Is Indonesia Still Cheap? Daily Travel Costs Compared with Thailand and Vietnam, and How Fast Prices Are Rising

5 November 20266 November 2026

Is Indonesia still cheap compared with Thailand and Vietnam? On the travel-cost estimates we compared, yes: a budget day in Indonesia comes to about US$22 per person, against about US$31 in Thailand and US$34 in Vietnam, and the gap is similar at mid-range. But prices are rising in all three countries at different speeds, and the cost of a trip depends as much on flights and the number of nights as on daily prices.

This article sets the three countries side by side on daily spending, accommodation, food and drinks, then looks at the latest official inflation figures and at how total trip costs work. The travel-cost figures come from the spending guides published on exiap.com and by The Currency Shop, which cite BudgetYourTrip and Numbeo; the inflation figures come from the national statistics offices as reported in October and November 2026. We run a stay programme in Sekotong on Lombok, and we finish with where Lombok sits in this comparison.

Information as of November 2026

What this article covers

✓Daily travel costs in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam at budget, mid-range and luxury levels
✓Hotels, food and drinks compared
✓How fast prices are rising in each country (latest official inflation)
✓Why cheap daily prices do not always mean a cheap trip
✓Where Lombok fits

In short

On these estimates, Indonesia has the lowest daily travel costs of the three: about US$22 a day on a budget and US$61 mid-range, against US$31 and US$86 in Thailand and US$34 and US$92 in Vietnam. Prices are rising fastest in Vietnam (4.89% a year in August 2026), then Indonesia (3.23% in October 2026) and Thailand (2.82% in September 2026). Flights and length of stay often matter more than daily prices.

Contents

Daily travel costs compared

The table below compares the average daily spending per person that each guide gives for three travel styles. The guides say the figures cover accommodation, food, transport and sightseeing. They do not say in so many words that the daily figures are per person; we read them that way because BudgetYourTrip, cited by the Indonesia and Vietnam guides, gives its daily costs per person. The guides were last updated at different times (Indonesia in November 2024, Thailand in November 2025, Vietnam in May 2026), so treat small differences with caution; the overall order is what matters.

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Per person per day	Indonesia	Thailand	Vietnam
Budget	US$22	US$31	US$34
Mid-range	US$61	US$86	US$92
Luxury	US$186	US$265	US$259

Sources: exiap.com Indonesia (updated 6 November 2024) and Thailand (updated 14 November 2025); The Currency Shop Vietnam (updated 5 May 2026, BudgetYourTrip data collected 27 April 2026). Figures are averages from travellers’ budgets, not fixed prices.

Figure: Average daily travel cost per person (US$)

Indonesia comes out cheapest at every level; at the luxury level, Vietnam is slightly below Thailand. These are national averages, so they hide differences between places; the Indonesia guide notes that food is often more reasonably priced away from the most touristy areas.

Hotels, food and drinks

Breaking the daily figure down shows where the differences come from. Hotel prices are for two people sharing a typical double room; food is the average daily food cost at each level.

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Item	Indonesia	Thailand	Vietnam
Hotel per night, budget	US$11	US$14	US$13
Hotel per night, mid-range	US$32	US$37	US$37
Hotel per night, luxury	US$100	US$106	US$109
Food per day, budget	US$6	US$7	US$12
Food per day, mid-range	US$16	US$18	US$30
Beer (bottle)	US$3	US$3	US$2
Cappuccino	US$2	US$2	US$2

Same sources as above. Beer and coffee prices are Numbeo data collected on 1 September 2024, as shown in each guide.

Accommodation is close across the three countries, with Indonesia a little cheaper at every level. The bigger difference is food: on these figures a budget day of meals costs about half as much in Indonesia as in Vietnam. Beer is the one item where Indonesia is not cheaper on these figures, and on Lombok alcohol is sold in fewer places than on Bali (see our guide to alcohol on Lombok).

Which country feels cheapest depends on what you spend most on: on these figures the clearest gap is in food, while rooms cost much the same.

How fast prices are rising

All three countries are cheaper than much of the world, but that does not mean they will stay as cheap. The latest official figures show prices rising at different speeds.

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Country	Latest annual inflation	Other figures	Source
Indonesia	3.23% (October 2026)	3.28% in September 2026	BPS (Statistics Indonesia), reported by Katadata Databoks, 2 November 2026
Thailand	2.82% (September 2026)	Average for January to September 2026: 1.54%	Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce, reported by Kaohoon International, 6 October 2026
Vietnam	4.89% (August 2026)	Average for January to August 2026: 4.45%	National Statistics Office, reported by VnEconomy, 3 September 2026

Figure: Latest annual inflation (%)

So Indonesia is the cheapest of the three on daily costs, while prices in Vietnam are rising fastest and Thailand’s rise has picked up from a low average earlier in 2026. For Bali, our article on Bali prices in 2026 sets out what food, transport, stays and massages cost there now.

Cheap daily prices do not always mean a cheap trip

Choosing a destination on daily prices alone can mislead you about the total. For a short trip, flights are often the largest single cost, and the gap in daily spending between these three countries (about US$9 to 12 a day on a budget) only adds up over a longer stay. The longer you stay, the more low daily prices count.

Access varies within Indonesia too. Bali is served by many international routes, while Lombok’s only direct international flights are from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, so most visitors connect through Bali, Jakarta, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Exchange rates and how you pay also change the real cost by a few percent; our guide to money and payments on Lombok covers cash, cards and QRIS.

Keep in mind

Low prices do not guarantee a cheap trip: on short trips, flights weigh more than daily costs
Check how you get there: destinations that need a connection add time and cost
Averages hide local differences: these are national averages, and prices differ between places

Where Lombok fits

Our guide to Lombok travel costs estimates about Rp165,000 to 385,000 a day for budget travel (about US$9 to 22 at US$1 = Rp17,800) and Rp660,000 to 1,430,000 for mid-range travel with a hotel or villa (about US$37 to 80). The budget range is at or below the national budget figure above (US$22), and the mid-range estimate spans the national mid-range figure (US$61).

The other side is getting there. With no long-haul direct flights, reaching Lombok usually takes a connection, which adds to the fare and the journey time. In other words, Lombok takes more effort to reach but is inexpensive once you are there, so the longer you stay, the more you gain. Our articles on the travel cost break-even point and 3, 7 and 14-night cost simulations work through the numbers.

A note from Sekotong

Sekotong, in southwest Lombok, is about 1 hour 10 minutes by car from Lombok International Airport. Our stay programme there runs from 3 nights/4 days to 5 nights/6 days at Rp4,800,000 (about US$270) per person, including airport transfers, transport during the stay, a guide, a welcome dinner and a massage; flights and accommodation are separate.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Which is cheapest: Indonesia, Thailand or Vietnam?

On the travel spending guides we compared, Indonesia has the lowest daily costs at budget and mid-range levels (about US$22 and US$61 a day, against US$31 and US$86 in Thailand and US$34 and US$92 in Vietnam). Results vary by item and area, so check the categories you spend most on.

Q. Does a cheaper country mean a cheaper trip?

Not always. Flights and the number of nights often matter more than daily prices, especially on short trips. Longer stays make low daily prices count.

Q. Are prices in Indonesia going up?

Yes, steadily. BPS reported annual inflation of 3.28% in September 2026 and 3.23% in October 2026. Popular tourist areas often feel more expensive than the national average.

Q. Is a short trip or a long stay better value?

A long stay, generally. On a short trip the flight is a larger share of the total, so low daily prices make less difference.

Summary

Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are all affordable destinations, and on the travel spending guides we compared, Indonesia has the lowest daily costs at budget and mid-range levels. Prices are rising in all three, fastest in Vietnam and most slowly in Thailand, so today’s prices are a snapshot rather than a promise.

Daily prices are only part of the cost of a trip; flights and the number of nights complete the picture. Lombok is a clear example: it takes a connection to reach, but daily costs are low, so it rewards longer stays. If a quiet island and several unhurried days appeal, Sekotong is worth considering.