Southeast Asia for travel money, five countries compared
Thinking about Southeast Asia but not sure which country? Here is how Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore compare on the money side, so you can pick with eyes open. Our read as the True Trip Costs desk, checked Jul 2026.
The short answer
Thailand is the easiest, best all-round first trip.
Cheapest? Vietnam. Beaches? Indonesia. Islands and English? the Philippines. Easy and modern, if pricey? Singapore.
| Country | Daily cost | Cash or card | Tipping | Taxis | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Thailand | Mostly cash | Not expected | Some care | Baht | |
 Vietnam | Cash is king | Not expected | Easy | Dong many zeros | |
 Indonesia | Mostly cash | Not expected | Some care | Rupiah many zeros | |
 Philippines | Mostly cash | About 10% | Some care | Peso | |
 Singapore | Card-first | None | Easy | Dollar S$ |
Reading this. Daily cost is a rough 1 to 4 scale across these five (more dots, pricier day), the desk's own read rather than a precise figure. Taxi ease comes straight from each country's taxi guide: Easy is straightforward, Some care means a couple of things to watch. Tap any country for the detail behind its row.
The honest headline
These five differ more than you might expect
Unlike Europe, Southeast Asia shares neither a currency nor a single cash culture, and the gap between the cheapest and the priciest is wide. The through-line for all five: budget to carry cash (most of the region still runs on it, with cards and QR mainly in cities), keep a ride app like Grab on your phone, and treat tipping as a small courtesy rather than a rule, except in the Philippines, which tips US style. The big variables are cost, currency and how cashless a place is, which is where Singapore stands apart.
Which to pick
A verdict on each
Thailand
The easiest, best all-rounder
The most well-rounded introduction to the region: great food, easy travel, cheap, with the infrastructure to make a first trip smooth. Cash rules day to day, though cities take cards and QR. Bangkok taxis want a little care, so lean on the meter or Grab. Pick Thailand for a do-everything first trip.
The Thailand money guide →Vietnam
Cheapest, and the food
The best value of the five and a food lover's reward. Almost everything is cash, and the dong runs to so many zeros that it pays to count carefully. Grab makes getting around cheap and simple. Pick Vietnam to stretch a budget furthest, coffee and street food included.
The Vietnam money guide →Indonesia
Beaches and value (Bali)
Home to Bali, with beaches, culture and strong value once you arrive. Cash for most things, cards in tourist areas, and the rupiah also counts in many zeros. Ride apps are cheap but limited in a few Bali zones, so some care. Pick Indonesia for beaches and variety at a gentle price.
The Indonesia money guide →Philippines
Islands, and English
Thousands of islands, warm hospitality, and widely spoken English make it an easy landing for Americans. It tips more than its neighbors, around 10% in US style, runs mostly on cash outside cities, and Grab covers the main hubs. Pick the Philippines for island-hopping without a language barrier.
The Philippines money guide →Singapore
Easy and modern, but pricey
The outlier: a spotless, card-first city-state that is effortless to get around but far pricier than its neighbors. No tipping, honest metered taxis and Grab, and world-class transit. Pick Singapore for a smooth, modern stop, and budget accordingly.
The Singapore money guide →Quick picks
If you only remember five things
- Cheapest: Vietnam, with Indonesia close behind outside the resort areas.
- Carry cash everywhere: all but Singapore, which is card-first.
- The pricey outlier: Singapore, comfortably the most expensive of the five.
- Tips like home: the Philippines, at around 10%, unlike its no-tip neighbors.
- Watch the zeros: Vietnam's dong and Indonesia's rupiah run to big numbers, so count carefully.
From the desk
If it were my trip
If you are flying all the way from the US, I would make the most of it and string several countries together rather than settle in one. I would fly into Bangkok, usually one of the cheapest gateways in the region, then hop between countries on budget airlines like AirAsia or VietJet for surprisingly little. Start in northern Thailand around Chiang Mai for temples, food and mountains, then Vietnam for the scenery, the history and some of the best value food anywhere. Bali makes Indonesia worth it, ideally paired with a nearby island like Nusa Penida or Lombok, and the Philippines rewards anyone with time to island hop. Singapore is wonderful but pricey, so I would keep it to a two or three day stopover. With more time, Cambodia and Angkor Wat are among the most extraordinary sights on earth. All told, it is the best mix of culture, food, adventure and value I know.
A personal aside from the True Trip Costs desk. The verdicts above stay neutral; this is just one traveler's route.
More than one region in mind?
Compare another part of the world
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