When I’m planning a new trip and scouring the web for information on a certain country/region, one of the first questions I need answered is, “How much does it cost?” Unfortunately, there is little helpful information on the web for an updated daily budget for budget travelers. As much as I love Lonely Planet, there budgets are sometimes off by $5 – $10/day (which many not seem like a lot, but if your budget is only $20/day, that’s a 25% to 50% difference. Here was my daily budget for Indonesia, specifically Bali and Lombok, in March 2009 (in USD):

Meal in a warung: $1 – $2
Meal in cheaper tourist restaurant: $2 – $3
Budget guesthouse accommodation: $6 – $8 per night
Bottle of water: $0.50 to $1
Local energy drink in a nightclub: $3
Taxi ride/motorbike ride (within neighborhood): $.50 to $1.50
Watching hot surfers: $0
Chillin with the locals on the beach: PRICELESS :)

Total Time in Indonesia: 30 days
Total Spent: $600 USD

Daily Average:  $20/day