Top 10 Cheapest Places to Live in Southeast Asia in 2025 Aussie Dollar Breakdown
Good day, Aussies. Are you dreaming of swapping your daily grind for a life in Southeast Asia? Maybe you’re thinking of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, or even Bali. Well, in this video, I’m giving you the exact 2025 monthly cost of living in Australian dollars. No confusing ranges, no guesswork, just clear hard numbers to help you plan your big move. Let’s get into it. Kicking off our list at number 10 is Viennan, the capital of Laos. For a peaceful, slow, and simple life, you’re looking at about $1,470 Aussie dollars per month. Let’s break that down. Rent for a nice place is around $465. Your food bill will be about $390. Getting around is super cheap at just 80 bucks. Internet and utilities come in at a crazy low $23, leaving you with $512 for everything else. It’s a seriously relaxed and affordable city to start our list. Next up at number nine, we have Ponampen and Cambodia. This vibrant city will set you back about $1,630 a month. Rent is around $545. You’ll spend about $465 on food. Transport, mostly tuk tuk, is $93. Electricity is a bit higher here at $125. Especially if you love your aircon, and you’ll have about $42 left for other expenses. It’s one of the cheapest capital cities in Asia. But just be prepared for the heat and some chaotic traffic. Coming in at number eight is the beautiful coastal city of Daang. Tied with our next entry, Daang costs around $1,785 a month. Your rent is about $545. Food is incredibly affordable at $435. Transport is a steal at $62. If you’re a digital nomad, a co-working space will cost you around $140. This leaves you with a generous $63 for other fun. We’re talking beach life, a clean city, and fast internet. Daang offers amazing value for money. Sharing the number seven spot is the digital nomad heaven, Changai in Thailand. Also at $1,785 a month. Rent is identical to Da Nang at $545. Food is about $465. Getting around will cost you about $78. A co-working spot is slightly more here at $155 a month. Your remaining budget for leisure and other costs is $542. Chiang Mai is a longtime favorite for a reason, but a pro tip, try to avoid the burning season, which is usually from February to April. At number six, we’re heading to Koala Lumpur, Malaysia. For a major metropolis, it’s surprisingly affordable at around $2,90 a month. You can get a great apartment for about $775. Your monthly food budget will be around $500. Transport with its excellent public system is $125. Your SIM card and utilities will also be about $125, leaving you with $565 for everything else. In KL, you truly get that big city comfort and convenience without the massive price tag. Now, for number five, we’re off to the Philippines. specifically Davao City. Cheaper and often considered safer than Manila. Living in Davao will cost you about $1,860 a month. Rent is about $545. You’ll spend $465 on food. Transport is around $78 and utilities are about $110. This leaves you with a healthy $662 for other expenses. It’s known for its great food, calm lifestyle, and friendly people. A fantastic option if you’re looking for a different slice of the Philippines. All right, let’s talk about the one everyone asks about. At number four, it’s Bali, Indonesia. Focusing on the popular spots like Kenyu or Ubid, you can live comfortably for about $2,90 a month. Rent for a villa or apartment is about $700. If you stick to local food, you’ll spend just $390. If you mix in some western food, add another $235. A scooter rental is $78 and a co-working membership is 190. That leaves you 500 bucks for everything else. So yes, Bali is still cheap, especially if you avoid the trendy Aussie cafes every day. Surging into our top three, we have Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam. Costing around $1,940 a month. You can get a great apartment for about $620. Food is a feast for $465. Transport, mostly via ride sharing apps, is $78. A co-working space will set you back $140 and you’ll have $637 left over. Ho Chi Min City has electric city vibes, arguably the best food in the world, and a massive strong expat community. Our runner up at number two is the incredible island of Pinang, Malaysia. For just $1,630 a month, you can live in this foodie paradise, rent is a very reasonable $545. Your food budget is $435. And trust me, you’ll eat well. Transport is $62 and utilities are just $78. That leaves you with $490 for other things. Tanning is famous for its amazing food, peaceful lifestyle, and colonial architecture. It’s super affordable and a wonderful place to live. And now for the number one cheapest and best place for Aussies to live in Southeast Asia in 2025 is Bangkok, Thailand. For around $2,15 a month, you can live in one of the most exciting cities on the planet. Rent for a modern condo is about $700. If you eat street food, your food bill can be as low as $390. Add another $235 if you mix in Western meals. The BTS Sky Train and Grab rides will cost you about $93. Utilities and your SIM card are another 93, leaving you with $54 for shopping and nightife. Bangkok remains the king. It’s modern, incredibly convenient, affordable, and just packed with an energy you can’t find anywhere else. So, there you have it. The exact monthly costs in Aussie dollars for living in Southeast Asia as spots in 2025. Tell me in the comments, which country would you pick? Let me know, and I’ll create a follow-up video comparing the visas, safety, and the best areas to live in for each of these places. Thanks for watching. If you got value from this, please give it a like, subscribe for more content, and I’ll see you in the next
Thinking about living in Southeast Asia in 2025?
As an Aussie, your money goes MUCH further β and in this video I break down the Top 10 Cheapest Places to Live with exact monthly costs in Australian dollars (AUD).
No ranges.
No guesses.
Just real numbers you can actually budget with. π¦πΊπΈ
We cover the full AUD cost of living for:
π Vientiane, Laos β $1,470 AUD/month
π Phnom Penh, Cambodia β $1,630 AUD/month
π Danang, Vietnam β $1,785 AUD/month
π Chiang Mai, Thailand β $1,785 AUD/month
π Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia β $2,090 AUD/month
π Davao, Philippines β $1,860 AUD/month
π Bali (Canggu/Ubud) β $2,090 AUD/month
π Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam β $1,940 AUD/month
π Penang, Malaysia β $1,630 AUD/month
π Bangkok, Thailand β $2,015 AUD/month
In this video, youβll see:
β EXACT rent prices in AUD
β Food costs (local + western)
β Transport, utilities & co-working costs
β Hidden expenses for each country
β Which cities give Aussies the BEST value
β Where you can live comfortably on $1,500β$2,000 a month
Whether you’re a digital nomad, a retiree, a remote worker, or just sick of Australian rent β Southeast Asia offers warm weather, safe cities, incredible food, and low cost of living.
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3 Comments
This is gold for anyone thinking of moving abroad! Super detailed and realistic costs. love it!
Crystal-clear costs + real value = super helpful video.
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