Average of $5.74 per day, or $1.91 per meal. This is one of the areas where India truly excels at being a budget destination. In most places (besides for Goa), a meal will cost you about 50 cents. A large meal, including juice and/or Chai tea runs you no more than $1.
Alcohol - $16.81. I've not had much beer in India, but is relatively affordable. A large bottle of Kingfisher is about $1. I didn't drink in Singapore, but I've been told it's extremely expensive. Once again, you can get local brew in Vietnam for as low as 15 cents in some places.
Transport - $67.81. I cannot stress how cheap it is to travel by Indian rail. I've taken a ten hour train ride for as low as $1. Obviously, the price will go way up if you opt for an air-conditioned or luxury car.
Miscellaneous - $86.55. Includes things such as toiletries, laundry, ATM fees, etc. It also includes the price of an Ipod cable, a haircut, and some internet cafes.
Total amount spent - $485.69. Average of $16.19 per day. This was by far my cheapest month yet, and my first under $500. If I had only been in India, it would have been even less. Like always, this amount does not include international flights or visa fees (which will all be tallied in a separate post some day).
Once more, thank you to Simon and Erin, the creators of Trail Wallet. Their app continues to be my #1 budgeting tool. If you feel so inclined, check out their journey at neverendingvoyage.com.
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