What Does It Cost to Travel? Real Budget Breakdown for Thailand, Bali & Malaysia

I’ve mucked around with this post for a while now, trying to get the most important info in without it taking 3 hours to read. I think it’s easier to break things down into 3 big ticket items — the ongoing costs that make up daily life, including travel life:

• Accommodation
• Food
• Transport

The biggest additional cost is transit, which is why we stay longer in places (where visas permit — more on that here). Flying is expensive and it’s not fun, especially with a baby!

We’ve spent the bulk of our time in Thailand, Bali, and Malaysia, so that’s what I’ll focus on.

General Cost Comparison:

From cheapest to most expensive:
Thailand → Bali → Malaysia

• Bali: Restaurant food seems cheaper, but it usually comes with ++ (service tax, VAT, and whatever “Bali tax” they throw in) — this can add 16–22%+ to your bill.
• Transport: Cheaper in Bali if using Grab vs Tuk Tuk in Thailand. We hired a bike in Thailand, which made it much cheaper. KL (Malaysia) was more expensive and frustrating (hello big city vibes).

Transport tips:

• In Bali, a 20-minute airport taxi cost us $40! We just went with the official taxi rank to avoid scams — slightly overpriced but hassle-free and worth it.
• Grab worked well in Bali and okay in Thailand, but in Malaysia it was unreliable and left us stranded more than once. Less than ideal with a baby.
• KL airport is 60km+ from the city — prebooked rides (like AirAsia) didn’t show, and neither did Grab. We ended up paying nearly triple for a taxi and getting on with it.

In Bali, we skipped hiring a bike since we were mostly at a resort with family. In Malaysia, we should’ve gotten one — we were only there briefly but missed the freedom (and savings) that comes with it.

🏠 Accommodation, 🍲 Food & 🚗 Transport: Thailand Edition

I’ve rounded up costs slightly to account for ATM fees, currency exchange, etc. (Thailand charges 220Bt (~$10) per ATM withdrawal!)

💸 Cash is king in Thailand.
It’ll get you out of most sticky situations and is just way more convenient. Many places don’t take card (especially off the mainland), and if they do, there’s often a surcharge. In Bali and Malaysia, card was widely accepted, and we barely used cash.

We use uBank (no fees, good exchange rates), and also discovered Wise — amazing rates and low/no fees. We used Wise to prepay for accommodation and incidentals in Thailand when local currency was required.

🍛 Food

The cost of food really depends on your travel style. Here’s the breakdown:

🥡 Street Stalls

These are especially common in Southern Thailand and are often Halal.
At first, buying room-temp chicken and rice off the roadside felt suss (especially with baby eating it later), but it’s been totally fine.

In 2019, we had food poisoning from chicken in Thailand and were cautious for a while. But over time, we’ve learned to trust it — if locals are lining up, it’s fresh!

We now grab:

• Sticky rice + chicken packs
• Chicken sticks
• Chicken biryani
• Spicy pork salad + rice

All for 100Bt (~$4.50). Ridiculous value. We tip 20Bt — less than $1, but appreciated.

Tipping: We asked around — Thai people are very proud. Tipping is kind and welcomed, but never expected.

🍽️ Warung-style Eateries

These roadside restaurants with stools and plastic tables are everywhere and serve delicious, authentic Thai food.

Common orders for us:

• Tom Yum Soup
• Pork Larb
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Papaya Salad (*not the tourist version — hello chili!)

Prices:

• Soups: 60–150Bt ($2.70–$6.60)
• Rice dishes: 80–120Bt ($3.50–$5.30)

High chairs? Nope. English? Sometimes. But Kaia’s gotten good at sitting on the floor or big chairs.

🍻 Sit-down Restaurants

These are a small step up — think proper seating, menus, sometimes baby chairs.

Meals:

• Pad Thai, Rice Dishes: 80–150Bt ($3.50–$6.60)
• Curries & mains: Around 150Bt ($6.60)

Western food (pizza/pasta) is available, but often overpriced and underwhelming — expect to pay upwards of 450Bt ($20) for a plate.

🥂 Fancy Restaurants

Think resort spots with views and waitstaff. We haven’t eaten at one yet.
Menus are usually 2–3x the cost and serve the tourist version of dishes (less spice, more ketchup).
Not worth it for us — one meal could feed us for days.

🧃 Snacks & Drinks

7-Eleven is king.

• Snacks, chips, drinks — usually $1–$2
• Large beer: $3.50
• Flavored seltzers (like grape): 39Bt ($1.70) — similar drinks are $10 in Aus.

🕛 Alcohol sale restrictions:

• No alcohol sold between midnight–11am and 2–5pm (probably to discourage day drinking).
• Restaurants and bars offer deals: big beers + cocktails for 90–100Bt ($4). They will also serve alcohol during the 711 restricted periods.

Nightlife? We haven’t gone out drinking, but from what I’ve seen, you’d have to shout the whole bar to spend what we used to on a night out in Perth!

🛵 Transport

Our go-to: Motorbike
So easy. So convenient. And yes — we all ride on it: baby, climbing gear, and all! 😆

• Day rate: 200Bt (~$10)
• Monthly: Jacob negotiated 140Bt/day
• Bonus: Got a better bike for same price due to a steering lock issue

Other options:

• Grab: Like Uber. Available in Thailand and Bali, unreliable in Malaysia.
• Motorbike taxis: Cheap but you’ll need to negotiate.
• Tuk Tuks: Cute, touristy, and private. A little more expensive.
• Suntows (shared red trucks): Cheaper, shared rides. Drivers are wizards figuring out drop-offs.
• Buses: Two main routes. They’re basically suntows on fixed routes.
• Private taxis/vans: Still cheaper than Aus, and negotiable.
  (Ex: 800Bt quoted → Jacob offered 500Bt → driver agreed!)

Bartering tip: Decide what you’re happy to pay.
If both parties are satisfied, you’ve got a fair deal. No need to chase the absolute lowest price every time — that’s exhausting.

🏨 Accommodation

We pre-booked 2 weeks in Tonsai, a tiny climbing spot off the mainland, since it was heading into high season. I needed the peace of mind knowing we had somewhere sorted for baby.

The room was lovely — huge, with a bath.
But… jungle life = a lot of stairs. We were climbing up and down 3x a day for naps. I left that place the fittest I’ve ever been! 😅

We paid:

• 770Bt/night ($33) → owner later offered 600Bt/night ($26) for cash

Booking tip: In Thailand, cash talks.
Shop around in person — you’ll likely get better deals than online.

In Ao Nang, we did 2 nights in a hotel while searching for a longer-term stay. Our must-haves:

• Air con
• Pool
• (Bonus) Bath for baby
• Budget: Around $30/night

We booked our first place online, but after that, we switched to finding accommodation in person. You get a better sense of the space, and locals are often happy to offer a lower price when you’re paying in cash.

In Ao Nang, we searched on foot and through Facebook Marketplace and Booking.com. We found:

💧 Resort-style Apartment:

• Pool
• Air con
• Small kitchen
• Wi-Fi (fast enough to upload videos!)
• Basic but clean

Cost:

• 600Bt/night (~$26) on a weekly rate
• Included cleaning every 2–3 days
• No contract — paid as we went

There were cheaper rooms with no air con or pool, but for us, the pool is essential with a toddler and tropical heat.

🛏️ Quick Accommodation Summary:

📌 Final Thoughts

We’ve found that with a little patience, being flexible, and staying longer in one spot, you can travel affordably — even with a baby/toddler.

Biggest budget wins:

• Renting bikes
• Eating local
• Paying cash
• Booking longer stays
• Negotiating in person

Biggest splurges:

• Taxis from airports
• Resort family bookings (worth it sometimes!)
• The occasional western meal when we’re craving a bit of home

Would we do anything differently?
Sure — we’d pack lighter, plan even less, and probably double-check the distance from the airport. But all in all, this way of life works — financially and emotionally.

And the freedom?
Priceless.

Til next time,

R