Finances

Before we started this trip we were really curious about what our daily spending would be. I was going to make a post like this after November, but we had a lot of residual bills and late pay checks that muddied the water. So I'll let you know what our spending has looked like for December and January.

If you count everything over here and back home (car insurance, student loans, etc) we have been averaging about $3000 per month or $100 per day. If you take out our stateside costs we have been spending around $2300/month or $75/day.

If a group of two followed our exact same itinerary they could conceivably spend half as much, and if they went nuts with hotels and booze they could spend five times more without any trouble. We've lucked into a week with no lodging costs here and there (thanks again Yuju & Ji) and we've had some non-standard expenses (I had some blood work done for school). Also, on our trip Jenn and I have more time than money, so we've been taking the slower but cheaper trains and buses.

• Average Ho(s)tel. 
• Thailand: $20
• Laos: $7
• China: $15
• Japan: $70 (for Jenn/I)
• ATM Fees
• Thailand: $5 (every ATM, every time)
• Laos: $2 (every ATM, every time)
• Japan: don't recall.... $3?
• Transport costs:
• From Bangkok to anywhere in Thailand in AC Sleeper: Less than $25
• Halfway across the country in Laos in AC bus: $7
• Japan to China via ferry ~$225 each.
• Average meal (no drinks):
• Thailand: $6 (for the two of us at a local place). $18 at a touristy place.
• China: $5 (for the two of us at a local place)
• Laos: $4 (for the two of us at a local place)
• Japan: just like the states. Pricey if you go nice. Cheap if you go cheap.
• Average alcoholic drink
• Laos: $1 for a liter of whiskey (at local place) $2 for a 16 oz local beer
• China: Around $1 for a local beer
• Thailand: $1 for a local beer at the 7-11. At a bar you can expect to pay ~$2.50

Happy to relay any other costs if anyone is interested. Also, if anyone wants to do my taxes for me while I'm out of pocket, I'd be much obliged.

Your pal, Jim.