I Spent $34,563.38 on Travel in 18 Months: My Budget Breakdown

This category includes survival essentials that I stock up on before the trip, such as a suitcase, packing cubes, cargo pants, hiking boots, and water shoes.

In retrospect, I should have focused on packing things that are hard to find elsewhere, like my favorite brand of mosquito repellent, instead of things that I could easily purchase overseas. I, for one, regretted being weighed down by the dead weight of too many clothes that I had to lug around the world in cars and planes.

Flights: US$4,885.14

Ground transport: 3189.53 USD

During my trip, I took 40 flights in economy class with checked baggage. There were many opportunities to catch a night bus for a quarter to half the price. But I hated the idea of ​​sleeping on the bus, using the bus toilets, or driving in the dark on narrow winding roads.

Domestic flights typically cost between $50 and $100, and double that to very large countries like China or Brazil. Flights between neighboring countries cost me from 100 to 200 dollars. Flights between non-neighboring countries cost me from 100 to 300 dollars. The farthest 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 wasn’t flying, I was taking buses, vans or high-speed trains. Bus and minibus trips of three to seven hours cost me between $10 and $20. A short-term train about 860 miles from Xi’an to Shanghai in China cost me $94. A two-week unlimited bullet train ticket in Japan cost me $224.

I’ve used a lot of ride sharing services that often cost as little as $1 or $2 for two or three miles on a motorcycle.

Clothes: 1048.24 US dollars

Souvenirs: $216.86

gifts: $661.91

I mostly shopped at run-of-the-mill boutiques or street vendors where there are no price tags and it’s all about the trade. In order not to overpay, I immediately postponed purchases and remembered that the competition was often on my side.

I asked several sellers about prices. This process helped me figure out the lowest acceptable bid or the last price I was offered before the sellers let me walk away.

That’s how I know I’m getting a good deal on custom made Vietnamese silk dresses in Hoi An. After inquiring, I paid $34 for the dress and left Vietnam on the 14th.

Sometimes I bought things locally when I thought the price seemed very reasonable. I didn’t mind if the seller made a few extra dollars because I still felt like it was really good and the money would mean more to them than to me.

For the most part, as an American citizen, I did not need a visa and did not pay for visas on arrival. They usually cost between $30 and $40.

However, there were exceptions. The China visa cost me $205 to apply and print and the Bolivia visa cost $160. I was surprised to find out about this requirement two hours before we reached the border with Peru and tried to collect the necessary documents before arrival.

From time to time I have indulged in luxuries that I almost never spend money on in the US, where I often feel like I can’t justify the cost. I was getting a gel manicure for about $15 and a massage for $5 to $10. I took yoga and meditation classes at great facilities in Bali that cost $10 each. A hairstyle costs about 8 dollars. I also regularly stocked up on toiletries, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent.

This includes recreational activities for the sake of escapism that do not count as sightseeing or cultural experiences. This includes entrance fees to several nightclubs I visited, arcade games, a Spotify music subscription, and shisha with friends.

I’m surprised at how little I actually spent on escapism. With other tourists in Southeast Asia and South America, you can party very cheaply, especially in hostels. When I was in my early to mid 20’s I would have jumped at the chance, but in my 30’s I wasn’t drawn to it.