In 2022, I quit my job to fulfill my old dream of traveling the world Full time for one and a half years. My trip to 12 countries in Asia and six countries in South America cost exactly $34,563.38.
I be careful about one thing From start to finish: I tracked every penny I spent, from a $600 flight to a 50-cent trip to the bathroom.
I spent an average of about $1,920 per month, which is about the same as my typical monthly budget Thrift In LA and previously, in NYC. To make ends meet and save for my trip, I rented in uncool parts of town and lived with roommates in small spaces for five years. I ate out once or twice a week and only made coffee at home unless I was working in a café.
Here’s everything I learned during my 18 months in South America and Asia, broken down by category.
Pre-trip supplies: $531, or about 1.5% of budget
This category includes survival essentials I stocked up on before the trip, like a suitcase, packing cubes, cargo pants, hiking shoes, and water shoes.
In retrospect, I should have focused on packing items that couldn’t be easily found elsewhere, like my favorite brand of mosquito repellent, rather than items I could easily buy abroad. For example, I regret having to travel in cars and planes around the world burdened with so many clothes.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Helen Zhao
Housing: $10,635.06, or about 31% of the budget
I could spend as little as $5 to $15 for a bed in a hostel, but at the end of a long day exploring I craved the comfort of my own space. On average, I spent $20 to $25 per night for my room in a comfortable mid-range hotel, usually with breakfast.
I considered the stay to be very good value at that price point Chandi Hotel in Bali, Indonesia; Hoianian Central Villa in Hoi An, Vietnam; And S2 Residence In Krabi, Thailand.
There were outliers too. For example, I only paid $9 for one night Hotel of similar quality a block from the beachIn Da Nang, Vietnam.
Hotels of similar quality in major centers in Brazil, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore cost closer to $50 to $100 per night. Luckily, my mom or husband stayed with me in all these places except Brazil and we split the bill.
Transportation: $8,074.67, or about 23% of the budget
Flights: $4,885.14
Land Transportation: $3,189.53
I flew 40 flights in economy class with checked luggage during my travels. There were many opportunities to take an overnight bus at throwaway prices. But I hated the idea of sleeping on the bus, using bus toilets, or driving on narrow winding roads in the dark.
Flights within countries typically cost between $50 to $100, and double that for flying to very large countries like China or Brazil. Flights between neighboring countries cost me $100 to $200. Flights between non-neighboring countries cost $100 to $300. The longest distance I traveled was from Osaka, Japan to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and it cost me $140.28.
I also used about 200,000 credit card miles to cover some of my flights.
When I didn’t fly I took buses, vans or bullet trains. A three- to seven-hour bus and van trip costs me $10 to $20. The roughly 860-mile bullet train from Xian to Shanghai in China cost me $94. A two-week unlimited bullet train pass in Japan costs $224.
I used a lot of rideshare services, which often cost only $1 or $2 for a two- or three-mile ride by motorcycle.
With my mother in the Vietnamese countryside.
Courtesy Helen Zhao
Food and beverages: $7,078.36, or about 20.5% of the budget
Coffee: $411.05
Liquor: $557.95
everything else: $6,109.36
Apart from a few salads I made in Japan, I never prepared my own food. Half the time, breakfast was included at my hotel. Otherwise, I usually ate at flashy or trendy mid-range restaurants as well as lively night markets.
My favorite places to visit include Temple Coffee in phnom penh, cambodia and meet by the corner In Bali. I usually pay $7 to $10 for an entrée and a non-alcoholic drink. At no-frills places or night markets where many locals eat, meals usually cost $2.50 to $6. Night market dishes cost about $1 per serving.
i tried fine food Some times, a great multi-course meal in Bolivia costs only $12 for lunch and $22 for dinner.
I would often order fancy lattes at trendy cafes for about $2. I was surprised to find that my iced latte habit grew to just $411 in 18 months.
I drank alcohol about once a week, paying about $5 at mid-range restaurants and bars, and $10 to $12 at the most expensive places.
Sightseeing: $2,567.24, or about 7.5% of the budget
patagonia
Courtesy Helen Zhao
Health care: $1,988.54, or about 6% of the budget
I spent $1,263.72 for this traveler’s health insuranceWhich will cover expenses up to $100,000 in the event of an accident or illness. That insurance came in handy when I had a case of food poisoning and a very bad case of Covid.
I paid $563 for travel vaccinations, which include yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A and Japanese encephalitis. According to my research, the latter would have cost $400 to $500 in the US, but I only paid $58 in Bangkok.
After I lost my retainers in Vietnam, I had them remade in Korea for about $150.
Discretionary purchases: $1,927.01, or about 5.5% of the budget
Clothes: $1,048.24
Memento: $216.86
Gift: $661.91
I mostly shop from walled-in boutiques or street vendors, where there are no price tags and it’s all about bargaining. To avoid overpaying, I stopped purchasing immediately and kept in mind that the competition was often on my side.
I inquired about pricing from several vendors. That process helped me find the lowest acceptable rate, or the last price the sellers offered me before they let me go.
That’s how I discovered I was getting a good deal on custom-made Vietnamese silk dresses in Hoi An. After asking around, I paid $34 per dress and left Vietnam with 14.
Sometimes I buy things on the spot when I think the price seems fair. I didn’t mind if the seller made a few extra dollars, because I still thought it was a great deal and that the money would mean more to them than to me.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Helen Zhao
Visa: $847.54, or about 2.5% of the budget
For the most part, as a US citizen, I did not need a visa or pay for a visa upon arrival. These usually cost around $30 to $40.
However, there were outliers. The application and printing fee for the China visa cost $205 and the Bolivian visa cost $160. I was surprised to learn of that requirement two hours before arriving at the border with Peru and rushed to collect the necessary documentation before arrival.
Personal care: $745.57, or about 2% of the budget
I occasionally indulge in luxuries that I almost never spend money on in the US, where I often feel I can’t justify the price. I could get a gel manicure for about $15 and a massage for $5 to $10. I took yoga and meditation classes at beautiful facilities in Bali, which cost $10 each. Haircuts cost about $8. I also regularly stocked up on toiletries, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
Tokyo
Courtesy Helen Zhao
Entertainment: $168.40, or about 0.5% of the budget
This includes fun activities for escapism that do not count as sightseeing or cultural experiences. This includes entry fees to some of the nightclubs I visited, arcade games, Spotify music subscription and hookah with friends.
I’m amazed at how little I actually spend on escapism. You can party hard with other tourists in Southeast Asia and South America for very cheap, especially while staying in hostels. In my early to mid-20s, I would have jumped at the opportunity, but in my early 30s, I didn’t feel attracted to it.
The No. 1 thing I got for my $35,000: ‘It reminded me how rich I am’
Abroad, I lived extremely comfortably on about $1,920 a month – which was more than the average backpacker I met. I never cooked for myself, ordered fancy iced lattes on a regular basis, and bought 14 custom made silk dresses in a week.
I became very frustrated living in expensive coastal American cities, feeling as if I could never buy a house Or children and constantly compare myself with people who have more than me. I felt poor, like I never had enough and I was never able to do enough.
keep track of my expenses I discovered that I had tremendous purchasing power in most countries of the world. I am not a helpless victim of inflation and the rising cost of living in America, in fact, I am extremely privileged and fortunate.
This experience helped me get out of the mindset of deprivation and helplessness. One of abundance and gratitudeIt reminded me how rich I am and how much I should be grateful for. It helped me realize that I had – and have – more than enough.
Helen Zhao Is a former video producer and writer for CNBC. Before joining CNBC as a news contributor, she covered residential real estate for the LA Business Journal. She is a native of California and is proud of the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins.
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