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In 2022, I left my job to fulfill my dream of traveling the world full-time for a year and a half. My trip through 12 countries in Asia and six in South America cost exactly $34,563.38.
I stayed meticulous 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 my typical monthly budget living very frugally in Los Angeles and, previously, New York. To make ends meet and save for my trip, I rented in undesirable parts of the city and lived with roommates in small spaces for five years. I went out to eat a couple of times a week and only made coffee at home unless I worked in a coffee shop.
Here’s everything I went through 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 the survival essentials I acquired before the trip, such as a suitcase, packing cubes, cargo pants, hiking shoes, and water shoes.
In retrospect, I should have focused on packing items that can’t be easily found elsewhere, like my favorite brand of mosquito repellent, rather than items that I could easily purchase abroad. I regretted, for example, having to carry the dead weight of too many clothes that I had to load into cars and planes around the world.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Helen Zhao
Accommodation: $10,635.06, or about 31% of the budget
I could have spent as little as $5-$15 for a bed at a hostel, but I craved the comfort of my own space at the end of a long day of exploring. On average, I spent between $20 and $25 per night on my own room in a comfortable mid-range hotel, usually with breakfast.
Stays that I considered of great value at that price included Hotel Chandi in Bali, Indonesia; Central Hoianian Village in Hoi An, Vietnam; and Residence S2 in Krabi, Thailand.
There were also outliers. For example, I paid only $9 a night for a similar quality hotel one block from the beachin Da Nang, Vietnam.
Hotels of similar quality cost between $50 and $100 per night in major centers in Brazil, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore. Luckily, either my mom or my husband accompanied me to all of 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 took 40 flights during my trip, in economy class with checked luggage. There were plenty of opportunities to take a night bus for between a quarter and half the price. But I hated the idea of sleeping on a bus, using the bus bathrooms, or driving on narrow, winding roads in the dark.
Flights within countries usually cost between $50 and $100, and double that to fly through very large countries like China or Brazil. Flights between neighboring countries cost me between 100 and 200 dollars. Flights between non-neighboring countries cost me between $100 and $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 he wasn’t flying, he took buses, vans or bullet trains. Three to seven hour bus and van trips cost me between $10 and $20. The bullet train that runs about 860 miles from Xian to Shanghai in China cost me $94. A two-week unlimited bullet train pass in Japan cost me $224.
I used many ride-sharing services, which often cost only $1 or $2 for a two- or three-mile motorcycle ride.
With his mother in the Vietnamese countryside.
Courtesy of Helen Zhao
Food and drinks: $7,078.36, or about 20.5% of the budget
Coffee: $411.05
Alcohol: $557.95
Everything else: $6,109.36
Aside from a couple of salads I made in Japan, I’ve never made my own food. Half the time, breakfast was included in my hotel. Otherwise, I usually ate in charming or modern mid-range restaurants, as well as lively night markets.
My favorite places included temple cafe in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Milu from Nook in Bali. I usually paid between $7 and $10 for an entree and a non-alcoholic drink. Meals at simple places or night markets where many locals eat usually cost me between $2.50 and $6. Night market delicacies cost about $1 per serving.
I tried fine dining a couple of times, paying just $12 for lunch and $22 for dinner to enjoy exquisite multi-course meals in Bolivia.
I often ordered fancy lattes at trendy coffee shops for about $2. I was surprised to learn that my iced latte habit only added up to $411 in 18 months.
I drank alcohol about once a week and paid about $5 at mid-level restaurants and bars, and $10 to $12 at more upscale places.
Tourism: $2,567.24, or about 7.5% of the budget
Patagonia
Courtesy of Helen Zhao
Medical care: $1,988.54, or about 6% of the budget
I spent $1,263.72 for traveler medical insurancethat would cover up to $100,000 in expenses 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 vaccines, including yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A, and Japanese encephalitis. The latter would have cost between $400 and $500 in the United States, according to my research, but I paid only $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
Memories: $216.86
Gifts: $661.91
I mainly shopped at hole-in-the-wall boutiques or street vendors, where there are no price tags and it’s all a matter of haggling. To avoid overpaying, I stopped purchasing immediately and took into account that the competition was often on my side.
I asked about prices with several suppliers. That process helped me determine the lowest acceptable rate, or the last price I was offered before the providers let me go.
That’s how I knew I was getting a good deal on custom-made Vietnamese silk dresses in Hoi An. After doing some research, I ended up paying $34 per dress and left Vietnam with $14.
Sometimes I would buy things on the spot when I felt the price seemed very reasonable. I didn’t care if the seller made a few extra dollars, because I still felt like it was a great deal and that the money would mean more to them than it did to me.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Helen Zhao
Visas: $847.54, or about 2.5% of the budget
For the most part, as a US citizen, I did not need a visa nor did I pay for visas upon arrival. They usually cost between $30 and $40.
However, there were outliers. The visa for China cost me $205 in application and printing fees and the visa for Bolivia cost me $160. I was surprised to learn of this requirement two hours before arriving at the border from Peru and rushed to gather the necessary documents before arriving.
Personal care: $745.57, or about 2% of the budget
I occasionally indulged in luxuries that I rarely spend money on in the United States, where I often feel like I can’t justify the cost. I got gel manicures for about $15 and massages for $5 to $10. I took yoga and meditation classes at beautiful facilities in Bali, which were $10 each. Haircuts cost around $8. I also regularly stocked up on toiletries, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent.
Tokyo
Courtesy of Helen Zhao
Entertainment: $168.40, or about 0.5% of the budget
This encompasses fun getaway activities that don’t count as tourist or cultural experiences. That includes tickets to the few nightclubs I visited, arcade games, a Spotify subscription, and smoking hookah with friends.
I’m surprised how little I spent on escapism. You can have fun at a very affordable price with other tourists in Southeast Asia and South America, especially if you stay in hostels. When I was in my twenties, I would have jumped at the opportunity, but when I was in my early thirties, I wasn’t attracted to it.
Number one thing I got for my $35,000: ‘It reminded me how rich I am’
Abroad, I lived very comfortably on about $1,920 a month, more than the average backpacker I met. I never cooked for myself, ordered fancy iced lattes regularly, and splurged on 14 custom-made silk dresses in one week.
I had grown very tired of living in expensive American coastal cities, feeling like I could never pay for a house or children and constantly compare myself to people who have more than me. I felt poor, like I had never had enough and was never doing enough.
Tracking my spending showed me that I have enormous spending power in most parts of the world. I am not a helpless victim of inflation and the rising cost of living in America. In reality, I am extremely privileged and lucky.
The experience helped me move from a mindset of scarcity and helplessness to one of abundance and gratitude. It reminded me how rich I am and how much I have to be grateful for. It helped me realize that I have (and have) more than enough.
Helen Zhao is a former video producer and writer for CNBC. Before joining CNBC as a news associate, she covered residential real estate for the LA Business Journal. She is a California native and proud USC Trojan and UCLA Bruin.
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