We spent 84 days in Malaysia (February to May 2016). The living standard of the country is relatively high, compared to the other South-Asian countries but prices are low. Nevertheless we spent more money than usual due to some unexpected expenses we had. Without them our budget would have been close to those in Thailand.

Food:  We spent 296 USD in total (or 98 USD per month). We mostly cooked and ate at restaurants only on rare occasions – mostly Indian ones as they are the cheaper.

Other: Total of 238 USD (an average of 79 USD per month). Here come the unexpected expenses including barber, dentist, new clothes, equipment for the jungle (boots, machete, etc.), new oven, lantern, eye-glasses, contact lenses. For Internet we spent 43 USD. Here we include what we spent for cosmetics (shampoo, soap, repellents, tooth paste, etc), medicines, batteries, notebooks, pens, tickets for landmarks.

Transportation: Total of 251 USD (average of 83 USD per month). Here we include the flight tickets to Borneo and back – 130 USD for both of us; ferry to Indonesia – 65 USD for the two of us; using public transport in the big cities (Pinang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahu, Kuching). The rest we crossed hitchhiking.

Accommodation: 1,50 USD for camping in a National Park. All other nights we slept in the tent or in hosts from couchsurfing.org.

Visas: 92 USD for two months visa for Indonesia for both of us

Total spendings: For 84 days: 922 USD

Average per month: 309 USD

Per person, per month: 154 USD

In Malaysia we bought our new camera thanks to donations – 268 USD, these are apart from the calculations above

In Singapore we spent 5 days in total (19-23 March 2016). We had bought food from Malaysia, slept in free camping site and went around the city mostly on foot, so we managed to survive with a quite low budget. Singapore is a very expensive city with prices often higher than those in many big European cities.

Food: 13 USD (20 Singapore dollars)

Others: 4 USD  (5,70 Singapore dollars)

Accommodation: 0 USD

Transportation: 17 USD (27,20 Singapore dollars) – for public transportation and bus for going out of the country

Total: 35 USD (53 Singapore dollars). Or 5 Singapore dollars (3 USD) per person per day.

You can read additional information of how to survive in Singapore without money here: Singapore for 0 USD

 

In Brunei Darussalam we spent 5 days (02-06 May 2016). Prices here are relatively low. We were lucky that our benefactor (a guy that stopped while we were hitchhiking) Michael insisted to give us 35 Brunei dollars (around 40 USD). We spent these money for:

Food: 6 Brunei dollars (3,50 USD). We have bought a lot of food from Malaysia but it turned out food here is quite cheap

Internet: 3 dollars (1,80 USD)

Transportation: 12 dollars (7,50 USD.) for hiring a boat to Temburong municipality

Accommodation: 0 USD Mister Michael paid our stay for a night in a hotel which was 65 Brunei dollars (39 USD).

Total: 21 dollars (13 USD) or around 1,20 USD per person per day.